With Heating Or Cooling Of Specimen For Test Patents (Class 374/5)
  • Patent number: 11830172
    Abstract: A set of images is received. A thermal anomaly is detected in the received set of images. The detected thermal anomaly is classified. Examples of classifications of thermal anomalies include: stationary targets, gas flares, agricultural anomalies, and wildfires. An action is taken based at least in part on the classified detected anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Descartes Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Clyde Bennet Wheeler, Hang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11774385
    Abstract: A contactless inspection apparatus of a heat pipe and a method thereof are provided. The disclosure controls an infrared heating module to heat a heat pipe to be inspected based on a heating parameter, and controls an infrared temperature measurement module to collect a measurement temperature data of the heat pipe. The disclosure monitors a temperature slope of the measurement temperature data during a heating procedure, calculates a score based on the temperature slope when the temperature slope is converged to a stop slope, and determines a quality of the heat pipe based on the score. The disclosure may inspect a conductive quality of the heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Zhi-Sheng Wang
  • Patent number: 11598738
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for detecting a defective component includes an infrared camera configured to capture an image of a test-target component in a production process, and a processor configured to measure a temperature of the component based on the image captured by the infrared camera and identify that the component of which temperature is out of a range of a reference value is defective. In addition, a database of various causes of defect is established, and an expected cause of defect for a defective component or a retest component is reasoned out from the database based on the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dongik Lee
  • Patent number: 11460126
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting pipe entrenchment or upheaval of a flexible pipe and/or the presence of an external feature to the flexible pipe. The method includes helically winding a temperature sensing element around a layer of a flexible pipe, helically winding a heating element around a layer of a flexible pipe, heating the heating element to a pre-determined temperature, measuring the temperature at at least two locations along the flexible pipe, comparing the measured temperature response at the at least two locations, and making a determination, from the comparison of measured responses, regarding the exterior vicinity of the pipe at one of the at least two locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: GE OIL 7 GAS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: John Cross McNabb, Philip Michael Nott
  • Patent number: 11460421
    Abstract: An inspection system of a member for a fuel cell separator including a titanium or titanium alloy base material and a coating layer including carbon includes a heater configured to heat the member for a fuel cell separator, a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the member for a fuel cell separator after heated by the heater, and a determination unit configured to determine a position of a high-temperature place at which a degree of a temperature increase is greater than a previously-set standard in the member for a fuel cell separator using the temperature detected by the temperature detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritoshi Nakagawa, Kazutaka Tachibana, Takuya Itakura, Hitoshi Terashi
  • Patent number: 11460426
    Abstract: A method for detecting metal particles (21) present in a wall (20) of a glass container (2) intended to contain food or pharmaceutical products, said method comprising the steps of: —heating the metal particles (21) present in the wall (20); —inspecting the container (2) during or after said step of heating the metal particles (21) present in the wall (20). The step of heating the metal particles (21) envisages increasing the temperature of the metal particles (21) to a greater extent than the remaining glass parts (22) of the wall (20). The method comprises the step of inspecting the container (2) using means (71) for detecting the metal particles (21) which are hotter than the glass parts (22) of the wall (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: BORMIOLI PHARMA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Davide Faverzani
  • Patent number: 11308595
    Abstract: A set of images is received. A thermal anomaly is detected in the received set of images. The detected thermal anomaly is classified. Examples of classifications of thermal anomalies include: stationary targets, gas flares, agricultural anomalies, and wildfires. An action is taken based at least in part on the classified detected anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Descartes Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Clyde Bennet Wheeler, Hang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11220355
    Abstract: A field deployable infrared imaging (FDIR) system and method for inspecting a composite component comprises a hand-held long-wave IR camera to capture a thermal image of the composite component, wherein the camera has an adjustable temperature control that captures an image with a 10 degree working range, a frame capture rate of at least 1 second for a length of time of not less than 90 seconds; and a processor for post-processing the thermal image using a second order derivative algorithm wherein the post-processed thermal image shows the defect better than the captured infrared image, and detects the one or more defects in the composite component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Nissen, Edward Hohman, Robert J. Barry
