Patents Examined by Roger C. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5606252
    Abstract: A method and a device for detecting rotational speed with an inductive sensor in which a sinusoidal potential is induced by a magnet wheel and then fed to a filter with a comparator connected downstream of the filter and therefrom into a square-wave signal that is essentially proportional to the rotational speed of the magnet wheel. This output signal of the comparator is evaluated in a microcomputer. In this evaluation, only the same type of edges of the comparator signal are evaluated, specifically those in which the intervals fluctuate less when considered over a certain time span. The microcomputer here can initially evaluate both types of edges, that is, positive and negative edges, and then use those edges in which smaller fluctuations, that is, interference, are determined for calculating the rotational speed. The microcomputer can also first evaluate only one type of edges and change over to edges of the other type only if the former displays interference above a present value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse System fur Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Gunther Gschossmann, Peter M. Bielig
  • Patent number: 5602474
    Abstract: Eddy current testing is performed at known locations on a metal object having recurring features to provide a data string that is applied to a signal processor that determines a template for one feature and conducts a correlation operation with the template and the data string to create a second string with peaks that periodically appear between two locations. The average width between those two locations is determined. The average value for each location in the second data string along the average distance between peaks is computed. The actual value of the second string at each location is combined with the average computed value to produce a deviation value that shows faults without a superimposed average geometry value. The location of the fault is indicated in response to the deviation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Willard C. Morrey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5600244
    Abstract: An MR method is presented for determining the nuclear magnetization distribution in an examination zone, the image data acquired during an MR examination by means of a surface coil arrangement, comprising at least one coil and exhibiting a locally inhomogeneous sensitivity, being corrected on the basis of auxiliary values derived from data acquired by means of a body coil arrangement having a locally at least approximately homogeneous sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Jens D. Jensen, Ingwer C. Carlsen
  • Patent number: 5594340
    Abstract: An apparatus for corring aqueous surfactant composition and sampling moisture content wherein the apparatus includes a device for delivering composition to a main collection port; a device for coring the composition in the main collection port to form a sample; a device for delivering the sample into an NMR sensor area; a device for measuring moisture level of the sample in the NMR sensor area; and a device for extracting the sample from the NMR sensor area or returning the sample to a main collection port which includes a cross feed piston assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurie Coyle, Kevin M. Finucane, James D. King, Harold F. Donoho, Armando De Los Santos
  • Patent number: 5592083
    Abstract: A system for detecting a target substance within a class of explosives and narcotics containing quadrupolar nuclei through the use of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The system applies an RF signal to a coil to excite the substance under test. If the target material is present, an NQR signal will be picked up by the same coil. That signal is compared with known NQR signals in frequency and amplitude. A signal is displayed in an appropriate way if a threshold value of the NQR signal is equalled or exceeded. The coil is tuned by means of an auto-tune feature. Effective RFI shielding is provided to prevent external contaminating signals from being detected by the coil and to prevent RF signals from escaping from the scanner. The invention also includes the method for performing tests with the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Quantum Magnetics, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik E. Magnuson, Charles R. Moeller, Julian D. Shaw, Alan G. Sheldon
  • Patent number: 5592092
    Abstract: A pipe proximity warning device is operable for both cross-line and in-line digging operations to provide a warning to an operator that the bucket of a backhoe is in close proximity to a trace wire on a plastic pipe. The in-line system comprises two sensors located on the bottom of the bucket for detecting a signal on the trace wire. The distance to the wire is determined based upon a ratio of the signals detected by the two sensors. The cross-line system also has two sensors and also employs a ranging system that disables a geometry tracker when the bucket is outside an operable range of distances to the trace wire. From the angles of the boom, stick, and bucket, the geometry tracker determines the horizontal distance x and vertical distance z to the trace wire, both of which may be displayed to an operator in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventor: Mark V. Mechler
  • Patent number: 5589769
    Abstract: A member having a magnet attached is moveable along a path which has an array of magnetic field sensors adjacent the path. Each sensor provides a bipolar output signal as the magnet passes. A plurality of sensors provide a plurality of output signals for a first position of the magnet. Electronic means fit the plurality of output signals to a first curve having a crossover point to determine the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Donald R. Krahn
