Patents Assigned to Horiba Instruments Incorporated
  • Patent number: 10571334
    Abstract: An optical system includes a spectrograph having a concave diffraction grating and a detector. An aperture is selectively positioned by an associated actuator or positioning mechanism either into, or out of, an optical path of the input light beam downstream of a sample and prior to entering the spectrograph. A slit plate having a plurality of different size entrance slits is positioned downstream of the aperture and movable by an associated actuator or positioning mechanism to position one of the plurality of entrance slits in the optical path of the input light beam. A controller coupled to the detector and the actuators is configured to control the actuators to selectively position the aperture and the slit plate to provide a selectable resolution of the spectrograph. The aperture setting and slit plate setting may be determined from a lookup table in response to a request for finer or coarser spectral resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Harry Jerome Oana, Xiaomei Tong, Ronald Joseph Kovach
  • Patent number: 10520395
    Abstract: A dynamometer system includes a prime mover dynamometer and a gearbox. The prime mover dynamometer includes a primary output configured to be coupled to a drivetrain that represents a portion of a vehicle powertrain, a secondary output having a fixed speed relationship with the primary output, and a controller. The gearbox is coupled to the secondary output and configured to be coupled to an electric motor. The controller alters a speed and torque of the outputs based on a calculated speed and torque associated with a simulated internal combustion engine that represents another portion of the vehicle powertrain to impart speed oscillations into the electric motor and to impart torque oscillations into the drivetrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Norman Malcolm Newberger
  • Patent number: 10514331
    Abstract: The system includes an adjustable light source constructed to direct a beam of electromagnetic radiation at a specimen chamber that allows a portion of the beam to scatter when illuminating particles within the chamber. The scattered portion of the beam is directed to a sensor, the sensor having a frame rate and a time period between frames. The system may have a processor connected to the sensor and light source, the processor may perform the following steps: activate the light source and obtain images from sensor; if the images from the sensor show that particles are blinking then reduce the frame rate, set the exposure time to at least 60% of the time between frames and reduce the illumination. Then, the processor obtains additional images and processes those images to mitigate blurring. The processor determines the Brownian motion of the particles from the processed images and determines the sizes of the particles based on the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Jan J. Tatarkiewicz
  • Patent number: 10416060
    Abstract: A system for calculating the volume of a plurality of particles is disclosed. The system includes three optical assemblies, each with a light source directing a beam of light of a wavelength along an optical axis at a specimen chamber, a filter positioned along the optical path after the chamber, and a sensor positioned along the optical path after the filter. The wavelength of each beam of light is different from the other wavelengths, and each optical axis is orthogonal to the other optical axes. A processor is connected to the sensors in each of the optical assemblies, and the processors perform the following steps: (a) capture an image from each of the three sensors; (b) based on the images, calibrate each sensor; (c) after calibration, capture an image from each of the three sensors; and (d) determine a volume of the plurality of particles, based on the images captured in step (c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jan J. Tatarkiewicz, Miroslav Pejcinovic
  • Patent number: 10386232
    Abstract: An optical instrument for spectroscopy applications includes a compact arrangement having a three-dimensional folded optical path. A plate configured as an optical reference plane is secured to a housing and is configured to secure optical components above or below the plate. A modular light source module may be secured within the housing without fasteners. A monochromator and spectrometer are secured below the plate. Mirrors disposed above the plate are configured to direct light from the monochromator passing through a first opening in the plate through a sample disposed above the plate, and to direct light from the sample through a second opening in the plate to the spectrometer. A controller is configured for communication with the monochromator and the spectrometer. The controller may control an entrance slit actuator for the spectrometer and positioning of an aperture upstream of the spectrometer to adjust resolution and throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Horiba Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald Joseph Kovach, Salvatore Hauptmann Atzeni
  • Patent number: 10184892
    Abstract: A monitoring system configured to receive an on-line sample associated with a process includes a sample chamber positioned to receive the on-line sample and a detector positioned to selectively receive and detect multiple wavelengths of light transmitted through the sample during an absorbance measurement, and emitted by the sample during a fluorescence measurement in response to illumination by each of the at least one excitation wavelength. An optical fiber couples light transmitted through the sample and directs the transmitted light to the multi-channel detector during the absorbance measurement. Optics direct light emitted by the sample during the fluorescence measurement to the detector without passing through any optical fiber. A computer in communication with the detector is configured to correct the fluorescence measurement using the absorbance measurement and determine a sample parameter based on the fluorescence and absorbance measurements of the on-line sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, HORIBA ADVANCED TECH CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Adam Matthew Gilmore, Kiichiro Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10168310
