...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7573182 | Ultrasonic transducer An ultrasonic transducer of the type containing a cylindrical piezoelectric active element mounted on a supporting tube is provided with a backing component made of an electrically and thermally insulating material forming a sleeve which extends between the piezoele... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7540846 | Energy application with inflatable annular lens Apparatus and methods for ablating tissue surrounding a tubular anatomical structure such as the wall of a blood vessel or prostatic tissue surrounding the urethra. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic emitter such as a cylindrical emitter and an inflatable annular ... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7326201 | Thermal treatment methods and apparatus with focused energy application A collapsible ultrasonic reflector incorporates a gas-filled reflector balloon, a liquid-filled structural balloon an ultrasonic transducer disposed within the structural balloon. Acoustic energy emitted by the transducer is reflected by a highly reflective interfac... | 02/05/2008 |