Patents Examined by Franklin V. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 5055823
    Abstract: A portable bar attaches tangentially and locks to a vehicle steering wheel, preferably at the uppermost section of the rim, and extends to where it is fully visible from outside of the vehicle. The bar is a holllow tube in which a pair of clamping members, one being a fixed section of the tube and the other part hinged thereto, surrounds and is locked about the steering wheel rim. A cavity in the tube protectively encloses, along with anti-saw-through bars, alarm circuitry and the batteries therefor. Light and sound annunciators on the bar and a flashing LED armed-condition indicator are provided. A panic button on the outside of the tube to manually trigger the alarm, and push button selectors enclosed in the tube and accessible only when the device is unlocked to arm and disarm the alarm and to activate the light to serve as a flashlight or emergency flasher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Innovision Technologies Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Kip L. Fuller
  • Patent number: 5054018
    Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneous transmission of optic signals having different wavelengths over a single optic fiber. Multiple light signals are transmitted through optic fibers that are formed into a circumference surrounding a central core fiber. The multiple light signals are directed by a lens into a single receiving fiber where the light combines and is then focused into the central core fiber which transmits the light to a wavelength discriminating receiver assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Paul L. Tremblay
  • Patent number: 5046137
    Abstract: An optical communication system is provided in which a digital data bus is used as a transmission line. Each terminal equipment measures an optical output level to enable the terminal equipment to receive a packet transmitted from the terminal equipment itself and informs other terminal equipments of the measured optical output level. Each terminal equipment establishes its optical output level to be the largest one of the levels informed thereto. Further, each terminal equipment measures the delay time of an acknowledge bit transmitted from the other terminal equipments to thereby shift the sampling point by the mean value of the measured delay time, so that bus connection of terminal equipments through optical fiber can be facilitated, channel access control based on CSMA/CD can be performed, and wiring between the terminal equipments can be conserved by performing multiple transmission of audio signals and video signals as well as digital data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kurobe, Hiromasa Nakatsu, Masao Ikezaki, Nobuo Sugino, Yosihisa Mochida
  • Patent number: 5036307
    Abstract: Apparatus for activating a stop sign on a bus from a retracted to an extended position and vice versa. The apparatus includes a motor coupled, via a rotary-to-reciprocating motion translator, to the stop sign. A rotor is connected to the motor and forms a part of the motion translator. The rotor includes an electrically conductive element at a discrete location on its periphery for sequentially engaging respective ones of a pair of elements located at fixed positions on diametric sides of the rotor. The fixed elements are connected via relays to the motor and an electrical power source to control the operation of the motor so that when the bus door is open the stop sign is extended and when the door is closed the sign is retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: School Bus Parts Co. of Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: James Reavell, Raymond Heath
  • Patent number: 5033113
    Abstract: An infrared receiver system for a remote control ceiling fan including a connector disposed in a switch housing of a ceiling fan, an infrared detective sensor disposed in a casing which is connected to a plug by an extension cable. The plug is insertable into the connector of the switch housing for making an electrical connection between the plug and the connector. The detective sensor is located at a lower end of the casing such that the detective sensor is wide open for receiving signals in the undisturbed atmosphere below the ceiling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Inventor: Susan Wang
  • Patent number: 5023943
    Abstract: In an electrooptical arrangement for remotely controlling an electronic apparatus with a remote control transmitter, the transmitter is formed with three sources of radiation whose radiation patterns are different from each other and can be comparatively detected relative to each other to indicate the tilting of the transmitter in different reference plane directions. A radiation detector at the receiver side detects the different radiation intensities for the signals from the three sources, and the relation between the signal intensities is evaluated to determine the tilt angles of the remote control transmitter in the reference plane directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Heberle
  • Patent number: 5018382
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring moment of inertia incorporating a torsional pendulum and an analog electronic circuit. The circuit measures the period of oscillation, sets a scaling factor equal to the torsional coefficient of the resilient member, and computes moment of inertia by multiplying the scaling factor by the square of the period of oscillation. The moment of inertia is then displayed in metric units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Inventors: James W. Kelley, Roger D. McWilliams
  • Patent number: 5018392
    Abstract: A method for zero-resetting of a device for measuring transmitted torque while a cycle is in motion consists in monitoring a phenomenon or a parameter which is normally variable during normal use of the cycle and which disappears or becomes constant when the driving wheel rotates on free-wheel motion. When the disappearance or the constant character of the phenomenon or parameter thus monitored is observed during a predetermined period of time, one initiates zero-resetting of the detector system or of the measuring system proper of the torque-measuring device. The device for carrying out the method includes on the one hand a monitor for the phenomenon or parameter and on the other hand a control which are operated in dependence on the signal emitted by the monitor and which are then capable of producing action on the detection system or the measuring system in order to reset either of these two systems to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: STE Look
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Mercat
  • Patent number: 5010771
    Abstract: A gas flow alternator cyclically connects a microphone to a dynamic flow ssure and then a reference static flow pressure. The microphone converts the pressures to a resultant alternating differential signal providing a first input to a phase-locked amplifier. A second amplifier input is derived from an optical pickup mounted within the housing. A readout connected in the circuit with the amplifier indicates the dynamic flow pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles W. Bruce
  • Patent number: 5000050
    Abstract: A fluid mass flow sensor uses the effect of aerodynamic drag on a vibrating object. The drag damps the resonance oscillations of the vibrator in an amount proportional to the mass flow. An electronic feedback circuit associated with the mass flow sensor has the effect of allowing for fast response time despite the use of a high Q vibrator and allows for electronic calibration of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Hetrick