Comic actor Danny Kaye received patent D166,807 for the co-design of "Blowout Toy or the Like". It's similar to one of those toys that unravels when you blow into at a birthday party except Kaye's has three blowouts going in different directions, not just one.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8127758 | Solar-thermal fluid heating for aerospace platforms An aerospace platform includes a structure having a cavity and a light-transmissive portion that exposes the cavity to sunlight. The aerospace platform further includes a fluid heating system. The fluid heating system includes a fluid-carrying, thermally absorptive ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 7240674 | Solar tracking apparatus A solar tracking apparatus which is movable from a morning position to an evening position, the apparatus comprising a support means to which a solar device can be supported, a cylinder, the cylinder including a ram which is extendable from and retractable into the ... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7235765 | Solar sensor including reflective element to transform the angular response A solar sensor that utilizes a blocking element and curved reflective element between the sun and a photo-sensitive electronic device to provide high signal levels and the ability to shape the angular response of the overall sensor. A particular angular response can... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7207327 | Feedback control method for a heliostat An instrument for a solar energy system including a receiver and a heliostat to reflect solar energy on to the receiver. The instrument includes a first element adapted to form an image of the sun, a second element adapted to form an image of the receiver, and a det... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7077123 | Isolation shield system, insolation shield and method The present invention relates to an insolation shield (3) which is arranged to be placed in connection with a building (1) to suppress solar radiation incident on the building. The insolation shield (3) comprises at least one shield element (... | 07/18/2006 |
| 6958868 | Motion-free tracking solar concentrator An integrated solar concentrator and tracker is constructed from a beam deflector for unpolarized light in combination with a fixed optical condenser. The one-dimensional beam deflector consists of a pair of prism arrays made from a material whose refractive index c... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6849842 | Rotating shadowband pyranometer A pyranometer for measuring solar irradiance at a selected site comprises a light detector adapted to produce an output signal in response to incident solar radiation, a reversible motor having a curved shadowband attached to its output shaft, means for mounting the... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6465725 | Tracking type photovoltaic power generator and error correction method of its built-in clock A tracking type photovoltaic power generator includes a clock for clocking a time and a sun direction sensor for outputting a signal indicative of a sun direction, a controller which calculates a first time when the sun the sun arrives at a culmination az... | 10/15/2002 |
| 6440019 | Solar power system drive unit An azimuth drive unit for a solar power system has a multistage sprocket configuration. The drive unit includes an input shaft for receiving an input torque, where the multistage sprocket configuration is coupled to the input shaft. The sprocket configura... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6363928 | Solar collection system The solar tracking mechanism is utilized in connection with a solar energy collection system. The collection system includes a light reflective shell shaped to focus solar radiation on a radiation absorbing segment of a tube which carries a heat transfer ... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6080927 | Solar concentrator for heat and electricity A solar concentrator for producing usable power as heat and/or electricity uses a self-steering heliostat 1502 to concentrate solar radiation 1509 onto an absorbing surface such as, or including, a solar cell array 1511 capable of absorbing power from the... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6073500 | Ultra-accelerated natural sunlight exposure testing Process and apparatus for providing ultra accelerated natural sunlight exposure testing of samples under controlled weathering without introducing unrealistic failure mechanisms in exposed materials and without breaking reciprocity relationships between f... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6020553 | Photovoltaic cell system and an optical structure therefor High radiation concentration photovoltaic cell system including at least one optical structure in the form of a three-dimensional body having a first surface adapted to receive thereon photovoltaic cells and a second surface to be, at least indirectly, ex... | 02/01/2000 |
| 6018122 | Tracking solar module To provide a tracking-type solar module capable of high-performance sunlight-tracking with a simple configuration while simultaneously performing highly effective cooling of a solar cell, a solar cell is movably installed within a transparent cooling tube... | 01/25/2000 |
| 5980052 | Sun reflecting device A sun reflecting device capable of reflecting sunlight off of a mirror through a window and onto the ceiling of a room. The mirror holding assembly is adhered the outside of the window by suction cups or other mounting structure. The mirror is capable of ... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5961739 | Hemispheric moving focus power plant apparatus and method A hemispheric moving focus power plant (10) has a hemispheric solar reflector (12) for reflecting solar energy. A receiver (14) for receiving reflected solar energy and producing power therefrom is movably connected to the hemispheric solar reflector (12)... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5798517 | Sun tracker system for a solar assembly The known sun tracker system with helical groove guide that works according to the gravity force principle is not operational without the daily intervention of an operator, limits the weight of the solar collectors, given the muscular strength required, a... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5707458 | Light converging solar module In order to generate sufficient electricity in a small light converging solar module, a power generation solar cell is provided with four movement solar cells, situated around it. Below the respective movement solar cells, electromagnets are situated, con... | 01/13/1998 |
| 5670774 | Photosensor to detect the direction of incidence and intensity of optical radiation A photosensor which is capable of detecting the direction of incidence as well as the intensity of optical radiation. The detector comprises an array of photodetector cells arranged under a diffuser dome. The direction of incidence of the optical radiatio... | 09/23/1997 |
