Abstract: A sensor for detecting localized pressure bearing on the sensor, comprises a volume of compressible, light translucent material having light-scattering centers evenly dispersed throughout the material. A light emitter communicates with the material to form a virtual optical cavity within the material; the intensity of scattered light is detected by a detector. A second detector is positioned at some distance removed from the first detector, outside the virtual optical cavity. Pressure bearing on the material increases the intensity of scattered light within the optical cavity. The decreased intensity is measured by the second detector. A signal processor receives signals from the first and second detectors, and resolves these signals into information indicative of pressure bearing on the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a minimal flow pipeline with a Coriolis effect mass flowmeter. The flowmeter has a single flow tube with two loops. The loops are connected by a cross-over section and are adapted to be vibrated in phase opposition by a driver. The phase difference between the ends of the vibrating loops is measured. The measured phase difference is used to find the flow rate of the fluid. The flow tube is fixably attached to an anchor which is, in turn, attached to a housing. The anchor separates the vibrating dynamic portion of the flowmeter from the non-vibrating portion of the flowmeter.

Abstract: A system and method for predicting the forces generated in the tire contact patch from measurements of tire deformations, including separating the lateral force, the vertical force, and the circumferential torque using measurements of tire deformations. A system and method for using a trained neural network or bilinear equations to determine any combination or permutation of one or more of any of the following from tire sidewall deformation sensors, e.g., magnetic tire sidewall torsion measuring (SWT) sensors: the lateral force acting on the tire, the circumferential torque acting on the tire, the longitudinal force acting on the tire, the vertical force acting on the tire, and forces and/or torques having any one or more of the foregoing as components thereof.

Abstract: A flow meter for measuring a flow rate of a fluid passing through a fluid passage is provided with a throttle structure disposed at the inside, and it is connected to the fluid passage. The fluid passes through a groove via expanded grooves formed on a surface of a substrate which constitutes the throttle structure. The flow rate of the fluid passing through the fluid passage can be measured by detecting pressures and temperatures of said fluid on an inflow side and an outflow side concerning the throttle structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining an estimate of flow stability, in addition to providing a measurement of flow velocity distribution. To this end, monitoring is provided of the changes over time of flow measurements from a plurality of spaced apart measuring points. An indication of the reliability of the flow velocity distribution measurement is produced based on the estimate of stability.

Abstract: A sensor assembly has a substrate with a microchannel formed therein through which a fluid can flow. At least one sensor is proximate to the microchannel. The temperature of the at least one sensor or fluid may indicate the condition of the fluid, for example, the flow rate and the presence of gas bubbles and particulate substances.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing bituminous concrete mixes to predict the likelihood of early rutting is disclosed. A test head designed to be used in a gyratory compactor uses the compaction provided by the gyratory compactor to analyze bituminous mixes to determine whether they are likely to prematurely rut. A test specimen of bituminous mix is prepared to a specified air void content and then heated to a constant temperature and placed in the gyratory compactor. The test head, which consists of a hard rubber block in the shape of a truncated cone mounted in the direct center of a flat, metal circular disk, is placed on top of the specimen in the gyratory compactor with the rubber head down and engaging the test specimen. Once compaction is completed, mix specimen compaction data is analyzed to ascertain the degree of mix deformation for a specified number of gyrations, to thereby predict whether the mix is likely to prematurely rut.

Abstract: The invention provides a fluid meter comprising ultrasound transducers, attenuation means for attenuating parasitic ultrasound waves of wavelength &lgr;, and constituted by at least one passage in which said waves propagate along a main direction corresponding to a longitudinal dimension a of said passage, said passage having a transverse dimension b perpendicular to a and much smaller than the wavelength &lgr; of the parasitic waves in the propagation medium, said passage comprising a plurality of consecutive passage portions each having a part presenting a reduction in transverse propagation section along the dimension b of the passage, the longitudinal dimension of each passage portion being substantially equal to &lgr;/2.

