Abstract: Disclosed is an aircraft, configured to have a wide range of flight speeds, consuming low levels of power for an extended period of time, while supporting a communications platform with an unobstructed downward-looking view. The aircraft includes an extendable slat at the leading edge of the wing, and a reflexed trailing edge. The aircraft comprises a flying wing extending laterally between two ends and a center point. The wing is swept and has a relatively constant chord. The aircraft also includes a power module configured to provide power via a fuel cell. The fuel cell stores liquid hydrogen as fuel, but uses gaseous hydrogen in the fuel cell. A fuel tank heater is used to control the boil-rate of the fuel in the fuel tank. The fuel cell compresses ambient air for an oxidizer, and operates with the fuel and oxidizer at pressures below one atmosphere.

Abstract: An electrical connection system including a triaxial socket and a triaxial plug, each having three concentric contacts—an inner, an intermediate and an outer contact. In the process of connecting, the outer contacts connect first, the inner contacts connect second, and the intermediate contacts connect third. All contacts except the plug inner contact are connected to an insulator that covers one radial side of the contact, and extends past and over the end of the contact. Two of the insulators isolate the inner contacts from the intermediate contacts prior to either of their connections being made.

Abstract: An electric motor, transformer or inductor having a cooling system. A stack of laminations have apertures at least partially coincident with apertures of adjacent laminations. The apertures define straight or angled cooling-fluid passageways through the lamination stack. Gaps between the adjacent laminations are sealed by injecting a heat-cured sealant into the passageways, expelling excess sealant, and heat-curing the lamination stack. Manifold members adjoin opposite ends of the lamination stack, and each is configured with one or more cavities to act as a manifold to adjacent passageway ends. Complex manifold arrangements can create bidirectional flow in a variety of patterns.

Abstract: A closed loop energy storage system configured with a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, a fuel cell stack and an electrolyzer. A heat exchanger freeze-dries the hydrogen and oxygen prior to their storage in their respective tanks. The heat exchanger also uses excess fuel cell heat to preheat streams of hydrogen and oxygen coming from the tanks. Phase separators serve both to separate water from hydrogen and oxygen, and to store the water. A thermal management system encloses all the system components except the tanks. An airfoil-shaped shell covers the system, and the larger of the two tanks extends substantially across the shell at its point of greatest camber thickness. The tanks are composed of polymer liners integral with composite shells.

Abstract: A hydrogen fueled powerplant including an internal combustion engine that drives a motor-generator, and has a two-stage turbocharger, for an aircraft. A control system controls the operation of the motor-generator to maintain the engine at a speed selected based on controlling the engine equivalence ratio. The control system controls an afterburner, an intercooler and an aftercooler to maximize powerplant efficiency. The afterburner also adds power to the turbochargers during high-altitude restarts. The turbochargers also include motor-generators that extract excess power from the exhaust.

Abstract: A high-altitude aircraft powerplant including an engine, a two-stage turbocharger having an intercooler and an aftercooler, a cryogenic hydrogen fuel source, and a cooling system including a hydrogen heat exchanger. Aided by a ram-air cooler that cools a coolant to a near-ambient temperature, the heat exchanger is configured to heat the hydrogen using the coolant, and to cool the coolant to a temperature well below the ambient temperature during high-altitude flight. The intercooler and aftercooler use the sub-ambient temperature coolant, as does a separate sensor. The ram-air cooler includes a front portion and a rear portion. The cooling system includes three cooling loops which respectively incorporate only the front portion, only the rear portion, and both portions of the ram-air cooler.

Abstract: A communication system for supporting communications with a target market area. The system includes one or more solar-powered aircraft maintained in, or successively passing through, flight stations or flight patterns around the market area. Each of the aircraft targets limited beamwidth communication antennas on a substantial portion of the target market area. The control system is configured to fly selective flight patterns depending on the aircraft characteristics and the flight conditions. The flight patterns may emphasize high-power-generation patterns such as flying away from the sun for aircraft with wing-mounted solar cells.

Abstract: A turbocharger monitor including a sensor adapted and positioned with respect to a turbocharger housing to sense passing compressor blades, generating both rotor rotation information and rotor displacement information. A controller is configured to receive the generated information from the blade sensor, and to establish rotor rotation speed and an indicator of bearing condition.

Abstract: A surgical drape with a functional interface for engaging surgical instruments, including a flexible, tube-like sleeve for creating a sterile barrier around a non-sterile holding arm. The drape is open at a proximal end, and has a hub at a distal end for connection to a distal end of the holding arm. The hub has sterile external surfaces that allow surgical instruments to be easily removably attached in a variety of directions and orientations, providing sufficient mechanical strength to transmit forces from the instruments to the holding arm. The hub includes an externally accessible, sterile actuator for actuating an electronic circuit local to the holding arm on the non-sterile side of the barrier.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aircraft, configured to have a wide range of flight speeds, consuming low levels of power for an extended period of time, while supporting a communications platform with an unobstructed downward-looking view. The aircraft includes an extendable slat at the leading edge of the wing, and a reflexed trailing edge. The aircraft comprises a flying wing extending laterally between two ends and a center point. The wing is swept and has a relatively constant chord. The aircraft also includes a power module configured to provide power via a fuel cell. The fuel cell stores liquid hydrogen as fuel, but uses gaseous hydrogen in the fuel cell. A fuel tank heater is used to control the boil-rate of the fuel in the fuel tank. The fuel cell compresses ambient air for an oxidizer, and operates with the fuel and oxidizer at pressures below one atmosphere. The aircraft of the invention includes a support structure including a plurality of supports, where the supports form a tetrahedron that affixes to the wing.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aircraft, configured to have a wide range of flight speeds, consuming low levels of power for an extended period of time, while supporting a communications platform with an unobstructed downward-looking view. The aircraft includes an extendable slat at the leading edge of the wing, and a reflexed trailing edge. The aircraft comprises a flying wing extending laterally between two ends and a center point. The wing is swept and has a relatively constant chord. The aircraft also includes a power module configured to provide power via a fuel cell. The fuel cell stores liquid hydrogen as fuel, but uses gaseous hydrogen in the fuel cell. A fuel tank heater is used to control the boil-rate of the fuel in the fuel tank. The fuel cell compresses ambient air for an oxidizer, and operates with the fuel and oxidizer at pressures below one atmosphere. The aircraft of the invention includes a support structure including a plurality of supports, where the supports form a tetrahedron that affixes to the wing.

