Abstract: An aqueous dispersion has particles dispersed in a continuous dispersion medium. The particles, preferably no more than about 2 micrometers in size, are formed of a mixture of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (S-EB-S) block copolymer having end blocks each with a weight average molecular weight of more than about 15,000 Daltons and an oil such as a mineral oil. The dispersion medium is a mixture of water and a surfactant. Articles are prepared by dipping a form into the dispersion and withdrawing the form to leave a film of the dispersion on the form. The water is evaporated from the film, leaving a coherent extensible film on the form.
Abstract: A metallic article is fabricated by providing a die and a piece of a bulk-solidifying amorphous metallic alloy having a glass transition temperature. The bulk-solidifying amorphous metallic alloy is heated to a forming temperature of from about 0.75 T.sub.g to about 1.2 T.sub.g and forced into the die cavity at the forming temperature under an external pressure of from about 260 to about 40,000 pounds per square inch, thereby deforming the piece of the bulk-solidifying amorphous metallic alloy to a formed shape that fills the die cavity. Preferably, a pressure is applied to the piece of the bulk-solidifying amorphous metallic alloy as it is heated, and the heating rate is at least about 0.1.degree. C. per second. The die may be a male die or a female die. When the die has a re-entrant comer therein, the formed shape of the bulk-solidifying amorphous metallic alloy is mechanically locked to the die.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 17, 1996
Date of Patent:
April 27, 1999
Assignees:
Amorphous Technologies International, California Institute of Technology
Inventors:
Atakan Peker, Eric Bakke, William L. Johnson
Abstract: A reinforcement-containing metal-matrix composite material is formed by dispersing pieces of reinforcement material throughout a melt of a bulk-solidifying amorphous metal and solidifying the mixture at a sufficiently high rate that the solid metal matrix is amorphous. Dispersing is typically accomplished either by melting the metal and mixing the pieces of reinforcement material into the melt, or by providing a mass of pieces of the reinforcement material and infiltration of the molten amorphous metal into the mass. The metal preferably has a composition of about that of a eutectic composition, and most preferably has a composition, in atomic percent, of from about 45 to about 67 percent total of zirconium plus titanium, from about 10 to about 35 percent beryllium, and from about 10 to about 38 percent total of copper plus nickel.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 15, 1996
Date of Patent:
February 2, 1999
Assignee:
Amorphous Technologies International
Inventors:
Atakan Peker, William L. Johnson, Robert Schafer, David M. Scruggs
Abstract: A composite article is prepared by positioning composite material precursor between a layup tool and a sculpted block of an open-celled foam material. The block has a first face sculpted to define a first face of the composite article. A pressure is applied between the layup tool and the block, and thence to the composite material precursor. Simultaneously with the pressure application, the assembly is heated to compact and cure the composite material. The open-celled foam block acts both as a breather material to allow gas to escape from the compacting composite material and a bleeder material to receive resin that is forced out of the composite material under pressure.
Abstract: An optically transparent article is prepared from an optically transparent first piece and an optically transparent second piece. A channel pattern is scribed into a surface of the first piece to a preselected depth. A metallic stripe pattern is deposited into the channel pattern, with the thickness of the metallic stripe pattern being less than the depth of the channel pattern. The second piece is placed over the first piece and sealed thereto at a peripheral boundary such that the second piece does not contact the metallic stripe pattern. A bus connection is optionally made to the metallic stripe, preferably from the periphery of either the first or second piece.
Abstract: A pipe connector has a coupling with a first cylindrical land, a second cylindrical land, and a third cylindrical land. There is a first annular recess defined between the first cylindrical land and the second cylindrical land, and a second annular recess defined between the second cylindrical land and the third cylindrical land. A gate channel communicates between the two recesses through the second cylindrical land. Circumferential seals extend around the first and third cylindrical lands. A cement injection port communicates between the outside of the connector and the first recess, and a cement vent port communicates between the outside of the connector and the second recess. In use, a pipe is inserted into the coupling to rest upon the three lands, and cement is forced into the injection port. The cement flows circumferentially around the first annular recess, through the gate opening, circumferentially around the second annular recess, and out through the vent port.
Abstract: A rotary rock bit is formed as a rock bit body, a bearing shaft supported by the rock bit body, a rotary cutter adapted to be rotatably mounted on the bearing shaft, and at least one bearing that promotes rotation between the rotary cutter and the bearing shaft. Each bearing includes a bearing element having a steel matrix with steel-free volumes distributed therethrough. The matrix is a hypoeutectoid steel having more than about 0.40 weight percent carbon. An anti-galling alloy resides within the steel-free volumes of the steel matrix. The anti-galling alloy is a silver-copper alloy having a composition of from about 60 weight percent to about 95 weight percent silver, balance copper.
