Patents Examined by Kenneth J Whittington
  • Digital multimeter having housing sealing arrangement
    Patent number: 7830135
    Abstract: A multimeter comprises a housing structure including a case defining an interior cavity in which components of the multimeter are located. The case has a shell of rigid polymeric material defining at least one groove containing a softer polymeric material. In addition, the housing structure further includes at least one rigid panel element juxtaposed to the case. The panel element has an elongate bead on an inside surface thereof in alignment with the groove such that the elongate bead presses into the softer polymeric material to provide a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Worones, Terry G. Morey
  • Indicator element for a magnetic rotation angle sensor
    Patent number: 7830138
    Abstract: An indicator element for a magnetic rotation angle sensor having a field probe for generating a sensor signal in response to a geometric position of the indicator element relative to the field probe is disclosed. The indicator element has a permanent magnet with an annular cross-section having a plurality of segments, magnetization of the segments being in different directions so that a homogeneous magnetic field is formed in an inner region of the indicator element into which the field probe is arranged. At least two segments exhibit radial or diametrical magnetization and at least two segments exhibit lateral magnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Marco Wolf, Bernd Hoffelder
  • Magnetic field sensor and method for the operation thereof
    Patent number: 7825657
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor comprising a sensor arrangement (H), which is supplied by a supply device (IH) and generates a sensor signal. An evaluation device (ADC, R) to which the sensor signal is fed and which outputs a first output signal (AI). A feedback device (RV) to which the first output signal is fed and which controls the supply device. The regulation of the control loop closed with the feedback device improves the noise behavior of the magnetic field sensor. A method is disclosed for operating the magnetic field sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Siegfried Rossmann, Colin Steele
  • Method and system for generating and receiving torsional guided waves in a structure
    Patent number: 7821258
    Abstract: A method is shown for magnetostrictive testing of structures using magnetostrictive techniques. A torsional guided wave is generated in the structure either directly, or through a magnetostrictive strip dry coupled or bonded to the structure. A permanent magnetic field is created by either permanent magnets or DC current for a permanent bias in a bias direction in the magnetostrictive strip and/or structure. By pulsing the magnetic field with an AC current pulse, a torsional guided wave will flow through the structure in the same direction as the permanent bias. By saturating the permanent magnetic field, a maximum torsional guided wave is reflected from defects in the structure to given an improved signal to noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: IHI Southwest Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Sergey A. Vinogradov
  • Method and device for forecasting/detecting polishing end point and method and device for monitoring real-time film thickness
    Patent number: 7821257
    Abstract: A method and device for forecasting/detecting a polishing end point and for monitoring a real-time film thickness to suppress Joule heat loss due to the eddy current to the minimum, to precisely forecast/detect a polishing end point, to precisely calculate the remaining film thickness to be removed, and polishing rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Takashi Fujita, Toshiyuki Yokoyama, Keita Kitade
  • Linear and rotational inductive position sensor
    Patent number: 7821256
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a signal related to a position of a part comprises an exciter coil, and a receiver coil disposed proximate to the exciter coil. The exciter coil generates magnetic flux when the exciter coil is energized by a source of electrical energy, such as an alternating current source. The receiver coil generates a receiver signal when the exciter coil is energized, due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the exciter coil. The receiver coil has a plurality of sections, the inductive coupling tending to induce opposed voltages in at least two of the sections. Embodiments of the present invention include linear sensors, rotational sensors, and novel configurations for improved ratiometric sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: KSR Technologies Co.