Abstract: A body, including a wedge-shaped sloped section, a level support section and a handle, for elevating a section of a mattress over a support surface upon which the mattress is lying. A distal end of the sloped section is small enough for the distal end to be directly inserted between the mattress and the support surface, while a proximal end of the sloped section has a height adequate to elevate the mattress high enough to aid in the changing of bedclothes.

Abstract: A span-loaded, highly flexible flying wing, having horizontal control surfaces mounted aft of the wing on extended beams to form local pitch-control devices. Each of five spanwise wing segments of the wing has one or more motors and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other wing segments, to minimize inter-segment loads. Wing dihedral is controlled by separately controlling the local pitch-control devices consisting of a control surface on a boom, such that inboard and outboard wing segment pitch changes relative to each other, and thus relative inboard and outboard lift is varied.

Abstract: A closed loop energy storage system configured with a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, a fuel cell stack and an electrolyzer. A heat exchanger freeze-dries the hydrogen and oxygen prior to their storage in their respective tanks. The heat exchanger also uses excess fuel cell heat to preheat streams of hydrogen and oxygen coming from the tanks. Phase separators serve both to separate water from hydrogen and oxygen, and to store the water. A thermal management system encloses all the system components except the tanks. An airfoil-shaped shell covers the system, and the larger of the two tanks extends substantially across the shell at its point of greatest camber thickness. The tanks are composed of polymer liners integral with composite shells.

Abstract: A closed loop energy storage system configured with a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, a fuel cell stack and an electrolyzer. A heat exchanger freeze-dries the hydrogen and oxygen prior to their storage in their respective tanks. The heat exchanger also uses excess fuel cell heat to preheat streams of hydrogen and oxygen coming from the tanks. Phase separators serve both to separate water from hydrogen and oxygen, and to store the water. A thermal management system encloses all the system components except the tanks. An airfoil-shaped shell covers the system, and the larger of the two tanks extends substantially across the shell at its point of greatest camber thickness. The tanks are composed of polymer liners integral with composite shells.

Abstract: A clamp for attaching a medical device to an OR table rail, including two closable clamp jaws that close to an extreme position that leaves inadequate room for the rail. A handle actuates the jaws apart, and a spring biases them together through a range of jaw positions. A lock member is biased to swing through a range of lock positions in which it progressively engages and locks the jaw mechanism through its range of jaw positions. A pair of bars carries the medical device on the clamp, and allows it to be adjustably positioned with respect to the rail.

Abstract: A closed loop energy storage system configured with a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, a fuel cell stack and an electrolyzer. A heat exchanger freeze-dries the hydrogen and oxygen prior to their storage in their respective tanks. The heat exchanger also uses excess fuel cell heat to preheat streams of hydrogen and oxygen coming from the tanks. Phase separators serve both to separate water from hydrogen and oxygen, and to store the water. A thermal management system encloses all the system components except the tanks. An airfoil-shaped shell covers the system, and the larger of the two tanks extends substantially across the shell at its point of greatest camber thickness. The tanks are composed of polymer liners integral with composite shells.

Abstract: A communication system for supporting communications with a target market area. The system includes one or more solar-powered aircraft maintained in, or successively passing through, flight stations or flight patterns around the market area. Each of the aircraft targets limited beamwidth communication antennas on a substantial portion of the target market area. The control system is configured to fly selective flight patterns depending on the aircraft characteristics and the flight conditions. The flight patterns may emphasize high-power-generation patterns such as flying away from the sun for aircraft with wing-mounted solar cells.

Abstract: A closed loop energy storage system configured with a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, a fuel cell stack and an electrolyzer. A heat exchanger freeze-dries the hydrogen and oxygen prior to their storage in their respective tanks. The heat exchanger also uses excess fuel cell heat to preheat streams of hydrogen and oxygen coming from the tanks. Phase separators serve both to separate water from hydrogen and oxygen, and to store the water. A thermal management system encloses all the system components except the tanks. An airfoil-shaped shell covers the system, and the larger of the two tanks extends substantially across the shell at its point of greatest camber thickness. The tanks are composed of polymer liners integral with composite shells.

Abstract: An electric motor, transformer or inductor having a cooling system. A stack of laminations have apertures at least partially coincident with apertures of adjacent laminations. The apertures define straight or angled cooling-fluid passageways through the lamination stack. Gaps between the adjacent laminations are sealed by injecting a heat-cured sealant into the passageways, expelling excess sealant, and heat-curing the lamination stack. Manifold members adjoin opposite ends of the lamination stack, and each is configured with one or more cavities to act as a manifold to adjacent passageway ends. Complex manifold arrangements can create bidirectional flow in a variety of patterns.