Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5862001 | Non-deviating prism with continuously variable dispersion A non-deviating prism system (40) and method provides continuously variable dispersion of light with limited deviation. Light is dispersed in a prism arrangement which includes a selected liquid filled in the spaces between adjacent prism elements (41, 51... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5825525 | Electro-optic modulator with voltage tunable quantum well waveguide cladding layer An electro-optic modulator (300) comprises a multiple quantum well core layer (320) in which the band gap and refractive index are adjusted to make the core layer (320) transparent to light at a selected wavelength and a voltage tunable, multiple quantum ... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5745869 | Techniques for optimizing an autonomous star tracker A method for determining the attitude of a spacecraft (1) by observing stars (2) within a starfield (3). A detector (13), camera electronics (14), and computer (15) located on board the spacecraft (1) are used to generate a set of star match groups by mat... | 04/28/1998 |
| 5731907 | Auxiliary lens with liquid element for correcting secondary color A color corrector having a liquid lens with abnormal dispersion characteristics is coupled axially to an achromatic optical system to reduce its residual color errors. The color corrector is positioned along the axis between the entrance pupil of the achr... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5725709 | Fabrication method for an inflatable deployable control structure for aerospace vehicles The invention discloses a method for fabricating a deployable, inflatable aerodynamic control structure for aerospace vehicles which has a desired noncircular or noncylindrical cross-section. In a preferred embodiment, the control structure is configured ... | 03/10/1998 |
| 5691815 | Laser inspection tool system A laser inspection tool system (100) includes a hand-held remote tool head (108) that provides an image of a target object (116) and a measurement surface (118). The remote tool head (108) includes light sources (208) and mirrors (210) that in conjunction... | 11/25/1997 |
| 5692107 | Method for generating predictive models in a computer system Data mining system including a user interface 102, a plurality of data sources 114, at least one top-down data analysis module 104 and at least one bottom-up data analysis module 104' in cooperative communication with each other and with the user interfac... | 11/25/1997 |
| 5687022 | Mid-wave infrared lens system with liquid optical element A lens system with a liquid optical element is for use in the mid-wave infrared from 3.0 micron to 5.0 micron wavelength is described. Using a liquid optical element which is highly transmissive in the 3.0 micron to 5.0 micron waveband of interest in conj... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5684278 | Acoustical ceramic panel and method A rigid acoustic insulator panel for use as a sound insulator is disclosed. The panel is composed of a rigid matrix formed of randomly oriented, fused silica fibers having fiber diameters predominantly in the range between 0.5 and 2 μm. The matrix has a ... | 11/04/1997 |
| 5682263 | Broad-band ultraviolet lens systems well-corrected for chromatic aberration Design forms are disclosed for lens triplets comprising a liquid lens element, which are well-corrected for chromatic aberration over a broad wavelength band extending from the ultraviolet region through the visible region into the near infrared region of... | 10/28/1997 |
| 5681010 | Inflatable deployable control structures for aerospace vehicles The invention discloses a deployable, inflatable aerodynamic control structure for aerospace vehicles which has a desired noncircular or noncylindrical cross-section and fabrication methods therefor. In a preferred embodiment, the control structure is con... | 10/28/1997 |
| 5680215 | Vision inspection system and method An optical vision inspection system (4) and method for multiplexed illuminating, viewing, analyzing and recording a range of characteristically different kinds of defects, depressions, and ridges in a selected material surface (7) with first and second al... | 10/21/1997 |
| 5650873 | Micropolarization apparatus A micropolarization assembly has a beam-shaping microlens wafer and a polarization wafer assembly. The micropolarization assembly utilizes the full illumination incident on the beam-shaping microlens wafer and aligns all of the light to the same polarizat... | 07/22/1997 |
| 5642191 | Multi-channel imaging spectrophotometer An spectrophotometer system (100) separately images rays of optical radiation in a plurality of wavelength bands from a distant object into a plurality of distinct wavelengths simultaneously and projects the separate images upon a detector (124). Each dis... | 06/24/1997 |
| 5640477 | Electro-optical component alignment technique A method for aligning optical fibers (20) with leads (21) from electro-optical components (2). The method comprises the steps of completely severing a single crystallographic substrate (15) into discrete first (3) and second (5 or 7) pieces; on the first ... | 06/17/1997 |
| 5636299 | Hybrid luminescent device and method for imaging penetrating radiation An improved hybrid luminescent device and method for converting penetrating radiation energy into visible light for imaging applications. The hybrid luminescent device includes a phosphor screen disposed on an entrance face fiber optics scintillator which... | 06/03/1997 |
| 5627674 | Ultraviolet lens systems including liquid lens elements Lens systems (8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58) with first and second rigid lens elements and a liquid lens element therebetween are provided. The first and second rigid lens elements (10, 11; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 51; 60, 61) and the liquid lens elements (16,... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5627639 | Coded aperture imaging spectrometer An imaging spectrometer that includes a mask (214) that has an array of n rows (302) and n columns (304) of transmissive elements (306) for transmitting the light from a plurality of locations of an image and of opaque elements (308) for blocking light fr... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5612786 | Contour measurement system A method for measuring the contours (30) of a three-dimensional object (4); and a method for calibrating an optical system (2, 8). The object (4) is placed into the field of view of the optical system (2, 8). The optical system (2, 8) is activated to obta... | 03/18/1997 |
