Patents Assigned to Engineering
  • Publication number: 20170153155
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting dynamic strain of a housing. The system includes an optical fiber linearly affixed along a surface of a length of the housing and an interrogator comprising a laser source and a photodetector. The optical fiber comprises at least one pair of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) tuned to reflect substantially identical wavelengths with a segment of the optical fiber extending between the FBGs. The segment of the optical fiber is linearly affixed along the surface of the housing. The interrogator is configured to perform interferometry by shining laser light along the optical fiber and detecting light reflected by the FBGs. The interrogator outputs dynamic strain measurements based on interferometry performed on the reflected light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: Hifi Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: John Hull, Seyed Ehsan Jalilian
  • Publication number: 20170153154
    Abstract: A device and system for detecting dynamic strain. The device comprises a longitudinally extending carrier and an optical fiber embedded along an outer surface of a length of the carrier. The optical fiber comprises at least one pair of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) tuned to reflect substantially identical wavelengths. The system comprises the device and an interrogator comprising a laser source and a photodetector. The interrogator is configured to perform interferometry by shining laser light along the optical fiber and detecting light reflected by the FBGs. The interrogator outputs dynamic strain measurements based on interferometry performed on the reflected light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: Hifi Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: John Hull, Seyed Ehsan Jalilian
  • Publication number: 20170152812
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for a fuel bowl to supply liquid fuel to a carburetor. The fuel bowl comprises a float chamber and a fuel inlet cavity which receives a fuel delivery insert. The fuel delivery insert receives a fuel inlet valve and comprises passages to direct incoming fuel to a bottom portion of the float chamber. A float comprises an elongate member rotatably hinged within a float cavity of the fuel delivery insert, such that the float rises according to a quantity of fuel within the float chamber. The fuel inlet valve supplies liquid fuel to the float chamber by way of the passages according to the operation of the float within the float chamber. A ventilation chamber allows air and fuel vapors to exit as liquid fuel enters the float chamber while preventing liquid fuel from entering into the carburetor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John Kyle
  • Patent number: 9666364
    Abstract: A winding apparatus includes a nozzle that is adapted to rotate about a core along a locus that is inclined relative to a center line of the core, wire material winding members that are adapted to guide a wire material wound via the nozzle to the core, and a core rotating mechanism that is adapted to rotate the core relative to the wire material winding members. The wire material winding members are disposed on either side of the core so as to sandwich a plane that includes both a rotary center of the nozzle and the center line of the core, whereby the wire material winding members extend in a tangential direction to the core such that respective tip ends thereof are oriented in a rotation direction of the core. The wire material is successively wound diagonally around the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: NITTOKU ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Muto
  • Patent number: 9663780
    Abstract: A solid-core ring-magnet having one or more cavities is provided. The magnet can have an overall cylindrical shape or a rectangular-prism shape. In either case, a portion of cavity walls of the magnet are ring shaped, causing the magnetic field lines to emanate from the magnet in the shape of a ring. The diameter of the ring shaped cavities can be constant throughout, constant through a portion of the cavity, variant throughout, or variant through a portion of the cavity. The cavities open to the end of the magnet, and terminate toward the core of the magnet. Also provided are systems and kits having solid-core ring-magnets. Methods of purifying a macromolecule using the solid-core ring-magnets are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ALPAQUA ENGINEERING, LLC
    Inventor: Olaf Stelling
  • Patent number: 9663727
    Abstract: A multipurpose chemical additives (MPC) is disclosed to mitigate fouling in hydrocarbon refinery processes, such as in a heat exchanger. A method for reducing fouling of a hydrocarbon is also disclosed that includes (i) providing a crude hydrocarbon for a refining process; and (ii) adding an additive to the crude hydrocarbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Man Kit Ng, Mohsen S Yeganeh, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Glen Barry Brons, Hong Cheng, Geoffrey Marshall Keiser, Donna J. Crowther, Patrick Brant, David T. Ferrughelli, Clarence Chase, Emmanuel Ulysse, Edward Andrew Lemon
  • Patent number: 9665793
    Abstract: A method for contactless measurements of a vehicle wheel assembly by acquiring a sequence of images as the vehicle wheel assembly moves within a projected pattern of light. Images of the vehicle wheel assembly are acquired and processed to identify the portions of the images corresponding to the wheel assembly, such as by recognition of the wheel rim edge. The identified portion of each image is cropped and a resulting point cloud of data rotational aligned by an optimization procedure to remove the effect of wheel translation and rotation between each image, as well as to identify a center of rotation and amount of rotation for each image which yields a best-fit result. Superimposing the resulting point clouds produces a generated image with a high density of data points on the optimally fit surfaces of the wheel assembly, which can be used to further refine the axis of rotation determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Dorrance, Mark S. Shylanski
