Patents by Inventor Ian R. Cahoon

Ian R. Cahoon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Apparatus and method for monitoring tunnel boring efficiency
    Patent number: 8172334
    Abstract: A tunnel boring machine (90) having a rotating cutter head (93) that rotatably supports a plurality of cutter assemblies (10). A plurality of instrument packages (50) are attached to the rotating cutter head, each instrument package having a distal end in contact with an associated cutter assembly. The instrument packages include a plurality of sensors including an accelerometer (32), magnetometer (33) and temperature sensor (34), for monitoring the associated cutter assembly. The sensors are mounted in a distal end of the instrument packages that is biased to remain in contact with the cutter assembly. The instrument packages include a wireless transmitter, and they are interconnected in a mesh or peer to peer network. A power supply (176) such as a battery pack is provided for each instrument package. The data from the sensors may be used to control operation of the tunnel boring machine and/or to monitor the condition of the cutter assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: The Robbins Company
    Inventors: Leif R. Lindbergh, Aaron J. Shanahan, Ian R. Cahoon, Richard J. Robbins, James C. Moore, Brent R. Brown, Timothy J. Reilly
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING TUNNEL BORING EFFICIENCY
    Publication number: 20090297273
    Abstract: A tunnel boring machine (90) having a rotating cutter head (93) that rotatably supports a plurality of cutter assemblies (10). A plurality of instrument packages (50) are attached to the rotating cutter head, each instrument package having a distal end in contact with an associated cutter assembly. The instrument packages include a plurality of sensors including an accelerometer (32), magnetometer (33) and temperature sensor (34), for monitoring the associated cutter assembly. The sensors are mounted in a distal end of the instrument packages that is biased to remain in contact with the cutter assembly. The instrument packages include a wireless transmitter, and they are interconnected in a mesh or peer to peer network. A power supply (176) such as a battery pack is provided for each instrument package. The data from the sensors may be used to control operation of the tunnel boring machine and/or to monitor the condition of the cutter assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Leif R. Lindbergh, Aaron J. Shanahan, Ian R. Cahoon, Richard J. Robbins, James C. Moore, Brent R. Brown, Timothy J. Reilly