Patents Assigned to Smiths Industries
  • Compressible filter element peripherally sealed by a settable material
    Patent number: 5723047
    Abstract: A filter has a series of porous, compressible filter elements sealed at their outer edge by a collar of silicone rubber that is flowed into the filter elements. The collar seals with an annular recess around the inside of a filter housing so that flow through the housing is confined to the filter elements without any compression of them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Co.
    Inventor: Christopher Stratton Turnbull
  • Fluid quantity gauging systems
    Patent number: 5670710
    Abstract: An ultrasonic fuel gauging system has several ultrasonic transducers mounted on the bottom of a tank, the transducers being unconstrained by any tube or still well so that they each propagate diverging energy upwardly to the fuel surface. Each transducer receives a reflection of its own propagated energy from a region of the fuel surface directly above and also receives energy from others of the transducers reflected from regions of the fuel surface between those directly above the transducers. Using three transducers, the heights of six different regions of the fuel surface can be computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries PLC
    Inventor: Harry Atkinson
  • Combined lamp and fan assembly
    Patent number: 5664872
    Abstract: A combined lamp and fan assembly has a housing with a central enclosure within which a low-voltage lamp is mounted. Air flow passages extend along the housing around the outside of the enclosure. The passages are open at their lower end and communicate at their upper end with a low-voltage fan removably secured to the upper end of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries PLC
    Inventors: Robert Don Aldo Spearman, Alasdair Buchanan Howie, David Vincent
  • Plasma display Panel with field emitters
    Patent number: 5663611
    Abstract: A multi-color display has a matrix of cells containing an ionizable gas and fluorescent layers (18) that fluoresce with different colors. The display has rows of cathodes (21) and anodes (20) one of each of which is exposed within each cell so that individual cells can be energized. Each cathode (21) has at least one field-emitter (23) which may be either an uncoated cone, a cone coated with a material with a negative electron affinity, such as a diamond film (27), or formed with a negative electron affinity material, such as diamond. Cells may include an aluminum layer (17) and a dielectric layer (16) for reflecting UV and VUV radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Peter Seats, Neil Anthony Fox
  • Introducers
    Patent number: 5655528
    Abstract: An introducer along which a laryngeal mask airway can be slid into position has an open, curved channel portion shaped to extend, in use, from a mouth of a patient to the region of the patient's pharynx. At its machine end, the introducer is bifurcated into two arms extending along opposite sides of the airway, the thickness of the arms being sufficient to protect the airway from damage by the patient's teeth. The arms are curved in an opposite sense from the curvature of the channel portion so that they extend over the upper lip of the patient. A curved bridge piece extends between the two arms and lies against the skin between the patient's nose and mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Eric Pagan
  • Locking safety needle protection system
    Patent number: 5649622
    Abstract: A needle protection safety package, instead of being enclosed in a pouch or other containment wrappings, has fitted thereto at respective ends thereof caps or sheaths so that both the needle and the end to which a syringe is adapted to mate remain enclosed and sterile. Such an arrangement enables easy transport of the safety needle package and provides convenience for the user at the same time. The safety package is further designed to prevent burring of the tip of the needle as the cap or sheath is removed from the needle portion of the package. The safety device of the safety package incorporates a locking mechanism which prevents contact between the needle and the housing as the housing is pivoted to envelop the needle after use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Hollister
  • Heat and moisture exchangers
    Patent number: 5647344
    Abstract: An HME has an exchange element comprising a bundle of hollow fibers parallel to the direction of gas flow through the HME. The fibers are of a polymeric material, such as a sulphone, and are treated with a hygroscopic material. The bundle of fibers is held together by an outer sleeve and a porous cap at each end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries PLC
    Inventor: Christopher Stratton Turnbull
  • Safety improved fire equipment access panel
    Patent number: 5638906
    Abstract: A cabinet structure for a fire extinguisher has a glass door mounted in a frame. The glass is tempered glass, which shatters easily into small pieces upon cracking a portion thereof. A steel breaking lever is attached to an edge of the glass. When the breaking lever is rotated, it causes the glass to shatter into small, harmless pieces as a result of the inherent nature of built-in stresses in tempered glass, thus allowing access to the interior of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Potter-Roemer a division of Smith Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Lance C. McCabe
  • Coated medico-surgical devices
    Patent number: 5638812
    Abstract: A tracheal tube or other medico-surgical device has a surface coating containing lysozyme enzyme, which is effective to reduce the build-up of bacteria on the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries PLC
    Inventor: Mark William Turner
  • Electrical systems and connectors
    Patent number: 5637933
    Abstract: An electrical system for controlling the supply of power to several items of electrical equipment via a power bus, an interface bus and respective connector assemblies. Each connector assembly has a connector containing a power switch connected to a monitor and an interface unit, which controls operation of the switch. The interface unit also receives configuration data about the power requirements of the respective item of equipment from a configurations code device in a mating connector on the equipment. The interface unit supplies signals to a control unit via the interface bus and receives signals from the control unit to control switching of the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries plc
    Inventors: Keith C. Rawlings, Paul Thomas
  • System for automatic real-time calibration of remotely-located capacitive-type fuel quantity measurement probes
    Patent number: 5627304
    Abstract: A system including a method and means for trimming capacitive-type remotely-located fuel probes that eliminates the previously-used variable trim capacitor and substitutes a rugged, inexpensive, standard-value signature resistor connected between the AC input and ground to provide "calibration offset" data needed by the fuel measurement electronics to make a determination of actual probe capacitance. The system may be applied to any such probe having a blocking capacitor in series with the probe capacitor, which blocking capacitor insures accurate measurement of the signature resistor when the leakage resistance is significant. When applied to DC or AC FHC probes, the C.sub.fhc capacitor is replaced with a non-critical DC-blocking capacitor, that is typically at least 100 times greater in capacitance value than the C.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries
    Inventors: Neil R. Jacob, Joe K. Winner, Douglas C. Smythe
  • Patient support systems
    Patent number: 5621932
    Abstract: A patient support system comprises an operating table, a patient transporter and a table top that can be moved from the transporter to the pedestal of the table. A platform at the top of the pedestal has a lateral hinge and two hydraulically-operated locks located at the hinge, which engage with the table top. The table top carries four secondary locks that are operated by actuators in the platform to cause the locks to engage or disengage the transporter. Lock sensors cause the platform to move when they detect incomplete engagement of the locks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited
    Inventor: Julie Strachan
  • Safety needle cartridge system
    Patent number: 5615771
    Abstract: A needle protection safety package, instead of being enclosed in a pouch or other containment wrappings, has fitted thereto at respective ends thereof caps or sheaths so that both the needle and the end to which a syringe is adapted to mate remain enclosed and sterile. Such an arrangement enables easy transport of the safety needle package and provides convenience for the user at the same time. The safety package is further designed to prevent burring of the tip of the needle as the cap or sheath is removed from the needle portion of the package. A further embodiment of the safety package incorporates a locking mechanism which prevents contact between the needle and the housing as the housing is pivoted to envelop the needle after use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Hollister
  • Power supply systems
    Patent number: 5606245
    Abstract: A power supply system has two power supply generators connected to respective power buses, to which various loads are connected via relays. A monitor unit has a store with information about the thermo-electric performance of the generators and information relating the power drawn from the generator to the time for which that power can be drawn safely. The monitor monitors the power drawn from each generator and the time for which it is drawn and disconnects a load when power is drawn at a level and for a time that exceeds a safety limit in the store. The monitor reconnects a load when the power drawn from the generator and its thermo-electric performance indicate that this can be done safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: James M. Kirby
  • Piston manometer with spring constant dependent upon position
    Patent number: 5606131
    Abstract: A manometer for use in a patient's breathing circuit, comprising a housing forming a bore and a slider movably mounted within the bore. The slider is movable between an at-rest position, an expanded pressure range, and a contracted pressure range. A spring is connected to the slider for urging the slider toward the at-rest position, while allowing movement of the slider in the two ranges due the pressure in the breathing circuit. The housing is connectable to the breathing circuit such that the gas pressure moves the slider from the at rest position and into at least the expanded pressure range. At relatively low pressures, the slider is moved into the expanded pressure range and at higher pressures, the slider is moved into the contracted pressure range against the force of the spring. The spring is formed by a relatively short tension spring and a relatively long tension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Pope
  • Electrical systems
    Patent number: 5604421
    Abstract: An electrical supply system with two power generators and several items of electrical equipment has a processor that controls disconnection of the equipment if demand should exceed supply. The processor has a hardware switch controlled by outputs from the generators. The processor runs two different programs at the same time but the switch supplies only one of these to the output. When equipment needs to be disconnected, the switch changes to supply the results of the other program to the output and this effects the disconnection. When sufficient supply is restored, the switch changes back to its original state to supply the results of the first program to the output of the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Michael P. Barnsley
  • Apparatus for measuring the level of a liquid in a tank
    Patent number: 5602333
    Abstract: A fuel gauging system for use in determining the level of fuel in a tank. The system incorporates a resonant circuit for measuring the resonant frequency of at least one probe immersed in the fuel located in the tank. From measurements of variations of the frequency of resonance, the level of liquid in the tank is determined, and the fuel quantity is then calculated and displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Smiths Industries
    Inventors: David A. Larrabee, John S. Wyler, Farid Ahmad
  • Trolleys
    Patent number: 5586349
    Abstract: A patient transfer trolley has a pivoted top mounted at the upper end of an hydraulic support column of adjustable height. Two hydraulic cylinders connected to one end of the table top are connected to respective hydraulic pumps mounted at opposite ends of the trolley base so that angle of the top can be altered and either end can be put into a Trendelenburg position. A third pump is connected to both the support column and the cylinders for adjusting the angle of the top. An overpressure valve diverts pressure from the third pump initially to the cylinders for adjusting the angle so that the top is returned to a horizontal position. The valve then opens to allow pressure to flow to the support column and raise the trolley top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Keith Hannant
  • Hydraulic systems
    Patent number: 5584224
    Abstract: An hydraulic lift system has an actuator connected to an hydraulic circuit, having a pump, via a supply line. A balanced seated valve is connected between the supply line and a reservoir, the valve being controlled by a solenoid and an electric drive unit. The drive unit supplies a gradually increasing or decreasing voltage to the solenoid to open or close the valve gradually. The valve has a valve member that is displaceable along its length and has a valve head of frusto-conical shape. A passage along the valve member balances fluid pressure across the valve member. The solenoid has an armature with a pole face that can be displaced towards a fixed pole face to unseat the valve member. The pole faces have complementary frusto-conical surfaces and there is a non-magnetic washer between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Anthony R. Davies, Stephen J. Downward, Michael J. Wallace
  • Power supply systems
    Patent number: 5583419
    Abstract: A power supply system for controlling supply of power to several inductive loads has a power monitor and a processor that determines when power consumed exceeds the capacity of the system. When overload is detected, hardware rapidly disconnects loads of low priority. A software register is loaded with software controlling staggered reconnection of the loads when power capacity becomes sufficient again. If capacity is sufficient, all the loads may be reconnected at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Jeremy P. Haller