Expansion Or Contraction Characteristics (e.g., Dilatometry) Patents (Class 374/55)
  • Patent number: 10993790
    Abstract: A method for positioning a semifinished product, has the steps of: providing a semifinished product having at least one position mark aligned with the center of contraction or expansion, and providing a machining device for machining and finishing the semifinished product, which is positioned, preferably reproducibly positioned, in the machining device via fastening means and the position mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Merz Dental GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Borowski
  • Patent number: 10215721
    Abstract: Dilatometer systems for measuring characteristics of material samples are disclosed. In one embodiment, a dilatometer system includes a reactor adapted to receive the test sample, a density trap in fluid communication with the reactor, a first fluid selectively filling the reactor and a portion of the density trap, and a second fluid selectively filling a portion of the density trap. The first fluid and the second fluid are immiscible with one another and selectively form an immiscible fluid boundary in the density trap. The dilatometer system further includes a heater that selectively heats the first fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Inventor: David N. Brewer
  • Patent number: 10168291
    Abstract: A method for the thermomechanical analysis of a sample (P) of a material including (a) controlling the temperature of the sample (P), (b) recording data representative for a length variation (dL) of the sample (P), (c) evaluating the data in order to determine a reversible component (dLrev), (d) calculating a corrected reversible component (dLrev-corr; ?rev-corr) and/or of the coefficient of thermal expansion (?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Netzsch-Gerätebau GmbH
    Inventors: Elena Moukhina, Doreen Rapp, Markus Meyer, Thilo Hilpert, Martin Hager, Fabian Wohlfahrt
  • Patent number: 10031033
    Abstract: A device for monitoring the freezing state of a biopharmaceutical fluid in a container intended to receive a biopharmaceutical fluid that must pass between the liquid state and the frozen state, includes a peripheral envelope (25) made of plastic, to be connected to a heat treatment receptacle (5), a sensor (19) suitable for detecting a control parameter which is a macroscopic parameter of the container, and an analysis system (62) suitable for determining a freezing state of the biopharmaceutical fluid on the basis of the macroscopic parameter of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan Cutting
  • Patent number: 9995699
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of characterizing the thermal ageing of a part made of composite material, in particular a composite material having an organic matrix. The method includes taking from the part a sample of composite material, subjecting the sample to modulated temperature differential calorimetry, determining, from the curve representing the total heat flow component associated with irreversible phenomena, the temperature at which a local extremum appears, this local extremum being characteristic of the thermal ageing, and determining the thermal ageing of the composite material by comparing the temperature at which the local extremum appears with a reference chart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN NACELLES
    Inventors: Arnaud Delehouze, Emmanuel Piel, Nicolas Preud'Homme
  • Patent number: 9518944
    Abstract: A temperature-controlled bath capable of swiftly changing the temperature of a sample to a target temperature and maintaining the temperature of the sample at a fixed temperature after the temperature change is provided. A temperature-controlled bath includes a temperature changing means, a temperature-controlled chamber, a sample holding chamber, and connection cut-off means. The temperature changing means is disposed in the temperature-controlled chamber, and the temperature of the temperature-controlled chamber is adjusted by the temperature changing means. The sample holding chamber is separated from the temperature-controlled chamber by a thermally conducive wall, and contains a sample therein. The connection cut-off means change a connection between the temperature-controlled chamber and the sample holding chamber to a connected state or a cut-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yokoyama, Takeshi Hagino
  • Patent number: 9349900
    Abstract: Provided are methods for making a device or device component by providing a multi layer structure having a plurality of functional layers and a plurality of release layers and releasing the functional layers from the multilayer structure by separating one or more of the release layers to generate a plurality of transferable structures. The transferable structures are printed onto a device substrate or device component supported by a device substrate. The methods and systems provide means for making high-quality and low-cost photovoltaic devices, transferable semiconductor structures, (opto-)electronic devices and device components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: John A. Rogers, Ralph G. Nuzzo, Matthew Meitl, Heung Cho Ko, Jongseung Yoon, Etienne Menard, Alfred J. Baca
  • Patent number: 9266209
    Abstract: A thermal displacement correcting apparatus includes a correction amount estimating device and a parameter automatic selecting device that, in a machine tool having two different sets of specifications that differ due to the presence/absence of a scale and different methods of measuring the lengths of a bed and a table, estimate a thermal displacement correction amount of the machine tool of each set of specifications. The two devices store a collection of parameters for an estimated thermal displacement calculation corresponding to each of the bed, the scale, the table, and a workpiece, as a database, and select the parameters belonging to the set of specifications from the database based on machine information according to each set of specifications, calculate estimated thermal displacements of the bed, the table, and the workpiece, or also the scale, according to the selected parameters, and combine the estimated thermal displacements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Murahashi, Hironori Funaguchi
