Did You Know...
...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 |
| 8122715 | Self-contained refrigerant powered system A self-contained refrigerant powered system is provided having a motor configured for receiving liquefied refrigerant and converting the liquefied refrigerant into gaseous form for powering the motor; a condenser in fluid communication with the motor for receiving g... | 02/28/2012 |
| 7930886 | Bio signal measuring apparatus and method A bio signal measuring apparatus. The bio signal measuring apparatus includes an electrocardiogram measuring attached to the skin of a patient to measure an electrocardiogram signal of the patient. A heart sound sensor contacts the skin of the patient to measure a h... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7439630 | System and methodology for generating electricity using a chemical heat engine and piezoelectric material A system for generating electrical power supply signals includes at least one heat engine having a chamber that undergoes heating/cooling cycle and corresponding pressure variations. At least one piezoelectric transducer is deformed in response to the pressure varia... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7329959 | Micro power generator and apparatus for producing reciprocating movement There is provided a micro power generator enhanced in efficiency and power generation output, and having an increased temperature range for operation. The micro power generator comprises: a high-temperature heat source; a low-temperature heat source; an enclosed bod... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7313917 | Volume phase transition to induce gel movement Movement of a gel structure is propagated by successively applying external stimuli to cause volume phase transition in the gel structure by alternately causing the gel structure to collapse and swell to move the center of mass of the gel structure in the direction ... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7293411 | Energy scavengers which adjust their frequency by altering liquid distributions on a beam A selectively configurable beam and systems utilizing such are disclosed. The distribution of mass of the beam can be selectively adjusted or altered by adjusting one or more characteristics of the beam. Specific strategies utilizing continuous electro-wetting, and ... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7237380 | Compact actuator A compact electrothermal actuator includes a housing having a longitudinal axis. A slot extends through the housing. A chamber within the housing contains a working fluid that changes phase upon heating. A piston is slidably disposed within the housing and movable a... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7076950 | Internal explosion engine and generator using non-combustible gases Internal explosion engine and generator having an explosion chamber, a movable member forming one wall of the chamber, a charge of non-combustible gas sealed inside the chamber, means for repeatedly igniting the gas in an explosive manner to drive the movable member... | 07/18/2006 |
| 6978611 | MEMS closed chamber heat engine and electric generator A heat engine, preferably combined with an electric generator, and advantageously implemented using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technologies as an array of one or more individual heat engine/generators. The heat engine is based on a closed chamber containi... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6758040 | High heat producing power system A high heat producing system which encapsulates a deflected rotating laser beam in a chamber and propagates it through a gaseous medium within the chamber. The heat energy of the deflected rotating laser beam agitates the molecules of the gaseous medium such that th... | 07/06/2004 |
| 6755020 | Shockproof mechanism, in particular for use in space sector The invention concerns a device forming a mechanism, in particular for use in the space sector, characterised in that it comprises in combination: a material (300) with low melting point capable of producing a soldering joint, at least heating means (400 | 06/29/2004 |
| 6708945 | Flow rate control valve A flow rate control valve includes a second substrate having a flexible thin film and interposed between a first substrate having a heating mechanism and a third substrate having a sealing section. The first substrate and the second substrate close an internal space... | 03/23/2004 |
| 6272855 | Two cycle heat engine A heat engine having two stages, a first low temperature chamber and a second high temperature chamber. A low boiling point liquid or solution is heated in a first low temperature chamber to slightly above the boiling point. A second high temperature cham... | 08/14/2001 |
| 6158711 | Flow control valve which restrains heat exchange between high temperature heat expansion solution and low temperature coolant A flow control valve includes a base plate, a cover plate coupled on the base plate, having an inlet and an outlet, an adiabatic chamber formed within the cover plate and supported on the upper surface of the base plate, and a pressure generating space at... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6109035 | Motion control method for carnotising heat engines and transformers Incremental control of motion in the thermodynamic phase space of a heat engine, by modulating the piston speed to control the instantaneous rate of change of temperature relative to the instantaneous heat flow during each cycle. The modulation is indepen... | 08/29/2000 |
