公开(公告)号：US11186794B1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-30

申请号：US16291939

申请日：2019-03-04

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Jessica Pratt Chaffin ,  Sadie Mae Mikiah Boyle ,  John W. Dankanich ,  George Taylor Story ,  Robert Houston Taylor, Jr.

IPC: C10L5/36 ,  C10L10/00

Abstract: A hybrid fuel grain is a solid homogenous mixture consisting of paraffin, thermoplastic adhesive, and black dye. A homogenous mixture of the three ingredients is heated in a preheated cast. The cast with the homogenous mixture therein in is placed in an oven. The temperature of the oven is reduced to a selected ambient temperature in accordance with a cooling schedule that comprises a two-step cooling process repeated until the selected ambient temperature is achieved.

公开(公告)号：US11185232B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-30

申请号：US16542719

申请日：2019-08-16

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： William T. Yost ,  John H. Cantrell ,  Daniel F. Perey

IPC: A61B5/00 ,  A61B5/03

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring phase dynamics and other properties (e.g. intracranial pressure) are disclosed. For example, the system may generate a reference waveform and a measurement waveform using digital synthesizers, each waveform having an identical constant frequency but also a relative phase shift. Next, system may send a tone-burst, via a transducer, into a sample (e.g. a skull or a bonded material), and then receive a reflected tone-burst in response. Then, a phase difference between the received tone-burst and the measurement waveform may be determined with a linear phase detector. Next, the phase shift of the measurement waveform may be adjusted, by the determined phase difference, such that there is no longer any phase difference between the received tone-burst and the adjusted measurement waveform generated by the appropriate digital synthesizer. A similar adjustment may occur after subsequent tone-bursts, allowing accurate monitoring of continuously variable phase relationships.

公开(公告)号：US20210343921A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-04

申请号：US17374091

申请日：2021-07-13

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： SANG H. CHOI ,  HYUN JUNG KIM ,  ADAM J. DUZIK ,  CHEOL PARK

IPC: H01L35/20 ,  H01L35/32 ,  H01L35/34

Abstract: A metal junction thermoelectric device includes at least one thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element has first and second opposite sides, and a first conductor made from a first metal, and a second conductor made from a second metal. The first and second conductors are electrically interconnected in series, and the first and second conductors are arranged to conduct heat in parallel between the first and second sides. The first metal has a first occupancy state, and the second metal has a second occupancy state that is lower than the first occupancy state. A temperature difference between the first and second sides of the thermoelectric element causes a charge potential due to the difference in occupancy states of the first and second metals. The charge potential generates electrical power.

公开(公告)号：US11143748B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-12

申请号：US16022993

申请日：2018-06-29

Applicant: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research ,  Montana State University ,  NASA Langley Research Center

Inventor： Scott M. Spuler

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/95 ,  G01N21/53 ,  G01S17/18 ,  G01N21/17 ,  G01N21/47

Abstract: A shared optics and telescope for transmitting a transmission beam and receiving a return signal is provided. The shared optics and telescope includes a pair of axicon lenses operable to shape the transmission beam into an annular beam having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, a secondary mirror operable to deflect the annular beam into a deflected annular transmission beam, and a primary mirror that includes an inner mirror portion and an outer mirror portion, the inner mirror portion operable to expand the deflected annular transmission beam, and the outer mirror portion operable to collect the return signal.

公开(公告)号：US20210302380A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-30

申请号：US17209934

申请日：2021-03-23

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICAS AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： Harold A. Haldren ,  Daniel F. Perey ,  William T. Yost ,  K. Elliott Cramer ,  Mool C. Gupta

IPC: G01N29/12 ,  G01N29/44

Abstract: A method and system for ultrasonic testing of adhesion within a sample, which provides ultrasonic bursts of different frequencies to the sample and maintains a predetermined phase difference between echoes returned from the sample and representative reference signals of the bursts supplied to the sample until a spectrum of the phase differences versus frequency is obtained and from which properties of the adhesion at an interface reflecting the echoes are derivable.

