Patents Examined by Roger Hernandez-Prewit
  • Patent number: 9442040
    Abstract: A device for determining a bearing preload of a rolling-element bearing includes an exciter configured to be attachable to a component of the rolling-element bearing and to excite the component of the rolling-element bearing and cause it to vibrate when the rolling-element bearing is not rotating, at least one vibration sensor configured to be attachable to the component or to a further component of the rolling-element bearing and to record (capture) a mechanical reaction, in response to the excitation, of the component or the further component of the rolling-element bearing, and an evaluating circuit configured to receive the sensor signal and provide an evaluation signal based on the sensor signal, the evaluation signal including information about the bearing preload. An associated method and computer program are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventor: Padelis Katsaros
  • Patent number: 9429491
    Abstract: Example embodiments of the disclosed technology methods, devices, and systems for compensating a sensor having thermal gradients. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a sensor, including a first half-bridge transducer configured to output a first pressure signal associated with a first received pressure; a first set of span resistors coupled to the first half-bridge transducer, and configured generate a first compensated pressure signal; a second half-bridge transducer, configured to output a second pressure signal associated with a second received pressure; and a second set of span resistors coupled to the second half-bridge transducer and configured to generate a second compensated pressure signal. The system includes an output port that is configured to output a signal associated with a difference between the first compensated pressure signal and the second compensated pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Bemis, Timothy Nunn, Joseph VanDeWeert
  • Patent number: 9393397
    Abstract: A tubular medical fluid flow set comprises a pressure sensing chamber connected in flow-through relation to fluid flow tubing of the set. The pressure sensing chamber defines a movable, flexible, impermeable diaphragm dividing the chamber into two separate compartments. The fluid flow tubing communicates with one of the compartments and is isolated from the other of the compartments. A port is carried on the chamber, the port having a seal therein, and communicating with the other of the compartments. Thus, the other of the compartments is hermetically sealed until the port is opened for connection with a pressure measuring device, to keep the flexible diaphragm in a desired, initial position prior to opening of the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: NXSTAGE MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: William J. Schnell, David Bell, Karen Wilson, David S. Utterberg
  • Patent number: 9395336
    Abstract: A scanning acoustic tomograph has a water tank which accommodates water, a sample stand which is disposed in the water tank and on which a subject is placed, a first ultrasonic transducer which irradiates ultrasonic waves toward the subject, and a second ultrasonic transducer which receives the ultrasonic waves transmitted through the subject, the first and second ultrasonic transducers are disposed opposed to each other in a vertical direction, and a hydrophilic film is formed on a lower surface side of the sample stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Tomita, Hirokazu Nagaoka, Kaoru Kitami, Masafumi Takada
  • Patent number: 9389132
    Abstract: A system may include a tether coupled to a ground station. The system may also include an aerial vehicle coupled to the tether and configured to fly in a given path relative to the ground station based on a length of the tether. The system may also include one or more load cells coupled to the tether and configured to provide information indicative of a tether force between the tether and the aerial vehicle. The one or more load cells may be arranged in a given arrangement indicative of a direction of the tether force. The system may also include a controller configured to determine an angle between a direction of wind incident on the aerial vehicle and a plane defined by a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis of the aerial vehicle based on the tether force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kenny Jensen, Damon Vander Lind
  • Patent number: 9389110
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus having a measurement tube and a thermal sensor for measuring a throughflow of a fluid flowing through the measurement tube, the measurement tube having an inlet and an outlet, and also a measurement section, in which the sensor is arranged. The inlet has an inlet internal diameter and the measurement section has a measurement section internal diameter, and whereby the measurement section internal diameter is greater than the inlet internal diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sensus Spectrum LLC
    Inventors: Burghardt Schaefer, Tuan Chu Anh
  • Patent number: 9377380
    Abstract: Various environmental systems are disclosed. In accordance with one of the systems, a first and second valve are provided. The valves provide a first air flow path from an air pump to a photo-ionization detector is provided through a pre-filter. The valves also provide a second air flow path from the air pump to the photo-ionization detector so that the pre-filter is isolated from its environmental surroundings. Various other arrangements of environmental monitoring systems with one or more pre-filters are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Inventor: Bruce D. Groves
