Patents Examined by J M Saint Surin
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Patent number: 9909918Abstract: An ultrasonic scanning device for scanning a turbine component. The device includes an ultrasonic transducer attached to a moveable fluid distribution block, wherein the block includes a block opening and an internal passageway for receiving a fluid. The device also includes a fluid pad having a fluid pad opening that is in fluid communication with the block opening, wherein the fluid pad and block openings form a channel that extends between the ultrasonic transducer and the turbine component. Fluid received by the internal passageway moves to the channel and forms a fluid column between the ultrasonic transducer and the turbine component that facilitates transmission of ultrasonic energy generated by the ultrasonic transducer. In addition, the device includes a control module for controlling operation of the ultrasonic transducer and an encoder for providing travel information to the control module for determining a position of the device relative to the turbine component.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventor: Ranier Valentin
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Patent number: 9903839Abstract: Embodiments include subsea ultrasonic inspection systems employing electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) to inspect subsea objects, such as subsea tubular items, conduit, piping, pipelines, risers, vessels, structures, and so forth.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.Inventors: Mark Alan Adams, John Joseph Boyle
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Patent number: 9897522Abstract: A tool having at least one vibration sensor and at least one standoff is disposed in a contact with a material and the at least one standoff of the tool is pushed into the material. Vibration is excited by the at least one vibration source and at least one coupling frequency of the tool is measured by the at least one vibration sensor. Based on the determined coupling frequency determining a contact stiffness of the at least one standoff and the mechanical properties of the material are determined taking into account mechanical properties of the at least one standoff.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2013Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventor: Yamid Pico
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Patent number: 9899788Abstract: Disclosed are a solid-state laser device having an advantage of achieving simplification of a configuration and reduction in size, and a photoacoustic measurement device. In a solid-state laser device which accommodates a solid-state laser medium and an excitation light source having a rod-shaped portion, the excitation light source is provided to be pulled out of a laser chamber. An optical element which bends light is provided at a position separated from the rod-shaped portion such that at least a part of the optical element and at least a part of the rod-shaped portion are at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped portion. One resonator mirror is disposed at a position where bent light is incident. Optical components between the optical element and the resonator mirror are provided at positions separated from a path along which the excitation light source is pulled out.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Koki Nakabayashi, Takuji Tada
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Patent number: 9891123Abstract: An wheel fastening inspection method includes: directly or indirectly applying vibration to a turbine shaft to be inserted to a bearing housing, the turbine shaft being provided with wheels at both ends protruding from the bearing housing, at least one of the wheels being fastened by a fastening member, and a rotary member being fastened by a fastening force generated by the fastening member to the turbine shaft to be integrally rotated with the wheel; measuring the vibration of the turbine shaft; and determining whether or not a vibration frequency at which a peak of the measured vibration of the turbine shaft is given is included in a setting range previously set.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: IHI CorporationInventors: Yutaka Uneura, Shinichi Kaneda, Yuichi Daito
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Patent number: 9885689Abstract: A sensor includes an inflow section into which an analyte liquid flows; a first cover member; a detection element including an element substrate located on an upper surface of the first cover member, and a detection section which is located on an upper surface of the element substrate and is configured to detect a target contained in an analyte liquid; an intermediate cover member including a first upstream portion; a second cover member including a second upstream portion; and a flow channel which is surrounded by the intermediate cover member and the second cover member, is continuous with the inflow section, and extends at least to the detection section. A contact angle ?2a of a lower surface of the second upstream portion of the second cover member with the analyte liquid is smaller than a contact angle ?3 of an upper surface of the detection element with the analyte liquid.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATIONInventor: Hiroyasu Tanaka
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Patent number: 9885690Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection tool has a chassis with a two part body, an aperture for providing a clear line of sight between an array and a workpiece, and a series of feet for sliding along the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2013Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITEDInventors: Andrew Bond-Thorley, Neil Hankinson, Richard Freemantle
