Abstract: A pulsed coil drive for a sampled inductive transducer has at least one drive coil connected in a series circuit with a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the negative terminal of a voltage source. The series circuit is normally open during the intervals between pulses. Sampling occurs once per pulse. Each pulse's sampling interval is preceded by a pre-sampling interval and followed by a post-sampling interval. The supply voltage that is applied across the series circuit during both the pre- and post-sampling intervals is applied by switching a first terminal of the coil's free terminal to the voltage source's positive terminal through a p-channel MOSFET. During the sampling interval, the series circuit is shorted by switching the coil's free terminal to the voltage source's negative terminal through an n-channel MOSFET.

Abstract: A method for assembling an eddy current inspection device includes at least partially positioning a first tip assembly within a cavity defined by a proximity probe case. The first tip assembly defines a bore therethrough. The first tip assembly is sealingly coupling to the proximity probe case. A second tip assembly is at least partially positioned within the cavity and sealingly coupled to the first tip assembly.

Abstract: A flexible elongate structure, such as a flexible riser (10) for connecting oil and gas wells to floating production platforms, comprising at least one layer (20) of steel wires near the surface which extend at least partly along the length of the structure, can be monitored by inducing a magnetic field in the steel wires using an electromagnetic coil, and monitoring the magnetic flux density near the surface of the structure so as to detect if any wires have broken. Measurements are made at two different frequencies, the lower frequency giving an output dependent both on stresses and on the number of adjacent wires in the layer (20), and the higher frequency giving an output primarily dependent on the number of these wires. By comparing these two measurements a corrected output parameter (P) may be obtained that is indicative only of stress. A break in a wire can be expected to change the stress in that and adjacent wires.

Abstract: A mixed mode tool uses an inductive source and detects galvanic currents and/or potentials at electrodes in proximity to a borehole wall to produce a resistivity image of the earth formation. Alternative, the magnetic field produced by a galvanic current is detected by an antenna coil and used to produce a resistivity image.

Abstract: A testing system includes a hand-held transmitter that plugs into a receptacle electrically coupled to a selected branch circuit. The transmitter includes a circuit effective to test an arc fault circuit interrupter electrically coupled to the branch circuit by creating a first pulse on the branch circuit that is effective to trip the arc fault circuit interrupter. The transmitter can perform at least one additional test including: determining whether the receptacle is wired properly; determining a location of a circuit interrupting device electrically coupled to the branch circuit by creating a second pulse on the branch circuit that can be sensed by a receiver located proximately to the respective circuit interrupting device and broadly tuned about a frequency of the second pulse; and testing a ground fault circuit interrupter electrically coupled to the branch circuit by creating a third pulse on the branch circuit that is effective to trip the ground fault circuit interrupter.

Abstract: A drive assembly for a vehicle door is provided. The drive assembly includes a motor having a driving member. The drive assembly further includes a housing having a shaft rotatably received therein. The drive assembly further includes an input member being rotatably received upon the shaft. The input member is operatively associated with the driving member. The drive assembly further includes a rotor fixedly secured to the shaft. The drive assembly further includes first and second Hall effect sensor modules mounted to the housing in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the plurality of teeth of the rotor that generate first and second signals, respectively. The first and second signals have a quadrature relationship with respect to one another and indicate a rotational direction of the rotor when the plurality of teeth are rotating past the first and second Hall effect sensor modules.

Abstract: A motion tracking sensor apparatus configured for real-time, three-dimensional angular motion tracking that can determine the absolute orientation, axis of rotation and angular speed of a body rotating about a point, which is fixed relative to the sensor, without contacting the rotating body. The sensor obtains measurements of the three-dimensional magnetic field of a dipole fixed on the body. In one embodiment, a permanent magnet is embedded in the center of the rotating body, and the time-varying magnetic field is measured as the magnet rotates, and then the instantaneous magnet orientation from the field data is determined. The apparatus is particularly suited for use with devices that are based on a sphere rotating in a cradle such as spherical motors or spherical variable transmissions.

Abstract: A boring tool is moved through the ground within a region along a path from a starting point. A reference path is established. An information generating arrangement is located partially at the boring tool and partially at the locator including a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic signal from the boring tool and a receiver in the portable locator to generate certain information about the position of the boring tool relative to the position of the locator. The boring tool is moved in cooperation with the locator to establish a series of boring tool locations on the particular path such that each boring tool location is associated with one of a series of associated reference points on the reference path. An actual path of the boring tool is established which actual path corresponds to a particular path taken by the boring tool and a record is saved.

Abstract: A collision detection device is provided with a coil which is arranged at an inner side of an outer panel of a body portion of a vehicle and faces the outer panel to generate a magnetic field in a direction toward the outer panel, and a collision determining unit for determining a collision with the body portion of the vehicle based on a variation of an inductance of the coil. The collision determining unit includes a resonance circuit which is constructed of the coil. When there occurs a collision with the vehicle body portion, a distance between the outer panel and the coil will decrease so that an inductance of the coil can instantly decrease. Therefore, a resonance frequency of the resonance circuit will increase and be detected, thus shortening the response time.

Abstract: A sensor electrode for imaging a formation. The sensor includes a geometry either reduces or substantially limits spatial aliasing in formation data. The aliasing is the result of imaging the formation with an array of the sensor electrodes.