    Inventor: Joong K. Lee
  • Resistivity tools with load-bearing azimuthally sensitive antennas and methods of using same
    Patent number: 7816921
    Abstract: The disclosure provides apparatus and method for estimating an electrical property downhole. The apparatus, in one aspect, includes an antenna that comprises a unitary metallic member that has a longitudinal axis and a radial axis, at least one slot made in the metallic member and an electrical conductor over the at least one slot to form an antenna. In one aspect, a high magnetic permeability material may be placed between the electrical conductor and a bottom of the slots. The antenna may be configured to operate as a transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic signals into a formation or a receiver for receiving electromagnetic signals from the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Andreas Peter, Martin Blanz
  • Extra bucking coils to balance induction arrays
    Patent number: 7812608
    Abstract: An electromagnetic logging tool is disclosed that includes a support; and at least one four-coil array disposed on the support, wherein the at least one four-coil array comprises: a transmitter, a bucking coil, a receiver, and a trim coil. A method for balancing an induction array is disclosed that includes applying an alternating current to a transmitter of the induction array that comprises the transmitter, a bucking coil and a receiver; measuring a mutual coupling between the transmitter and the receiver; and adding an extra bucking coil, if the mutual coupling exceeds a selected criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Andrei I. Davydychev, John F. Hunka, Thomas D. Barber, Scott S. Chesser, Bulent Finci, Jingjing Karen Sun, William B. Vandermeer, Richard D. Ward
  • Inductive magnetic position sensor
    Patent number: 7812597
    Abstract: A motion sensor which has a coil that surrounds a ferromagnetic core and at least one magnet that is longitudinally movable along the coil. The magnet causes a magnetic saturation of the ferromagnetic core in an associated zone that covers a portion of the length of the coil. An evaluation unit generates a position signal in dependence on the position of the movable magnet along the longitudinal extent of the coil. The coil has at least two superimposed winding layers that surround the ferromagnetic core and are wound in opposite directions. The windings of adjacent segments generally have about the same width over which the winding density remains constant. Thus, the winding density of the segments of one of the winding layers increases linearly over the length of the sensor while the winding density of the segments in the other winding layer linearly decreases over the sensor length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventor: Stefan Hubrich
  • Position detecting device for a vehicle and seat position detecting device
    Patent number: 7812600
    Abstract: A position detecting device for a vehicle and a seat position detecting device which are compact in structure and low in production cost are proposed, in which the absolute position from the reference point can be always detected. The position detecting device for a vehicle for detecting a position of a mobile object for the vehicle which is moved by a driving force of a rotating driving source includes a deceleration device having a two-stage hypo-cycloid mechanism decelerating the rotation amount of a rotation shaft rotated plural revolutions to one revolution or less by the driving source upon the mobile object being moved and a rotation sensor detecting a rotation output from the deceleration device as an absolute angle, wherein a position of the mobile object is detected based on the absolute angle detected by the rotation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sadao Ito, Akira Kamiya, Yukihiro Kato, Katsuyoshi Shirai
  • Resistivity tools with segmented azimuthally sensitive antennas and methods of making same
    Patent number: 7800372
    Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus and a method for estimating one or more electrical properties downhole are provided. The apparatus, in one embodiment, may include a metallic member that has a longitudinal axis and a radial axis, at least two groups of slots formed in the metallic member, each group of slots having at lest two rows of slots, each row of slots containing at least one slot, and an electrical conductor placed over the at least two rows of slots at an angle to the radial axis of the metallic member to form an antenna of a tool for use in a wellbore for estimating the electrical properties downhole. The antenna may be configured to operate as a transmitter or as a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Andreas Peter, Martin Blanz
  • Steering angle sensor
    Patent number: 7800357
    Abstract: A steering angle sensor comprises a main rotor which can be rotated in a rotationally synchronous manner and which can be coupled to a steering column or to a steering wheel. The main rotor can be rotated about the rotational axis of the steering column. The steering angle sensor also comprises at least one additional rotor which can be driven by the main rotor, a first scanning unit which is used to scan the position of the rotational angle of the main rotor, and a second scanning unit which is used to scan the rotational angle of the additional rotor. The additional rotor can be rotated about the rotational axis of the steering column and can drive the additional rotor of at least one transmission element driven by the main rotor. A method for determining the absolute steering angle of a steering wheel is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Ruetz
  • Connector system with magnetic audio volume control and method
    Patent number: 7800360
    Abstract: Electronic equipment control of a parameter of electronic equipment includes magnetic encoder responsive to magnetic input to provide control output for electronic equipment, a connector member connects electrically with a further connector member; the magnetic encoder receives magnetic input representing relative motion between the further connector member and the connector member to provide such control output. The further connector member has an electrical terminal connectible with the connector member, a magnet positioned relative to the electrical terminal for movement therewith providing magnetic output representing such movement, and the magnet and magnetic encoder are in proximity for magnetic coupling to provide the magnetic encoder magnetic force representing relative movement of the connector member and further connector member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: David Johansson, Markus Gustav Agevik, Anders Lundquist, Anders Hansson