    Abstract: A system or method for analyzing a sample include an input light source, an excitation light source positioned to receive light from the input light source and to sequentially illuminate the sample with each of a plurality of wavelengths, a fluorescence detector positioned to receive and substantially simultaneously detect multiple wavelengths of light emitted by the sample for each of the plurality of excitation wavelengths, an absorption detector positioned to receive and detect light passing through the sample, and a computer in communication with the excitation light source, the fluorescence detector, and the absorption detector, the computer controlling the excitation light source to sequentially illuminate the sample with each of the plurality of wavelengths while measuring absorption and fluorescence of the sample based on signals received from the fluorescence and absorption detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Adam Matthew Gilmore, Xiaomei May Tong
  • Patent number: 9989556
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include systems and devices useful for surface chemical analysis of solid samples by Tip Enhanced Raman Spectrometry (“TERS”), and particularly it relates to devices useful for chemical analysis of molecular compounds located either on or within thin surface layer of solid samples. Even more particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to systems, and devices for non-destructive analysis combining both high sensitivity and high spatial resolution of analysis of chemical compounds located or distributed on the surface of solid samples with obtaining important information regarding vibration spectra of atoms and molecular groups contained in a thin surface layer of solid samples. These objectives are realized by implementation of computer-assisted systems that use sensors to carefully regulate the motion of, and force applied to, probes of atomic force microscopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sergey A. Saunin, Andrey V. Krayev, Vladimir V. Zhishimontov, Vasily V. Gavrilyuk, Leonid N. Grigorov, Alexey V. Belyaev, Dmitry A. Evplov
  • Patent number: 9670072
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining a water treatment parameter includes receiving, by a computer, measurements of a fluorescence emission spectrum of a water sample including a first peak emission wavelength and at least a second peak emission wavelength, emitted in response to an excitation wavelength, receiving, by the computer, an absorbance measurement obtained at the excitation wavelength of the water sample, determining, using the computer, a ratio of the measurements at either the second peak emission wavelength, or a sum of measurements at a plurality of peak emission wavelengths including at least the first peak emission wavelength and the second peak emission wavelength, to the first peak emission wavelength, and calculating, using the computer, a value for the water treatment parameter based on a combination of at least the ratio and the absorbance measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignees: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, HORIBA ADVANCED TECHNO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Adam Matthew Gilmore
  • Publication number: 20170010153
    Abstract: A system and method for spectroscopic mapping, with configurable spatial resolution, of an object include a fiber optic bundle having a plurality of optical fibers arranged in a first array at an input end with each of the plurality of optical fibers spaced one from another and arranged in at least one linear array at an output end. A first mask defining a plurality of apertures equal to or greater in number than the plurality of optical fibers is positioned between an object to be imaged and the input end of the fiber optic bundle. An imaging spectrometer is positioned to receive light from the output end of the fiber optic bundle and to generate spectra of the object. A sensor associated with the imaging spectrometer converts the spectra to electrical output signals for processing by an associated computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Nicolas VEZARD, Beth FINAMORE, Jeremy GOLDSTONE, Gregoire VERRIER
  • Patent number: 9207653
    Abstract: A control system includes a controller. The controller repeatedly excites a control loop characterized by parameters having randomly selected values for each excitation and scores a response of the control loop to each excitation relative to a target signal until the scores no longer achieve a value less than a minimum of the scores for a predefined number of excitations occurring after the excitation yielding the minimum of the scores to auto-tune the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Horiba Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald Bryce Johnson, Norman Malcolm Newberger
  • Patent number: 9188517
    Abstract: A system of sampling a fluid comprises a fluid separator having a central axis. The fluid separator includes an insulating sleeve. In addition the fluid separator includes a separator assembly coaxially disposed within the sleeve. Further, the fluid separator includes an annulus radially disposed between the sleeve and the separator assembly. The separator assembly includes a conduit, a support rod coaxially disposed within the conduit, and a plurality of separator members coupled to the support rod within the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Stevie Horton Smith
  • Patent number: 9106172