  • Patent number: 9664832
    Abstract: A high-chroma omnidirectional red structural color pigment. The omnidirectional structural color pigment is in the form of a multilayer stack that has a reflective core layer, a semiconductor absorber layer extending across the reflective core layer, a dielectric absorber layer extending across the semiconductor absorber layer and a high index of refraction dielectric layer extending across the dielectric absorber layer. The multilayer stack reflects a single band of visible light with a hue between 0-40°, and preferably between 10-30°, on an a*b* Lab color map. The single band of visible light has a hue shift of less than 30° on the a*b* Lab color map when viewed from all angles between 0-45° normal to an outer surface of the multilayer stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Debasish Banerjee
  • Patent number: 9662871
    Abstract: An automatic applicator of a sticky back material to a printing sleeve is disclosed. The applicator includes a controller that is programmable with data relating to the size and desired positioning of the sticky back material to the sleeve. The sticky back material is secured to a transport system and cut to the desired size by a cutter, creating a sheet. The sheet is then transported between a pressure roller and the sleeve. The pressure roller applies pressure to the sticky back sheet, applying the sheet to the sleeve. A mandrel grips and rotates the sleeve to apply the sticky back sheet around an exterior surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Leader Engineering-Fabrication, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles B. Leader, Michael J. Manzella, Rusty L. Schaffner
  • Patent number: 9664624
    Abstract: A device for testing an application state of a plurality of strips of fiber reinforced plastic tape affixed in rows on a surface of a structure, the device includes an illumination component emits observation-use illuminating light beams toward a test region of the fiber reinforced plastic tape, an observation component observes reflected light from the test region, and a testing component tests the application state of the fiber reinforced plastic tape based on an image observed by the observation component. The illumination component includes a plurality of irradiation units that light simultaneously and are disposed such that a pair of the observation-use illuminating light beams are emitted from directions that are mutually symmetrical with respect to a normal line of the test region, and an illumination direction change component that changes the directions of the pair of observation-use illuminating light beams emitted from the illumination component about the normal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Sasamoto, Hisashi Kobayashi, Yoshio Nogami
  • Patent number: 9663623
    Abstract: An asphalt damping sheet, which comprises the following components in indicated amounts based on the total mass of the asphalt damping sheet: a paint slag-containing waste limestone powder 20-50 parts; soft pitch 1-5 parts; hard pitch 11-15 parts; a non-metallic mineral 29-59 parts; PET short fiber 0.1-1.5 parts; and said non-metallic mineral is selected from the group consisting of quartz sand, pottery clay and mica powder. The technical process in the invention uses the paint slag-containing waste limestone powder generated in dry separation process of overspray adopted by vehicle manufacturer paint shops as filler in the asphalt damping sheets, such asphalt damping sheets can be used in the field of machine manufacturing such as automobiles and ships, and also can be used in the field of building waterproof materials, and the goal of resource recycling is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SHANGHAI YIKE GREEN ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaolei Wang
  • Patent number: 9664037
    Abstract: An assembly for receiving telemetry signals from downhole equipment is located at a top end of a drill string above a drill rig floor. The assembly may be configured to receive multiple types of telemetry signals, for example, two or more of electromagnetic telemetry, mud pulse telemetry and drill string acoustic telemetry signals. The assembly may comprise a cap comprising a coupling and an end separated by an electrically insulating gap region. The end of the cap may be connected to a grounding system for the drill rig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Evolution Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron W. Logan, Daniel W. Ahmoye, David A. Switzer, Jili Jerry Liu
  • Patent number: 9665693
    Abstract: Methods for generating molecular formula distributions beyond a predetermined threshold for a petroleum stream are disclosed. An initial molecular formula distribution within a predetermined threshold is obtained for a petroleum stream. A correlation between two or more molecular properties of the initial molecular formula distribution is identified, and the initial molecular formula distribution is extrapolated beyond the predetermined threshold along the correlation. The extrapolated molecular formula is renormalized based on renormalization data obtained from the sample. The renormalized molecular formula distribution can then be blended with the initial molecular formula distribution, reconciled to secondary analytical measurements, and/or used to create a model of composition and/or a molecular composition-based model of a resid upgrading process. Systems for implementing the methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Roland B. Saeger, Kaiyuan He
  • Patent number: 9663589