  • Patent number: 9372082
    Abstract: A method includes: a guide cable and an observation platform is provided, a profiler is mounted, and a trigger gear is set at the bottom of the guide cable; a weight drop-off gear is set at the top of the guide cable, when the observation platform is located at the top of the guide cable, one weight is released by the weight drop-off gear onto the observation platform so that the observation platform descends along the guide cable owing to additional gravity, and when the observation platform descends to the given position of the trigger gear at the bottom of the guide cable, the release gear releases the weight on the observation platform so that the observation platform returns by its own buoyancy to the top along the guide cable; another weight is subsequently released by the weight drop-off gear so that the observation platform repeats the foregoing reciprocating motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Ocean University of China
    Inventors: Jiwei Tian, Wei Zhao, Ming Xu, Qingxuan Yang
  • Patent number: 9360390
    Abstract: There is provided a pressure measuring instrument including: a detecting unit including the reference pressure chamber therein and formed in a cylindrical shape, the diaphragm being disposed inside the detecting unit; a communicating unit for providing communication between the diaphragm and the measurement pressure chamber, and formed in a circular tube shape having an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the detecting unit; and an annular flow-path forming unit disposed between the detecting unit and the communicating unit, and configured to form a substantially annular path. The communicating unit introduces a gas of the measurement pressure chamber into the substantially annular path. The annular flow-path forming unit allows the gas introduced from the communicating unit to pass through the substantially annular path and to supply the passing gas to a side surface of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Satoru Koike
  • Patent number: 9360348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor device (10), in particular for use in a motor vehicle, having a housing (11) for accommodating a sensor element (1), wherein the sensor element (1) has electrical contact areas (2, 3) which are connected to electrical plug connections (18, 19) arranged in the housing (11) in an electrically conductive manner in the region of contacts (23, 24) of the plug connections (18, 19), wherein a force is applied to the sensor element (1) for the purpose of making electrical contact with a housing element in the direction of the plug connections (18, 19). The invention provides for the electrical plug connections (18, 19) to be arranged in a stationary manner in the housing (11) in the region of the contacts (23, 24) with the electrical contact areas (2, 3) of the sensor element (1), and for a support to be formed between the sensor element (1) and the housing (11) in such a manner that the sensor element (1) has three-point contact in the housing (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Henzler, Wolfgang Woernle, Alexander Herrmann, Benjamin Bertsch
  • Patent number: 9335230
    Abstract: A method of determining fluid pressure on a gun-launched projectile relies on deformation of a thin layer of a metallic material that comprises the outer layer of a segment of the projectile body. The axial segment of the projectile body that is selected for pressure measurement is altered or replaced with another axial segment. The altered segment has a thin-walled, structural, metallic sleeve that is concentric with an underlying hollow, metallic cylindrical body. The radially outermost surface of the body underlying the sleeve has a plurality of indentations formed thereon. Measurements of the deformations of the thin-walled sleeve into the indentations in the underlying body are correlated with known deformation and pressure data to determine pressure that was applied to the projectile during its ballistic cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of American as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Ryan Hooke, Kyle Schaarschmidt, Matthew Hawkswell, Tyler Myers
  • Patent number: 8966961
    Abstract: A gravity center neutral eccentric is provided. The gravity-center-neutral eccentric includes an axis of rotation and an eccentric region, wherein the center of mass of the eccentric lies on the axis of rotation. In another embodiment, a center of mass of the eccentric region also lies on the axis of rotation. A measurement device including a gravity center neutral eccentric is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Baum, Ronny Jahnke
  • Patent number: 8960024
    Abstract: A displacement sensor having a sensing body, a strain gauge, and a signal processing unit. The sensing body having a diaphragm positioned at a lower surface of the sensing body and an input bar orthogonally fixed at a center of an upper surface of the sensing body. The strain gauge attaches to the diaphragm. The signal processing unit generates an electrical signal based on an output value of the strain gauge corresponding to strain of the diaphragm caused by moment of the input bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Amp Korea Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul-Sub Lee, Eul-Chul Byeon, Beom-Kyu Kim, Young-Deok Kim