  • Publication number: 20150139270
    Abstract: A method comprising: constructing a master curve plot comprising a plurality of reference curves, each reference curve representing a relationship between volume and temperature for one of a plurality of reference alloy samples having a chemical composition and various predetermined degrees of crystallinity; for an alloy specimen having the chemical composition and an unknown degree of crystallinity, obtaining a curve representing a relationship between volume and temperature thereof; and determining the unknown degree of crystallinity by comparing the curve to the master curve plot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Matthew S. Scott, Stephen P. Zadesky, Richard W. Heley, Dermot J. Stratton, Joseph C. Poole, Theodore Andrew Waniuk
  • Publication number: 20150131697
    Abstract: An industrial machine includes a moving mechanism moving one of a probe and a tool relative to a work piece, using three displacement axes parallel to each of three orthogonal axis directions; a low thermal expansion member formed with a material having a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than a material forming a structural element of the moving mechanism; and an expansion/contraction measurer measuring, using the low thermal expansion member as a reference, an amount of expansion/contraction of the structural element in one of the three orthogonal axis directions, the expansion/contraction occurring due to a change in temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hisayoshi SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20150098485
    Abstract: An assembly comprising a sample and a device for generating a high temperature gradient in said sample comprises: a chamber inside which the sample is placed; a resistor passing through the sample; first inductive means at the periphery of the chamber, for creating an electromagnetic field; and second inductive means that are arranged inside the chamber and connected to the resistor, and that are capable of picking up said electromagnetic field so as to make an induced current flow through said resistor, the chamber being transparent and the first inductive means comprising at least one first coil at least one coil of which contains windings separated by at least 2 mm, this separation being configured to allow an optical means for measuring deformation to be targeted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Yves PONTILLON, Eric HANUS, Helene CAPDEVILA
  • Patent number: 8985847
    Abstract: Monitoring of cooling of an electronic component is provided, which includes: determining a current thermal resistance associated with one or more of the electronic component, a heat sink coupled to the electronic component, or a thermal interface coupling the electronic component and the heat sink; and determining, by a processor, whether the current thermal resistance exceeds a set thermal resistance threshold, and responsive to the current thermal resistance exceeding the set thermal resistance threshold, indicating a thermal resistance fault. As an enhancement, rate of change over time of the thermal resistance is determined, and compared against a rate of change threshold, and if exceeding the threshold, a rate of change thermal resistance warning is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20150036716
    Abstract: A symmetrical, flat laminate structure used to minimize variables in a test structure to experimentally gauge white bump sensitivity to CTE mismatch is disclosed. The test structure includes a flat laminate structure. The method of using the test structure includes isolating a cause of a multivariable chip join problem that is adversely impacted by warpage and quantifying a contribution of the warpage, itself, in a formation of the multivariable chip join problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: William E. Bernier, Timothy H. Daubenspeck, Virendra R. Jadhav, Valerie A. Oberson, David L. Questad
  • Publication number: 20150003494
    Abstract: A temperature-controlled bath capable of swiftly changing the temperature of a sample to a target temperature and maintaining the temperature of the sample at a fixed temperature after the temperature change is provided. A temperature-controlled bath includes a temperature changing means, a temperature-controlled chamber, a sample holding chamber, and connection cut-off means. The temperature changing means is disposed in the temperature-controlled chamber, and the temperature of the temperature-controlled chamber is adjusted by the temperature changing means. The sample holding chamber is separated from the temperature-controlled chamber by a thermally conducive wall, and contains a sample therein. The connection cut-off means change a connection between the temperature-controlled chamber and the sample holding chamber to a connected state or a cut-off state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichiro YOKOYAMA, Takeshi HAGINO
  • Publication number: 20140260474
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring the thermal crown of rolls in-situ (e.g., at high temperature) either inside or outside the rolling mill can include sensors that measure propagation times of mechanical waves through the rolls. In some embodiments, one or more sensors are used to measure the propagation times of ultrasonic waves traveling inside the roll and normal to the roll's axis. These measurements can be taken when the roll is still hot and can be used to determine in real-time the thermal expansion at various points along the roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: NOVELIS INC.
