Bizarre Patents
Pet Toilet-Like Water Disk and Food Storage
One pet-friendly inventor patented "a device for watering pets, e.g., a dog or cat." The device, he helpfully noted, "has the general shape of a toilet."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7354020 | System for use of external secondary payloads An experiment system with six different re-entry experiment locations for testing high temperature re-entry materials, creating new thermal protection systems, proving innovative new concepts for spacecraft exterior surfaces and the incremental development of next g... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7198233 | Reusable orbital vehicle with interchangeable cargo modules A reusable module is affixed atop a reusable orbital vehicle (OV). Various configurations of the reusable module have identical external dimensions in the region of attachment to the OV to permit interchangeability. Different configurations can accommodate a variety... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7004185 | Liquid loading techniques An improved method for loading propellants into separate tanks on a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) uses three innovative methods. The liquid loading provides three liquid transfer methods, integrated and coordinated to provide less complicated loading and unloading o... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6945498 | Commercial experiment system in orbit An orbital experiment system with different internal experiment locations within a reusable launch vehicle making daylong delivery trips to space. The experiments get access to the attributes of low earth orbit, the reusable launch vehicle's power and other subsyste... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6789767 | Active satellite dispenser for reusable launch vehicle An active satellite dispenser is preferably attachable to a reusable launch vehicle for deployment of one or more satellites into one or more desired orbits. The active satellite dispenser includes a center mast that releasably receives the satellite(s), a liquid pr... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6513760 | Logistics module system and method An orbital vehicle (34) having a propulsion module (33) and a logistics module (36). The logistics module includes a generally cylindrical outer shell (56, 541, 542) with first and second ends. An openable cover (58) is coupled with the outer shell at the... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6289818 | Stage separation system and method An aerospace vehicle for delivering a payload into space includes a first stage and a second stage with a plurality of separation assemblies coupling the first stage to the second stage. At least one container charged with pressurized gas in fluid communi... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6267330 | Liquid oxygen downcomer A feedline for transporting propellant from a tank of a launch vehicle to an engine includes a first conduit coupled to the tank, a second conduit coupled to the engine, and a flexible joint connecting the first conduit to the second conduit. The flexible... | 07/31/2001 |
| 6186039 | Spacecraft launch system and method A spacecraft launch system includes a support assembly and a seat coupled to a hinge having a hinge axis. In operation, the support assembly and the seat rotate about the hinge axis to move the spacecraft from a horizontal position to a vertical position ... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6158693 | Recoverable booster stage and recovery method A recoverable/reusable booster stage has a restartable center liquid-fueled rocket engine mounted in the aft portion of a vehicle body in alignment with the center axis of the body. The booster stage may also include two side liquid-fueled rocket engines ... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6113032 | Delivering liquid propellant in a reusable booster stage A system is provided for delivering liquid propellant in a booster stage of a launch vehicle. The system includes an arrangement of tanks and valves to direct a first supply of liquid propellant during ascent of the booster stage and a second supply durin... | 09/05/2000 |
| 6082676 | Cryogenic tanks for launch vehicles An aluminum cryogenic tank for launch vehicles has aluminum skirts that extend from each end of a peripheral wall of a tank body. The skirts provide a temperature differential between the tank body and the ends of the skirts so that composite panels can b... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6076771 | System and method for controlling a re-entry vehicle A re-entry vehicle includes a flare-stabilized cylindrical body with a center of gravity displaced from a centerline to define a windward side of the body upon re-entry. The body orients at an angle of attack between the centerline and a velocity vector t... | 06/20/2000 |
| 6059234 | Payload module A payload module couples to a forward end of a re-entry vehicle. The payload module includes a cap and a fairing to contain a payload during ascent of the vehicle and to withstand aerodynamic heating from the atmosphere upon re-entry of the vehicle. In a ... | 05/09/2000 |
| 5927653 | Two-stage reusable earth-to-orbit aerospace vehicle and transport system A two-stage wingless reusable aerospace vehicle having upper and lower stages that take off from a take-off area and separate at a separation point along a first trajectory. The separation forces are generated by air retained between the upper and lower s... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5667167 | Methods and apparatus for reusable launch platform and reusable spacecraft A reusable single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft and a reusable launch assist platform provide a new system for space transportation. The platform has a frame with a cradle for supporting the spacecraft. Rocket engines attached to the launch assist platform pr... | 09/16/1997 |
