Abstract:
A light-weight yet sturdy ceramic article, is manufactured by initially forming at least one fugitive core (14) including a main portion (15) and at least one holding portion (16) projecting from the main portion and then positioning the fugitive core (14) in a mold cavity bounded by a multitude of bounding surfaces (11, 12) so that the holding portion (16) holds the main portion (15) at predetermined spacings from all of the bounding surfaces (11, 12). This is followed by filling the mold cavity around the fugitive core (14) with a dense slip constituted by ceramic or metal particles in mixture with a liquid medium to form a ceramic or metal preform (19) embedding the fugitive core (14) in its interior and freezing the ceramic or metal preform, then the fugitive core (14) is dissolved and escapes from the interior of the frozen ceramic or metal preform and finally the ceramic preform is converted into the ceramic article.
Abstract:
A commutator arrangement includes a commutator member (11) rotatably mounted on a support (13) and including a plurality of circumferentially adjacent contact pads (17) that are mechanically connected with one another and electrically separated from each other by respective intervening gaps (18), and a number of commutator brushes (14) that are mounted on the support (13) for only substantially radial movements toward and away from the commutator member (11) and are biased toward the latter to establish contact between their respective contact surfaces (22) and those (19) of the pads (17). The lateral edges (20, 21 or 23, 24) bouding one kind of these contact surfaces (19 or 22) circumferentially deviate from those (23, 24 or 20, 21) delimiting the other contact surface kind (22 or 19) over at least a part of their courses such that different portions of such lateral edges (20, 21) are juxtaposed with their counterparts (23, 24) at different times during the relative rotation of the commutator member (11).
Abstract:
A temperature compensated embedded grating (13) optical waveguide (10) light filtering device includes an optical fiber having an elongated core (11) in which light is guided toward a core portion of a predetermined limited length that has embedded therein a multitude of grating elements (14) extending with a substantially equal longitudinal spacing substantially normal to the longitudinal axis and collectively constituting a grating that reflects, of the light propagating in the path toward and reaching the grating elements, that of a wavelength within a narrow range about a central wavelength determined by the spacing of the grating elements and by the index of refraction of the material of the core as influenced by the temperature of and longitudinal strains applied to the grating, back into the path for longitudinal propagation therein opposite to the original propagation direction. Each end of the fiber portion is attached to a different one of two compensating members made of materials with such coefficients of thermal expansion relative to one another and to that of the fiber material as to apply to the fiber longitudinal strains the magnitude of which varies with temperature in such a manner that the changes in the central wavelength that are attributable to the changes in the longitudinal strains substantially compensate for those attributable to the changes in the temperature of the grating.
Abstract:
An optical power star coupler includes a LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 substrate having a major surface for receiving a circuit array of one or more 1 x 2 splitters disposed thereon by a two step proton exchange (TSPE) process, in a geometric pattern to provide an N x M star coupler having high polarization extinction, uniform splitting ratio, and low loss.
Abstract:
A piloting fuel injector assembly for a supersonic ramjet engine has a cowl (24, 70) confining a pilot air portion of the airstream. A conical member (34, 74) produces a subsonic recirculation zone (30, 76) and a shock wave falling within the cowl. Pilot fuel injected (40, 82) upstream of the recirculation zone burns stoichiometrically. The exhaust (38, 86) from the cowl is sonic, producing a shock wave which facilitates ignition of the main fuel injected (46, 84) upstream of the cowl exhaust.
Abstract:
A common optical path interferometric gauge comprises an optical beam (14) that is split into two beams. Both beams are modulated and recombined after introducing an optical path length difference greater than the coherence length of the optical source (12). The combined beam is guided along a common optical path (46) and is subsequently split into reference and measurement beams. The measurement beam is guided along a measurement optical path that includes a moving workpiece surface (60). Both beams are recombined after interposing an optical path length difference therebetween so as to reestablish coherence between portions thereof producing optical interference indicative of the surface (60) movement.
Abstract:
Method of making fiber reinforced glass, glass-ceramic or ceramic matrix composite articles. The method comprises forming the matrix material into fibers and then into yarn (10) which is woven or knitted into cloth. The matrix cloth is then cut into preformed shapes and interleaved with preformed pieces of fabric which have been woven or knitted from yarn (12) containing the fiber reinforcement. The yarn (10, 12) of reinforcing fiber (12) and matrix fibers (10) may be formed into a hybrid cloth. A hybrid cloth comprising yarn (14) of both matrix (16) and reinforcing (18) fibers may be formed or a near net structure of these fibers (16, 18) and yarns (10, 12) formed. The preformed structure is then placed in a die and densified under pressure and temperature to form the composite article.
Abstract:
Process of forming glass, glass-ceramic or ceramic matrix, fiber reinforced composite articles. The method comprises preparing both the matrix and the reinforcement into fibers, which are then chopped into relatively short lengths. These chopped fibers are then formed into hybrid felt papers comprising a mixture of both reinforcing fibers and matrix fibers. These felt papers are then cut into preforms and stacked one on top of the other to form a lay-up. The lay-up is then placed in a die and densified to form the composite article.
Abstract:
Resistance welding of a delicate honeycomb sheet (10) to a substrate (12) without damage to the honeycomb is accomplished even when there are irregularities in alignment of the workpieces and electrodes. A generally T-shaped resistance welding electrode (14) is attached to the arm (16) of a welding machine by an attachment tang (20). It has a transversely extending hollow portion (22) made of thin sheet metal. The hollow portion (22) is filled with a material (26) such as an elastomer. The elastomer may comprise silicone rubber. The electrode is thus adapted to make good contact with, and provide even force to the surface (11) of a delicate workpiece (10) being welded to a rigid substrate (12).
Abstract:
Transducteur de pression capacitif au silicium (34) comprenant deux gaufres de silicium (14, 32) séparées par un verre au borosilicate (18, 21), l'une des gaufres (14) possédant une base de verre au borosilicate (26) qui est métalisée (30) pour réaliser une plaque d'un condensateur, l'autre plaque étant constituée par la surface de l'une des gaufres de silicium (32). La distance entre la surface supérieure de la base de verre et la surface inférieure de la gaufre de silicium est définie par une partie (18) du verre au borosilicate, la partie (21) du verre au borosilicate possédant la même hauteur que celle de la base de verre (26). Un exemple de réalisation du transducteur (34b) utilise une base de silicium (26b), dans laquelle la partie de verre (21b) assure uniquement la séparation des gaufres de silicium (14b, 32b) avec une capacitance parasite plus faible.