    Inventor: Antoine Jean Willy Pralong
  • Patent number: 8676527
    Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine (industrial machine) includes: a column and a support that extend along the Z-axis; a beam being provided between the column and the support; a slider being movable on the beam; a ram being held on the slider movably along the Z-axis direction; a temperature detecting sensor and a temperature detector that detect the respective temperatures of the column, the support and the ram; and a shift amount calculator that calculates a Z-axis shift amount based on the respective temperatures of the column, the support and the ram, reference position data indicating a positional relationship between the column, the support and the ram at a reference temperature, and respective thermal expansion coefficients for the column, the support and the ram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Noritsugu Ono, Kazuaki Kawarai, Seiichi Otsubo, Hirotada Anzai, Kazumi Mizukami
  • Publication number: 20140036952
    Abstract: System for performing dilatometer tests on the seafloor including a unit to rest on the seafloor, including: a pushing rod including at its lower end a dilatometer blade, and a driver device to drive the pushing rod, and cause the dilatometer blade to penetrate into the seafloor and bring the dilatometer into a plurality of predetermined test depths; the driver device including: a clamping member to clamp the pushing rod, at least a pushing member for pushing down to the seafloor the clamping member when the clamping member is clamping the pushing rod, causing the rod and dilatometer blade to penetrate into the seafloor, and for pushing up the clamping member when the clamping member is not clamping the pushing rod, wherein the pushing member moves up and down the clamping member, and moves in an intermittent way the dilatometer between a predetermined test depth and the subsequent one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Silvano Marchetti, Diego Marchetti
  • Patent number: 8641272
    Abstract: System for performing dilatometer tests on the seafloor including a unit to rest on the seafloor, including: a pushing rod including at its lower end a dilatometer blade, and a driver device to drive the pushing rod, and cause the dilatometer blade to penetrate into the seafloor and bring the dilatometer into a plurality of predetermined test depths; the driver device including: a clamping member to clamp the pushing rod, at least a pushing member for pushing down to the seafloor the clamping member when the clamping member is clamping the pushing rod, causing the rod and dilatometer blade to penetrate into the seafloor, and for pushing up the clamping member when the clamping member is not clamping the pushing rod, wherein the pushing member moves up and down the clamping member, and moves in an intermittent way the dilatometer between a predetermined test depth and the subsequent one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventors: Silvano Marchetti, Diego Marchetti
  • Patent number: 8622612
    Abstract: A focus error signal resulting from the photothermically-induced expansion is measured in a sample of material under analysis. A laser is disposed as a periodically modulated heating source which is directed to the sample and a device for focus error measuring which is directed to the surface being heated. A device measuring focus error generates a signal representative of the displacement of the surface of material in perpendicular direction due to the expansion produced by the periodic heating, which is filtered, either analogically or digitally, to discriminate the displacement component at the frequency in which it was modulated or at any other related frequency, such any harmonic or a sum with any other modulation. The focus error signal, appropriately calibrated, gives a precise and sensitive measure of the magnitude the expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (Conicet)
    Inventors: Oscar Eduardo Martínez, Esteban Alejo Domené, Nélida Mingolo, Francisco Balzarotti, Andrea Verónica Bragas
  • Publication number: 20130343422
    Abstract: A lithography apparatus comprises a structural element, a sensor having a detection region for detecting a physical quantity in at least one detection direction with respect to the structural element, and a sensor receptacle for mounting the sensor to the structural element, wherein the sensor is arranged in such a way that the maximum displacement of the detection region in the detection direction relative to the structural element is not greater than the maximum displacement of the detection region in the detection direction in the case of an arrangement of the sensor orthogonally with respect thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventor: Timo Laufer
  • Patent number: 8534912
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one measured variable. The apparatus includes: at least one measuring unit; and at least one securement unit for holding the measuring unit in contact with an object. The securement unit is embodied in such a manner, that the securement unit has at least two stable shape states, wherein, for transition between the at least two states, application of a mechanical force to the securement unit is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Dieter Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8480302
    Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) temperature sensor that employs a suspended spiral comprising a material with a positive coefficient of thermal expansion. The thermal expansion of the suspended spiral is guided to by a set of guideposts to provide a linear movement of the free end of the suspended spiral, which is converted to an electrical signal by a set of conductive rotor azimuthal fins that are interdigitated with a set of conductive stator azimuthal fins by measuring the amount of capacitive coupling therebetween. Real time temperature may thus be measured through the in-situ measurement of the capacitive coupling. Optionally, the MEMS temperature sensor may have a ratchet and a pawl to enable ex-situ measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jason P. Gill, David L. Harmon, Timothy D. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8472033
    Abstract: A method of detecting an amount of an axis displacement in a power transmission device includes, for each of the rotary shafts of the first and second drive sources, measuring an amount of an axis position variation by using non-contact sensors respectively provided to face the rotary shafts, and detecting an amount of a relative axis displacement of the rotary shaft of the second drive source relative to the rotary shaft of the first drive source on the basis of the amount of the axis position variation between before and after engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenyu Takeda
  • Publication number: 20120275486
    Abstract: A dilatometer for measuring metallic samples. The dilatometer includes a sample holder configured to receive and clamp a sample, an induction coil arranged on the sample, the induction coil configured to heat the sample, and a sensor for measuring the temperature of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: BAHR-THERMOANALYSE GMBH
    Inventor: Heinz-Ludwig BÄHR
  • Patent number: 8075180
    Abstract: A method for predicting the drop impact resistance of a stretch-blow molded polypropylene container which comprises the steps of measuring the initial size of the container, placing it in an oven, remeasuring its size after removing it from the oven, calculating the percentage difference in size of the container and determining its drop impact resistance, which is proportional to said difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventor: Fabienne Radermacher
  • Publication number: 20110235673
    Abstract: A first generating part assumes that a circuit board is a laminated body of a lower layer portion and an upper layer portion and sets a thermal expansion coefficient of the circuit board itself having been actually measured in advance as a thermal expansion coefficient ?1 of the lower layer portion. Further, the first generating portion sets a value obtained by a Stoney's equation as a thermal expansion coefficient ?2 of the upper layer portion. Then, the laminated body of the lower layer portion and the upper layer portion is segmented into a plurality of grid data and element segment data in which a position and a material of grid data are made to correspond to each other is generated. The second calculating part calculates a physical amount occurring in an analysis object based on a finite element with a variety of solvers, and outputs an analysis result. In other words, the second calculating part performs a simulation of behavior of the analysis object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Daisuke Mizutani, Nobutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 7978342
    Abstract: Methods for measuring expansion of a test sample. One method includes establishing a diffraction slit between two blades, with the position of at least one of the blades being dependent upon the length of a test sample of material. As the temperature of the sample changes, the width of the slit changes. Light is projected through the slit onto a target and an diffraction pattern is measured. Changes in the light diffraction pattern correspond to the thermal expansion of the sample. Another method includes establishing a diffraction slit between two blades, with the position of at least one of the blades being dependent upon a length along a test sample of material. As a load is applied to the test sample, the width of the slit changes. Changes in the light diffraction pattern correspond to Young's Modulus for the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ball State University Board of Trustees
    Inventor: Hasan Fakhruddin
  • Patent number: 7845847
    Abstract: A thermometer and extensometer for cables and conductors is described. The travel time of one or more acoustic signals along a conductor is used to determine the temperature along the conductor and the length of the conductor. The acoustic frequency is selected to minimize temporal dispersion of the propagating acoustic energy. The technique can be used to measure the temperature of the windings in a transformer or other electrical apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: FieldMetrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Yakymyshyn, Michael Allen Brubaker, Pamela Jane Hamilton
  • Patent number: 7845848
    Abstract: A thermometer and extensometer for cables and conductors is described. The travel time of one or more acoustic signals along a conductor is used to determine the temperature along the conductor and the length of the conductor. The acoustic frequency is selected to minimize temporal dispersion of the propagating acoustic energy. The technique can be used to measure the temperature of the conductor in a buried, undersea or submerged electrical power cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: FieldMetrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Yakymyshyn, Michael Allen Brubaker, Pamela Jane Hamilton
  • Publication number: 20100208242
