Abstract: An internal combustion engine misfire sensing circuit comprises an ion current sensing circuit for sensing an ion current in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, a current/voltage conversion circuit for converting the sensed ion current into a voltage and a waveform shaping circuit for shaping the waveform of an output of the current/voltage conversion circuit. The waveform shaping circuit includes a second comparator for comparing a voltage of a third capacitor with first and second reference voltages for outputting a misfire sensing signal and a capacitor charging/discharging circuit for charging the third capacitor in response to the rising up of an output of the current/voltage conversion circuit and discharging the third capacitor based on the input of the misfire sensing signal. With this arrangement a misfire can be sensed even in an internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders, the number of parts can be reduced as well as the area of circuits can be reduced.

Abstract: A conductive strip detector comprises a capacitor defined by an elongate, electrically conductive element (5) and a laterally spaced, electrically conductive member (1). Monitoring circuitry (15,16) monitors changes in the capacitance of the capacitor when an electrically conductive strip substantially parallel with the element is passed by the capacitor and indicates when a change in capacitance is due to the presence of an electrically conductive strip.

Abstract: A capacitance sensor assembly for use with a label detection and registration system for detecting a lateral edge of a label on a web bearing a plurality of such labels and moving in a longitudinal direction through a capacitance gap in the sensor assembly. The capacitance sensor assembly includes a reference plate electrode, and a pair of sensor electrodes extending substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the reference plate electrode to form the capacitance gap. The pair of sensor electrodes has a differential capacitance, when the web bearing the plurality of labels thereon is in the capacitance gap, which is used to provide a signal indicative of the lateral edge of the label.

Abstract: The purpose of a through calibration is to correct errors in transmission coefficients in both the forward and reverse directions between two measurement ports of a circuit network measurement device having many ports. If there are N measurement ports, error corrections of the transmission coefficients are necessary for all combinations of two measurement ports selected from N ports. The calibration method of this invention is one in which the calibration measurements are performed with n combinations, rather than all combinations, and calibration values for all combinations are obtained by calculation. The n combinations and their measurements may be performed by any combination that satisfies the following conditions: (A) there are triangular combinations of connected ports; (B) all of the other combinations of ports are linked with the triangular combination; and (C) in one combination among the triangular combinations, a measurement of the transmission coefficient in only one direction is sufficient.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the reliability of an electronic component by performing measurements which enable the ageing behavior of a parameter of that component to be predicted over time. The parameter measurements are made in-situ within the oven or environment used to control the temperature at which the measurements are made. The oven is controlled so that its temperature is kept stable, thereby permitting very high resolution measurements to be made over a relatively short time span. The temperature stability of the oven ensures that the changes of the electromagnetic parameter to be measured as a result of temperature fluctuations are negligible relative to the changes as a result of the ageing phenomena which occur in the component over time. The high resolution measurements are then used to model the parameter value as a function of time based on a deterministic model of how that parameter of the component varies over the lifetime of the component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the condition of a fluid used in a process, such as a lubricating oil used in an internal combustion engine. A sample of the fluid is heated to an elevated temperature, a measurement is taken of an electrical characteristic of the fluid at that first temperature, the fluid is heated still further, and the aforesaid electrical characteristic is measured again. The two measured values of the electrical characteristic are used to calculate a quality parameter which, when compared with quality parameter values corresponding to fluid samples of varying condition, gives an estimate of the relative condition of the fluid sample under test. The test procedure also includes a measurement of the opacity of the fluid sample to visible light, with this measurement being used in conjunction with the calculated quality parameter to more accurately determine the relative condition of the fluid under test.

Abstract: Methods are provided for determining a solids to liquids ratio in a flowing petroleum stream having an immiscible solids, oil and water flow. Microwave energy in the 10-12 Gigahertz bond is directed through the petroleum stream and attenuated transmitted and reflected microwave energy are detected. The detected microwave energy is compared to an empirically derived map of attenuated amplitude vs. phase for a set of reference petroleum streams having known solid, oil and water contents to derive a solids to liquids ratio for the unknown stream.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring concentration of solid particles in a fluid stream that includes a probe for disposition in the fluid stream to provide an electrical probe signal as a triboelectric function of concentration of solid particles in the fluid stream. A first circuit is coupled to the probe for providing a first electrical signal as a proportional function of the probe signal. A second circuit is coupled to the probe for providing a second electrical signal as a function of rate of change of the probe signal. Differential amplifiers received the first and second signals, and provide a third signal as a function of a difference therebetween. An apparatus output signal is provided when such difference exceeds a preselected threshold.

Abstract: A method of detecting a partial discharge signals occurring at an insulator, using a Frequency Spectrum Analyzer (FSA) with a monitor screen.

Abstract: In a capacitive sensor system, first and second driving signals opposite in phase are applied to a sensor capacitor and a reference capacitor, respectively, which are both connected to a switched capacitor circuit. An output signal of the switched capacitor is sampled by two sample-and-hold circuits which are operated in different phases of the driving signals. A differential amplifier generates a sensor signal in response to the difference in potential between the outputs of the sample-and-hold circuits.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing the proximity of a moving target is provided which includes a sensor for sensing a range of distances between a reference point and a moving target. The sensor preferably has a detector for detecting a distance signal representative of a range of distances between a reference point and a moving target and a maximum and minimum generator responsive to the detector for generating a maximum distance range DC voltage signal representative of a maximum distance range value between a reference point and a moving target and for generating a minimum distance range DC voltage signal representative of a minimum distance range value between a reference point and a moving target.