  • Patent number: 11209333
    Abstract: A flow detector for detecting flow rates of fluid in pipes by measuring the temperature of the pipe and the ambient temperature and determining from the signals whether there is a flow in the pipe, by the shape of the temperature signals without providing any heat input to the pipe or fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: HomeServe plc
    Inventor: Samuel Bailey
  • Patent number: 11112349
    Abstract: A method for identifying metal wall loss in an insulated metal structure is provided. The method includes receiving thermograms of the outer surface of the structure using an infrared camera, applying filters to the thermograms using a first machine learning (ML) system, determining wall loss classifications based on outputs from the filters, validating the wall loss classifications by inspecting the structure, and training the first ML system using the validation results. Outputs of the first ML system and additional structural and environmental data are input to a second ML system that incorporates information from earlier states into current states. The second ML system is trained to estimate wall loss according to changes in the outputs of the first ML system and the additional data over time until a wall loss classification accuracy is reached. The metal wall loss is thereafter estimated using the first and second ML systems in coordination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ayman Amer, Ali Al Shehri, Vincent Cunningham
  • Patent number: 11054376
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting a surface of a structure for defects includes an inspection apparatus having a heating device for heating a section of the surface of the structure, an infrared camera for receiving infrared radiation from the surface in response to heating, a controller configured to generate thermographs from the received infrared radiation, and a communication device. A training system includes an expert system module configured to determine correlations between a set of thermographs generated by a thermal simulation of modeled structural elements with defects, and parameters of the modeled structural elements. A computer system communicatively coupled to the training system and the inspection apparatus, is adapted to receive thermographs received from the inspection apparatus and to detect quantitative parameters of defects in the structure using the correlations obtained from the training system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Thibault Villette, Abderrazak Traidia
  • Patent number: 11007576
    Abstract: An irradiating device for irradiating a machining field with a machining beam, in particular with a laser beam, for carrying out a welding process, is provided. The irradiating device includes a beam scanner for aligning the machining beam to a machining position in the machining field. The irradiating device has an imaging device for imaging a part-region of the machining field on a pyrometer which has at least two pyrometer segments. The imaging device images thermal radiation which emanates from the machining position in the machining field on a first pyrometer segment, and images thermal radiation which emanates from a position in the machining field being situated ahead of or behind the machining position along an advancing direction of the machining beam in the machining field on at least one second pyrometer segment. A machine tool having such an irradiating device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Peter Wuest, Frederik Schaal, Matthias Allenberg-Rabe
  • Patent number: 10781978
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system of an arrangement of sensors that can be used to detect changes in burial conditions of a pipeline buried under a body of water. The method comprising: obtaining a first temperature of a fluid at a first location; obtaining a second temperature of the fluid at a second location upstream and proximal to the crossing of the body of water; obtaining a third temperature of the fluid at a third location downstream from the crossing of the body of water; generating an estimate of the temperature of the fluid at the third location by establishing the rate of change of temperature of the fluid using the obtained first and second temperature and the distance between the first and second sensors; and identifying pipe exposure when there is a deviation between the estimated temperature and the obtained third temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: PURE TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventors: Peter O. Paulson, John A. McIntyre
  • Patent number: 10728426
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing and processing digital data comprising a plurality of infra-red (IR) video images acquired by a pulse thermography system are used to compute video data from the raw and smoothed video data acquired for the performance of non-destructive evaluation. New video data types computed may include but are not limited to contrast evolution data such as normalized contrast, converted contrast and normalized temperature contrast. Additionally, video data types computed comprise surface temperature, surface temperature rise and temperature simple contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Ajay M. Koshti