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for providing a biopolymer from a biomass or source of chitin using ionic liquids. The processes involve contacting a biomass or source of chitin with an ionic liquid to produce a biopolymer comprising solution and precipitating the biopolymer from the solution with supercritical CO2, gaseous CO2, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama, The Intellectual Property Office of Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Robin D. Rogers, Patrick S. Barber, Chris S. Griggs, Gabriela Gurau, Xingmei Lu, Suojiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9668301
    Abstract: Provided is a wet-use plane heater using a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) constant heater-ink polymer, wherein the wet-use plane heater has unique characteristics in that it may not only be safe from the damage to the heater and the risk of fire due to self-temperature control characteristics, but a plane heater, which has been mainly installed in dry-use applications due to limitations of leakage current and induced current caused by an increase in contact area with an installation floor, may also be used for wet installation which uses a mortar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: NDT ENGINEERING & AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ki Hyun Lim, Chi Woo Noh
  • Patent number: 9664038
    Abstract: Methods, techniques, and systems for transmitting a data frame of an electromagnetic (EM) telemetry signal to or from a downhole location can be performed using multi-channel transmissions in which at least two different channels at two different frequencies are used to send a long header and the data frame. At least a portion of the long header is transmitted at a first frequency, and at least a portion of the data frame and any remaining portion of the long header not transmitted at the first frequency are transmitted at one or more additional frequencies different from each other and the first frequency. In one example, only two channels are used: one channel is used to transmit all of the long header, another channel is used to transmit all of the data frame, and either of the channels is used to transmit an identifier identifying the type of the data frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: EVOLUTION ENGINEERING INC.
    Inventors: David A. Switzer, Jili Liu, Mingdong Xu, Aaron W. Logan
  • Patent number: 9662945
    Abstract: A robotic tire changing machine having a processing system is configured with software instructions to carry out the procedures for tire mounting and demounting, and with software instructions to detect and respond to abnormal operating conditions during a tire mounting or demounting procedure. A specific response to the detection of an abnormal operating condition by the processing system is guided by the software instructions and is associated with the particular state in which the tire changing machine is in and/or the current step of an ongoing tire mounting or demounting procedure. The specific responses may include, but are not limited to, providing a prompt or instruction to an operator, providing a warning to an operator, carrying out one or more additional procedural steps, suspending operations to await an operator action, or limiting movement of articulated components during the tire mounting or demounting procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
    Inventors: Steve Molbach, Joel A. Clasquin, Jeffrey P. Talbott
  • Patent number: 9666344
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet system for head imaging is disclosed which includes a cryocooler, a high-pressure helium container, a self-excitation heat pipe and a superconducting magnet. A second stage coldhead of the cryocooler is connected to the high-pressure helium container for converting the helium gas in the high-pressure helium container into liquid helium. The self-excitation heat pipe forms a closed cooling loop, and liquid helium in the high-pressure helium container flows circularly in the self-excitation heat pipe. The self-excitation heat pipe cools the superconducting magnet, wherein part of the liquid helium in the self-excitation heat pipe is converted into the helium gas due to the heat disturbance generated by the superconducting magnet, and the helium gas interacts with the liquid helium to generate liquid helium vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Qiuliang Wang, Xinning Hu, Zhipeng Ni, Lankai Li, Luguang Yan, Yi Li, Yinming Dai
  • Patent number: 9663728
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the processing of hydrocarbon-containing feedstreams in the presence of an interstitial metal hydride comprised of at least one chemical element selected from Groups 3-11 (including the lanthanides, atomic numbers 58 to 71), and at least one chemical element selected from Groups 13-15 from the IUPAC Periodic Table of Elements. These interstitial metal hydrides, their catalysts and processes using these interstitial metal hydrides and catalysts of the present invention improve overall hydrogenation, product conversion, as well as sulfur reduction in hydrocarbon feedstreams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBILE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Pallassana S. Venkataraman, Gordon F. Stuntz, Jonathan Martin McConnachie, Faiz Pourarian
  • Patent number: 9663079
    Abstract: Systems for controlling trailer brake output circuits and systems for monitoring manual trailer brake activation slider circuits are provided. A system for controlling a trailer brake output circuit includes a trailer brake output circuit and a manual trailer brake activation slider circuit. The manual trailer brake activation slider circuit includes at least one potentiometer that outputs a potentiometer output signal having a voltage that ranges between a minimum output voltage and a maximum output voltage. The system compares the voltage of the potentiometer output signal to a threshold voltage that is greater than the minimum output voltage of the potentiometer output signal and less than the maximum output voltage of the potentiometer output signal, and controls the trailer brake output circuit based on the comparison of the voltage of the potentiometer output signal to the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Hidehiro Yamamoto