| 6070409 | Engine for powering by water An engine for powering by water that includes a stator, a rotor rotatably mounted in the stator, and a plurality of blades movably mounted in the rotor. The stator has a throughchamber. The rotor is rotatably mounted in the throughchamber. By virtue of a ... | 06/06/2000 |
| 6041599 | Thermal power machine having a moving regenerator The invention relates to a thermal machine having a housing (2, 2a, 2a', 2b) which defines an operating space, an operating space, an operating medium which is contained in the operating space, a heat source (6, 6') which is arranged in the housing (2, 2a... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6012286 | High heat producing system A high heat producing system which transforms a alternating current or a pulsating direct current having a relatively low voltage such as one hundred and ten (110v) volts to a very high electric volt arc wherein the very high electric volt arc has a base ... | 01/11/2000 |
| 5822964 | Hot-gas engine electric heater A hot-gas engine electric heater that is partially disposable in a heat exchange tube of a hot-gas engine and supplies heat to a working fluid in the hot-gas engine wherein the heat exchange tube has a contour. The heater includes a thin and circular-shap... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5186001 | Transient energy release microdevices and methods A microdevice in the form of a microactuator or micropump. A microdevice for providing reciprocating motion at a high repetition rate, including a cell having an output wall with at least a portion movable, such as a diaphragm or inlet and outlet valves. ... | 02/16/1993 |
| 4981014 | Atmospheric pressure power plant A shell having a closed upper end and an open lower end, and a weight in the form of a piston sealingly slidable in the shell. In one form partial vacuum is produced in the shell above the weight and atmospheric pressure consequently raises the weight. In... | 01/01/1991 |
| 4601170 | Explosive evaporation motor The invention is similar to the internal combustion engine but instead it uses pressure. The power for a propulsion derives from the expansion of compressed steam (salt free water) and needs no air intake.... | 07/22/1986 |
| 4431890 | Induction heated steam flash plug A flash plug for an internal expansion heat engine is heated by a non-ferrous coil surrounding the ferric steam flash plug and connected to a source of alternating current. The coil may be a conduit for the passage of cooling water.... | 02/14/1984 |
| 4429203 | Electromagnetic microwave dielectric heated steam flash plug A flash plug for an internal expansion heat engine is heated by electromagnetic microwave energy. The flash plug is an annular ceramic dielectric body having electrically connected metal rings on the inside and a metal sleeve on the outside supplied by a ... | 01/31/1984 |
| 4416113 | Internal expansion engine This disclosure relates to internal expansion engines of the type where a non-combusting operating fluid is vaporized within a cylinder or cylinders so that the vapor upon expansion performs mechanical work. The internal expansion engine utilizes a non-co... | 11/22/1983 |
| 4385494 | Fast-acting self-resetting hydride actuator A fast-acting, self-resetting hydride actuator comprising an enclosure containing hydrogen, and an actuating means communicating with the interior of the enclosure responsive to changes in pressure of the hydrogen gas and adapted to provide an actuating f... | 05/31/1983 |
| 4133403 | Means for propelling a wheeled vehicle Electric motors are connected to the front wheels of a vehicle to commence the propulsion of the vehicle. Fluid pressure motors are connected to the rear wheels of the vehicle to propel the vehicle once the electric motors have commenced the propulsion th... | 01/09/1979 |
| 4110984 | Rotary piston engine using electric heating to flash motive fluid A machine operable according to the gas discharge principle comprising a fixed housing having side walls and a casing surrounding peripherally the side walls, a rotary member arranged for rotation in the housing in an eccentric fashion, and having a plura... | 09/05/1978 |
| 4057212 | Fluidic vibration isolator Fluidic vibration isolation system which includes an isolator having a chamber, liquid and the vapor of the liquid in said chamber, heater means for heating the liquid and regulating means for controlling the heater depending upon the isolator relative he... | 11/08/1977 |
| 3990238 | Steam engine An engine is disclosed which includes most of the parts of a conventional internal combustion engine with the exception of the fuel and intake mechanisms. In place of the fuel and intake portions, a steam head is substituted. A fluid to be utilized as ste... | 11/09/1976 |
| 3979911 | Expansion power pack Three operating chambers, each having an electric heating element therein and simultaneously operated solenoid inlet and outlet valves, are arranged to operate in sequence, each operating chamber having a power piston in communication therewith that engag... | 09/14/1976 |
| 3977191 | Atomic expansion reflex optics power optics power source (AEROPS) engine An engine is provided which will greatly reduce atmospheric pollution and noise by providing a sealed system engine power source which has no exhaust nor intake ports. The engine includes a spherical hollow pressure chamber which is provided with a reflec... | 08/31/1976 |
| 3956894 | Air-steam-vapor expansion engine An expansion chamber is provided and heated heat exchange surfaces are disposed in the expansion chamber. An expandable fluid supply is provided together with structure for selectively admitting the expandable fluid into the chamber in good heat exchange ... | 05/18/1976 |