  • Patent number: 10712266
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical test apparatus includes a pump beam generating unit, a probe beam generating unit, and a photodetector. The pump beam generating unit is configured to irradiate a first surface region of a test object with a pump beam having a first wavelength which is transmitted through a first region including the first surface region and a first inner region adjacent to the first surface region and absorbed by an absorber arranged in the first inner region. The probe beam generating unit is configured to irradiate a second surface region outside the first surface region with a probe beam having a second wavelength which is reflected by the second surface region. The photodetector is configured to receive the probe beam reflected by the second surface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 10688560
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for mapping a melt pattern of material created during directed energy fabrication. An infrared camera and a video camera are provided to record images of the pattern of melted material. Each frame of the infrared camera's images is processed to generate a first map of pixels identifying pixels indicative of a highest temperature greater than or equal to a liquidus temperature of the meltable material. Each frame of the video camera's images is processed to generate a second map of pixels identifying pixels indicative of a highest temperature greater than or equal to the liquidus temperature of the meltable material. The first map of pixels and said second map of pixels are overlaid on each other wherein a third map of pixels is generated and is indicative of a hybrid image of the pattern of melted material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Paul R. Gradl, Adam C. Kimberlin, Darrell Edwin Gaddy, Roger Derek Moody
  • Patent number: 10684473
    Abstract: An angle-adjusting mechanism is provided. The angle-adjusting mechanism includes a reflecting assembly, a transmission assembly and a driving unit. The reflecting assembly includes a reflecting plate. The transmission assembly includes a transmission rod and a connecting element disposed on the transmission rod. The transmission assembly is connected to the reflecting assembly via the connecting element. The driving unit is configured to drive the transmission rod to move the reflecting assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hung-Chang Chien
  • Patent number: 10591427
    Abstract: A heat source position inside a measurement object is identified with high accuracy by improving time resolution. An analysis system according to the present invention is an analysis system that identifies a heat source position inside a measurement object, and includes a condition setting unit that sets a measurement point for one surface of the measurement object, a tester that applies a stimulation signal to the measurement object, a light source that irradiates the measurement point of the measurement object with light, a photo detector that detects light reflected from a predetermined measurement point on the surface of the measurement object according to the irradiation of light and outputs a detection signal, and an analysis unit that derives a distance from the measurement point to the heat source position based on the detection signal and the stimulation signal and identifies the heat source position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Nobuyuki Hirai
  • Patent number: 10563382
    Abstract: Liquid flow detection is described herein. One method for liquid flow detection includes heating a zone of liquid in a closed system, measuring changes in liquid temperature of the zone, and detecting a liquid flow pattern based on the measured changes in liquid temperature of the zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Josiah J. Leverich, Neal A. Lamoureux
  • Patent number: 10551423
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for the simultaneous testing of radiation, environmental and electrical reliability of multiple semiconductor devices. The system provides a simultaneous simulation of the space environment in which a device under test (DUT) is expected to operate under thereby providing an accurate test environment. One or more DUTs are simultaneously subject to each of a radiating dose, electrical bias and varying temperature. Additionally, each of the above may be varied over a range of values to provide test data under multiple testing conditions. Finally, a method for operating the system is provided which ensures reliable and high fidelity data from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Jeffrey Siddiqui, Kevin Geoghegan, Tom Shepherd
  • Patent number: 10480296
    Abstract: A monitoring system may include a position sensor, strain gauges, and a computing device for monitoring valves in a pressure pump having multiple chambers to determine critical valve limits for the valves using strain measurements for each charmber. The strain gauges may determine strain in each chamber of the pressure pump. The position sensor may determine the position of a crankshaft mechanically coupled to a plunger in each chamber. The computing device may receive signals generated by the strain gauges and the position sensor related to the strain in each chamber and the position of the crankshaft, respectively, and may process the signals to determine delays in the actuation of the valves for determining critical valve limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph A. Beisel
  • Patent number: 10429172
