Abstract: A pressure sensor may include a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure, a reference cavity covered by the first membrane where the reference cavity contains a vacuum and a second membrane, adjacent to the first membrane, the first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of the first membrane and the pressure.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for measuring a torque. The measuring method is characterized in that it consists in fixing on said part (1) at least two identical sensors (2) for measuring deformation, directly mounted between two separate anchoring points (A, B) and positioned on two curves (a) of the part (1) sloping at an angle a relative to the part (1) axis. Said sensors are designed to deliver electric signals based on modifications in distance between their respective anchoring points generated by said deformation.

Abstract: A heat loss gauge for measuring gas pressure in an environment includes a resistive sensing element and a resistive compensating element. The resistive compensating element is in circuit with the sensing element and has temperature response and physical characteristics substantially matching those of the resistive sensing element and is exposed to a substantially matching environment. An electrical source is connected to the sensing element for applying current to heat the sensing element relative to the compensating element. Measuring circuitry is connected to the sensing element and the compensating element for determining gas pressure in the environment to which the sensing element and compensating element are exposed based on electrical response of the sensing element and the compensating element.

Abstract: A meteorological balloon having improved wind measurement during an ascent stage, includes an inflatable envelope having, during ascent, an upper hemisphere and a lower hemisphere, and presenting an outer surface, a GPS type sonde secured to the inflatable envelope, and a device for improving wind measurement which is a single spoiler secured to the upper hemisphere portion envelope. The spoiler is constructed and arranged to transmit any aerodynamic force acting thereon to the balloon and to modify air streams following the outside surface of the balloon so as to prevent the air streams from adhering to the outer surface of the bottom hemisphere of the balloon during ascent.

Abstract: A semiconductor sensor chip includes a thin diaphragm and an electrical circuit formed on a front surface of the diaphragm. The diaphragm distorts according to a pressure difference between pressures applied on both surfaces of the diaphragm, and the diaphragm distortion is converted into an electrical signal. Both surfaces of the diaphragm are covered with protecting members to protect the sensor chip from dusts and moisture contained in the gas. Since the gas is introduced to the rear surface of the diaphragm through a small passage while the front surface receives pressure with a relatively large area, the protecting member covering the rear surface is made softer than that covering the front surface. Thus, the sensor chip is properly protected against dusts and moisture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pitching training tool, comprising a rod-shaped body portion, which has a hollow, cylindrical shaft portion that is lighter than a regulation ball, and a gripping portion, which is integrally formed to one end of this shaft portion; an acceleration sensor or other such detector, which is incorporated in the gripping portion side of this rod-shaped body portion, and which detects a state of motion when the rod-shaped body portion is swung around; an arithmetic processing portion for performing computations based on motion state data from this detector; and a display for displaying the results of computations by the arithmetic processing portion, and is constituted so as to compute in the computing portion at least the rotational speed of the rod-shaped body portion based on the detection results by this detector and to display same.

Abstract: A pressure sensor of a pressure-sensor module is connected to a wet space in a vehicle door by a through-passage channel of a sealing cushion and a connecting branch, which is guided with sealing action through a partition. A housing of the sensor module is located in a dry space. An interior of the housing and the dry space are sealed in relation to the interior of the connecting branch, with the result that a water-tightness of the housing, in which a printed circuit board and electronic components are accommodated, does not have to meet high requirements.

Abstract: A testing assembly calculates stress levels along a cross section of a pneumatic tire. The cross section of the pneumatic tire includes its tire beads, sidewalls, and tread. The testing assembly includes a base and a plurality of mounts slidably secured to the base. Mounts secure each of the tire beads. The testing assembly also includes a platform that extends parallel across the testing assembly. The platform moves with respect to the base to simulate a tire under load. The platform does this by deforming the cross section of the tire as if it were under a load on a road. The method for using the testing assembly includes taking measurements of the cross section of the tire in an un-deflected state and a deflected state. Calculations between the two states identifies areas in the tire that stresses are damaging.

Abstract: A device for measuring alignment of a golf club is provided, and allows measurement of the lie angle and loft angle simultaneously. The strike face of the club is placed against an abutment member that is fixed to a base member, and held in place with a clamping member. An alignment member is coupled to the base member and spaced from the clamping member in generally opposing relation thereto. The alignment member is movable with respect to the clamping member to receive the golf club shaft in a cradle.

Abstract: A differential pressure sensor has a first and a second measuring chamber. Each measuring chamber is limited by a rigid carrier plate and a diaphragm plate, which is formed in the region of the measuring chamber as a pressure-sensitive measuring diaphragm. To design the differential pressure sensor to be resistant to overloading, the carrier plate is arranged between a first and a second diaphragm plate and has congruent concave depressions on opposite sides in the plane of the plate. The depressions are connected to one another by a central duct, penetrating the carrier plate perpendicularly to the plane of the plates. In the region of the measuring chambers, the diaphragm plates are formed congruently in relation to the depressions as pressure-sensitive measuring diaphragms. The measuring chambers are coupled to one another by a ram guided axially movably in the duct.

