Patents Examined by Stephen G Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8947083
    Abstract: In a current detecting apparatus, a container member which constitutes a insulating housing includes an element supporting portion, a connector supporting portion, and a substrate fixing portion. The element supporting portion is formed with a depression to which a magnetism detecting portion of a Hall element is fitted. The connector supporting portion achieves positioning of a body portion of the connector by a fitting structure in three-dimensional directions where a lead terminal of a connector extends in parallel with lead terminals of the Hall element. The substrate fixing portion is a portion where a circuit board is fixed at one point. The body portion of the connector is also fixed to the circuit board with a screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokatsu Nakajima, Satoru Chaen
  • Patent number: 8928315
    Abstract: An insertion type eddy current flaw detection probe capable of more accurately detecting flaws in magnetic tubes is provided. A method for inspecting magnetic tubes for flaws with high accuracy is also provided. A eddy current flaw detection probe contains a cylindrical yoke (1), a plurality of detection coils (5) disposed around the central portion of the cylindrical yoke in the direction of a cylindrical axis thereof, first and second inner excitation coils (6) disposed on both sides of the plurality of detection coils in the direction of the cylindrical axis, and first and second permanent magnets (3, 4) disposed around the yoke on both sides of the first and second excitation coils in the direction of the cylindrical axis so that the direction of magnetizations thereof are parallel to the radial direction of the yoke and magnetic poles on the cylindrical yoke side thereof are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuo Hashimoto, Hisakazu Mori, Hidehiko Suetsugu, Toyokazu Tada
  • Patent number: 8917081
    Abstract: A current detection device includes a bus bar for current detection. The bus bar for current detection is constituted by a conductor provided with a first portion penetrating through a hollow portion of a magnetic material core in a first direction in which a current passes and plate-shaped second portions each linked to both sides in the first direction with respect to the first portion, the bus bar for current detection formed such that a width of the second portion is greater than a maximum width of the hollow portion of the magnetic material core and a minimum width of a contour of a section in the first portion is greater than a thickness of the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd, Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Fukuyama, Hirokatsu Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8917106
    Abstract: Provided are microfabricated probe elements, including elastomer elements, and methods of making the same, that can be readily used with fine pitch microelectronic arrays, for instance by providing sufficient compliance in a small package, while minimizing deflection forces, and while precisely maintaining the planarity and positioning of the contact tips across vast grid arrays. Elastomer elements may be generated using photolithography, either directly or through a sacrificial lost-mold process. Elastomer probe elements are provided with rigid tip structures microfabricated thereon to improve contact pressure. A novel space transformation probe card assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest America, Inc.
    Inventors: Laksmi Namburi, Matt Losey, Florent Cros
  • Patent number: 8901934
    Abstract: A circuit that detects if contacts in an HV contactor have been welded or stuck closed. The circuit includes a controller that generates a short duration pulse signal that closes a driver switch and allows current flow through a coil in the HV contactor. The current flow is converted to a voltage by a sensor, where the voltage is received by the controller. The controller uses the voltage, such as by comparing the voltage to a stored representative voltage of the coil current for when the HV contactor is open, to determine whether the HV contactor is closed, and possibly welded or stuck closed, or partially closed. The sensor can be the driver switch or another device, such as a resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Andrew J. Namou, Chandra S. Namuduri, Kenneth J. Shoemaker
  • Patent number: 8866468
    Abstract: A dF/dT trigger system and method includes instantaneously triggering on a frequency deviation of a data signal, which can be associated with an SSC signal. After receiving a signal at an input terminal of a test and measurement instrument, the signal is low-pass filtered and transmitted to trigger circuitry. When a frequency deviation rate in the filtered signal exceeds or crosses one or more thresholds, a trigger event is produced. Also disclosed is a test and measurement instrument including an input terminal to receive the signal, input circuitry to receive and process the signal, and dF/dT trigger circuitry configured to receive the signal and produce a trigger event when a frequency deviation in the signal exceeds or crosses one or more thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Smith, Daniel G. Knierim, John C. Calvin, Shane A. Hazzard
  • Patent number: 8854061