    Abstract: A test automation system may specify a temperature setpoint for an electric machine system and generate a command for the electric machine system to output a torque in such a manner that a temperature of the electric machine system varies within a predefined range of the temperature setpoint for at least a predefined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Dmitry Frankstein
  • Patent number: 9086333
    Abstract: The present invention is able to perform an examination of a motor mounted on EV or HEV (HV) as well as charge and discharge of a battery mounted on EV or HEV (HV), by a single system. The system includes a dynamometer coupled to an output shaft of a motor, a power supply unit for supplying power to the motor or the dynamometer, a motor examination circuit for supplying the power of the power supply unit to the dynamometer and the motor, a battery charge and discharge circuit connected with a battery, for supplying the power of the power supply unit to the battery or discharging the power of the battery, and a circuit switching mechanism for switching between the motor examination circuit and the battery charge and discharge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Rumer, Steve Witter, Masahiro Yao, Kazuhisa Sasahara, Mineyuki Komada
  • Patent number: 8901513
    Abstract: A system or method for analyzing a sample include an input light source, a double subtractive monochromator positioned to receive light from the input light source and to sequentially illuminate the sample with each of a plurality of wavelengths, a multi-channel fluorescence detector positioned to receive and substantially simultaneously detect multiple wavelengths of light emitted by the sample for each of the plurality of excitation wavelengths, an absorption detector positioned to receive and detect light passing through the sample, and a computer in communication with the monochromator, the fluorescence detector, and the absorption detector, the computer controlling the monochromator to sequentially illuminate the sample with each of the plurality of wavelengths while measuring absorption and fluorescence of the sample based on signals received from the fluorescence and absorption detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Horiba Instruments, Incorporated
    Inventors: Adam M. Gilmore, Xiaomei Tong
  • Publication number: 20140081426
    Abstract: A control system includes a controller. The controller repeatedly excites a control loop characterized by parameters having randomly selected values for each excitation and scores a response of the control loop to each excitation relative to a target signal until the scores no longer achieve a value less than a minimum of the scores for a predefined number of excitations occurring after the excitation yielding the minimum of the scores to auto-tune the control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Donald Bryce Johnson, Norman Malcolm Newberger
  • Publication number: 20120323417
    Abstract: The present invention is able to perform an examination of a motor mounted on EV or HEV (HV) as well as charge and discharge of a battery mounted on EV or HEV (HV), by a single system. The system includes a dynamometer coupled to an output shaft of a motor, a power supply unit for supplying power to the motor or the dynamometer, a motor examination circuit for supplying the power of the power supply unit to the dynamometer and the motor, a battery charge and discharge circuit connected with a battery, for supplying the power of the power supply unit to the battery or discharging the power of the battery, and a circuit switching mechanism for switching between the motor examination circuit and the battery charge and discharge circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicants: HORIBA, Ltd., HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Rumer, Steve Witter, Masahiro Yao, Kazuhisa Sasahara, Mineyuki Komada
  • Publication number: 20120304737
    Abstract: An emission test system may include at least one controller configured to determine, directly or indirectly, a quantity of diluted exhaust sample in a container at the completion of an emissions test, and to cause additional diluent gas to be added to the container based on the determined quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mark Guenther, Dan Carpenter, Jarret Zablocki, Fredric Schmidt, Richard Thomas Rooney, Timothy Alfred Nevius, Scott Thomas Porter, Leslie Hill
  • Patent number: 7788985
    Abstract: A rotational testing system for a test article includes a rotational test stand. The rotational test stand includes a rotating element having a drive end capable of being mechanically coupled with the test article. The rotational testing system also includes a non-isolating torsional damper attached to the rotating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Horiba Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald Bryce Johnson, Norman Malcolm Newberger, Isaac Cohen Anselmo
  • Patent number: 7395725
    Abstract: There is provided a sample treatment apparatus which can, continuously and stably for a long time, treat a sample containing an easily precipitating substance such as sulfur and a measuring apparatus providing it. The sample treatment apparatus includes: a path for introducing a fluid for an aspirator, at least two sample flow paths A connected in one side to the path for introducing a fluid for an aspirator and connected in the other side to a sample collecting part, a sample flow path B connected in one side to one sample flow path A passing a fluid for an aspirator and connected in the other side to the other sample flow path A, a cooling part for cooling a part of the sample flow paths A, and a controller for selecting and switching the sample flow paths A into which a fluid for an aspirator is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignees: Horiba, Ltd., Horiba Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Naohito Shimizu, Masahiko Endo, Minoru Ikawa, Poliang Chien, James E. Downey