  • Patent number: 8955387
    Abstract: High cycle fatigue testing is required with regard to a large number of components in order to evaluate their performance and capabilities. Typically such components are mounted such that an excitation mechanism such as through use of air jets can be utilized in order to stimulate vibration. In order to isolate a desired vibration mode generally, an isolation device is utilized. The isolation device presents an edge to a node within the component in order to inhibit vibration modes other than that of interest. Unfortunately, prior isolation elements tend to wear resulting in spurious results. By providing an isolation element within an isolation device, a fatigue test arrangement can be achieved in which both axial movement in the direction of a spring upon which the element is presented as well as lateral movement can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Stephen J Smith, Philip D Blavins, Andrew T Backler
  • Patent number: 8943879
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a steering torque and steering angle measurement apparatus, the present invention including a stator fixed to an output shaft, a magnet disposed at the inner part of the stator and being fixed to an input shaft, a torque sensor measuring a steering torque by sensing a magnetic field produced between the stator and the magnet, and a steering angle signal generation part measuring the steering angle by outputting an ON signal ordinary times and outputting an OFF signal at each preset rotation duration of the output shaft when the output shaft rotates, thereby reducing a component number, simplifying a manufacturing process and saving a cost price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minchul Kang
  • Patent number: 8939037
    Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to methods and apparatuses having electronic device cover glass that includes embedded sensors. In particular, one embodiment may take the form of a device having a device housing and a cover glass coupled to the device housing. The device includes a plurality of sensors coupled to the cover glass and configured to acquire data related to stress and strain experienced by the cover glass. The plurality of sensors is embedded within the cover glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dhaval Shah, Stephen B. Lynch, Andrzej Baranski
  • Patent number: 8881573
    Abstract: A method for detecting wear of a tire involves at least one sonic wear gauge emitting an acoustic footprint noise that includes several acoustic footprint elementary frequency components. An acoustic signal that includes the acoustic footprint noise is acquired, with the acoustic signal including several elementary frequency components acquired in the frequency domain. Several series of elementary frequency components are enumerated, with each enumerated series forming some part of the acoustic footprint elementary frequency components. An acoustic footprint series is determined and, if a confidence index determined based on a local confidence index is greater or less than a predetermined threshold, an alert regarding the wear of the tire is emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Antoine Paturle, David Mosnier
  • Patent number: 8875588
    Abstract: Provided is a complex sensing apparatus for a steering system. In the complex sensing apparatus in accordance, since an insertion projections of a first PCB are inserted into a through-holes of a second PCB to be press-fitted to each other, the first PCB is securely coupled to the second PCB. In addition, since a support member configured to surround and support an edge of the first PCB is coupled to the second PCB, the first PCB is more securely coupled to the second PCB. Accordingly, since there is no probability of separating the first PCB from the second PCB and there is no probability of occurrence of cracks in a soldered part between the first and second PCBs, reliability of products can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Chul Kim, Chang Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 8844378
    Abstract: A load weight determining apparatus and method for an electric chain block having a lifting-lowering motor and an inverter controller. The lifting-lowering motor rotates a sheave to wind up and unwind a chain engaging the sheave. The load weight determining apparatus has a current detecting element detecting a motor current supplied to the lifting-lowering motor from the inverter controller, and a load weight determining unit. A torque current is calculated from the motor current detected by the load weight determining unit, and a variation cycle of the torque current is calculated. An average torque current value over a period of time corresponding to the variation cycle is calculated, and the average torque current value is compared with a set threshold to perform load weight determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kito Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8844369
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a gradient strain to an extracellular matrix to induce mechanotransduction. The gradient strain can be produced by adhering the extracellular matrix to a post and the walls of a sample holder, and then rotating the post and the sample holder. This strain can result in increased stiffness of the extracellular matrix with very little loss of pore size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of California
    Inventors: Elliot Botvinick, Samir Shreim, Maxwell Kotlarchyk