Abstract: A shooting device includes a image sensor for capturing an image of a subject, a detection unit detecting stabilization information from the image, a stabilization information recording unit associating a shooting condition during shooting with the detected stabilization information and recording the shooting condition and the stabilization information, and an electronic image stabilization unit. The electronic image stabilization unit extracts the stabilization information corresponding to the shooting condition having a predetermined relationship with the shooting condition by referring to the stabilization information recording unit using the shooting condition, and stabilizes the shooting device shake based on the extracted stabilization information.

Abstract: The present invention refers to position sensors in stick design, for installation in hydraulic cylinders, which may be maintained and replaced without having to open the hydraulic system of the cylinder and thus causing leakage. According to the invention the sensor includes a sensor head housing having an attachable and detachable sensor head cover which can be opened without removing the remaining housing out of the piston cylinder unit. Opening of the sensor-head-cover allows easy access to the functional components of the sensor.

Abstract: A test-device system and method for deconvoluting measurements of effects of a sensor-width definition process from measurements of effects of a sensor-stripe-height-definition process in a manufacture of a magnetic sensor. The test-device system comprises a first test device for generating data to characterize a sensor-width-definition process. The test-device system also comprises a second test device for generating data to characterize a sensor-stripe-height-definition process. The test-device system allows independent characterization of a sensor-width parameter and a sensor-stripe-height parameter.

Abstract: Sensor assemblies and methods are described that facilitate the use of a long-range torsional guided-wave inspection system for inspecting pipes, tubes, or other longitudinal cylindrical structures, with a partial excitation and detection around the pipe circumference. The sensor assemblies comprise a plate-type magnetostrictive sensor probe positioned beneath a compressible/expandable bladder and an inverted U-shaped frame that retain and position the sensor probe against the external wall of the pipe under inspection. Preferably, a magnetostrictive strip is positioned in direct contact with the pipe wall over which the plate magnetostrictive sensor probe is positioned. The probe is preferably curved to match the curvature of the external surface of the pipe. A pad may be positioned between the probe and the magnetostrictive strip to improve compliance with irregular pipe surfaces.

Abstract: A sensor is disclosed for monitoring a part which can move translationally relative to a sensor with reference to its position on the axis of motion. This part is for example a piston in a cylinder which is equipped with a sensor. The sensor can be actuated by means of a magnet which is oriented in the direction of motion with respect to the north and south pole and which is located on the movable part. The sensor has three reed contacts which are aligned in parallel and of which the first and the second reed contact are located in one plane and parallel next to one another with their lengthwise axes, by which they can be actuated almost at the same time by the magnetic field of the magnet which is located on the movable part. The third reed contact is located at a distance to the plane of the first and the second reed contact. This sensor with the first two reed contacts is mounted facing the actuating magnet.

Abstract: An angle detector including an annular stator board (1); a plurality of stators (5) provided on the annular stator board (1) independently of one another and forming slots (10) at constant or various intervals; a magnetic core (11) formed on surfaces of the stators (5); stator windings (4) formed around the magnetic cores (11) and composed of excitation windings (4a) and output windings (4b); a magnetic flux return path plateau (12) provided on each of the surfaces of the stators (5) and provided inward or outward of the stator windings (4); an annular rotor board (6) provided on the magnetic flux return path plateaus (12); and a gap forming board (13) provided on an inner surface (6a) of the annular rotor board (6) and having a board inner surface (13a) whose protrusion state changes according to a waveform. The annular rotor board rotates to cause changes in a gap (14) between each of the magnetic cores (11) and the board inner surface (13a) of the gap forming board (13).

Abstract: A technique for determining properties of a bearing assembly in use involves using an eddy current probe for detecting changes in material density within a raceway of the bearing assembly. A field of detection of the eddy current probe enters the bearing raceway intermediate races that define the raceway, and as such the detection is of the bearing elements, and not deflections in a wall that defines the raceway.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the magnetic sensitivity of a Hall-effect switch through the use of a variable powered DC electromagnet having a permanent magnet attached to it. In use the electromagnet is placed in contact with a Hall-effect switch component and the DC voltage varied until a detector determines the Hall-effect switch has been triggered. The electromagnet is then moved to be in contact with a probe connected to a Gauss meter to determine the magnetic sensitivity of the Hall-effect switch.

Abstract: A position detector arrangement for detecting a position of a packaging material with magnetic marking comprises a sensor assembly comprising a plurality of magnetic sensor units each comprising an output providing an output signal. The magnetic sensor units are arranged in at least two sensor unit pairs, with the sensor units of each pair arranged with opposite sensitivity directions, and with the sensor units arranged to sense magnetic markings of the packaging material. A signal processing assembly is connected to the outputs of the magnetic sensors and comprises a combiner arranged to aggregate the output signals of the sensors to an aggregated signal; and a detector arranged to determine the position of the packaging material from the aggregated signal. Further, a method for detecting a position of a packaging material with magnetic markings is disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a resistivity tool for use in a wellbore, wherein at least two orthogonal antennas are located at the same or substantially the same location of the tool. A single set of vertically aligned grooves is provided for the at least two orthogonal antennas. Each antenna may be configured to operate as a transmitter or receiver. A tool with collocated antennas may be used to provide azimuthally sensitive measurements even if the tool is non-rotating.