Patents by Inventor William R. Hinz

William R. Hinz 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).

  • Patent number: 7802470
    Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid level detector for use within a shielded container, the detector being tubular in shape with a chamber at its lower end into which liquid from in the container may enter and exit, the chamber having an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver in its top wall and a reflector plate or target as its bottom wall whereby when liquid fills the chamber a complete medium is then present through which an ultrasonic wave may be transmitted and reflected from the target thus signaling that the liquid is at chamber level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Dennis M. Kotz, William R. Hinz
  • Publication number: 20090183564
    Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid level detector for use within a shielded container, the detector being tubular in shape with a chamber at its lower end into which liquid from in the container may enter and exit, the chamber having an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver in its top wall and a reflector plate or target as its bottom wall whereby when liquid fills the chamber a complete medium is then present through which an ultrasonic wave may be transmitted and reflected from the target thus signaling that the liquid is at chamber level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Dennis M. Kotz, William R. Hinz
  • Patent number: 6311565
    Abstract: Techniques and equipment for evaluating structural integrity of buried anchor rods in situ are disclosed. The techniques avoid excavation of soil and avoid, or at least reduce, the possibility of damage to the rods or the concrete in which they may be embedded when evaluations are conducted. Instead, ultrasonic energy is transmitted through the rod from a portable transducer, and returned energy (in either or both of direct and mode-converted states) may be analyzed to assist in detecting flaws, corrosion, wastage, or other degradation of the rod. Data from a field evaluation may be compared with baseline data maintained either for a specific rod or for rods of similar composition and length (or both), and periodic field evaluations of a rod may be used to analyze trends in its structure over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Westinghouse Savannah River Company
    Inventors: William R. Hinz, Matthew J. Parker