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Patent number: 9885691Abstract: A multimode ultrasonic probe tip and transducer integrated into a micro tool, such as a nano indenter or a nano indenter interfaced with a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) is described. The tip component may be utilized to determine mechanical properties or characteristics of a sample, including for example, complex elastic modulus, hardness, friction coefficient, and strain and stress at nanometer scales and high frequencies. The tip component is configured to operate at multi-resonant frequencies providing sub-nanometer vertical resolution. The tip component may be quasi-statistically calibrated and contact mechanics constitutive equations may be utilized to derive mechanical properties of a sample. Contact mechanical impedance and acoustic impedance may also be compared.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2017Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Nanometronix LLCInventor: Antanas Daugela
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Patent number: 9880047Abstract: Methods for determining separate velocity components of an acoustic wavefield that are incident on a distributed fiber optic sensor are disclosed. A fiber optic sensor includes fiber that is spatially distributed in non-parallel planes of a three-dimensional volume having three orthogonal axes. The fiber includes a first fiber pattern that is spatially distributed within a first plane of the three-dimensional volume, and a second fiber pattern that is spatially distributed within a second plane of the volume. The fiber patterns are interrogated separately by a distributed fiber optic interrogation system. The individual responses from each pattern are combined and processed to determine separate velocity components of the acoustic wavefield relative to the orthogonal axes of the three-dimensional volume.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: James Martin, Daniela Donno, Bence Papp, Arthur Hartog
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Patent number: 9880046Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining properties of at least one of a surface or materials adjacent to a portable device. The method includes windowing a segment of the received signal to remove an edge transients, computing the FFT power spectral density of the signal, determining a peak in the spectral energy at a frequency, finding local peaks by determining the difference in the signal amplitude is relation to a pre-determined threshold, and computing harmonic energy according to the local peaks and the difference and determining at least one property of the surface or material.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Amardeep Sathyanarayana, Nitish Murthy, Sourabh Ravindran, Brian Paul Burk
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Patent number: 9874545Abstract: A photoacoustic microscope includes an objective lens that irradiates a specimen with excitation light, a light scanning unit that deflects the excitation light to scan the specimen, an acoustic lens that converts a wavefront of a photoacoustic wave generated by the specimen due to irradiation with the excitation light, a photoacoustic wave detection unit that detects the photoacoustic wave from the acoustic lens, a drive unit that displaces at least one of the acoustic lens and the photoacoustic wave detection unit, and a control unit that controls the drive unit, in synchronization with scanning of the excitation light by the light scanning unit, so that the photoacoustic wave is incident on the photoacoustic wave detection unit perpendicularly.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2015Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Ikutoshi Fukushima, Hisashi Ode, Tomio Endo
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Patent number: 9869660Abstract: A non-destructive testing system for testing a work piece. The non-destructive testing system includes an ultrasonic probe, including a matrix of transducers, and a control unit including a display. The control unit is configured to control the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe and the control unit are configured to obtain multiple S-scan images. The ultrasonic probe and the control unit are configured to obtain a first S-scan image at a first direction orientation, and the ultrasonic probe and the control unit are configured to obtain a second S-scan image at a second direction orientation different from the first direction orientation. The control unit is configured to process the first and second S-scan images to provide at least an image upon the display.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Weiwei Zhang
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Patent number: 9869602Abstract: A pipeline leak detection device for detecting leaks in a pipe includes a sensor assembly guided into a pipe to detect evidence of a leak, and a position assessing device provides an indication of a location of the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly may be a hydrophone, and the position assessing device may be a guide wire with markings for measuring lengths of the guide wire, or a transmitter. An injector plug can be inserted in an access port of the pipe to create a liquid tight seal for insertion of the sensor assembly. A pressurizing device may also be connected to the access port to pressurize the pipe.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2014Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Inventor: Darren E. Merlob
