Page images
PDF
EPUB

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

PETITIONER: TRW, Inc., TRW Systems

CONTRACT:

NAS 3-6018

INVENTION: High Temperature Generator Fused Salt Battery Power Supply

Section 1245.106, NASA Patent Waiver Regulations (1966)--Incidental Commercial Utility--Government Funding v. Private Funding--Government as Principal Developer--Competition in Field-- Patent Position--Alternative Devices as Negating Possibility of Preference or Dominance--Waiver as Effective Incentive-- Batteries-- Electrochemical Cells-High Temperature Generator Fused Salt Battery Power Supply-- PETITION DENIED

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE INVENTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS BOARD:
STATEMENT OF FACTS: The Petitioner,
TRW, Inc. (TRW Systems), is a contractor
of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration, under Contract NAS 3-6018.
The petition was made for waiver of title
of the United States in an invention entitled
"High Temperature Generator Fused Salt
Battery Power Supply," described in an
attachment to the petition. The invention
was made by Paul Bauer, an employee of
the Petitioner, in the performance of work
required under the above-identified con-
tract, and in the manner specified in Section
305(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space
Act of 1958, as determined by the Adminis-
trator. The petition was considered by the
Inventions and Contributions Board on July
19, 1966.

The Board, having duly considered the allegations and claims of the above-identified petition, expressly makes the findings required under Section 1245.106(b) of the NASA Patent Waiver Regulations (1966), (which Section, in its entirety, is hereby expressly incorporated by reference), and concludes that the invention does not fall within the enumerated proscriptions of the cited Section. The reasons for the Board's findings are stated below, corresponding in each case to the respective criterion set forth in each subsection.

SECTION 1245.106(b)(1). The invention involves the application of a battery using molten nonaqueous inorganic salts as an electrolyte in combination with a radioisotope thermoelectric or thermionic generator. It is contemplated that the waste heat of the generator will be utilized as a heat source to maintain the required molten condition of the electrolyte, even though external temperatures may be on the order of

-73°C to -143°C. Because of the inherent nature of the invention, and its principal application to the low-temperature environment of, for example, space probe applications, it is obvious that there is no foreseeable use of the invention by the general public, and it is therefore clearly unrelated to any govvernmental program intended to achieve developments for use by the public-at-large. SECTION 1245.106(b)(2). Since the present invention involves a high-temperature battery specially adapted for operation in the extremely low-temperature environments of outer space, and is therefore of little or no interest or application to members of the public, it will not be required by governmental regulations to be placed into general

use.

SECTION 1245.106(b)(3). Although the development of a battery using inorganic salts requiring operation at high temperatures of 300° C-1000° C in combination with a radioisotope thermionic generator, in which the waste heat of the generator is used to maintain the molten condition of the electrolyte, may find eventual application, if perfected, in North or South Pole electrical generating research stations, and thereby provide general information possibly useful to the public, it is clear that any relation of the invention to the health or welfare of members of the public would at best be remote and incidental.

SECTION 1245.106(b)(4). The present invention is considered to fall within the field of technology of electrochemical cells. Although the petition itself merely indicates that the Petitioner had only planned an expenditure of $213,000 of its own funds for

e

h

e

e

I

21

1965 on the development of electric power systems, including the development of new types of energy conversion systems, without, however, indicating the actual monies expended, it is nevertheless well-recognized that the invention field of electrochemical cells is one in which there has been more than a little significant experience outside of work funded by the Government. In this regard, it is known that several companies have accumulated considerable privatelyfinanced experience in developing products in the defined field. For example, information presently available indicates that the Douglas Aircraft Co. has been engaged for approximately five years in company-funded programs involving R&D in high-energy density batteries; this company also has had numerous patent applications relating to thermally-resistant silver-zinc batteries. Others engaged in considerable activity in the invention field, or fields related thereto, include the Yardney Electric Corporation, the Electric Storage Battery Co., EaglePicher, and Whittaker Gould National. The Yardney Electric Corp., for instance, has been engaged in this field since the 1950's, and is known to have more than 96 patents protecting the manufacture of its batteries. It is thus apparent that the field of electrochemical cells has been largely developed by private sources, and that the Government has therefore not been the principal developer thereof. Moreover, in view of the

highly developed state state of the electrochemical-cell field, and the numerous alternatives indicated by the existence of significant competition in the field, it is likewise apparent that the acquisition of exclusive rights in the invention would not confer on the Petitioner a preferred or dominant position.

However, the Board further expressly finds that waiver of title would not be an effective incentive to bring the invention to the point of practical application at the earliest practicable date. In its attempt to establish the criterion required by this subsection, the Petitioner merely alleges that, in view of its technical competence, it is in the best position to develop the invention; however, Petitioner has not indicated any company plans or actual intent either to proceed itself with the further development, or otherwise ensure such development, in the event that its requested waiver should be granted. Accordingly, the criterion of this subsection has not been met.

