Abstract: A light source (10) includes a light emitting component (32), such as a UV/blue light emitting diode or laser diode, a layer (46) of a light scattering material (42), and a layer (48) of a phosphor material (44). The phosphor material converts a portion of the light emitted by the light emitting component to light of a longer wavelength, such as yellow light. The scattering material scatters the light emitted by the light emitting component and/or the light converted by the phosphor to improve the overall uniformity of the angular distribution of the light. When combined, the converted and scattered light has a more uniform angular distribution, that is, it maintains the approximately the same color as the viewing angle is changed.

Abstract: A color tunable light source (10) includes multiple light emitting components (32, 34, 36), such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes (LDs) with different emission wavelengths, and multiple phosphors (24) with different excitation and emission wavelengths. The emission wavelengths of the different light emitting components are chosen to match the excitation wavelengths of the different phosphors. The light emitting components are powered by an electrical circuit (42, 44, 46), which allows separate control of the optical power output of the different wavelength LEDs/LDs. The light from the light emitting components is arranged to impinge on the combination of phosphors such that the phosphors are excited and emit light at their characteristic wavelengths. By separately adjusting the power to each LED/LD, the amount of light emitted by each phosphor, and hence, through color mixing, the color of the light emitted, is varied.

Abstract: A molded case circuit breaker and current suppressing unit protects an electric motor without tripping during motor current reversal. The circuit breaker trip unit provides long time, short time and instantaneous over current protection against abnormal overload and low-current short circuit currents within the protected circuit. The current suppressing unit rapidly suppresses high-current short circuit currents until the circuit breaker responds to isolate the protected equipment.

Abstract: A fault current interrupter is provided by the parallel combination of a polymer current limiter and a voltage dependent resistor connected across a pair of separable contacts to permit the interruption of current without the occurrence of arcing between the contacts when the contacts first become separated. The polymer current limiter is selected to have a relatively low resistance at quiescent operating currents and a substantially higher resistance at short circuit overcurrents. This allows the current to transfer away from the contacts through the polymer current limiter until the voltage across the voltage dependent resistor causes the voltage dependent resistor to become conductive and thereby transfer the current away from the polymer current limiter.

Abstract: A circuit breaker is equipped with a current limiting arc runner for effective overcurrent interruption without additional heating under quiescent operating conditions. Upon contact separation, an arc is drawn with the endpoints of the arc being initially rooted on the set of open contacts. Further opening of the contacts commutates the arc onto the current limiting arc runner to suppress the circuit current.

Abstract: A current limiting device utilizing an electrically conductive composite material and an inhomogeneous distribution of resistance structure is disclosed. The inhomogeneous distribution is typically chosen so that at least one selected thin layer of the current limiting device has much higher resistance than the rest of the current limiting device. In the actual device, pressure is typically exerted on the composite material in a direction normal to the selected thin layer. During a short-circuit, it is believed that adiabatic resistive heating of this selected thin layer is followed by rapid thermal expansion which leads to either a partial or complete physical separation of the current limiting device at the selected thin layer which produces a higher over-all device resistance to electric current flow. Thus the current limiting device limits the flow of current through the short-circuited current path.

Abstract: A solid state method of converting a polycrystalline ceramic body to a single crystal body includes the steps of doping the polycrystalline ceramic material with a conversion-enhancing dopant and then heating the polycrystalline body at a selected temperature for a selected time sufficient to convert the polycrystalline body to a single crystal. The selected temperature is less than the melting temperature of the polycrystalline material and greater than about one-half the melting temperature of the material. In the conversion of polycrystalline alumina to single crystal alumina (sapphire), examples of conversion-enhancing dopants include cations having a +3 valence, such as chromium, gallium, and titanium.

Abstract: A solid state seed crystal process for bulk conversion of a polycrystalline ceramic body to a single crystal body (of the same chemical composition) having the same crystal orientation as the seed crystal. The process comprises heating said body to form a monolithic join between the body and the seed crystal, heating the joined structure to reduce grain growth inhibitors and further heating the joined structure above the minimum temperature required for crystallite growth of the crystalline material, but not hot enough to melt and distort the original shape of the polycrystalline ceramic body during its conversion to a single crystal. This process has been used to convert polycrystalline alumina (PCA) bodies to sapphire having the same crystal orientation as the seed crystal by heating the PCA body, monolithically joined to a sapphire seed crystal, at a temperature above 1700.degree. C. without melting the body.

Abstract: A solid step process for convening a polycrystalline body to a single crystal body includes the steps of forming a selected surface topography on the body and then heating the body at a temperature below its melting temperature for a time sufficient to substantially convert the polycrystalline material to single crystal material. The surface topography includes depressions or protrusions from the body having sidewalls of the polycrystalline material that are disposed to intersect one another at junctions forming relatively sharp corners, and the dimensions of the sidewalls are greater than the average grain size of the polycrystalline material. Typically alumina is the polycrystalline material and surface features include grooves or the like. The patterned alumina body with the selected surface topography is heated to a temperature between 1800.degree. and 2000.degree. C. in one or more cycles to convert the polycrystalline alumina to sapphire.

