Christopher L Shaw

US Patent:

44211058, Dec 20, 1983

Filed:

Jun 10, 1981

Appl. No.:

6/272401

Inventors:

Calvin L. Wilkinson - Renton WA
Christopher G. Shaw - Redmond WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

F23J 302

US Classification:

126452

Abstract:

Method for controlling the temperature of a thermally sensitive body (10) exposed to visible and near-visible radiant energy (14) through the use and control of an electric field imposed on a liquid-crystal based material (20) capable of having a cholesteric-nematic phase transition with pleochroic dyes (32) mixed within the liquid-crystal based material (20).

US Patent:

46182187, Oct 21, 1986

Filed:

Apr 19, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/602140

Inventors:

Christopher G. Shaw - Redmond WA
Ted J. Kramer - Seattle WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G02B 528

US Classification:

350363

Abstract:

A pair of planar electrodes spaced from one another by an electrolyte. The front electrode faces the air or vacuum environment and is transparent, and the second electrode is in thermal contact with a heat conducting surface and is reflective. By selectively modifying the voltage between the two electrodes, a partially reflective coating can be deposited on the back face of the front electrode or removed therefrom. With the coating removed, the emission of thermal radiation is minimized, and a major portion of the radiation from sources in the environment is reflected. With the coating present, emitted or reflected radiation interacting with the coating interferes destructively with the radiation emitted or reflected by the second electrode, maximizing thermal emission and absorbing a major portion of any incident radiation.