  • Method of forecasting and detecting polishing endpoint and the device thereof and real time film thickness monitoring method and the device thereof
    Patent number: 7795865
    Abstract: A method and device for forecasting and detecting a polishing endpoint and real time film thickness monitoring capable of suppressing to a minimum Joule heat loss due to an eddy current, and precisely forecasting and detecting the polishing endpoint, and precisely calculating a remaining film amount to be removed and a polishing rate. A high frequency inductor sensor is positioned close to the conductive film, and monitors a flux change induced in the conductive film. When a film thickness becomes a film thickness corresponding to a skin depth of the conductive film a method of calculating on the spot a polishing rate and a remaining film amount to be removed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujita, Toshiyuki Yokoyama, Keita Kitade
  • Method and device for forecasting polishing end point
    Patent number: 7795866
    Abstract: A method for forecasting a polishing end time or point, wherein an inductor 36 in a sensor is placed adjacent to the conductive film 28. The magnetic flux formed by the inductor 36 is monitored, and a change of magnetic flux induced in the conductive film 28 is detected. Based on the skin effect of the material of the conductive film 28 as a factor, a process is used in which an eddy current formed with the decrease of the film thickness by polishing increases and a process in which the eddy current formed with the decrease of the film thickness substantially decreases when the polishing is progressed. Based on the characteristic change of the magnetic flux induced in the conductive film 28, the polishing end point is forecasted, and at the same time, the magnetic flux induced in the conductive film 28 is alleviated or turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Takashi Fujita
  • Determining correction factors representing effects of different portions of a lining structure
    Patent number: 7795872
    Abstract: To determine effect on a magnetic field caused by a lining structure in a wellbore, an array may be deployed into the wellbore lined with the lining structure. The array comprises a plurality of sensors including sensor A configured to operate as a transmitter, sensor B configured to operate as either a transmitter or a receiver, and sensor C configured to operate as a receiver. The array measures magnetic fields using sensor B as a receiver and sensor C in response to activation of sensor B as a transmitter and sensor A. A plurality of lining structure correction factors can be calculated based on the measured magnetic fields, based on the reciprocity of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Clark, Frank Morrison, Edward Nichols, Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Absolute angle detecting apparatus
    Patent number: 7791333
    Abstract: The disclosed absolute angle detecting apparatus includes: a rotating body A; a rotating magnet that rotates with the rotation of the rotating body A; and a magnetic sensor that outputs signals sin ?, cos ?, ?sin ?, and ?cos ? using a variation in the direction of a magnetic field according to the rotation angle ? of the rotating magnet. The first and second arc tangent signals tan?1? having phases that deviate from each other by a quarter of the period of each output signal of the magnetic sensor are generated on the basis of the output signals of the magnetic sensor. The absolute angle detecting apparatus generates a sawtooth signal without using the vicinities of the switching positions of the two arc tangent signals tan?1?, and detects the absolute angle of the rotating body A within one rotation of the rotating body A, on the basis of the sawtooth signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Sano
  • Magnetic device
    Patent number: 7782049
    Abstract: A magnetic device comprises a magnetic element, a first magnetic field application device, and a second magnetic field application device. The first and second magnetic field applying means are disposed on mutually opposite sides of the magnetic element. The magnetic element is, for example, an element in which a soft magnetic film is formed in a meandering shape on a nonmagnetic substrate. The first and second magnetic field application device create a magnetic field in one direction from the first magnetic field application device toward the second magnetic field application device. The bias magnetic field in one direction is thereby applied to the entire soft magnetic film in the magnetic element disposed between the first and second magnetic field application device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Itoi, Katsubumi Nagasu, Takuya Aizawa, Osamu Nakao, Shigekazu Kawai
  • Antenna Orientation Sensor
    Patent number: 7777480
    Abstract: An antenna orientation sensor, having a base, a pivoting support coupled to the base. An actuator operable to move the pivoting support through a calibration movement with respect to the base. A magnetic sensor on the pivoting support and a position sensor operable to sense the position of the pivoting support within the calibration movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Michael Wolfe
  • Magnetic device
    Patent number: 7772841
    Abstract: A magnetic device comprises a magnetic element, a first magnetic field applying means, and a second magnetic field applying means. The first and second magnetic field applying means are disposed on mutually opposite sides of the magnetic element. The magnetic element is, for example, an element in which a soft magnetic film is formed in a meandering shape on a nonmagnetic substrate. The first and second magnetic field applying means create a magnetic field in one direction from the first magnetic field applying means toward the second magnetic field applying means. The bias magnetic field in one direction is thereby applied to the entire soft magnetic film in the magnetic element disposed between the first and second magnetic field applying means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Itoi, Katsubumi Nagasu, Takuya Aizawa, Osamu Nakao, Shigekazu Kawai