    Abstract: A defect detection method includes the following processes: a) stroboscopically illuminating the entire surface of an object within an examination area of the object while inducing a first elastic wave across the examination area on the object, and controlling the phase of the elastic wave and the timing of the stroboscopic illumination to collectively measure a back-and-forth displacement of each point within the examination area in at least three phases of the elastic wave; b) identifying a surface location which is the location of a defect on the examination area, based on the back-and-forth displacement of each point within the examination area in the at least three different phases; and c) injecting a second elastic wave into a region inside the surface location from a limited area including the surface location, and determining the location and/or size in the depth direction of the defect, based on a response wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahide Hatahori, Yuya Nagata, Kenji Takubo
  • Patent number: 10302379
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting the quality of a heat pipe. The apparatus has an infrared (IR) thermal imager bound with a data computing-and-analyzing program to detect thermal conductivity quality and vacuum quality of the heat pipe. An online overall detection is thus provided to quickly detect the quality of the heat pipe without damage for efficient quality control. Requirements of quality detection are met for mass production of heat pipes. The apparatus comprises the heat pipe to be tested; a tape adhered to a surface of the heat pipe; a fixed base for disposing the heat pipe; a heating device in an allocation space of the fixed base; the IR thermal imager located facing to the tape; a signal line connected to the IR thermal imager; and an electronic device connected to the IR thermal imager through the signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH, ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE YUAN, R.O.C.
    Inventors: Heng-Yi Li, Tsair-Fuh Huang, How-Ming Lee, Po-Hsiu Kuo, Yu-Ren Chen
  • Patent number: 10242439
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing and processing digital data comprising a plurality of infra-red (IR) video images acquired by a pulse thermography system are used to compute video data from the raw and smoothed video data acquired for the performance of non-destructive evaluation. New video data types computed may include but are not limited to contrast evolution data such as normalized contrast, converted contrast and normalized temperature contrast. Additionally, video data types computed comprise surface temperature, surface temperature rise and temperature simple contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Ajay M. Koshti
  • Patent number: 10175186
    Abstract: Methods for detecting irregularities in a composite vehicle can include cooling the composite vehicle to a substantially uniform first temperature, heating a surface of the composite vehicle to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature, and obtaining temperature data from the composite vehicle after the surface has been heated. An irregularity in the composite vehicle is detected based on the temperature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Prescott Gee Glynn, Robert Todd Marks, Steven McGinnis, Armando Medina Romero, Mark Gerald Munster, Jr., Adrian Timothy Wallace
  • Patent number: 10156532
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a system for detecting a defective sample may be provided. The system may include a chamber. The system may further include a pressure reducing mechanism coupled with the chamber. The system may additionally include a detector. The pressure reducing mechanism may be configured to reduce a pressure in the chamber. The detector may be configured to detect information indicating a temperature of the sample. Various embodiments may be capable of detecting water ingress or fluid ingress into the micro cracks or along the designed discontinuities, like bolts and rivets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
    Inventor: Dmitry Isakov
  • Patent number: 10152784
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a component is presented. The method includes inducing, by an inductive coil, an electrical current flow into the component. Further, the method includes capturing, by an infrared (IR) camera, at least a first set of frames and a second set of frames corresponding to the component, wherein the first set of frames is captured at a first time interval and a second set of frames is captured at a second time interval. Also, the method includes constructing, by a processing unit, a thermal image based on at least the first set of frames and the second set of frames corresponding to the component. Furthermore, the method includes determining presence of a thermal signature in the thermal image, wherein the thermal signature is representative of a defect in the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Venkata Vijayaraghava Nalladega, Thomas James Batzinger, Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Shyamsunder Tondanur Mandayam, Bryon Edward Knight, Satheesh Jeyaraman, Esha SenGupta
  • Patent number: 9982799