Abstract: A solid state method of converting a polycrystalline ceramic body to a single crystal body includes the steps of doping the polycrystalline ceramic material with a conversion-enhancing dopant and then heating the polycrystalline body at a selected temperature for a selected time sufficient to convert the polycrystalline body to a single crystal. The selected temperature is less than the melting temperature of the polycrystalline material and greater than about one-half the melting temperature of the material. In the conversion of polycrystalline alumina to single crystal alumina (sapphire), examples of conversion-enhancing dopants include cations having a +3 valence, such as chromium, gallium, and titanium.

Abstract: A solid state process for the bulk conversion of a dense polycrystalline ceramic body to a single crystal body has been accomplished by heating the polycrystalline material to a temperature above one-half of the melting temperature of the material but below the melting point of the material. As the process is a solid state process, no melting of the ceramic body is necessary to convert it to a single crystal. The process has been used to convert a dense polycrystalline alumina body (PCA) containing less than 100 wppm of magnesia to sapphire (single crystal alumina) by heating the PCA to temperatures above 1100.degree. C. but below 2050.degree. C., the melting point of alumina.

Abstract: Silicone foams are prepared by microwave curing of a mixture of at least one polyorganosiloxane having vinyl groups attached to silicon; at least one hydride polysiloxane; a blowing agent comprising water and, preferably, at least one monohydroxyaliphatic compound, a cyclodextrin inclusion compound of a platinum group metal coordination complex (preferably with a cyclic diene) and a filler. The use of the inclusion compound as a catalyst increases the shelf life of the composition, whereupon curing and foaming occur together upon exposure to microwave radiation.

Abstract: Polycrystalline alumina bodies have been converted to sapphire by a solid state conversion process in which a localized energy source is used to heat only a portion of the body to a temperature above 1800.degree. C. Using a laser as the energy source resulted in conversion to sapphire in less than an hour. The polycrystalline alumina bodies had a magnesia content below 50 wppm, an average grain size below 100 microns, and a density greater than 3.97 g/cc.

Abstract: There is provided an infrared radiation curable organopolysiloxane composition having a poly(alkenylorganosiloxane), a siloxane hydride, an infrared radiation absorbent material, such as carbon black, and an effective amount of a platinum group metal catalyst. The infrared radiation curable organopolysiloxane composition can be used as a binder for a desiccant, such as a zeolite, useful in making multi-panel thermal pane windows.

Abstract: A munitions cartridge transmitter capable of emitting an electromagnetic signal after discharge from a cartridge propelling device comprises a signal generator, an electromagnetic signal transmitter coupled to the generator, an antenna coupled to the transmitter, and a hollow cartridge for housing the generator, the transmitter, and the antenna. The transmitter is energized after discharge of the cartridge propelling device by a power source contained in the cartridge.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a rigid spacer, containing a silicone bound desiccant which is useful for a multi-pane sealed window. An infrared radiation curable silicone is used as a binder for a desiccant such as a zeolite which is injected in a continuous manner into a U-shaped or V-shaped semi-rigid spacer such as a steel channel.

Abstract: Invasive devices, such as laser fiber guides and biopsy needles, constructed of a material which exhibits little or no magnetic susceptibility, have a flexible polymer coating for retaining pieces of the device in the event of a fracture of the invasive device. The polymer coating also allows removal of the pieces of a fractured invasive device from the body of a subject without requiring surgery. The surgical instruments can be used inside a magnetic field during magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, thereby allowing interactive internal images to be produced and displayed to a surgeon during surgery. Since the invasive devices exhibit low susceptibility, they do not distort a created MR image.

Abstract: A thermoelectric module powered by a solar cell is used to cool a battery which serves as a backup power supply in a time-of-use power meter. Solar irradiation incident on the power meter containing the battery, of sufficient intensity to result in heating of the battery, concurrently causes the solar cell to generate an electric current. If the battery temperature rises above a predetermined level, the thermoelectric module cools the battery in dependence on the power generated by the solar cell.

Abstract: A battery exposed to heating from incident sunlight is cooled by rejecting heat to air drawn through a chimney by the heating of at least portions of the chimney by the incident sunlight. The battery is placed within the chimney so that the air flow in the chimney passes around the battery, enabling heat to be transferred directly from the battery to the air. Air flow in the chimney is generated by sunlight incident on the exterior of the chimney, causing heating of air within at least a portion of the chimney to create a natural convective air flow within the chimney, with relatively cool outside ambient air being drawn in at one end of the chimney and heated air being exhausted out the other end of the chimney.

Abstract: A method for fabricating incandescent lamp filaments having surface features of submicron-to-micron sized cross sections which increase the radiative efficiency of the filament comprises depositing at least one enveloping mask layer on the filament and cutting a selected pattern into the filament by ablation with a beam of radiated energy. The desired surface features are formed on the filament by a process that includes stenciling through the selected pattern.