  • Patent number: 5587659
    Abstract: The measurement equipment serves to map the subsurface geology in a terrain by means of electrical profiling. A plurality of drag electrodes are used for this purpose, the electrodes with specific mutual spacing, being hooked together with a tow in the form of, e.g., a rope or a wire which is towed by a towing means. An electrical current which is so low as to constitute no danger to operators, is transmitted into the earth through the current electrodes and the voltage is measured across the voltage electrodes. A single-ended electrode amplifier is incorporated into each of the voltage electrodes. The method is useful for rapid and detailed mapping of deposits of natural resources, moist site areas, sand and clay localities in connection with road construction and building land as well as water magazines and refuse dumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Inventor: Kurt I. S.o slashed.rensen
  • Patent number: 5574371
    Abstract: A logging apparatus is adapted to be disposed in a mud filled wellbore, and a measurement probe is connected to a bottom of a tool string of the logging apparatus. The measurement probe is adapted for measuring a resistivity of a mud in the mud filled wellbore. The measurement probe includes a bottom electrode disposed on a bottom of the probe when the logging apparatus is disposed in the wellbore, a second electrode, and at least one measurement electrode disposed adjacent the bottom electrode for measuring a voltage potential drop in a region of the mud which is disposed directly below the bottom electrode of the measurement probe when the probe is disposed in the wellbore. When the measurement probe is energized, a current flows in the mud between the bottom electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jacques R. Tabanou, Andre E. Orban
  • Patent number: 5565770
    Abstract: A magnet sensor or "proximity switch" for sensing reciprocation of for example a spool within a lubrication distributor block. The sensor provides a threaded nozzle for screwing into the block with a bore therethrough. A magnet holder extends out of the nozzle and mounts a magnet thereto recessed inside the housing. The magnet holder is moveable reciprocally by the reciprocating spool. A sensor body is connected to the housing and holds a magnetic sensing element such as a Hall effect sensor adjacent to the housing for sensing the proximity of the magnetic field of the reciprocating magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Lubriquip, Inc.
    Inventor: Kim F. Jones
  • Patent number: 5502378
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a sensor detects particles within a fluid. The sensor includes a housing that defines a cavity. A magnet is disposed adjacent the cavity bottom to attract particles into the cavity. A first coil is wound about the outer surface of the cavity. The induction of the first coil is responsive to the particle accumulation within the cavity. A second coil is wound about the magnet. The induction of the second coil is responsive to the temperature of the fluid and independent to the particle accumulation within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Caterpillar
    Inventors: Lonnie D. Atteberry, Timothy A. Boston, John W. Crayton, Jeffrey J. Riebschlager, Noel J. Rytter
  • Patent number: 5461313
    Abstract: There is provided a transient electromagnetic method and apparatus for inspecting objects. The apparatus includes a sensing portion, which has a transmitting antenna and at least one receiving antenna thereon. The sensing portion is located adjacent to the object which is to be inspected such that the antennas are adjacent to the object. There is also a magnet located adjacent to the sensing portion. The magnet has poles located adjacent to the object, so as to provide a steady-state magnetic field to the object. By inducing eddy currents into the object, families of cracks, such as caused by environmental conditions, can be detected. In addition, magnetic flux leakage methods can be used in combination with the transient electromagnetic method to further assisting detecting crack families in pipeline inspection applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company
    Inventors: William M. Bohon, Pedro F. Lara
  • Patent number: 5451868
    Abstract: A speed and/or distance transducer is mounted in a bolt-shaped hollow housing and is threaded into a transmission and locked in place with its detector and adjacent a toothed wheel which rotates to produce an electrical output. An indicia is provided on the head of the bolt to allow proper spacing of the end of the transducer relative to the toothed wheel. A divider converts the output of the detector and a switch with a rotary member can be accessed through a bolt opening to allow the divider ratio to be changed. A plug covers the opening after the dividing ratio has been selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Arthur Allen Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: John A. Lock
  • Patent number: 5446378
    Abstract: A method of magneto-optic eddy current imaging for detecting defects in a ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, or non-metallic structure test object uses a sensor, magnetic field system, optical system, a video camera and a display. The method includes canceling undesired background of a two-dimensional magneto-optically generated image of a defect in the test object by dithering the image and processing signals from the video camera in compatibility with the dithering. The image is dithered once per frame of the camera, or at a sub-multiple of the frame of the camera, and the dithering may be accomplished manually or mechanically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Stanley M. Reich, Michael Horn
  • Patent number: 5444377