Abstract: A rain sensor to detect humidity drops inside an area on a transparent window has at least one transmitting element to emit optical rays into the window and has at least one receiving element to receive at least one part of the emitted optical rays where the intensity of the optical rays received is dependent on the number of humidity drops in the area of the window observed by the rain sensor. So that interference from the rain sensor with radio broadcasts is effectively reduced and, if possible even completely prevented, the rain sensor has a generator to generate an electrical signal which has a lower harmonic content than square-wave signals, preferably a sine-wave electrical signal to power each transmitting element of the rain sensor.

Abstract: A four step process for removing vehicles from the public roadways having worn tires including (a) establishing a standard for end of life tire conditions, (b) converting the standard to relate correspondingly to tread wear, (c) providing a visual indication of end of life tread wear and (d) providing for inspection and vehicle disqualification where end of life tire wear is indicated.

Abstract: A three-piece pressure sensor assembly includes a one-piece pressure port formed of cold rolled steel, a stainless steel sensor element having an elongated annular side-wall, and an O-ring. The pressure port has a threaded slug at one end for attaching the sensor assembly to the wall of a pressure vessel and an annular cup at the other end. The annular cup has side-walls defining a cavity, and an annular axial recess formed in the center of the cavity receives the O-ring and a lower portion of the sensor element side-wall. A central post of the pressure port supports the inner periphery of the sensor element side-wall, and a portion of the pressure port material surrounding the recess is displaced radially inward against the sensor element side-wall, staking the sensor element in the cavity and compressing the O-ring between the sensor element and the bottom of the axial recess.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a tire chuck apparatus for holding a tire having a tire bead. The apparatus comprises: a gripping mechanism with at least two gripping members movable in tire radial direction from a retracted position to an extended position for pressing against the inner side of the bead portion of the tire, thereby holding the tire; gripping rollers as the gripping members adapted to be rotatable around an axis substantially parallel to a central axis of the tire; and a rotation drive mechanism for rotating the tire around the central axis of the tire. According to this apparatus, even if the center of the tire and the center of the chuck are out of alignment with each other, by rotating the gripping rollers so as to rotate the tire, the tire is shifted so that the center thereof is aligned with the center of the chuck apparatus, thus reducing mispositioning.

Abstract: A tire inflation pressure monitoring system (10) and a method for monitoring air pressure within a tire (14) are provided. The system (10) includes a tire based unit (18) for sensing air pressure within the tire (14) and for transmitting a pressure signal indicative thereof. The system (10) also includes a vehicle based unit (16) for receiving the pressure signal and for comparing the pressure signal to a predefined pressure range. The vehicle based unit (16) is operable in one of (i) a normal operating mode that outputs an alert signal in response to the air pressure within the tire (14) being outside of the predefined pressure range and (ii) a pressure gauge operating mode that outputs an in-range signal in response to the air pressure within the tire (14) being within the predetermined pressure range.

Abstract: Methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness through control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies. While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by imparting mass non-uniformnity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. The tire non-uniformities are preferably distributed meridionally symmetrically about the equatorial plane of the tire, so as to induce tangential and/or radial force variations but not lateral force variations. Beneficial tangential and/or radial force variations will result from the operation of such a tire, even if the tire/wheel assembly is balanced by weights added to the wheel.

Abstract: In detecting which transmitter of several of transmitters has transmitted a radio signal based on digital data from an RF circuit, a main controller of a receiver consecutively sends activation commands to each of several control circuits such that only one of the control circuits is activated at a time. The main controller detects which of the antennas corresponds to the control circuit that was activated when the voltage level signal from the RF circuit was lowest, and judges that the detected antenna is closest to the transmitter that transmitted the radio wave. As a result, the power consumption is reduced, and the transmitter that transmitted the radio wave is accurately detected.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a fluid flow velocity vector including a signal generator for generating an oscillating electrical signal, an acoustic transmitter for generating an acoustic signal proportional to the oscillating electrical signal; and at least three acoustic receivers for receiving the acoustic signal and generating electrical signals which are phase shifted by the influence of the fluid flow, and a signal processor for receiving and processing the oscillating electrical signal and the electrical signals generated by the at least three acoustic receivers to determine time delays for each acoustical receiver caused by the influence of the fluid flow which are processed to determine the fluid flow velocity vector components.

Abstract: A differential pressure sensor has a first and a second measuring chamber. Each measuring chamber is limited by a rigid carrier plate and a diaphragm plate, which is formed in the region of the measuring chamber as a pressure-sensitive measuring diaphragm. To design the differential pressure sensor to be resistant to overloading, the carrier plate is arranged between a first and a second diaphragm plate and has congruent concave depressions on opposite sides in the plane of the plate. The depressions are connected to one another by a decentered duct, penetrating the carrier plate perpendicularly to the plane of the plates. In the region of the measuring chambers, the diaphragm plates are formed congruently in relation to the depressions as pressure-sensitive measuring diaphragms. The measuring chambers and the duct are filled with an incompressible fluid.

Abstract: Respective first ends of first and second strain gates are connected to a first voltage potential. First and second constant currents from first and second current sources flow through the first and second strain gages, respectively. The respective first ends of the first and second current sources are connected to second ends of the first and second strain gages, respectively. A voltage difference signal between the second ends of the first and second strain gages indicates the detected physical quantity. The first and second constant currents are adjusted to reduce the offset voltage in the voltage difference signal when no strain, that is, no physical quantity is measured. The first and second current sources may have substantially the same temperature coefficients in said first and second constant currents, respectively.