Patents Assigned to Zephyrs
  • Publication number: 20140343448
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems are described for determining respiration through impedance measurements using only two electrodes. A drive signal may be applied to a person, using only two electrodes. Using the same electrodes, the fluctuations in the voltage of the drive signal are determined. The voltage fluctuations in the drive signal are the result of impedance variations in the person's thoracic cavity due to respiration. Therefore, the voltage fluctuations may be used to determine a respiration rate of the person. In doing so, the voltage fluctuations may be digitized using a sampling rate that is much less than the frequency of the applied drive signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Zephyr Technology Corporation
    Inventors: BRIAN KEITH RUSSELL, JONATHAN JAMES WOODWARD, AMIT KUMAR MUKHERJEE, DANIEL WAYNE BARTLETT, CHRIS SOLOMON
  • Publication number: 20140340219
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems are described for monitoring physiological parameters by using one or more sensors at a person. First and second physiological parameters of the person are monitored. A determination may be made, at the one or more sensors, that at least one of the first and second physiological parameters has crossed a threshold. An alert event may be generated at the one or more sensors, based on the crossed thresholds. The alert event may then be transmitted to a computing device that is separate from the one or more sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Zephyr Technology Corporation
    Inventors: BRIAN KEITH RUSSELL, JONATHAN JAMES WOODWARD, AMIT KUMAR MUKHERJEE, DANIEL WAYNE BARTLETT, BENJAMIN MORRIS
  • Patent number: 8875551
    Abstract: A combination lock is provided, the combination lock having a rotary latch configured for rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position, the rotary latch rotating in a first plane; and a bolt configured for movement between a first position and a second position along a second plane the second plane being oriented at a different location than the first plane, the bolt engaging the rotary latch in the first position such that rotation of the rotary latch from the locked position to the unlocked position is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Zephyr Lock, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick E. Wind, Kevin Houlihan, Douglas Greene
  • Publication number: 20140178189
    Abstract: A wind-powered turbine has a housing with an inlet and an outlet. Located in the housing is a cylindrical stator array having a plurality of spaced-apart stators located in it. An annular cylindrical rotor array having a plurality of cups rotates about a central axis, fits inside of the stator array. The stators are positioned to cause air which flows around the outer periphery of the stator array to impinge on the rotors and an air handling system causes air entering the housing to be distributed substantially around the periphery of the stator array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: ZEPHYR INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Joe C. Cassidy
  • Patent number: 8556571
    Abstract: A wind-powered turbine has a housing with an inlet and an outlet. Located in the housing is a cylindrical stator array having a plurality of spaced-apart stators located in it. An annular cylindrical rotor array having a plurality of cups rotates about a central axis, fits inside of the stator array. The stators are positioned to cause air which flows around the outer periphery of the stator array to impinge on the rotors and an air handling system causes air entering the housing to be distributed substantially around the periphery of the stator array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr International, Inc.
    Inventor: Joe C. Cassidy
  • Patent number: 8535419
    Abstract: A modular amine plant having a front-end module and a back-end module in fluid communication with each other. The front-end module having pre-fabricated connections for the association of various equipment including: a filter, an absorption tower, and a flash tank. The back-end module having pre-fabricated connections for the association of other various equipment including: a heat exchanger, a distillation tower, and a reboiler. The modular amine plant capable of being installed at a site in less than about 5 days. The modular amine plant further having moment forces sufficient to withstand wind speeds of about 100 miles per hour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr Gas Services LLC
    Inventors: Glen Wind, John Kenton Thompson, Lance Perryman
  • Publication number: 20130209244
    Abstract: A wind-powered turbine has a housing with an inlet and an outlet. Located in the housing is a cylindrical stator array having a plurality of spaced-apart stators located in it. An annular cylindrical rotor array having a plurality of cups rotates about a central axis, fits inside of the stator array. The stators are positioned to cause air which flows around the outer periphery of the stator array to impinge on the rotors and an air handling system causes air entering the housing to be distributed substantially around the periphery of the stator array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: ZEPHYR INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph Carl Cassidy, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130144130
    Abstract: Provided is a system, method and device for determining one or more physiological parameters of a person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: ZEPHYR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian K. Russell, Jonathan Woodward
  • Patent number: 8448772
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for receiving a recyclable product is disclosed herein. In one embodiment the apparatus includes: an enclosed structure defining an interior cavity; a bottle return mechanism for determining when a bottle has been received within the interior cavity; and a mechanism coupled to the bottle return mechanism, the mechanism being configured to provide an output when the bottle return mechanism has determined that a bottle has been inserted into the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr Fluid Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick E. Wind
  • Patent number: 8400302
    Abstract: A sensing system is disclosed that uses at least one conductive plate and associated electronic circuitry to provide an output that is indicative of an object's position in relation to the at least one conductive plate. The sensing system is provided with a high impedance drive signal that varies as a result of the location of an object relative to the at least one conductive plate. The electronic circuitry receives a high impedance drive signal value as an input and a processor uses the value to calculate a digital output indicative of the object's position. The high impedance drive signal value is monitored over time enabling the objects position, displacement, pressure, movement, impact and energy to be determined. This data is output to a display and may also be transmitted to a person located remotely from the object being monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Keith Russell, Paul Benjamin Mallinson, Stephen Christopher Kent, Christopher Michael Solomon