    Abstract: A focus error signal resulting from the photothermically-induced expansion is measured in a sample of material under analysis. A laser is disposed as a periodically modulated heating source which is directed to the sample and a device for focus error measuring which is directed to de surface being heated. A device measuring focus error generates a signal representative of the displacement of the surface of material in perpendicular direction due to the expansion produced by the periodic heating, which is filtered, either analogically or digitally, to discriminate the displacement component at the frequency in which it was modulated or at any other related frequency, such any harmonic or a sum with any other modulation. The focus error signal, appropriately calibrated, gives a precise and sensitive measure of the magnitude the expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: CONSEJO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Y TECNICAS (CONICET)
    Inventors: Oscar Eduardo MARTÍNEZ, Esteban Alejo DOMENE, Nélida MINGOLO, Francisco BALZAROTTI, Andrea Veronica BRAGAS
  • Patent number: 7778725
    Abstract: After a thermal displacement correcting program has started, a temperature is measured with a temperature sensor in S1, then when a rotational speed of a spindle is changed during the measurement (S2), a counter starts (S3). Then in S4, from a preset relationship between the rotational speed of the spindle and a setting-equivalent heat value, a correction factor that is a difference in setting-equivalent heat value between before and after the change in rotational speed of the spindle is calculated. Subsequently, in S5, a temperature-equivalent heat value is calculated, and then in S6, a compensation amount is calculated from the correction factor and a time elapsed after the change in rotational speed of the spindle. In S7, an equivalent heat value for compensating a dead time is obtained based on the sum of them S8, an estimated calculation for thermal displacement conversion is performed, and a correction process by an NC unit is performed in S9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventor: Harumitsu Senda
  • Patent number: 7766543
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that monitors and controls the condition of an expandable mixture before injecting it in a mold and that maintains the conditions for filling so as to make a casting mold having a uniform strength. The method comprises (a) a step of measuring the temperature of the expandable mixture, (b) a step of determining each reference value of the one or more characteristic parameters that show a characteristic property of the expandable mixture based on the measured temperature and the predetermined relationship between a characteristic property of an expandable mixture and its temperature, (c) a step of measuring the one or more characteristic parameters that show the condition of the mixing of the expandable mixture, (d) a step of determining whether each characteristic parameter is within the corresponding reference value, and (e) a step of determining whether the expandable mixture has been made under the normal condition or if it needs to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kato, Toshihiko Zenpo, Norihiro Asano, Kazuyuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20090310647
    Abstract: A method for predicting the drop impact resistance of a stretch-blow moulded polypropylene container which comprises the steps of measuring the initial size of the container, placing it in an oven, remeasuring its size after removing it from the oven, calculating the percentage difference in size of the container and determining its drop impact resistance, which is proportional to said difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: TOTAL PETROCHEMICALS RESEARCH FELUY
    Inventor: Fabienne Radermacher
  • Publication number: 20090312960
    Abstract: A method for characterizing thermomechanical properties of an organic substrate includes the steps of: receiving an image of the substrate, the image including a geometric description of the circuit layers of the substrate; selecting a given one of the circuit layers for processing; converting the image to a 2-D FEM image of the given circuit layer; repeating the steps of selecting a given one of the circuit layers and converting the image to a 2-D FEM image of the selected layer until all of the layers have been processed; combining all of the 2-D FEM images corresponding to the layers to form a 3-D FEM image representing at least a portion of the substrate; determining a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), modulus and/or Poisson's ratio of the 3-D FEM image; and constructing a 3-D representation of the substrate as a function of the CTE, modulus and/or Poisson's ratio of the 3-D FEM image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventors: Hien Phu Dang, Vijaveshwar Das Khanna, Arun Sharma, Sri M. Sri-Jayantha
  • Publication number: 20090245018
    Abstract: A combined probe includes a dilatometer probe, a gas conduit coupled to the dilatometer probe for providing a gas connection between the dilatometer probe and an external gas source, a wire located in the gas conduit for providing an electrical connection between the dilatometer probe and an external circuit, and a seismic module coupled to the wire located in the gas conduit to provide an electrical connection between the seismic module and the external circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Silvano Marchetti, Diego Marchetti
  • Patent number: 7591584
