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An aircraft having vertical takeoff and landing capability provided with at least first and second laterally extending paddle wheels rotatable on a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage and between its nose and tail.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8169620 | Sub-pixel spatial resolution wavefront phase imaging A phase imaging method for an optical wavefront acquires a plurality of phase images of the optical wavefront using a phase imager. Each phase image is unique and is shifted with respect to another of the phase images by a known/controlled amount that is less than t... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8132961 | Flow plug with length-to-hole size uniformity for use in flow conditioning and flow metering A flow plug of varying thickness has a plurality of holes formed therethrough. The plug fits in a conduit such that a fluid flow in the conduit passes through the plug's holes. Each hole is defined by a parameter indicative of size in terms of the cross-sectional ar... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8132772 | Linear and/or curvilinear rail mount system One or more linear and/or curvilinear mounting rails are coupled to a structure. Each mounting rail defines a channel and at least one cartridge assembly is engaged in the channel. Each cartridge assembly includes a housing that slides within the channel. The housin... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8098794 | Moving-article X-ray imaging system and method for 3-D image generation An x-ray imaging system and method for a moving article are provided for an article moved along a linear direction of travel while the article is exposed to non-overlapping x-ray beams. A plurality of parallel linear sensor arrays are disposed in the x-ray beams aft... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8090484 | Orientation control method and system for object in motion An object in motion has a force applied thereto at a point of application. By moving the point of application such that the distance between the object's center-of-mass and the point of application is changed, the object's orientation can be changed/adjusted. ... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8052860 | Electrochemical and mechanical polishing and shaping method and system A method and system are provided for the shaping and polishing of the surface of a material selected from the group consisting of electrically semi-conductive materials and conductive materials. An electrically non-conductive polishing lap incorporates a conductive ... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8052347 | Concrete screed with pivoting leading—edge blade for angular positioning thereof A floating screed device has a first section for cutting through plastic concrete and a second section for floating on the plastic concrete. The two sections are pivotally coupled for rotational movement about a pivot point. Elevation of the second section is measur... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8031449 | Fast-responding short circuit protection system with self-reset for use in circuit supplied by DC power A short circuit protection system includes an inductor, a switch, a voltage sensing circuit, and a controller. The switch and inductor are electrically coupled to be in series with one another. A voltage sensing circuit is coupled across the switch and the inductor.... | 10/04/2011 |
| 7968178 | Integrated concrete slab An integrated concrete slab includes concrete with stretchable fibers mixed therein covering and partially integrated with a portion of concrete that contains either no fibers or relatively few fibers mixed therein. ... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7967892 | In-line deaerating system for aquatic species control A water deaerating system and method are provided. The first end of an open-ended conduit is placed beneath the surface of a body of oxygen-rich water. The conduit extends into a housing and where the second end of the conduit resides at a location in the housing th... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7929144 | Optical system and method for gas detection and monitoring A free-space optical path of an optical interferometer is disposed in an environment of interest. A light beam is guided to the optical interferometer using a single-mode optical fiber. The light beam traverses the interferometer's optical path. The light beam guide... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7927560 | Specimen cup system for sample testing and secure retention A specimen cup system for sample testing includes a cup defining sealable first and second regions. A receptacle is formed at a bottom of the first region and extends vertically therein. The receptacle has a first opening defined at the bottom of the first region, a... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7911174 | Position sensing for rotor in hybrid stepper motor A method and system are provided for sensing the position of a rotor in a hybrid stepper motor. First and second Hall sensors are positioned in a spaced-apart relationship with the first and second armatures of the rotor such that the first and second Hall sensors g... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7848606 | Eliminating crystals in non-oxide optical fiber preforms and optical fibers A method is provided for eliminating crystals in non-oxide optical fiber preforms as well as optical fibers drawn therefrom. The optical-fiber-drawing axis of the preform is aligned with the force of gravity. A magnetic field is applied to the preform as it is heate... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7847945 | Making and using doppler shifted measurements in gas filter correlation radiometry A method is provided for making and using measurements in gas filter correlation radiometry. A Gas Filter Correlation Radiometer (GFCR) instrument is moved in a region of space surrounding a heavenly body. An atmosphere of the heavenly body is viewed with the GFCR i... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7855157 | Multi-functional layered structure having structural and radiation shielding attributes A cosmic and solar radiation shielding structure that also has structural attributes is comprised of three layers. The first layer is 30-42 percent by volume of ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene fibers, 18-30 percent by volume of graphite fibers, and a... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7808353 | Coil system for plasmoid thruster A coil system for a plasmoid thruster includes a bias coil, a drive coil and field coils. The bias and drive coils are interleaved with one another as they are helically wound about a conical region. A first field coil defines a first passage at one end of the conic... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7798461 | Rotating bracket assembly for collapsible and permanent building-frame construction A rotating bracket assembly comprises first and second members, each of which defines a channel having opposing sides coupled to a common base. The first member is nested within the second member with adjacent opposing sides being hingedly coupled to one another so ... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7771348 | Personal sonic massage device and method A personal massage system includes first and second audio transducers mounted in and coupled to a housing in a spaced-apart and opposing fashion. The first and second audio transducers are energized to produce corresponding first and second sonic waves that radiate ... | 08/10/2010 |