| 5610771 | Non-deviating prism with continuously variable dispersion A non-deviating prism system (40) and method provides continuously variable dispersion of light with limited deviation. Light is dispersed in a prism arrangement which includes a selected liquid filled in the spaces between adjacent prism elements (41, 51... | 03/11/1997 |
| 5610707 | Wavefront sensor for a staring imager A wavefront sensor for use in a staring imaging system for generating focused and defocused images of an object scene that is being imaged by the imaging system from a single input optical beam impinged thereon. The wavefront sensor includes a beamsplitte... | 03/11/1997 |
| 5598261 | Wavefront sensor for a scanning imager A wavefront sensor for use in a scanning imaging system for generating focused and defocused images of an object scene that is being imaged by the imaging system from a single input optical beam impinged thereon. The two images are combinable using phase ... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5594216 | Jet engine sound-insulation structure An acoustic structure for use as a sound insulator in a jet engine is disclosed. The structure, which is carried in a sound-absorbing compartment of the engine, includes a framework and an acoustical insulation material disposed within the framework. The ... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5592895 | Small waterplane area high speed ship A small waterplane area high speed ship is disclosed which includes a hull structure having a bow portion and a stern portion with the hull being normally supported above the surface of the water when in operation. A forward set of dual struts depend from... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5570238 | Thermally compensating lens mount A thermally compensating lens mount (40) comprises an axially symmetric housing (42) that is formed from an inner layer of a first material (44) having a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to an outer layer of a second material (46) having a high ... | 10/29/1996 |
| 5561526 | Three-dimensional measurement device and system A measurement device or system (11) for determining features of a three-dimensional object (20) from two-dimensional images includes a projector (27) for projecting a pattern (73) upon the object (20), at least one imager (17, 19) for obtaining multiple s... | 10/01/1996 |
| 5557410 | Method of calibrating a three-dimensional optical measurement system A method for measuring the contours (30) of a three-dimensional object (4); and a method for calibrating an optical system (2, 8). The object (4) is placed into the field of view of the optical system (2, 8). The optical system (2, 8) is activated to obta... | 09/17/1996 |
| 5554390 | Coatings with second phase particulate to improve environmental protection A fine, hard particulate is distributed within a fused coating on a substrate. The distributed, fine, hard particulate function as crack arresters, so that a propagating crack is actually stopped upon encounter with the hard particle, and enhance nucleati... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5531150 | Lightweight gun systems A mortar design according to the present invention has been described. The mortar of the present invention weighs substantially less than the presently available mortars. Furthermore, the mortar of the present invention provides a dampening mechanism whic... | 07/02/1996 |
| 5529264 | Launch vehicle system A launch vehicle system includes at least one primary solid fuel motor, a shroud for housing a payload and an attitude control system. The attitude control system is connected intermediate the primary solid fuel motor and the shroud. It has a circular out... | 06/25/1996 |
| 5520754 | Spray cast Al-Li alloy composition and method of processing A composition and method for producing a low density, high stiffness aluminum alloy which is capable of being processed into structural components having a desired combination of tensile strength, fracture toughness and ductility. The method includes the ... | 05/28/1996 |
| 5519735 | Reconstructing a primary signal from many secondary signals An original signal, different portions of which are captured by two or more different receivers, is reconstructed from the outputs of the various receivers. In a first embodiment, signal reconstruction is achieved by first converting the analog receiver o... | 05/21/1996 |
| 5502592 | Wide-aperture infrared lenses with hyper-hemispherical fields of view Design forms are disclosed for infrared imaging systems that can operate at hyper-hemispherical fields of view (e.g., up to 270°) and at wide relative apertures (e.g., up to f/0.7) to produce images having low distortion--typically no more than 20% great... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5493771 | Method of cutting antenna mesh An open mesh material for use as a high performance RF reflective antenna surface and which is formed as a Leno type weave using electrically conductive composite yarns which have a construction for avoiding loose metal-to-metal contacts which generate un... | 02/27/1996 |
| 5494755 | Passive intermodulation products (PIM) free tape The present invention relates to a tape for seaming together RF shielding thermal blankets of the kind used for covering the metal components of high power RF transmit and receive communications systems which are susceptible to generating passive intermod... | 02/27/1996 |
| 5490468 | Safe with refractory laminate walls A safe, vault or container 10 has a laminate wall that is resistant to the cutting effects of a high-temperature torch. The wall of the safe, vault or container 10 comprises a hardened steel outer panel 21 and a hardened steel inner panel 22. A refractory... | 02/13/1996 |
| 5491583 | Infrared lens systems Lens systems (68, 78, 88, 98, 108, 118) with first and second rigid lens elements (70,71;80,81;90,91;100,101;110,111;120,121) and a liquid lens element (76, 86, 96, 106, 116, 126) therebetween are provided. The first and second rigid lens elements and the... | 02/13/1996 |
| 5488383 | Method for accurizing mesh fabric reflector panels of a deployable reflector A method for sewing a plurality of gore-shaped metalized mesh fabric panels to each other to form a parabolic dish-shaped reflector surface for subsequent attachment to the radially extendable rib members of a deployable parabolic reflector. The method in... | 01/30/1996 |
| 5482800 | Exposure mask for fabricating microlenses A microlens of any designed configuration is formed as a replica in a photoresist material, and the photoresist material replica is used to reproduce the replica directly in a substrate material.... | 01/09/1996 |
| 5471346 | Casegrain telescope with spherical mirror surfaces To develop a design form for a Cassegrain-type telescope with spherical primary and secondary mirrors, which is well-corrected for chromatic aberration as well as for geometrical aberrations including spherical aberration, coma and astigmatism, the design... | 11/28/1995 |