On the basis of all the above-enumerated findings, the Inventions and Contributions Board concludes that the best interests of the United States would not be served by waiving title under Section 1245.106 of the NASA Patent Waiver Regulations of June 1, 1966, and therefore RECOMMENDS THE DENIAL OF THE PETITION.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

PETITIONER: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
CONTRACT: NAS 3-2542

INVENTION: Precipitation Hardened Tantalum-Base Alloys

Section 1245.106, NASA Patent Waiver Regulations (1966)-- Incidental Commercial
Utility--Relationship to Public Health or Welfare --Government Funding v. Private
Funding--Government as Principal Developer--Competition in Field-- Possibility of
Preference or Dominance--Waiver as Effective Incentive--High-Temperature Alloys and
Refractory Metals-- Precipitation Hardened Tantalum-Base Alloys -- PETITION GRANTED
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE INVENTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS BOARD:

STATEMENT OF FACTS: The Petitioner, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, is a contractor of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, under Contract NAS 3-2542. The petition was made for waiver of title of the United States in an invention entitled "Precipitation Hardened Tantalum Base Alloys," described in an attachment to the petition. The invention was made by Raymond W. Buckman, Jr., an employee of the Petitioner, in the performance of work required under the above-identified contract, and in the manner specified in Section 305(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as determined by the Administrator. The petition was

con

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

PETITIONER: Honeywell, Inc.

CONTRACT: INVENTION:

P.O. M2H43X-406004, Awarded under Prime Contract NAS9-150 with North American Aviation, Inc.
Control Apparatus

Section 1245.106, NASA Patent Waiver Regulations (1966)--Incidental Commercial
Utility--Possibility of Government Requirement for Public Use--Government Funding y.
Private Funding--Government as Principal Developer of Field--Alternative Devices as
Negating Possibility of Preference or Dominance--Waiver as Effective Incentive--П-
lumination--Lighting Devices--Control Apparatus -- PETITION GRANTED

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE INVENTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS BOARD:

STATEMENT OF FACTS: The Petitioner, Honeywell, Inc., is a contractor of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, under Purchase Order M2H43X406004, awarded under Prime Contract NAS 9-150 with North American Aviation, Inc. The petition was made for waiver of title of the United States in an invention entitled "Control Apparatus, " described in an attachment to the petition. The invention was made by William G. Schwarz, an employee of the Petitioner, in the performance of work required under the above-identified contract, and in the manner specified in Section 305(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as determined by the Administrator. The petition was considered by the Inventions and Contributions Board on October 3, 1966.

The Board, having duly considered the allegations and claims of the above-identified petition, expressly makes the findings required under Section 1245.106(b) of the NASA Patent Waiver Regulations (1966), (which Section, in its entirety, is hereby expressly incorporated by reference), and concludes that the invention does not fall within the enumerated proscriptions of the cited Section. The reasons for the Board's findings are stated below, corresponding in each case to the respective criterion set forth in each subsection.

SECTION 1245.106(b)(1). The invention relates to an improved means for illuminating a curved dial surface, such as the control panel of an aircraft or spacecraft. Two wedge-shaped pieces of transparent material are curved in an arc conforming to the shape of the dial face, and are dis

posed in back-to-back relationship in front of the dial face, with a source of light positioned at the wide edge of one wedge-shaped piece. In this manner, the curvature of the wedges, and their adjacent relationship, causes multiple internal reflections of rays from the light source, with the resultant advantages of glare-free source of light and glare-free dial face, ease of repair, and simplicity of construction and replacement. Although obvious commercial promise is indicated for the invention, in that it is potentially applicable in commercial aircraft, and, in fact, is utilizable in the homogeneous lighting of any curved surface such as might be desired in laboratory panels and monitoring-type dials used in a variety of ground vehicles and machinery, the intended actual use of the invention is with the dial faces in the Apollo spacecraft for facilitating quick and accurate reading of control instruments by the astronauts. Therefore, the present invention is clearly not related to any governmental program for creating, developing, or improving products, processes, or methods for use by the general public.

SECTION 1245.106(b)(2). There are no known governmental regulations requiring commercial use of specific dial faces and specific illuminating means therefor. Moreover, since the improved illuminating device of the present invention was developed during work on, and is principally intended for application to, the Apollo program for facilitating control of the stabilization and control systems of the Apollo Command and Service Modules, and is therefore considered unrelated to any governmental program designed to develop items for the use or benefit of the public, it is considered

« PreviousContinue »