    Abstract: A temperature indicator for a siding panel senses panel temperature and indicates on a graphic scale the corresponding effect of thermal expansion over differences in temperature. The temperature indicator can be various forms of contact thermometer, temperature strip or sensor and can be integral or temporarily affixed during installation or for later assessment for correct panel gapping. The indicator shows how closely the edge of the panel can be placed to an adjacent surface while avoiding interference over a range of thermal expansion temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: CerainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Beck, Robert D. Shaw, David J. Stucky
  • Patent number: 7575371
    Abstract: A thermometer and extensometer for cables and conductors is described. The travel time of one or more acoustic signals along a conductor is used to determine the temperature along the conductor and the length of the conductor. The acoustic frequency is selected to minimize temporal dispersion of the propagating acoustic energy. The technique can be used to measure the temperature and sag of an overhead power line, the temperature of the windings in a transformer, or the temperature of the central conductor in a coaxial power cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: FieldMetrics, Inc
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Yakymyshyn, Michael Allen Brubaker, Pamela Jane Hamilton
  • Patent number: 7540658
    Abstract: A temperature detecting device includes a heat receiving plate, a displacement transmitting part, a deforming part, a deformation generating part and a displacement detecting part. The heat receiving plate is restrained at its rim portion to generate a displacement of a central portion in its thickness direction with respect to the rim portion in accordance with the temperature of an atmospheric gas. The displacement transmitting part is displaced in accordance with the displacement of the central portion of the heat receiving plate. The deforming part is deformed by the displacement transmitting part. The deformation generating part maintains a distance between the rim portion of the heat receiving plate and the deforming part. The displacement detecting part detects a deformation of the deforming part and outputs an electric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Inao Toyoda, Yukihiro Katoh
  • Patent number: 7524105
    Abstract: An optical dilatometer includes a furnace, in which a sample may be laid on a sample carrier, and an optical system for measuring a length of the sample at different temperatures, windows for the passage of beams being provided on a sample chamber of the furnace. A light source and a collimator for generating a parallel beam path are situated on one side of the furnace, the length of the sample being detectable via a silhouette image by a sensor, situated on the diametrically opposite side of the furnace from the light source, and a lens system. This allows a simple length measurement without orientation of an optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: BAEHR - Thermoanalyse GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Baehr
  • Publication number: 20080283755
    Abstract: An AFM based technique has been demonstrated for performing highly localized IR spectroscopy on a sample surface. Such a technique implemented in a commercially viable analytical instrument would be extremely useful. Various aspects of the experimental set-up have to be changed to create a commercial version. The invention addresses many of these issues thereby producing a version of the analytical technique that cab be made generally available to the scientific community.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: A. Dazzi Dazzi, Rui Prazeres, Mike Reading, Kevin Kjoller
  • Publication number: 20080234951
    Abstract: Properties of asphalt are determined by determining an expansion of a plurality of samples of the asphalt as a function of current dimensions of the respective samples, determining a creep of the samples as a function of the current dimensions of the respective samples, repeating the determining steps over a plurality of temperatures, and determining a master creep modulus and a temperature coefficient of the asphalt as a function of the plurality of expansions and the plurality of creeps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: OHIO UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Sang-Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7175342
    Abstract: In a control equipment 10, shaft-misalignment amount of a shaft 3a of a gas turbine 3 and a shaft 5a of a steam turbine 5 is measured and speed-increase ratio of rotation speed and heat soak time of the steam turbine 5 are set in accordance with the measured shaft-misalignment amount so as to have the shaft-misalignment amount stay within a permissible range when a clutch 7 connects the shafts 3a and 5a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Tanaka, Masamitsu Shimada, Kenyu Takeda, Ryutaro Kitagawa, Fumikatsu Inoue
  • Patent number: 7118272
    Abstract: Thermally reactive elements of an intumescent material that expands when heated above a trigger temperature are arranged in an enclosed space, e.g a freight compartment of an aircraft. An optical sensor in the enclosed space has a field of view encompassing the elements. An evolving fire heats one of the elements above the trigger temperature so the intumescent material expands. This expansion of the element is sensed by the optical sensor, for an early detection of the fire at temperatures substantially below 300° C. With the elements arranged in a predefined pattern, the location of the fire can be determined based on the element(s) that has/have expanded. The intumescent material may be an adhesive tape adhered onto the ceiling of the freight compartment. Light sources or optical targets arranged along lines of sight behind the elements enhance the unambiguous recognition of the thermally expanded condition of a respective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Axel Bobenhausen
