Appeal 2006-2489
Application 09/900,771
We reverse.
I. BACKGROUND
The invention relates to a composite material for controlling heat
generated by electronic equipment mounted aboard space vehicles such as
man-made satellites and spaceships (Specification 1:9-14). The composite
material includes a high temperature insulator/low temperature conductor
phase change material. At high temperatures, the material radiates heat. At
low temperatures, the material radiates less heat and has high reflectivity in
the thermal infrared light region. According to the Specification, in the past
the phase-change material had to have a thickness of several hundred
microns or more (Specification 5:16-19). Appellants are able to reduce the
thickness by adding a base material to the structure. Claim 1 is illustrative
of the subject matter on appeal:
1. A composite material heat controller for an object, the
composite material heat controller comprising:
a base material that radiates a larger amount of heat at a high-
temperature relative to that of the heat radiated at a low-
temperature, the base material having a surface adapted to
thermally contact a surface of said object; and
a phase-change substance overlying said base material having
insulation properties at the high-temperature, metallic
properties at the low-temperature, radiating a larger amount of
heat at the high-temperature relative to a smaller amount of heat
radiated at the low-temperature, and having a high reflectivity
in the thermal infrared light region at the low-temperature;
wherein said phase-change substance comprises a thickness in the
range from about one to about thirty microns.
2
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