Abstract: A device is provided for measuring the voltage and energy between the contacts of a male connector from a piece of electronic equipment after it has been disconnected for a given period of time from a source of AC power. The device has both a voltage meter and a milli-joules meter which are connected into any one of a series of four circuits. In the first circuit, the meters are connected across the high voltage contact and the low voltage contact of the male connector. In the second circuit, the meters are connected across the high voltage contact and the safety ground, in the third circuit the meters are connected across the low voltage contact and the safety ground, and in the fourth circuit the meters measure the residual voltage and energy between the tip of a conductive probe and safety ground. A control element controls a relay to connect or disconnect the meters into the circuit selected after the piece of equipment being tested has been disconnected from a source of power for a given period of time.

Abstract: A protective grounding jumper cable tester basically includes a housing, a direct current power supply, a pair of jumper attachment terminals, a pair of test probe terminals, a current applying circuit connected between the direct current power supply and the pair of jumper attachment terminals for applying a direct current through a jumper cable attached between the jumper attachment terminals, and a resistance sensing circuit connected to the test probe terminals for sensing resistance to the flow of the direct current through the jumper cable by using a pair of test probes connected to the test probe terminals.

Abstract: In a circuit arrangement for determining differences in capacitance, two capacitors (1,2) are alternately connected to an integrator with differential amplifier (3) whose input current is positive (+I) when the first capacitor (1) is integrated or negative (-I) when the second capacitor (2) is integrated, whereby the switches (5,6,7) are synchronously switched. The differential amplifier keeps the voltages at the two capacitors the same. A clocked control device (4) controls the synchronous switching and separately measures and adds the respective charging and discharging times and, as warranted, measures and adds the output voltage of the integrator and controls the last charging cycle such that the voltage at the capacitors is subsequently equal to the initial voltage. The relative or absolute differences in capacitance are calculated from the identified sums and can be digitally output.

Abstract: Proposed is a continuity tester for a plurality of electric conductors. For this purpose, a signal transmitter for admitting different individual identification signals to such conductors is connected to one of the ends of the conductors, whereby an identification is allocated to each signal transmitter connection. A signal receiver (10) for decoding the different identification signals by means of a decoding device (15) for indicating the allocated identification on a display (16) is connected to the other ends of the conductors. The signal receiver (10) has a sequence switchgear (30) supplying the connected conductors individually and successively with a reference potential in a repeated cycle, whereby the decoding device (15) for decoding the identification signals is formed at least on the one other conductor in each case.

Abstract: An inspecting device body (1) including an input terminal group (23), an output terminal group (24), a connection terminal group (25), a signal output portion (38), a signal input portion (39), first and second memory portions (40, 41), a comparing and determining portion (42), a lighting and flashing drive portion (44), and a control portion (48) is electrically connected to a work table (2) including an input connector (4), an output connector (5), LEDs (6), an earth plate (7) by one flexible printed wiring board (9), thereby reducing the rejection rate of wiring harnesses at assembly on an assembly line, allowing the final inspection of the wiring harnesses for acceptance or rejection, and improving assembly efficiency.

Abstract: In a spacer detection structure of a connector having: an oval connector housing (2); a plurality of connector terminals (32) housed in the connector housing; and a terminal fixing spacer (4) engaged with the connector terminals when the connector terminals are fully inserted into the connector housing and formed with a curved base wall portion (5) along an oval shape of the connector housing, the curved base wall portion (5) of the terminal fixing spacer (4) is formed with a recessed portion (10) having a flat bottom surface (9) brought into contact with at least one detection plate (8) of a connector fixing jig (7) for inspecting whether the terminal fixing spacer is full inserted into the connector housing. Therefore, it is possible to securely inspect an imperfect insertion of the oval terminal fixing spacer (4) into the oval connector housing (2), without increasing the manufacturing cost of the connector fixing jig (7) of the inspection instrument.

Abstract: A method of detecting failed disks in power-system surge arresters comprising a network of at least two parallel-coupled stacks of series-coupled ZnO varistors includes measuring differential current flow through each pair of stacks during surge voltage conditions, and comparing the current so measured with a fixed fraction of the total current carried by the arrester. Because each stack contains a like number of substantially identical varistors, current flow through the stack containing a failed disk will measurably exceed current flow through each non-defective stack. If the measured current flow through a stack is excessive relative to current flow through the remaining stacks, the excessive current flow stack is presumed to contain a defective disk. In today's technology, precision Rogowski coils or fiber-optic current sensors provide the high-bandwidth, high dynamic-range transducers necessary for the measurement of both total and differential current.

Abstract: A system for measuring the moisture content of a multi-layer bale of material, comprising a source of microwave radiation disposed on a first side of the bale for directing a circularly polarized source beam through the bale in a direction substantially parallel to the layers thereof so as to exit from the bale as an exit beam and a conveyor for conveying the bale past the source of microwave radiation. A pair of microwave antennas are disposed on an opposite side of the bale for receiving mutually orthogonal components of the exit beam permitting determination of a maximum amplitude of the exit beam corresponding to an amplitude of the exit beam in a direction normal to the layers of the bale. This permits calculation of an attenuation of the beam consequent to absorption by moisture in the bale and thus allows the moisture content of the bale to be determined.

Abstract: A misfire detecting device for an internal combustion engine is provided.