| 7686202 | Gimbaled-shoulder friction stir welding tool A gimbaled-shoulder friction stir welding tool includes a pin and first and second annular shoulders coupled to the pin. At least one of the annular shoulders is coupled to the pin for gimbaled motion with respect thereto as the tool is rotated by a friction stir we... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7623621 | Method and system for identifying and authenticating an object An object has a taggant placed in a first portion thereof and has a visible symbol placed on a second portion thereof. When the object is to be identified and authenticated, the taggant is made to radiate with a specific energy signature. The energy signature and at... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7621857 | Shoulder stabilizing and strengthening apparatus A shoulder exercising apparatus has a motion assembly defined by a stacked arrangement of first, second and third stages. The first stage is coupled to the second stage to permit relative one-dimensional straightline motion therebetween. The third stage is coupled t... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7621670 | Unbalanced-flow, fluid-mixing plug with metering capabilities A fluid mixer plug has holes formed therethrough such that a remaining portion is closed to fluid flow. The plug's inlet face defines a central circuit region and a ring-shaped region with the ring-shaped region including at least some of the plug's remaining portio... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7604433 | Concrete screed with vertically adjustable gate A floating screed device has a first section for cutting through plastic concrete and a second section for floating on the plastic concrete. The first and second sections are coupled together by a mechanism that moves the first section relative to the second section... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7513998 | “In-situ” ballast water treatment method A method and system for ballast water treatment are provided. A vacuum is applied directly to an existing vent of a vessel's ballast water tank during the vessel's voyage. The applied vacuum is in a range of approximately −2 to −4 pounds per square inch. To furt... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7476053 | Portable form and method for using same for concrete strike-off A form for concrete strike-off has a rigid straightedge assembly and a support coupled to one end of the straightedge assembly. The straightedge assembly includes a grate coupled to the bottom edge of a support bar. The grate extends away from the support bar with a... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7469878 | Magnetostrictive valve assembly A magnetostrictive valve assembly includes a housing that defines a passage with a seat being formed therein. A magnetically-biased and axially-compressed magnetostrictive assembly slidingly fitted in the passage is configured as a hollow and open-ended conduit adap... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7460235 | Two-detector gas filter correlation radiometry (GFCR) system using two-dimensional array detection of defocused image and detected-signal summation A GFCR system receives light from a scene of interest and focuses it to form an image. Light associated with a selected field-of-view of the image is confined to a spectral band absorbable by a gas of interest and is split into first and second paths. A region that ... | 12/02/2008 |
| 7454863 | Bobber incorporating fishing line handling assembly A bobber includes a float and a fishing line handling assembly. The float has a passage extending therethrough from a first end of the float to a second end of the float, and the fishing line handling assembly is fitted in the passage. The assembly is terminated (i)... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7449106 | Suction-driven fluid filtration system for recreational or emergency use A fluid filtration system housing has first, second and third openings. A cap is removably and sealably attached to the first opening. A filter assembly is fitted in the housing to thereby define a first chamber accessible via the third opening and a second chamber ... | 11/11/2008 |
| 7446860 | Laser fresnel distance measuring system and method A method and system for determining range to a target are provided. A beam of electromagnetic energy is transmitted through an aperture in an opaque screen such that a portion of the beam passes through the aperture to generate a region of diffraction that varies as... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7442304 | In-situ ballast water treatment method A method and system for ballast water treatment are provided. Living organisms are added into a vessel's ballast water tank (e.g., via an existing vent) to consume (i) oxygen dissolved in ballast water contained in the ballast water tank, and (ii) food sources for s... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7423756 | Internally-calibrated, two-detector gas filter correlation radiometry (GFCR) system An entrance aperture of a GFCR system receives light from a scene of interest. The light is focused to form an image at a focal plane. Light associated with a selected field-of-view of the image at the focal plane is then confined to a spectral band at which a gas o... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7418814 | Dual expander cycle rocket engine with an intermediate, closed-cycle heat exchanger A dual expander cycle (DEC) rocket engine with an intermediate closed-cycle heat exchanger is provided. A conventional DEC rocket engine has a closed-cycle heat exchanger terhamlly coupled thereto. The heat exchanger utilizes heat extracted from the engine's fuel ci... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7409875 | System and method for determining velocity of electrically conductive fluid A flowing electrically-conductive fluid is controlled between an upstream and downstream location thereof to insure that a convection timescale of the flowing fluid is less than a thermal diffusion timescale of the flowing fluid. First and second nodes of a current-... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7357597 | Concrete screed with movable leading edge A floating screed device has an elongated float and an elongated blade movably coupled to the elongated float so that the blade is freely movable in pitch. ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7357596 | Concrete screed with movable leading edge A floating screed device has an elongated float and an elongated blade movably coupled to the elongated float so that the blade is movable in pitch. ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7320223 | System for controlling child safety seat environment A system is provided to control the environment experienced by a child in a child safety seat. Each of a plurality of thermoelectric elements is individually controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature. A first portion of the therm... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7301352 | High sensitivity single or multi sensor interface circuit with constant voltage operation A sensor interface circuit is provided to interface many sensors simultaneously in a simple circuit arrangement consisting of two parts. Sensors in both parts operate under identical constant voltage. The circuit provides higher front end sensitivity than the Wheats... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7284792 | Cushion system for multi-use child safety seat A cushion system for use with a child safety seat has a plurality of bladders assembled to form a seat cushion that cooperates with the seat's safety harness. One or more sensors coupled to the safety harness sense tension therein and generate a signal indicative of... | 10/23/2007 |