    Abstract: A linear sensor 21 includes an attachment base 22 attached to a metallic edge of a slide door 2 capable of opening and closing a platform 4, a skin cover part 23 which bulges from the attachment base 22 and has a hollow part 24 in the inside, an insulator 25 which has flexibility and also is embedded in the hollow part 24, and a plate-shaped electrode 26 opposed to the attachment base 22, at least a portion of the electrode being embedded in the insulator 25. In the hollow part 24, a gap 27 is disposed between the electrode 26 and the attachment base 22 and also, the electrode 26 is set in a plus pole and the attachment base 22 is set in a minus pole as the grounding, and proximity and/or contact between a foreign body and the skin cover part 23 is detected based on a change in capacitance between the electrode 26 and the grounding minus pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Suhara, Satoshi Toki, Toshihiro Okamoto, Yuzo Tajima, Taizo Shibata, Noboru Sakakibara, Osamu Ito
  • Patent number: 8854036
    Abstract: In a current detecting apparatus, a container member includes a substrate fixing portion, a core inner-edge positioning portions, and a lid member. The substrate fixing portion is a portion formed at a position outside an outer edge of a magnetic core, and to which a first portion of a circuit board is fixed. Two of the core inner-edge positioning portions come into contact with the magnetic core, and come into contact with the circuit board. The first portion, the second portion, and the third portion surround a magnetoelectric device, such as a Hall element, that detects a magnetic flux in a gap portion of the magnetic core. The lid-side substrate holding portion, with the container-side substrate holding portion, holds the circuit board tightly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokatsu Nakajima, Satoru Chaen
  • Patent number: 8847607
    Abstract: A device is provided for protecting an electronic payment terminal that includes an electronic printed circuit board and a casing. The device includes at least one capacitive detector in a volume formed by a first ground plane of the printed circuit and a second ground plane positioned on an internal surface of the casing, the at least one capacitive detector being configured to deliver a reference capacitance. A capacitive measurement microprocessor detects a variation of capacitance of the at least one capacitive detector. A transmitter transmits the variation when an absolute value of a difference between the reference capacitance and the measured capacitance exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Compagnie Industrielle et Financiere d'Ingenierie “Ingenico”
    Inventors: Laurent Rossi, Bernard Schang
  • Patent number: 8847579
    Abstract: An apparatus for the measurement of the magnetic susceptibility of a gas mixture comprises: a gas sample chamber (8) adapted to receive the gas mixture; a test body (1) rotatably suspended within the gas sample chamber; magnets (10) within the gas sample chamber; a compact optical system for detecting rotation of the test body (1) including a light source (12), photodetectors (13) arranged to detect a light signal, and a mirror (5) attached to the test body (1). An actuation system is arranged to keep the test body (1) substantially at a null position. The optical system comprises at least one photodetector positioned on each side of the light source. The light source is arranged to emit a light beam towards the test body. The photo detectors are arranged to each detect an edge of a light beam reflected from the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Servomex Group Limited
    Inventors: Richard P. Kovacich, Colin G. Stocks, Christopher R. Edwards, James D. Hobby
  • Patent number: 8847584
    Abstract: The rotational position of an encoder magnet can be scanned over more than 360° by respective sensor elements in that magnets are disposed on different stages of a suitable transmission, in particular of a differential transmission, and the magnets are scanned by separate sensor elements, whose signals are computed with one another and yield a total number of revolutions. In particular, when an assembly of this type shall be built very small, undesirable magnetic interferences for the sensor elements have to be avoided through flux conductor elements since the interferences distort the measurement results. Thus, a differentiation is made between active and passive flux conductor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Manfred Steinich, Peter Wirth
  • Patent number: 8841907
    Abstract: The size of a current detecting apparatus is reduced by employing a small magnetic core, and problems caused by excessive heat generation and vibrations of a bass bar are prevented. In a current detecting apparatus, a current detecting bass bar includes a through portion penetrating through a hollow portion of a magnetic core, and plate-shaped terminal portions continuing from both sides of the through portion. The through portion is formed to have a thickness larger than that of the terminal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokatsu Nakajima, Satoru Chaen
  • Patent number: 8841919
    Abstract: A repairable waterproof connector assembly (200) provides an access port (212) within the connector housing (201) to support wire management required for removal and reinstallation of the electrical insert (202) which can be achieved without removing the connector assembly (200) from its cable. Adding this access capability greatly reduces the time required to repair a damaged connector assembly (200). Wire management within the connector assembly (200) includes manipulating a wiring service loop (207) via access provided by the access port (212). Wire management supports access to reposition, remove, test and repair the electrical insert (202) having electrical pins and contacts (211). In applications requiring waterproof connectors, having the ability to test and repair the connector assembly without removing or cutting it from its cable is a significant timesaver and reduces cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel F. Zivi, Charles L. Robbins, Jr., Joseph A. Szymborski
