Patents Represented by Law Firm Kinney and Lange
  • Wire fault locating in distributed power systems
    Patent number: 8022711
    Abstract: An electrical fault locating system for distributing power from an input to a plurality of output channels provides fault detection and locating for each of the plurality of output channels. Each of the plurality of output channels is monitored by a fault detection circuit to detect the presence of an electrical fault. In response to a detected fault condition, the fault detection circuit isolates the output channel from the input and generates an output identifying the output channel on which the fault was detected. A fault locating device injects a high-frequency (HF) signal onto the input of the electrical system, the HF signal is distributed to each of the plurality of output channels, and the monitored reflection of the HF signal is monitored by the fault locating device to calculate a distance to the detected fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne H. Oldenburg, Donald G. Kilroy
  • Loading and unloading reel carrier truck
    Patent number: 8021097
    Abstract: A cable reel carrier device, including at least one pair of work arms that engage a spindle bar in the center of a reel of cable and the like, and the work arms lift the reel on to or off of a truck bed. Where two pairs of work arms are used, the first reel is passed forward from the first pair to the second pair. A safety device engages the spindle bar to prevent inadvertent release of the reels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Dejana Truck & Utility Equipment Co.
    Inventor: Arthur K. McVaugh
  • Lightning strike mitigation for aircraft
    Patent number: 8023245
    Abstract: A lightning mitigation system for use on an aircraft employs parasitic capacitance associated with a motor/generator to dissipate voltage provided as a result of a lightning strike. The motor/generator includes a set of windings defined by an outer periphery and a case that surrounds the set of windings. A parasitic capacitance is defined by the airgap separating the windings of the motor/generator from the case. A motor controller is electrically connected to the set of windings and includes a filter circuit. The filter circuit includes an equivalent capacitance that is selected based on the parasitic capacitance associated with the motor/generator such that a lightning strike results in a large portion of the voltage being dissipated by the parasitic capacitance of the motor/generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Z. Feng, Steven A. Davidson
  • Turbine friendly abradable material
    Patent number: 8020875
    Abstract: The invention comprises an abradable material containing up to 30 weight percent of fumed silica having a maximum particle from about 5 nanometers to about 20 nanometers and about 1.5 to about 5 weight percent of an abradable organic microballoon filler within an abradable silicone polymer matrix having an elasticity of less than X percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Putnam, Charles R. Watson
  • Video aided system for elevator control
    Patent number: 8020672
    Abstract: An elevator control system (24) provides elevator dispatch and door control based on passenger data received from a video monitoring system. The video monitoring system includes a video processor (16) connected to receive video input from at least one video camera (12). The video processor (16) tracks objects located within the field of view of the video camera, and calculates passenger data parameters associated with each tracked object. The elevator controller (24) provides elevator dispatch (26), door control (28), and security functions (30) based in part on passenger data provided by the video processor (16). The security functions may also be based in part on data from access control systems (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Lin Lin, Ziyou Xiong, Alan Matthew Finn, Pei-Yuan Peng, Pengju Kang, Mauro J. Atalla, Meghna Misra, Christian Maria Netter
  • Gas turbine engine seals and engines incorporating such seals
    Patent number: 8016297
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine seals and engines incorporating such seals are provided. In this regard, a representative seal includes: an annular seal body having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the seal body extending along an axis of symmetry between a first end and a second end; the seal body being formed of a strip of material having first and second opposing edges, the strip of material being deformed to exhibit a first sealing surface at the first end, a second sealing surface at the second end, and a third sealing surface along the inner diameter, the first edge being located adjacent to the third sealing surface, the second edge being located adjacent to the second sealing surface; the first edge being spaced from the second edge to define an annular opening, the annular opening providing access to an annular cavity of the seal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt R. Heinemann, Jose Paulino, Scot A. Webb, Mark Ring, Charles H. Warner
  • Aircraft combination engines plural airflow conveyances system
    Patent number: 8015795
    Abstract: An engine combination for generating forces with a gas turbine engine generating force, and an internal combustion engine provided in the combination as an intermittent combustion engine generating force having an air intake, there being a plurality of air transfer ducts each extending from a different location in the gas turbine engine so as to be capable to provide air in each of those air transfer ducts at one end thereof at pressures differing from one another and connected at the other end of each to the air intake to transfer air thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Brian M. Fentress
  • Rigid transparent tackle box with vertical storage for large-scale lures
    Patent number: 8016106
    Abstract: A storage system comprises a bottom, a plurality of sides, a cover and a plurality of vertical dividers. The sides are fixed to the bottom and the cover is located to have open and closed positions with respect to the sides, opposite the bottom. The vertical dividers are arranged in first and second transverse orientations between the sides, forming vertical storage units for hanging lures. A plurality of ventilation and drainage holes are formed in the bottom panel, and the top and at least two of the sides are transparent to visible light. Each of the bottom, sides, and cover is formed of an impact-resistant thermoplastic having a thickness of at least 4 mm, such that the cover supports a weight of at least 220 lbs when in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Just Encase Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Schmitt
  • Radial inner diameter metering plate
    Patent number: 8016547
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly for directing cooling fluid in a vane comprising a hollow airfoil containing at least two cooling chambers. The chambers are separated by a generally radial rib. A metering plate mount is attached to the rib. A metering plate, having at least one aperture for tuning the cooling fluid flow within the airfoil, is adjacent the metering plate mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Ternary carbide and nitride thermal spray abradable seal material