Abstract: A spectroradiometer images a scene as a repeating sequence of spectral images, each of which spectral images depicts the scene at a preselected wavelength. In a preferred embodiment, the image is of size 256 by 192 pixels, and the sequence repetition rate is about 20-30 cycles per second. Full spectral analysis on the resulting sequences is performed substantially in real time. The spectroradiometer includes a collector of energy in the X-ray or infrared ranges with a lens, a circularly variable spectral filter, and a gate which gates the output of the filter to a detector array which outputs the sequence of electronic spectral images. These images are corrected for systematic errors and calibrated, and correlated with a preselected spectral response function. The image may be further post-processed and displayed in video format or used otherwise.
Abstract: The resin content of an organic resin-matrix composite material is measured nondestructively by nuclear magnetic resonance. A specimen of the composite material is placed into a constant magnetic field and subjected to a radio-frequency magnetic field pulse. The response of the material is indicative of the amount of organic resin that is present. The response may be used as a feedback signal to control the operation of a manufacturing machine.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 28, 1997
Date of Patent:
October 6, 1998
Assignee:
XXSYS Technologies, Inc.
Inventors:
Suresh M. Menon, Geoffrey A. Barrall, Erik E. Magnuson
Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a dewar and a quantity of liquid nitrogen within the container. Gaseous helium is contacted to the liquid nitrogen, either by contacting its top surface or by being bubbled through the liquid nitrogen. The temperature of the cryogenic liquid is lowered by the contact of the gas.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 30, 1996
Date of Patent:
September 15, 1998
Assignee:
Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
Inventors:
Mark S. DiIorio, Kai-Yueh Yang, Shozo Yoshizumi
Abstract: The cure state of a mass of a curable material, such as a composite material formed of a fiber embedded in a curable polymeric matrix, is measured. At least two wire segments are embedded into the mass, and an ultrasonic signal is propagated through the wire segments. From the ultrasonic propagation characteristics, the cure state of the mass is determined.
Abstract: A casting charge of a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy is cast into a mold from a temperature greater than its crystallized melting temperature, and permitted to solidify to form an article. The oxygen content of the casting charge is limited to an operable level, as excessively high oxygen contents produce premature crystallization during the casting operation. During melting, the casting charge is preferably heated to a temperature above a threshold temperature to eliminate heterogeneous crystallization nucleation sites within the casting charge. The casting charge may be cast from above the threshold temperature, or it may be cooled to the casting temperature of more than the crystallized melting point but not more than the threshold temperature, optionally held at this temperature for a period of time, and thereafter cast.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 30, 1996
Date of Patent:
August 25, 1998
Assignees:
Amorphous Technologies International, California Institute of Technology
Inventors:
Xianghong Lin, William L. Johnson, Atakan Peker
Abstract: A method of measuring liquid flows in a living organism comprises the steps of applying an applied magnetic field to a living organism, introducing a time-varying quantity of a magnetizable fluid into a flow of liquid in the living organism, and measuring the variation in an induced magnetic field emanating from the living organism as a measure of the flow of the magnetizable fluid and the liquid within the living organism. The measurement of the induced magnetic field is preferably accomplished with at least two magnetic field sensors positioned at different locations relative to the living organism, whose outputs are detected with SQUID detectors. A cross correlation of the outputs of the magnetic field sensors permits the flow of liquid to be deduced as a function of time and location.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 24, 1996
Date of Patent:
August 18, 1998
Assignee:
Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
Inventors:
Micheal Chopp, John Moran, Norman Tepley
Abstract: A rotary rock bit is formed as a rock bit body, a bearing shaft supported by the rock bit body, a rotary cutter adapted to be rotatably mounted on the bearing shaft, and at least one bearing that promotes rotation between the rotary cutter and the bearing shaft. Each bearing includes a bearing element having a steel matrix with steel-free volumes distributed therethrough. The matrix is a hypoeutectoid steel having more than about 0.40 weight percent carbon. An anti-galling alloy resides within the steel-free volumes of the steel matrix. The anti-galling alloy is a silver-copper alloy having a composition of from about 85 weight percent to about 95 weight percent silver, balance copper.
Abstract: The blade of a folding knife is pivoted on a D-shaped pivot axle which also serves to lock the side pieces and belt clip of the knife in place. A thumb pin used to open the blade is also D-shaped and press fit into place in the blade. The blade has transverse grooves at its base to aid in extracting the knife from a sheath. The blade is locked into place by a side-lock plate, which is held in place by ridges in the side pieces. The side pieces are preferably made of rigid plastic, but with soft inserts in the sides for improved gripping.