| 5602384 | Sunlight sensor that detects a distrubition and amount of thermal load A sunlight sensor for use in control of vehicle air conditioners, and provides which detects the sunlight thermal load. A light-cutoff film is formed on the upper surface of the transparent substrate (intermediate element) of the light-sensing element, an... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5600124 | Sun tracker system for a solar assembly The known sun tracker system with helical groove guide that works according to the gravity force principle is not operational without the daily intervention of an operator, limits the weight of the solar collectors, given the muscular strength required, a... | 02/04/1997 |
| 5531216 | Solar energy concentrating system having an automatic safety means The present invention relates to an improved moveable-collector, solar energy concentrating system incorporating an automatic safety means. In the present invention, if there is a failure in a solar-heated fluid transfer system, a failure in the positioni... | 07/02/1996 |
| 5517017 | Photosensor for detecting the position of incident light in two dimensions using a pair of film resistors and a photoconductive element sandwiched therebetween A position detection element 4 is formed by sequentially depositing an X-axis resistor film 5, a photoconductive film 6 and a Y-axis resistor film 7 on one surface of a glass substrate 2 which is a transparent member. Further, a light screening film 3 is ... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5512742 | Solar energy and tracking system A 180 degree×90 degree solar tracking system using two sensors for tracking the sun from sunrise to sunset. A parabolic collector rigidly plumbed to a steam engine which drives an electric generator mounted on the latitude lever. The 180 degree×90 degre... | 04/30/1996 |
| 5374939 | Radiation gathering and focusing apparatus An apparatus for gathering and focusing or for transmitting radiation including a reflecting surface formed by portion of a right circular cone, a linear collector/transmitter located within the cone and connected to a vertex of the cone. An adjustable su... | 12/20/1994 |
| 5181654 | Sunshine sensor and air conditioner for vehicle An air conditioner for use with a car employing a sunshine sensor having three light receiving elements. A first light receiving element faces upward and a second light receiving element and a third light receiving element are inclined toward a front side... | 01/26/1993 |
| 5120008 | Orbital debris processor and method therefor An orbital debris processor includes a square shaped central lens connected to four square shaped satellite lenses. All of the lenses have substantially the same focal length. The lenses are disposed to cause columnated light, parallel to respective axes ... | 06/09/1992 |
| 4979492 | Solar ray collecting device A solar ray collecting device including a supporting rod supported at its lower end by a rotating mechanism and carrying in its upper portion a horizontal supporting shaft is described. The supporting shaft intersects the supporting rod at a right angle a... | 12/25/1990 |
| 4979494 | Method and apparatus for generating thermal energy A solar cooking apparatus, and method for its use, wherein the apparatus comprises an offset focus reflecting parabolic dish and a food receptacle located at or outside of a cylinder defined by the periphery of the dish. The dish is rotatably affixed to a... | 12/25/1990 |
| 4968355 | Two-axis tracking solar collector mechanism This invention is a novel solar tracking mechanism incorporating a number of practical features that give it superior environmental resilience and exceptional tracking accuracy. The mechanism comprises a lightweight space-frame assembly supporting an arra... | 11/06/1990 |
| 4934324 | Apparatus and method for extracting focused solar radiant energy There is provided solar heat collecting apparatus which comprises a solar collector panel rotatably supported about a horizontal and a vertical axis and drive means for rotating the panel simultaneously about the two axes. The collector panel comprises a ... | 06/19/1990 |
| 4890460 | Air conditioning apparatus for car An air conditioning apparatus for a car including a solar radiation sensor having right and left side elements for receiving solar radiation coming from right and left sides of the car, respectively, an arithmetic device for generating a control signal ba... | 01/02/1990 |
| 4856494 | Solar heating installation with failure-protected heating medium hose To prevent snap-over of a flexible connecting tube conducting solar-heated liquid to a mirror which follows the travel of the sun through the sky and then changes to an inverted "night" position, as shown in FIG. 1 at (a), a flexible corrugated or pleated... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4836672 | Covert optical system for probing and inhibiting remote targets An optical system makes use of solar illumination as a light source to achieve covert operation.... | 06/06/1989 |
| 4804832 | Two directional angle of arrival system A compact and efficient two direction of arrival system which is responsive over a large incident solid angle. The system is operative to use relatively few detectors, simple and inexpensive optics in a small assembly, and a very wide field coverage.... | 02/14/1989 |
| 4786795 | Sun tracking device floating upon liquid surface This invention relates to a sun tracking device which provides efficient utilization of sun light by tracking the motion of the sun, so that the light of the sun may be received in a sun light utilization device for performing solar power generation or so... | 11/22/1988 |
| 4781174 | Cremation apparatus and method Heat rays of the sun are concentrated and focussed by means of a reflective and/or lenticular device at a focal point for the purpose of the cremation of corpses, and their reduction to ashes thereby, either as a system per se or in combination with vario... | 11/01/1988 |
| 4762298 | Support and maneuvering device A support and maneuvering device includes an elongated flexible inflatable enclosure having a fixed end and a movable end. The movable end is collapsible toward the fixed end to a contracted position when the enclosure is in a noninflated condition. Upon ... | 08/09/1988 |
| 4710618 | Airborne tracking sunphotometer apparatus and system An airborne tracking sun photometer apparatus has a rotatable dome (14). An azimuth drive motor (32) is connected to rotate the dome (14). The dome (14) has an equatorial slot (36). A cylindrical housing (38) is pivotally mounted inside the dome (14) at t... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4696285 | Solar cooker A solar cooker that includes an insulated oven, a main reflector joined to the oven which reflects solar radiation to a secondary reflector that in turn reflects the radiation into the oven; a gimbal, arcuate track and subframe arrangement mounting the ov... | 09/29/1987 |