    Abstract: A hydraulic assembly for a mining system is disclosed. The hydraulic assembly may have at least one control valve for controlling a supply of hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic actuator of the mining system. The hydraulic assembly may also have at least one temperature sensor associated with the at least one control valve. The at least one temperature sensor may be configured to measure a temperature of the at least one control valve. In addition, the hydraulic assembly may have a control unit in communication with the at least one temperature sensor. The control unit may be configured to receive the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor. The control unit may also be configured to determine that a leakage has occurred in the at least one control valve based on the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH
    Inventors: James Hassell, Jens Titschert
  • Patent number: 9897561
    Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting defects in an object based on active thermography, the method including heating a surface of the object at a plurality of localized regions thereof, selecting at least one of the localized regions as a reference region, selecting at least another one of the localized regions as a comparison region, comparing a thermal response at the comparison region to a thermal response at the reference region due to the heating, and determining whether the object has a defect based on the comparison. There is also provided a corresponding system for detecting defects in an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Dmitry Isakov, Khee Aik Christopher Lee
  • Patent number: 9772692
    Abstract: A flexible display device includes a substrate, at least one sensing pattern, and a fold detector. The substrate is foldable along at least one folding line. The sensing pattern is in a peripheral area of the substrate. The fold detector is connected to the sensing pattern and detects whether the sensing pattern is disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Hoon Lee, Tae Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 9723578
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for identifying a location of an integrated circuit that is sensitive to RTS noise may include applying localized heat to a scan area of the integrated circuit, observing any change in one or more electrical parameters of the integrated circuit in response to the localized heat being applied to the scan area indicative of sensitivity to RTS noise, and identifying the location sensitive to RTS noise responsive to observing change in one or more electrical parameters of the integrated circuit indicative of sensitivity to RTS noise in response to the localized heat being applied to the scan area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Aaron J. Brennan, Justin Dougherty, Ramya Balasundaram
  • Patent number: 9704266
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of a bridge includes: stably positioning a video camera at a selected location with an unobstructed view of a selected portion of the bridge structure; collecting a video file of the structure over a selected total time interval; using a data processing system to analyze the video and calculate a physical parameter related to movement of the selected portion as a function of time, wherein the data processing system is controlled through a graphical user interface (GUI) having the following features: a display of a single video frame corresponding to a selected time; a movable area selector in the video frame to indicate the selection of an area of the structure for analysis; and, a display of displacement versus time for the selected area over the total time interval. The processor may perform some tasks, e.g., area selection, autonomously or via predetermined rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: RDI, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hay
  • Patent number: 9518946
    Abstract: A thermographic inspection system includes a heat source configured to be removably attached to an exterior surface of an object. A thermal imaging device obtains a thermal image of the object, and an analyzing device determines a location of a defect in the object based on the thermal image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Mohammad Nosrati, Cal Swanson, Kevin Ptasienski, Kevin R. Smith, Louis P. Steinhauser
  • Patent number: 9500611
    Abstract: A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system includes a lamp assembly having a lamp. The lamp is configured to be positioned within an internal cavity of a target object and to emit an energy pulse toward an interior surface of the internal cavity. The lamp includes at least one curved portion, the at least one curved portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the lamp, and a first curvature of the curved portion is selected to substantially correspond to a second curvature of the internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Bryon Edward Knight
  • Patent number: 9448193
    Abstract: A method determining heat loss coefficient K of a premises, includes: in unoccupied premises, performing a campaign of measurements of at least one temperature inside the premises Tik at closely-spaced time intervals over at least two successive time periods Dk corresponding to distinct heating powers Ptotk of the premises; determining temperature of outside air Tek at the same closely-spaced times; for each time period Dk, on the basis of evolution Tik(t) of a quantity Tik as a function of time, selecting a time interval ?tk for which the evolution Tik(t) is substantially linear, then determining the slope ?k of the tangent to the evolution Tik(t) over this time interval ?tk, and deducing the value of the heat loss coefficient K of the premises on the basis of the slopes ?k.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER
    Inventors: Eric Mangematin, Guillaume Pandraud, Jerome Gilles, Didier Roux