    Abstract: The terminals of a test circuit are directly connected to outputs of the transformer secondary windings and to the input of the rectifying circuit so that the test current checks operation of the trip device. A sign detection circuit supplies a processing circuit with the values of the polarities of the rectified currents. The processing circuit comprises means for determining the presence of a test current when the sign of the rectified current comprising the test current remains continuously in the same polarity. A differentiation of the continuous polarity, positive or negative, of the test current enables testing to be carried out with or without earth protection tripping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Merlin Gerin
    Inventors: Alain Del Vecchio, Marc Ferrazzi
  • Patent number: 5438266
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed to locate buried conductors, specifically a substation grounding grid. The apparatus provides accurate and precise location of a conductor as it is passed across the ground surface. A power unit is provided that includes a signal generator to produce a periodic test current, asymmetric in time, that has at least one odd harmonic and one even harmonic of a fundamental frequency. The periodic test current is passed through the buried conductors. A portable search unit has a substantially vertical axis coil attuned to pick up a signal including the odd harmonic and the even harmonic of the fundamental frequency from the periodic test current, a power source is provided and a signal interpretation processor and indicator provides an indication of phase reversal of the signal utilizing the odd harmonic and the even harmonic when the vertical axis coil passes over at least one of the buried conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: B.C. Hydro and Power Authority
    Inventor: Tony H. S. Tsang
  • Patent number: 5434505
    Abstract: To screen or test the electrical properties of HEMT-like wafers for their quality, the critical layer qualities of a wafer (16) are evaluated by measuring its conductivity (sigma or s) and mobility (mu or m) at upper and lower temperatures, which need only be sufficiently different as to remove uncertainties in the test data but, in practice, are room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. Novel equations show (1) that the crucial quality or merit factor (n.sub.s) the electron sheet density of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), can be determined by measuring the total layer conductivity (sigma or s) at the lower or liquid nitrogen temperature and mobility (mu or m) at the upper or room temperature and (2) by measuring overall layer effective mobility (mu or m) at both room and liquid nitrogen (the upper and lower) temperatures to provide a means to measure the value of the 2DEG density, n.sub.s which has better accuracy then where the temperature of mobility is only made at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yi-Ching Pao
  • Patent number: 5430379
    Abstract: An adapter for a conventional conductor locator allows the locator to additionally detect the presence of passive, electronic markers. The adapter includes an electronic marker locator and a wireless interface housed in a common body which may be releasably attached to the conductor locator. The electronic marker locator, which may comprise conventional circuitry, outputs a marker detection signal to the wireless interface, which conditions the signal so that it is compatible with the input sensor of the conductor locator. The wireless interface includes an output antenna which is positioned adjacent the input sensor of the conductor locator when the adapter is attached thereto. If the conductor locator is of the type which may receive test signals at different operating frequencies, then the wireless interface also includes a modulator to selectively convert the marker detection signal to one of these operating frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Parkinson, Ziyad H. Doany
  • Patent number: 5426363
    Abstract: An object detecting device for detecting an object at least partly having a magnetic substance or magnetic-flux permeable material is formed of a detection coil arrangement including a primary coil for generating magnetic flux and a secondary coil disposed separately from the primary coil at a predetermined interval for receiving the magnetic flux from the primary coil; and a detection circuit for detecting an increase of the magnetic flux transmitted to the secondary coil due to presence of the object within a space between the primary and secondary coils. The detection circuit produces signal indicating the presence of the object upon detection of the presence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Denshi Giken
    Inventors: Tadanori Akagi, Takahiro Imai, Masatosi Kubo
  • Patent number: 5418453
    Abstract: A system for anti-lock brake and traction control has a control circuit comprising a microprocessor on a silicon die. Inputs from several variable reluctance wheel speed sensors are multiplexed to a single channel on the same die for signal processing including diagnostics, A/D conversion, square wave generation for each sensor by a state machine, and wheel speed determination from the square waves. The diagnostics include detecting sensor and harness short and open circuits by comparison of signals to programmable thresholds and fault timing and latching by gauging open and short signals against programmable time limits. Common mode noise rejection is accomplished by detecting common mode aberration and disabling an A/D converter during the aberrations. Other diagnostics include inputting known artificial signals at sensor inputs or wheel speed circuit inputs and checking for expected outputs, or by calculating wheel speed in parallel paths having the same square wave inputs and using different algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: William D. Wise