公开(公告)号：US11131294B1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-28

申请号：US16751658

申请日：2020-01-24

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Steven W. Bauman ,  Othmane Benafan

IPC: F03G7/06 ,  F16H1/28

Abstract: A scalable plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) elements are configured to provide a continuous rotation actuator system. The plurality of SMA elements are coupled to a Ring Gear element, as well as to a Sun Gear element and a provision for thermal cycle return assist of the SMA elements. A plurality of Transmission elements provide for controlled rotary actuation in a desired direction with lock capability that provides for continuous rotary motion even as the SMA elements undergo reciprocating rotary action during their thermal cycling without running into system component rotation limits. The innovation distinguishes over other innovative approaches by way of at least the Ring Gear element, the manner of lock control, and the return assist element.

公开(公告)号：US11130742B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-28

申请号：US16854265

申请日：2020-04-21

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Christopher J. Wohl, Jr. ,  John W. Connell ,  Emilie J. Siochi ,  Joseph G. Smith, Jr.

IPC: C07D305/08 ,  C09D179/08 ,  C08G73/10 ,  C08G65/18 ,  C08G65/322 ,  C08G65/333 ,  C08G65/16 ,  C08G73/02 ,  C08L67/00 ,  C08G63/68

Abstract: Copoly(imide oxetane) materials are disclosed that can exhibit a low surface energy while possessing the mechanical, thermal, chemical and optical properties associated with polyimides. The copoly(imide oxetane)s are prepared using a minor amount of fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomer with sufficient fluorine-containing segments of the copoly(imide oxetane)s migrate to the exterior surface of the polymeric material to yield low surface energies. Thus the coatings and articles of manufacture made with the copoly(imide oxetane)s of this invention are characterized as having an anisotropic fluorine composition. The low surface energies can be achieved with very low content of fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomer. The copolymers of this invention can enhance the viability of polyimides for many applications and may be acceptable where homopolyimide materials have been unacceptable.

公开(公告)号：US11111980B1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-07

申请号：US17217823

申请日：2021-03-30

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： W. Neill Myers ,  Robert E. Berry ,  Frederick Scott Gant ,  Jeffrey Lee Lindner ,  John S. Townsend

IPC: F16F9/04 ,  F16F15/023

Abstract: A unidirectional damping system includes a shaft and unidirectional damping modules. Each module is fixedly coupled to the shaft. Each module includes a fluid-filled variable-volume chamber and spring(s). The chamber has at least one port through which fluid flows based on changes in volume of the chamber wherein, when the shaft is adapted to have a unidirectional force applied thereto, the chamber decreases in volume. The spring(s) is coupled to the chamber for increasing volume of the chamber when the unidirectional force is not applied to the shaft. A fluid-filled spacer chamber is coupled between adjacent modules and is uncoupled from the shaft. The spacer chamber includes at least one venting port through which fluid flows based on pressure in the spacer chamber.

公开(公告)号：US11099748B1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16058458

申请日：2018-08-08

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： James E. Fraction ,  Andrzej T. Jackowski

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  G06F11/16 ,  H01L23/552

Abstract: A radiation hardened, digital to analog converter includes first and second serial communication circuits, a common bus interface configured to connect the first and second serial communication circuits to first and second digital serial communication buses, respectively, and a digital to analog converter circuit, where the first and second serial communication circuits are configured to receive data over the first and second digital serial communication buses, respectively, for use by the digital to analog converter circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20210237759A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-05

申请号：US16821115

申请日：2020-03-17

Applicant: Nissan North America, Inc. ,  The University of Massachusetts ,  United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Kyle Hollins Wray ,  Omar Bentahar ,  Astha Vagadia ,  Laura Cesafsky ,  Arec Jamgochian ,  Stefan Witwicki ,  Najamuddin Mirza Baig ,  Julius S. Gyorfi ,  Shlomo Zilberstein ,  Sparsh Sharma

IPC: B60W50/16 ,  B60W60/00

Abstract: A processor is configured to execute instructions stored in a memory to determine, in response to identifying vehicle operational scenarios of a scene, an action for controlling the AV, where the action is from a selected decision component that determined the action based on level of certainty associated with a state factor; generate an explanation as to why the action was selected, such that the explanation includes respective descriptors of the action, the selected decision component, and the state factor; and display the explanation in a graphical view that includes a first graphical indicator of a world object of the selected decision component, a second graphical indicator describing the state factor, and a third graphical indicator describing the action.