Patents Assigned to Bonneville Scientific Incorporated
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Patent number: 5726520Abstract: A positive-drive field actuator motor including a stator carrying at least one field actuator which changes in dimension responsive to application of an energy field, and at least one drive shoe movable by the dimensional changes of the field actuator to contact and move a rotor element with respect to the stator. Various embodiments of the motor are disclosed, and the rotor element may be moved linearly or arcuately.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: Bonneville Scientific IncorporatedInventor: Allen R. Grahn
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Patent number: 5604314Abstract: A triaxial force sensor using a hemispherical target supported by a compliant element such as a spring or an elastomer supported by a rigid support member. The sensor includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers disposed in a plane at equal intervals about the target and vertically and laterally offset from the target. The transducers are oriented at an oblique angle to the plane, and aimed at the target in its rest position. The target is displaced by sufficient force applied to elastically deform the compliant element, which displacement alters the transit times of ultrasonic signals from the transducers which are reflected from the target. If at least three sensor units are employed non-colinearly, the six force-torque components, F.sub.x, F.sub.y, F.sub.z, M.sub.x, M.sub.y, M.sub.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1995Date of Patent: February 18, 1997Assignee: Bonneville Scientific IncorporatedInventor: Allen R. Grahn
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Patent number: 5553500Abstract: A triaxial force sensor using a hemispherical target embedded in a compliant layer such as an elastomer and having a plurality of ultrasonic transducers disposed in a plane at equal intervals about the target and vertically and laterally offset from the target. The transducers are oriented at an oblique angle to the plane, and aimed at the target in its rest position. The target is displaced by sufficient force applied to the surface of the compliant layer, which displacement alters the transit times of ultrasonic signals from the transducers which are reflected from the target. If at least three sensor units are employed non-colinearly, the six force-torque components, F.sub.x, F.sub.y, F.sub.z, M.sub.x, M.sub.y, M.sub.z, can be determined from the pulse transit times, the speed-of-sound in the compliant layer, the compressibility of the compliant layer, and the known geometry and spacing of the sensor units.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1994Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Bonneville Scientific IncorporatedInventors: Allen R. Grahn, Josephine M. Grahn
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Patent number: 5432395Abstract: A high-torque, low speed, positive-drive field actuator motor including a stator carrying at least one field actuator which changes in dimension responsive to application of an energy field, and at least one drive shoe movable by the dimensional changes of the field actuator to contact and move a rotor element with respect to the stator. Various embodiments of the motor are disclosed, and the rotor element may be moved linearly or arcuately.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1993Date of Patent: July 11, 1995Assignee: Bonneville Scientific IncorporatedInventor: Allen R. Grahn
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Patent number: RE37065Abstract: A triaxial force sensor using a hemispherical target supported by a compliant element such as a spring or an elastomer supported by a rigid support member. The sensor includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers disposed in a plane at equal intervals about the target and vertically and laterally offset from the target. The transducers are oriented at an oblique angle to the plane, and aimed at the target in its rest position. The target is displaced by sufficient force applied to elastically deform the compliant element, which displacement alters the transit times of ultrasonic signals from the transducers which are reflected from the target. If at least three sensor units are employed non-colinearly, the six force-torque components, Fx, Fy, Fz, Mx, My, Mz, can be determined from the pulse transit times, the speed-of-sound in the medium or media between the transducers and the target, the deformation response of the compliant element, and the known geometry and spacing of the transducers.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1999Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Bonneville Scientific IncorporatedInventor: Allen R. Grahn