  • Patent number: 8829930
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of testing electrical impedance of a multiplicity of regions of a photovoltaic surface includes providing a multi-tipped impedance sensor with a multiplicity of spaced apart impedance probes separated by an insulating material, wherein each impedance probe includes a first end adapted for contact with a photovoltaic surface and a second end in operable communication with an impedance measuring device. The multi-tipped impedance sensor is used to contact the photovoltaic surface and electrical impedance of the photovoltaic material is measured between individual first ends of the probes to characterize the quality of the photovoltaic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick Alyious List, III, Enis Tuncer
  • Patent number: 8797049
    Abstract: A low power capacitive detector is disclosed. The detector includes a mechanism to measure and detect touch on capacitive sensors. The detector uses signal processing to suppress noise and increase sensitivity. The detector does not require dedicated analog circuitry, making it easy to adopt in a microcontroller system. The detector can be scaled to a larger number of capacitive sensors without noticeable increase in silicon cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: ATMEL Corporation
    Inventors: Frode Milch Pedersen, Kristoffer Koch
  • Patent number: 8797024
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sensor with a body and a magnetic field sensor. The body includes a plurality of structures arranged in a first direction to effect a periodically varying magnetic field upon movement of the body in the first direction. The magnetic field sensor is configured to detect components of the magnetic field in a second direction and in a third direction, wherein the magnetic field sensor is arranged adjacent to the body such that the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction and such that the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 8797054
    Abstract: Timing, power and SPICE analysis are performed on a circuit layout, based on temperature and stress variations or gradient across the circuit layout. Specifically, the temperature and stress values of individual window locations across the layout are used to obtain temperature and stress variation aware resistance/capacitance (RC), timing, leakage and power values. In addition, in 3D integrated circuits (IC), the stress and thermal variations or gradients of one die may be imported to another die located on a different tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Hongmei Liao, Riko Radojcic
  • Patent number: 8749228
    Abstract: A torque index sensor is configured to enhance productivity with excellent economic feasibility by simplifying a magnet structure of an index sensor unit. The torque index sensor is connected to an input shaft and an output shaft, and the torque index sensor includes a housing; an index magnet housed in the housing, connected to the output shaft to rotate with the output shaft and formed in the shape of a rectangle at a cross-sectional view; and a magnetic device secured to an interior of the housing to output a magnetization signal in response to rotation of the index magnet, such that the shape of the index magnet is simplified to a rectangle to enhance productivity and economic feasibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minchul Kang
  • Patent number: 8729888
    Abstract: A magnetic transducer configuration may include a permanent magnet element magnetized in its longitudinal direction having a pole transition. The permanent magnet element has a cross section in the pole transition section, which is larger than the cross section of the permanent magnet element in an area outside of the pole transition section. A magnetic position sensor may include a magnetic field sensor array and magnetic transducer configuration. The magnetic field sensor array and the magnetic transducer configuration are situated displaceably in the longitudinal direction in a plane-parallel manner. The magnetic field sensor array has at least one magnetic field sensor lying in a path along which the permanent magnet element moves during displacement of the magnetic transducer configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Herderich, Steffen Waldenmeier, Patrick Calandrini, Andrea Deflorio, Olivier Kukawka
  • Patent number: 8723513
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an eddy current probe and an eddy current inspection device including the eddy current probe for inspection of surface defect of a rotor wheel including a dovetail coupling part in which a hook is formed. The eddy current probe in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body, a contact part coupled to the main body and having a convex part and a concave part formed thereon corresponding to the hook, and an eddy current sensor being coupled to an end part of the convex part of the contact part. Accordingly, the detectability of a defect and the permeation depth can be enhanced, and the inspection procedures can be simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Korea Electric Power Corporation, Korea East-West Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon-Shik Ahn, Sang-Gi Park, Doo-Song Gil