  • Patent number: 9206667
    Abstract: A technique involves monitoring a hydraulic system having a hydraulic pump coupled to a hydraulic motor which can be used to drive well related equipment. The system and methodology utilize sensors positioned to monitor parameters related to operation of the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A processor system is coupled to the sensors to obtain data output by the sensors. The processor system analyzes the sensor data for failure signatures that can be used to determine a failure or potential failure in the hydraulic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Evgeny Khvoshchev, Sarmad Adnan
  • Patent number: 9199337
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for determining acceptance/rejection of fine diameter wire bonding of semiconductor devices, LED devices, and the like, which has been impossible with conventional methods, such as the method by image processing, with high accuracy and with no contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9188559
    Abstract: The invention relates to a test method for nozzles composed of ceramic or ceramic-like materials, in which the following method steps are carried out: transfer of ultrasonic vibration to the nozzle by means of a sonotrode placed against the nozzle and thermographic evaluation of the heat evolved in a wall of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: LECHLER GMBH
    Inventor: Juergen Speier
  • Patent number: 9057597
    Abstract: A method for determining the roughness of an internal surface of a metal substrate or a metal layer is provided. By the correlation of a single destructive measurement in order to determine the roughness and the conductivity measurement of a transition region, the roughness is determined for other samples without destructive measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Matthias Jungbluth
  • Patent number: 9028137
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for thermal adaptation, comprising at least one surface element arranged to assume a determined thermal distribution, said surface element comprising a first heat conducting layer, a second heat conducting layer, said first and second heat conducting layers being mutually thermally isolated by means of an intermediate insulation layer, wherein at least one thermoelectric element is arranged to generate a predetermined temperature gradient to a portion of said first layer. The invention also relates to an object such as a craft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: BAE Systems Hägglunds Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Peder Sjölund, Jussi Myllyluoma
  • Publication number: 20150125969
    Abstract: First, a product to be inspected is prepared. The product to be inspected includes a substrate and a first film formed on the substrate. TDS is performed while the temperature of the product to be inspected is raised to 1,000° C. or higher, and the quality of the product to be inspected is determined by checking for the presence or absence of a peak at 1,000° C. or higher. Meanwhile, the substrate is, for example, a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate. In addition, the rate of temperature rise is, for example, equal to or higher than 40° C./min and equal to or lower than 80° C./min. The upper limit of the temperature of TDS is, for example, 1,300° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shien CHO, Takahiro HARA, Kenichi ITO
  • Patent number: 9004752
    Abstract: A viable strategy to enhance the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs is to use amorphous solids in place of the more commonly used crystalline solids in pharmaceutical formulations. However, amorphous solids are physically meta-stable and tend to revert back to their crystalline counterpart. An effective approach to stabilizing an amorphous drug against crystallization is to disperse it in a polymer matrix. The drug's solubility in the chosen polymer defines the upper limit of drug loading without any risk of crystallization. Measuring the solubility of a drug in a polymer has been a scientific and technological challenge because the high viscosity of polymers makes achieving solubility equilibrium difficult and because pharmaceutically important drug/polymer dispersions are glasses, which undergo structural relaxation over time. The invention provides a method based on Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC) for measuring the solubility of crystalline drugs in polymeric matrices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Abbvie, Inc., Abbvie Deutschland GmbH & Co KG, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Geoff G. Zhang, Lian Yu, Jing Tao, Ye Sun, Markus Maegerlein
  • Publication number: 20150085895
    Abstract: A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system includes a lamp assembly having a lamp. The lamp is configured to be positioned within an internal cavity of a target object and to emit an energy pulse toward an interior surface of the internal cavity. The lamp includes at least one curved portion, the at least one curved portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the lamp, and a first curvature of the curved portion is selected to substantially correspond to a second curvature of the internal cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Bryon Edward Knight
  • Publication number: 20150078414