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Patent number: 9863826Abstract: A sensor device, comprising two symmetrically disposed sonolucent wedges (5), and a connecting piece for fixedly connecting the two sonolucent wedges (5); the upper surfaces of the sonolucent wedges (5) are provided with inclined planes; installation holes are formed on the inclined planes; transducers (3) are installed in respective installation holes; one transducer (3) is used to generate ultrasonic waves, and the other transducer (3) is used to receive the ultrasonic waves generated by the previous transducer (3). The residual stress detection system comprises a sensor device, an ultrasonic transmission card, and a data acquisition card.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2013Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: BEIJING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Chunguang Xu, Lang Xu, Qinxue Pan, Dingguo Xiao, Xiao Li, Jun Guo, Wentao Song, Haiyang Liu
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Patent number: 9863916Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a first cover member; a detection element including an element substrate located on the first cover member, and a detection portion configured to detect an analyte, the detection portion being located on the element substrate; a terminal located on the first cover member and electrically connected to the detection element; an intermediate cover member located on the first cover member and having a space with the detection element; a filler member located in the space between the detection element and the intermediate cover member; a second cover member configured to cover at least a part of the detection element and joined to at least one of the first cover member and the intermediate cover member; an inlet into which the analyte flows; and a flow passage which is continuous with the inlet, and extends at least to the detection portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyasu Tanaka, Yasutaka Ohashi
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Patent number: 9857272Abstract: A wheel monitoring system comprising a wheel, a bearing mechanically coupled to the wheel, an axle mechanically coupled to the bearing, and a wheel speed transducer (WST) disposed in the axle. The WST may be configured to detect vibrations. A method of monitoring a bearing is also provided and may comprise measuring a vibration of the bearing, comparing the vibration of the bearing to a predetermined vibration, and estimating a remaining useful life of the bearing.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Goodrich CorporationInventors: Paul Summers, Steven Keller, Todd Rook, Michael Kordik
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Patent number: 9851242Abstract: A combined driver and pick-off sensor component (200, 300) for a vibrating meter is provided. The combined driver and pick-off sensor component (200, 300) includes a magnet portion (104B) with at least a first magnet (211). The combined driver and pick-off sensor component (200, 300) further includes a coil portion (204A, 304A) receiving at least a portion of the first magnet (211). The coil portion (204A, 304A) includes a coil bobbin (220), a driver wire (221) wound around the coil bobbin (220), and a pick-off wire (222) wound around the coil bobbin (220).Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2011Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Christopher George Larsen, Matthew Joseph Rensing, Amy Mai Nilsen, Roger Scott Loving
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Patent number: 9851244Abstract: Vibration sensor comprising a membrane, which can be excited to vibrate by means of a drive, wherein the drive has at least one piezo actuator, which is designed so as to be bonded with the membrane, wherein the membrane has at least one centering device that is designed to be suitable for orienting and keeping the drive centered relative to the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2015Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KGInventor: Holger Gruhler
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Patent number: 9851285Abstract: A digital densitometer for a fluid gauging system includes a frequency detection device configured to be disposed within a fluid tank, wherein a frequency detected by the frequency detection device is indicative of a density of a fluid within the fluid tank, frequency detection circuitry configured to obtain the frequency from the frequency detection device and output the frequency in a digital form, and an interface for digital communication with an electronic controller, the digital communication comprising transmission of the digital form of the frequency for the electronic controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2013Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Phillip Andrew Bahorich, Nalin Joshi
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Patent number: 9846144Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a defect of a press panel includes: an acoustic emission sensor unit configured to detect at least one elastic wave signal emitted from the press panel as a detection target during press work, a period measurer configured to measure a period as a section in which there are consecutive signals with a greater voltage than a threshold voltage among the at least one detected signals, and a defect existence determination unit configured to determine that a defect is generated in the press panel when the measured period is greater than a first reference value, and to determine that the press panel is in a normal state when the measured period is smaller than a second reference value which is smaller than the first reference value.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, UNIST Academy-Industry Research CorporationInventors: Jae Ryeon Hwang, ByungHun Kim, Franklin Bien, Hyon Gi Yoo, Chan Woo Jeong, Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Liu Zhenyi, Seul Ki Rom Kim