    Patent number: 8017240
    Abstract: An abradable seal positioned proximate a rotating element includes a substrate having a surface facing the rotating element and a coating positioned on the surface of the substrate. The coating has a matrix material and a filler material. The matrix material constitutes between about 30 % and about 80 % of the coating by volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher W. Strock
  • Dispersion strengthened L1aluminum alloys
    Patent number: 8017072
    Abstract: An improved L12 aluminum alloy having magnesium or nickel; at least one of scandium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium; at least one of gadolinium, yttrium, zirconium, titanium, hafnium, and niobium; and at least one ceramic reinforcement. Aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, titanium boride, titanium diboride and titanium carbide are suitable ceramic reinforcement particles. These alloys derive strengthening from mechanisms based on dislocation-particle interaction and load transfer to stiffen reinforcements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Awadh B. Pandey
  • Basketball return apparatus with mounting stand
    Patent number: 8012046
    Abstract: A basketball return apparatus includes a frame, netting, and a ball return mechanism. The frame is adapted to mount on a rim support bracket of a basketball hoop and defines an orifice through which shot basketballs can descend. The netting is collapsible and extensible and is attached to the frame to form open funnel shaped enclosure that directs basketballs downward therethrough. The ball return mechanism is mounted to the frame below the orifice and netting to direct the basketballs back to the shooter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Airborne Athletics, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Brad Campbell, Jeffrey Jon Campbell
  • Voice recorder based position registration
    Patent number: 8013737
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a location having at least one sensor for sensing a change in at least one condition using voice tags to announce alarms. The system includes a registration process where a voice recorder and a digital conversion unit form digital voice tags from recorded speech representing the type and location of sensors. The voice tag is sent as part of an alarm message or pre-stored in a control panel for later retrieval such that the type and location of an alarm is reproduced vocally at the time of the alarm. The registration process may be completed with a registration module which may be a keypad or the voice recorder may be included in the sensors. Additional features include sensor location change notification to ensure the stored voice tag represents the current location of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: UTC Fire and Security Corporation
    Inventors: Ankit Tiwari, Jae-Hyuk Oh, Christian M. Netter, Luiz Fer Bacellar, Thomas M. Gillis
  • System and methods for providing mass notification using existing fire system
    Patent number: 8013755
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to integrate with existing fire system strobe/horn plates. The apparatus may be a mass notification plate. Also disclosed are embodiments of a strobe housing configured to mix and/or reflect light emitted from one or more light emitters, such as high intensity LEDs, through a lens. The lens may be configured to produce a mass notification pattern. Further disclosed are embodiments of systems and methods that may be configured to deliver strobe control signals and/or strobe color control signals over a two-wire fire system powerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Ted Rock, Steven Hein, Munro Howard Sykes, Gary Pollack
  • Adsorbent mediated reduction of organic chemicals from solid building materials
    Patent number: 8012242
    Abstract: A method of removing pollutants from building materials using an externally applied adsorbent. The adsorbent has a high affinity to common pollutant chemicals. The pollutants are transferred from the contaminated microporous building materials onto the adsorbent until sufficient amounts of pollutant chemicals are reduced to make the building materials acceptable and safe to use. The adsorbent may be regenerated and reused or treated as a waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: The University of North Dakota
    Inventors: Evguenii I. Kozliak, Wayne S. Seames
  • Heating architecture for a composite fairing
    Patent number: 8006934
    Abstract: A composite fairing with embedded heating architecture for ice protection includes heating elements arranged on various fairing plies for heating substantially all of the composite fairing. The heating elements are positioned to provide ice protection to substantial portions of the external surface of the composite fairing. Junctions, busbars, and plated through holes are used for delivering electric current to the heating elements on the various fairing plies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip Alexander, David R. Lyders
  • Access monitoring and control system and method
    Patent number: 8009041
    Abstract: An access monitoring and control system is provided. The access monitoring and control system includes a sensing device configured to collect data points regarding at least one of movement of a person through an access portal and a state of the access portal and a processing unit configured to receive the data points from the sensing device and to form activity clusters from the data points based upon similar patterns of inactive or active behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc.
    Inventor: Catherine Mary Graichen
  • Managing an encoder malfunction in an elevator drive system
    Patent number: 8006808
    Abstract: An encoder failure in an elevator drive system is detected and managed. A velocity of the elevator drive system is provided by an encoder signal (60) and compared with a minimum velocity threshold (62). An encoder fault timer is incremented when the velocity is less than the minimum velocity threshold (64). The elevator drive system is disabled when the encoder fault timer reaches a fault threshold time (66).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Edward D. Piedra, Jeffrey M. Izard, Ismail Agirman
  • Metering pump power source
    Patent number: 8008806
    Abstract: A power supply system includes an energy generator and an energy storage system, each electrically connected to a power bus. The power bus provides electrical power to a load. The energy generator includes a wind turbine and a solar panel. The energy storage system includes a storage device and a regulator. The regulator is configured to transfer energy from the power bus to the storage device when the power bus exceeds a maximum voltage and to transfer energy from the storage device to the power bus when the power bus drops below a minimum voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Milton Roy Company
    Inventor: Thomas Day
  • Airless spray pump
    Patent number: RE42706
    Abstract: An airless spray pump is provided with a single-acting piston pump which allows the use of a low-cost yoke drive. Motor and pump shaft are offset for most efficient force utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: Glen W. Davidson, Alexander L. Kapelevich