Patents Examined by Herzon E. Williams
  • Patent number: 6766680
    Abstract: Improved control of continuous processes that handle liquids. Data generated by this invention is used to control gas contents of liquids within optimum ranges, for instance in paper coating processes and in the manufacture of food products (ketchup), personal care products (shampoo), paints, and in any industry where information on entrained and/or dissolved gases, and related parameters such as true density of and gas solubility in process liquids, is employed to optimize processing. The amount of gas in a liquid is determined by subjecting a mixture of an incompressible liquid sample and a compressible gas to three or more different equilibrium pressure states, measuring the temperature and volume of the mixture at each of the pressure states, determining the changes in volume of the mixture between at least two different pairs of pressure states, and calculating the amount of gas in the liquid sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Appleton Papers, Inc.
    Inventors: Qingyuan Chen, Robert Josef Franda
  • Patent number: 5837886
    Abstract: A film heater and thick-film electrode pads are provided on one main surface of a heat-resistant insulating substrate and are connected by through holes to a metal oxide semiconductor film on the tail surface. Pads are made of a gold alloy such as Au--Pt and connected to leads of Pt--W, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Figaro Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nakahara, Tomohiro Inoue, Hironobu Machida
  • Patent number: 5814727
    Abstract: A semiconductor accelerometer is formed with a sensor plate that remains substantially planar when acceleration forces are applied. The sensor plate is supported by support beams that are attached to the sensor plate at constraint points. A portion of the mass of the sensor element is cantilevered outward past the constraint points. During the application of acceleration forces, the cantilevered mass creates a counterbalancing moment that maintains the sensor plate in a substantially planar state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Asher T. Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5705735
    Abstract: A system for real time, breath by breath sampling of a patient receiving up to 100 percent oxygen to determine nutritional requirements of the patient through indirect calorimetry includes a pneumotach member for measuring the volume rate of flow of inspired and expired gas flow at the patient/endotracheal tube/ventilator connection. A sample line extends from the pneumotach to a gas analyzer which measures the percent concentration of constituent respiratory gases in the expired gas flow. A flowmeter is coupled to the gas analyzer for determining the volume flow rate of the expiratory gas flow through the sample line. A microprocessor control samples the analog electrical signals from the gas analyzer, the flow meter and the pneumotach in a predetermined sequence, dynamically compensating for variations in gas flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Medical Graphics Corporation
    Inventor: Russell G. Acorn
  • Patent number: 5454257
    Abstract: A wax appearance point in a petroleum produce is determined by measuring change in volume as a function of temperature. The appearance point appears as a deviation from a rectilinear graph. The quantity of wax which appears is determined by comparing a measured volume graph as a function of temperature with an estimated volume graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Norsk Hydro A.S.
    Inventors: Fotland Per, Knut Erik Grung
  • Patent number: 5386722
    Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for statistically detecting knock borderline and evaluating knock intensity in an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Daniel L. Meyer, Michael Smokovitz, Patrick A. Kaluzny
  • Patent number: 5333501
    Abstract: In an abnormality monitoring apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of detectors (13, 14) are arranged at a plurality of positions in the axial direction of a pipeline (11) to detect respective sound waves (37) propagating from a position (B) of occurrence of abnormality. The aforementioned position is calculated from a sound wave detection time difference between the detectors (13, 14) and position between the detectors (13, 14). The apparatus further includes an abnormal waveform memory unit (28) for storing the waveforms of a plurality of kinds of typical abnormal sound waves generated from abnormality on the pipeline (11). A display device (19) displays, on the same image screen, the abnormal waveform stored in the abnormal waveform memory unit and that of the sound wave detected. It is, therefore, possible for a monitoring personnel to readily identify a kind of abnormality occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignees: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Masumi Okada, Shingo Nagashima, Kazuo Nakamachi, Kazuo Hattori, Yoji Takanashi, Masaru Yasuda, Masami Ishikawa, Yoshiyasu Murata
  • Patent number: 5329807
    Abstract: This invention relates to a centrifugal apparatus for testing the waterproofness of an article of footwear. The centrifugal apparatus may also be used to test other apparel such as gloves, socks, waders, pants, and hats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Sugar, Seshamamba Yalamanchili
  • Patent number: 5277066
    Abstract: A vibration test apparatus for applying simultaneously three equal mutually-orthogonal vibration forces to each of at least two test objects so that each of said forces extends parallel to a corresponding respective one of mutually-orthogonal X, Y and Z axes of each test object. The apparatus comprises a fixture adapted for attachment to a conventional shaker table or a sliptable that has two or four object-supporting plates disposed in a selected angular relationship with the shaker table or sliptable. This angular relationship is selected so that the input vibration force generated by the shaker table is translated into the three equal forces, each of which extends parallel to a corresponding respective one of the three mutually-orthogonal axes of each test object secured to said fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: M/RAD Corporation