  • Patent number: 7104680
    Abstract: In a thermomechanical measuring device and a thermogravimetry device, partition walls are provided in two sections such that two kinds of atmospheric gasses, which have passed a sample chamber and a detector chamber, respectively, do not flow back, and a thermally insulated gas mixing chamber is manufactured anew in the middle of the sample chamber and the detector chamber to make it possible to dilute a reactive gas and a water vapor gas having a high partial pressure. Consequently, it is possible to prevent moisture concentration to reduce an influence of water drops even in a high temperature and high humidity state at the time of humidity control and measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7052174
    Abstract: An apparatus for non-destructively testing the response of a specimen to temperature change. An embodiment temperature cycles a specimen, such as a wet mortar beam, dynamically measuring change in dimension and the temperature of the specimen during the cycle. Among other elements, the apparatus employs an accelerometer, a thermistor, a thermocouple, a temperature controller, linear variable differential transducers (LVDTs), an FFT device, a data logger and a heat tape controller. A typical cycle involves using liquid nitrogen to reduce the temperature in an insulated test chamber from ambient to less than ?60° C. and returning to ambient by dispersing the nitrogen with a source of ambient air. Further, in select embodiments, the apparatus measures fundamental frequencies induced by a micro-hammer as measured transversely along a dimension of a specimen during the cooling-warming cycle. Also provided is a method for testing specimens using devices representative of embodiments of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles J. Korhonen
  • Patent number: 7025498
    Abstract: A chuck having a high specific stiffness and high thermal conductivity compared to conventional chucks, with an apparatus for measuring thermal expansion in the chuck. High specific stiffness allows for a higher control bandwidth and improved scanning performance. High thermal conductivity enables excellent positioning accuracy because thermal expansion and strain may be accurately measured or predicted, and thus compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventor: Santiago E. del Puerto
  • Patent number: 7025499
    Abstract: A device for testing a material that changes shape when an electric and/or magnetic field is applied, in particular a piezoactive material, having a generator to generate an electric field and/or a magnetic field is described. This permits a rapid characterization of the material and at the same time can be implemented with a much lower structural complexity. This is achieved by the fact that at least one thermal sensor is provided for detecting a change in temperature of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Brinz
  • Patent number: 6941669
    Abstract: A method for determining an “effective” thermal coefficient of a machine comprises the steps of installing one or more temperature sensors (110) at various locations on the machine, positioning a first machine member (60) at a “known” reference location, relative to a second machine member (42), installing a linear position measuring device (120) to detect changes in position of the first machine member (60) relative to the second machine member (42) along a first axis of movement, periodically acquiring readings from each of the temperature sensors (110) and from the linear position measuring device (120) during a test cycle and compiling the temperature and linear position data into a table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Magus GmbH
    Inventors: Satish Shivaswamy, Richard Curless
  • Patent number: 6939036
    Abstract: A temperature indicator for a siding panel senses panel temperature and indicates on a graphic scale the corresponding effect of thermal expansion over differences in temperature. The temperature indicator can be various forms of contact thermometer, temperature strip or sensor and can be integral or temporarily affixed during installation or for later assessment for correct panel gapping. The indicator shows how closely the edge of the panel can be placed to an adjacent surface while avoiding interference over a range of thermal expansion temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Beck, Robert D. Shaw, David J. Stucky
  • Patent number: 6916115
    Abstract: Instruments and methods for measuring a property of a shape memory alloy are provided. The instrument includes a base plate, a non-contact movable mass, a force gauge, an actuator, a biasing spring, a heater for heating the shape memory alloy, and a non-contact displacement detector. The biasing spring and the shape memory alloy are disposed whereby a force applied thereby is applied substantially through a center of stiffness of the movable mass. The displacement detector measures a displacement of the movable mass in a colinear direction with a direction of movement of the movable mass and with a direction of the force applied by the biasing spring and the shape memory alloy. The linear motion stage comprises a housing and at least one guide bar, and wherein a calculated axial expansion of the guide bar is substantially equal to a calculated axial expansion of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Robert Ryan Vallance, Bruce L. Walcott, James E. Lumpp, Sumanth Chikkamaranahalli, Osamah A. Rawashdeh, Eric Wolsing