Mechanics & Machinery

Sprag Handle Wrenches

These wrenches could supplant conventional ratcheting wrenches.

Sprag handle wrenches have been proposed for general applications in which conventional pawl-and-ratchet wrenches and sprag and cam “clickless” wrenches are now used. Sprag handle wrenches are so named because they would include components that would function both as parts of ...
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Inline Electrical Connector Mate/Demate Pliers

These pliers are designed for use in tight spaces and recessed electrical panels.

Military and aerospace industries use Mil-Spec type electrical connections on bulkhead panels that require inline access for mate and demate operations. These connectors are usually in tight proximity to other connectors, or recessed within panels. ...
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Seal With Integrated Shroud for Androgynous Docking and Berthing

Seal prevents gas leakage between the pressurized module and its external environment.

A specially configured seal system (see figure) has been developed and produced that provides a barrier to gas leakage between a pressurized module and its external environment. The seal system includes a shroud covering that both ...
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Locking Nut With Stress-Distributing Insert

An improved locking nut comprises (1) an internally threaded shell, partly resembling a conventional nut, that can be engaged by a wrench or other tool, and (2) an internally and externally threaded insert that engages the threads of the shell and a bolt. Whereas some prior locking nuts are plated over their ...
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Adaptable Holders for Arc-Jet Screening Candidate Thermal Protection System Repair Materials

Reusable holders have been devised for evaluating high-temperature, plasma-resistant re-entry materials, especially fabrics. Typical material samples tested support thermal-protection-system damage repair requiring evaluation prior to re-entry into terrestrial atmosphere. These tests allow evaluation of each material to withstand the most severe predicted re-entry conditions.

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Miniature Low-Mass Drill Actuated by Flextensional Piezo Stack

This extremely small impact drill can be used for testing soil for toxic chemicals, and other analytical tests.

Recent experiments with a flextensional piezoelectric actuator have led to the development of a sampler with a bit that is designed to produce and capture a full set of sample ...
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Compact, Lightweight Electromagnetic Pump for Liquid Metal

Overlapping thermal and magnetic issues are considered in this design increase efficiency.

A proposed direct-current electromagnetic pump for circulating a molten alkali metal alloy would be smaller and lighter and would demand less input power, relative to currently available pumps of this type. (Molten alkali metals are used ...
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Mechanism for Particle Transport and Size Sorting via Low-Frequency Vibrations

This technology would be useful for applications requiring sample handling.

There is a need for effective sample handling tools to deliver and sort particles for analytical instruments that are planned for use in future NASA missions. Specifically, a need exists for a compact mechanism that allows transporting and ...
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Automated Desalting Apparatus

By purifying field samples, this technology can be used for monitoring of water quality for applications in chemical, manufacturing, and farming industries.

Because salt and metals can mask the signature of a variety of organic molecules (like amino acids) in any given sample, an automated system to purify ...
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Dedicated Deployable Aerobraking Structure

A dedicated deployable aerobraking structure concept was developed that significantly increases the effective area of a spacecraft during aerobraking by up to a factor of 5 or more (depending on spacecraft size) without substantially increasing total spacecraft mass. Increasing the effective aerobraking area of a spacecraft (without significantly increasing spacecraft mass) ...
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