    Inventor: Philip Marshall
  • Patent number: 5269169
    Abstract: A process for quantitatively and qualitatively substantially continuously analyzing the aroma emitted and rates of emission of the components thereof:(I) from within; and(II) from the outer surface of a living fruit using simultaneously-operating aroma trapping devices connected to (a) the outer surface of the living fruit and (b) an internal portion of the living fruit. Also described is apparatus for carrying out such a process. The living fruit may, for example, be a living pineapple or a living nectarine growing on a nectarine tree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Trenkle, Braja D. Mookherjee, Michael J. Zampino, Richard A. Wilson, Subha M. Patel
  • Patent number: 5269174
    Abstract: This invention presents a method and an apparatus for examining and determining the viscosity of a liquid sealed in a container by applying a centrifugal force to the container, detecting a change in the surface form of said liquid by the means of a sensor, and measuring either a lapse of time from the application of centrifugal force to the time when the output voltage of the sensor reaches a predetermined level or a voltage output of the sensor upon a predetermined lapse of time from the application of a centrifugal force, thereby examining and determining the viscosity of the liquid to find out whether there is any quality change in the liquid without destroying the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Meiji Milk Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuho Chiba, Takao Tomita
  • Patent number: 5267470
    Abstract: An evaporative emission control system for an automotive vehicle comprises an integrated roll-over valve and vapor pressure sensor assembly mounted by means of a grommet in the top wall of the vehicle's fuel tank. The vapor pressure sensor forms part of an on-board diagnostic system for testing the integrity of the tank and vapor collection canister against leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Limited
    Inventor: John E. Cook
  • Patent number: 5205174
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method of preparing and inspecting a submerged surface of a fluid reservoir. The apparatus includes a chassis sized and shaped to provide an optimally low center of gravity, a propulsion system comprising two independently controllable motor and track means, a scrubbing/vacuuming system disposed at the front of the chassis which includes a scrubbing system designed to mechanically break up sediment on the surface beneath the apparatus and a vacuuming system to remove sediment and sediment-containing fluid from beneath the apparatus, and an inspection system located immediately behind the scrubbing/vacuuming system with respect to the direction of apparatus travel and operative to inspect the freshly cleaned surface with either ultrasonics, optics, or a combination of both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Inventors: Eugene B. Silverman, Seymour R. Kotler, Harry T. Roman
  • Patent number: 5174155
    Abstract: An ultrasonic search system comprises a hollow nozzle block including a plurality of radial nozzle openings, and a probe holder disposed in coaxial relation to the nozzle block and cooperating with the nozzle block to define an annular passage therebetween. A plurality of probes are mounted within the probe holder in radial alignment with the nozzle openings and extend radially from the inner surface of the probe holder toward the nozzle openings, respectively. Water is supplied to the annular passage and injected from the nozzle openings to a test piece of a circular section such as a steel pipe. The test piece passes through the hollow nozzle block while the nozzle block and the probe holder are rotated by an electric motor. Ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the probes through the nozzle openings into the test piece so as to detect flaws in the test piece by reflections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sachirou Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 5048336
    Abstract: A moisture-sensitive device comprising a substrate such as silicon substrate, a pair of belt-like heating elements extending over recesses formed in the substrate, the heating elements being composed of a resistive film of platinum or nickel and a heat-resistant insulating film covering the resistive film in which one of the heating elements acts as a detector element and the other as a reference element, which device can exactly determine an absolute humidity irrespective of sudden changes of temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Sugihara, Kazutaka Uda, Hiroki Tabuchi, Shuji Miyoshi, Yasuhiko Inami, Nobuo Hashizume, Hisatoshi Furubayashi
  • Patent number: 4975634
    Abstract: Jitter is measured by applying a first clock signal to a device-under-test, measuring the phase difference between the jittered clock signal received from the device-under-test and a reference clock signal, and converting the phase difference to a jitter measurement. The phase difference is measured by counting the number of high frequency clock pulses between a transition of the jittered clock signal and a transition of the reference clock signal. The phase difference is converted to a jitter measurement by determining the highest and lowest phase difference count and taking the difference between the highest and lowest count. The phase of the reference clock signal can be adjusted as a function of the highest and lowest count by determined the mean value of the highest and lowest count and adjusting the reference clock to be of this mean value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventor: Yuval Shohet