Diameter Sensing Patents (Class 200/61.16)
  • Patent number: 9937894
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a frame, a retracting device and a detection device. The retracting device is mounted on the frame and has a spool and a webbing body. The spool is pivotally connected to the frame. The webbing body is wound on the spool and forms multiple webbing layers around the spool. The detection device is mounted on the frame and has a detecting rod. The detecting rod is restorable, abuts an outermost webbing layer around the spool, and produces a displacement according to the variation in quantity of the webbing layers. The detection device of the seat belt retractor can directly detect a pulled length of the webbing body to know whether the user fastens the seat belt. The seat belt retractor can effectively remind a user to fasten the seat belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Inventor: Liang-Hsiung Wang
  • Patent number: 9920510
    Abstract: A smart flush toilet apparatus provides dynamic control of a toilet flush length and/or a toilet flush water volume based on data collected from toilet paper dispenser sensors and/or toilet bowl displacement sensors. A toilet paper dispenser may be used to report toilet paper usage to resupply toilet paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Joshua Larsen, Jared Reynolds, Joe Fox, Joseph Duncan
  • Patent number: 9867510
    Abstract: A football helmet shaped toilet paper dispenser holds a toilet paper roll and dispenses toilet paper from the roll. The football helmet shaped toilet paper dispenser includes a football helmet shaped housing, a faceguard lever, a toilet paper axle, a rotary sensor, and a sound system. The user actuates the faceguard lever to rotate the toilet paper axle and dispense toilet paper. Simultaneously, the rotary sensor assesses when the toilet paper axle is rotated and transmits a signal to active a fight song for a sport franchise. At least one button is positioned on the football helmet shaped housing such that the user may alert bystanders or emergency response personnel to come to the aid of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventor: James A. Bethel
  • Patent number: 6810824
    Abstract: Monitoring of the rotation speed and stationary state of the lower thread bobbin in a sewing machine is performed using a light emitter and two reflected light receivers. The light rays reflected at the surface of the front flange of the bobbin are incident in a sequence which differs in time on the reflected light receivers. These data are evaluated by a computer, which can be the computer of the sewing machine, and are used to stop the machine or the sewing process before the thread end leaves the stitch plate of the sewing machine. It can also be determined from the observed direction of rotation of the bobbin whether the bobbin is correctly placed in the bobbin housing. From the relationship of kind of stitch, stitch speed, and bobbin rotation speed, the bobbin thread supply can also be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Fritz Gegauf Aktiengesellschaft BERNINA-Nahmaschinenfabrik
    Inventor: GĂ©rard Durville