  • Publication number: 20130023739
    Abstract: Provided are a system, method and device for determining one or more physiological parameters of a person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: ZEPHYR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian K. Russell
  • Publication number: 20130009397
    Abstract: Provided is a wind power generation apparatus to which general purpose inverters are applicable. An inverter in a constant-voltage mode is used. While a wind power generator is generating electricity, switching circuits are turned on and off at a controlled duty cycles to intermittently short-circuit an armature winding, boosting the voltage and controlling the rotational speed of a windmill rotating blade, with the result that the voltage applied to the inverter is made constant. At the activation, in order to prevent an excessive voltage from being generated while an inverter is changing from the stand-by state to the activated state, ON/OFF control of a switching circuit is performed to switch between the output voltage of a rectifier and the voltage generated at a resistor, with the result that the voltage is controlled and maintained at an appropriate value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Zephyr Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ito, Takanori Okubo, Tadaaki Chikashige, Takashi Yamazaki, Hikaru Matsumiya
  • Patent number: 8348826
    Abstract: A surgical implant includes an inflatable element that is inflatable responsive to fluid pressure; a tank for fluid under pressure in communication with the inflatable element to regulate the pressure of the element; a manually controlled pump in communication firstly with the inflatable element via a one-way check valve, and secondly with the tank via a one-way check valve; and a control unit incorporating the tank and the manual pump. The control unit presents a through opening for the fluid, the opening being in communication firstly on the inside of the control unit with the tank and the manual pump, and secondly on the outside of the control unit solely with the inflatable elements via a catheter mounted between the inflatable element and the control unit. The tank is formed by a leaktight chamber of fluid under pressure defined by a movable piston elastically biased by a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr Surgical Implants
    Inventor: Christophe Gomez-Llorens
  • Publication number: 20120165645
    Abstract: Provided is a system, method and portable device for monitoring physiological parameters of a person in the field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: ZEPHYR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian K. Russell, Jonathan Woodward, William Radtke, Christopher Dykes
  • Publication number: 20120061966
    Abstract: A wind power generation control device which controls a wind power generator using a wind turbine blade having a fixed pitch angle is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Zephyr Corporation c/o Zephyr Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ito, Takanori Okubo, Tadaaki Chikashige, Takashi Yamazaki, Hikaru Matsumiya
  • Patent number: 8123590
    Abstract: Described is a double-layer fabric garment. The garment is formed of a tubular fabric element that comprises a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes an initial edge portion. The second portion has specific areas of fabric with increased compression strength and an end portion. The initial edge of the first portion is connected with the end portion of the second portion, thereby creating a space between the first portion and the second portion and forming a seamless double-layer fabric garment. Thus, the first portion operates as an outer fabric layer and the second portion operates as an inner fabric layer, whereby the specific areas of fabric with increased compression strength of the second portion provide an increased shaping effect to a user while wearing the double-layer fabric garment. Therefore, the inner fabric layer provides a shaping effect while concealed by the overlaid outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Zephyrs
    Inventor: Debra MacKinnon
  • Patent number: 8079247
    Abstract: An impact detection system provides a means of sensing, monitoring and recording impact events on an impact surface using at least one sensor that is incorporated into the impact surface. The sensor(s) can be integral with, attached to or located behind various types of impact surface including various types of garments that can be worn by an individual or on composite materials such as an aircraft fuselage for example. The impact detection system includes a portable impact detection device electrically connected to the sensor(s) and is used to detect ballistic or non-ballistic type impacts on the impact surface. The portable impact detection device processes the impact data detected by the sensor(s) and stores the data for analysis at a later time or outputs the data to a third party system for review and/or analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Zephyr Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Keith Russell, Paul Benjamin Mallinson, Stephen Christopher Kent, Christopher Michael Solomon
  • Patent number: 8013459
    Abstract: When a wind velocity sensor detects a wind velocity higher than a predetermined level, a timer device starts a waiting timer function during an operation timer period shorter than the waiting timer period. After the waiting timer period is over, the waiting timer function is switched to an operation timer function, and a switching relay switches a generator to a motor only during an operation timer period. Then, a driving circuit performs a start assisting rotation. After the operation timer period is over, the waiting timer period re-starts. This process is repeated. When during this period, the number of rotations of a rotor monitored by a rotation number measuring device, based on the output voltage Vm of a three-phase conduction coil exceeds a predetermined number of rotations, the charging of a battery by a three-phase generator is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Zephyr Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ito, Kiyoshi Sato, Hideaki Tamura, Katsushi Kawakami
  • Patent number: D677841
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr Farm L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mary H. Gibbs
  • Patent number: D685985
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Zephyr Athletic Footwear, Inc.
    Inventor: David Snyder