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, in a method of testing a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device has a semiconductor element and a substrate which are bonded by bonding material including metal fine particles. Image data of a heat distribution in the semiconductor device are temporally acquired while heating the semiconductor device. A time change of a fractal dimension based on the image data is calculated. An inclination of the time change of the fractal dimension is calculated. The inclination and a reference inclination set in advance are compared. Whether or not the semiconductor device is good is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yuuji Hisazato, Kazuya Kodani, Yo Sasaki, Daisuke Hiratsuka, Hitoshi Matsumura, Hideaki Kitazawa, Kenji Adachi
  • Patent number: 8979360
    Abstract: A system for cooling and holding a testpiece in an effective manner while the testpiece is subjected locally to high heat flux. The testpiece includes an inside face extended by parallel strips that leave between them channels for passing a cooling fluid, and parallel fins of an intermediate part are inserted between the strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Alban Du Tertre, Alain Pyre, Didier Guichard, Daniel Cornu, Christophe Verdy, Christian Coddet
  • Patent number: 8920023
    Abstract: A non-destructive test using cryogenic temperatures is capable of detecting defects in materials that result from residual stress from manufacturing and from retained austenite. The subject materials or parts that are subjected to cryogenic temperatures approaching and below˜?300° F., ?184° C., 89° K, thereby causing permanent deformations or characteristic changes in the material if excessive residual stress, retained austenite or discontinuities exist. To determine the extent of changes, a first metric of the subject material is determined, the material is then subjected to cryogenic cooling thereby triggering any deformation or characteristic changes. Subsequent to the cryogenic cooling, the subject material may be returned to a second temperature whereby a second metric representing based on the same characteristic of the subject material is determined The comparison of the first and second metrics reveals the deformation or change resultant from the defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Inventor: Victor Sloan
  • Patent number: 8894279
    Abstract: A non-destructive test using cryogenic temperatures is capable of detecting defects in materials that result from residual stress from manufacturing and from retained austenite. The subject materials or parts that are subjected to cryogenic temperatures approaching and below ˜?300° F., ?184° C., 89° K, thereby causing permanent deformations or characteristic changes in the material if excessive residual stress, retained austenite or discontinuities exist. To determine the extent of changes, a first metric of the subject material is determined, the material is then subjected to cryogenic cooling thereby triggering any deformation or characteristic changes. Subsequent to the cryogenic cooling, the subject material may be returned to a second temperature whereby a second metric representing based on the same characteristic of the subject material is determined. The comparison of the first and second metrics reveals the deformation or change resultant from the defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Sloan Victor
  • Publication number: 20140294036
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the detection of irregularities in a thin film by measurement of transient thermal response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: James Michael Caruthers, Douglas E. Adams, Anand David, Peter R. O'Regan, Farshid Sadeghi, Nathan Daniel Sharp, Mark David Suchomel
  • Publication number: 20140269815
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting defects in susceptors of microwave food containers during production of such containers. The method comprises the steps of advancing the microwave food containers in a downstream direction along a processing path; subjecting each microwave food container as it moves along the processing path to microwave radiation sufficient to heat the susceptors of the container without destroying the susceptors of the container; obtaining an image preferably in the infrared spectrum of the heated susceptors of each container; determining if the image is indicative of a defect in the susceptors of each container; and removing from the processing path containers that are indicated to have defective susceptors. The apparatus includes a conveyor that moves containers through a first microwave absorbing cavity, a resonator cavity wherein containers are subjected to microwave energy, and a second microwave absorbing cavity wherein an image of each container is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Sloat, Paul Abbott, Scott W. Middleton, Lee M. Schneider, Fermin P. Resurreccion, JR.
  • Publication number: 20140269816
    Abstract: A method for detecting defect in a weld seam during laser welding. The method includes performing a two-dimensionally locally resolved detection of radiation that is emitted by a solidified molten mass that is adjacent to a liquid melting bath. The method also includes determining at least one characteristic value for heat dissipation in the solidified molten mass by evaluating the detected radiation along at least one profile-section of the solidified molten mass, and detecting a defect in the weld seam by comparing the at least one characteristic value with at least one reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: TRUMPF WERKZEUGMASCHINEN GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Dieter Pfitzner, Tim Hesse, Winfried Magg