Abstract: An electrode tensile test method and apparatus which can yield accurate data, and a substrate/probe support device for an electrode tensile test. For this purpose, the electrode tensile test method includes a heating step (S202) of heating the ambient temperature of a space containing the probe and the electrode, an inserting step of inserting the probe into the electrode fused by the heating step, a cooling step (S203) of cooling the electrode, in which the probe has been inserted by the inserting step, together with the probe, and the measuring step (S205, S206) of pulling the probe, fixed to the electrode through the cooling step, from the substrate, and measuring the tensile strength.

Abstract: A delayed fracture is effectively prevented by appropriately setting a shape and working stress, and working environment of a high strength member having more than 1,000 MPa of tensile strength. For this end, the relationship between a maximum value of diffusible hydrogen contents of unfailed specimens (Hc) and Weibull stress are found and the content of diffusible hydrogen entered into steel from the environment due to corrosion during the use of the steel member (He) is also found. Then, Weibull stress in the Hc that is equal to the He is found, thus determining the shape and working stress of the steel member so as to provide stress below the Weibull stress.

Abstract: A vertical impact testing apparatus comprises a rigid frame, an anvil connected to the frame, a dart positioned above the anvil, and a dropped-weight mechanism slidably connected to the frame. The frame is comprised of a vertical column, a base, and a guide rail. The vertical column extends for a sufficient distance to securely support a weight assembly through travel from various heights for testing a specimen. To facilitate downward travel of the dropped-weight mechanism at a proper vertical orientation, a guide block is rigidly attached to the weight assembly and the dropped-weight mechanism is slidably mounted to the guide rail. The dart is stabilized by a braced support arm connected to the frame and a bearing acting cooperatively to ensure impact of the dart with the specimen is in the vertical plane and without tilt. The anvil is a solid structure, fixed in position, which contacts and supports the specimen on a side opposite of the dart as the dart impacts the substrate and forces it downward.

Abstract: A liquid discharging method which employs a liquid discharging head consisting of a liquid discharging port, a bubble generating region where the bubble generates in the liquid and a movable member that can move between a first position and a second position which is located at a point farther from the bubble generating region compared with the first position, wherein the movable member moves from the first position to the second position by the pressure of the bubble generated by the bubble generating energy in the bubble generating region, and at the same time the bubble expands farther toward the downstream direction compared with the upstream direction by the displacement of the movable member in order to discharge the liquid out of the liquid discharging port by the liquid discharging energy applied to such liquid.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter includes a fluid duct including therein first and second flow-paths separated by a partition and an ultrasonic sensor provided at one end of the fluid duct. A reflecting plate provided at the other end of the fluid duct reflects ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic sensor and reaching the reflecting plate through the first and second flow-paths, and returns the ultrasonic waves to the ultrasonic sensor through the second and first flow-paths, respectively, which are different from the first and second flow-paths, respectively, through which the ultrasonic waves have reached the reflecting plate. The ultrasonic flowmeter also includes first and second connecting flow-paths communicating with the first flow-path at the vicinity of one end and the other end, respectively, of the fluid duct.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of operating a mass flowmeter having a first embodiment that uses gyroscopic forces to determine material flow information for a material flow. The interior of the flow tube defines a helix element that imparts a rotation to the material flow within the flow tube. Driver induced transverse flow tube vibrations and the rotation imparted to the material flow together generate cyclic gyroscopic forces within the flow tube. The magnitude of the flow tube deflection from the gyroscopic forces is related to the magnitude of the material flow and is measured to determine material flow information. A second embodiment of the flowmeter detect the Coriolis forces on the vibrating flow tube and generates material flow information from the detected Coriolis forces. The Coriolis based flow information and the gyroscopic based flow information are both applied to meter electronics which uses the two sets of Information for comparison and error checking and other purposes.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a direct connect pressure tester arrangement has a saddle which is clamped to a pipe which may contain fluid under pressure and has a drill guide with an opening extending perpendicular to the wall of the pipe, along with a resilient member held against the outer wall of the pipe. A crosspipe is attached to a bushing mounted in the saddle and a valve is attached to the crosspipe in axial alignment with the bushing with a drill supported in axial alignment on the other side of the valve. A pressure gauge is mounted in a perpendicular passage of the crosspipe and a drain valve is attached to the cross pipe in axial alignment with the pressure gauge. After the pressure tester has been mounted on the pipe to be tested, the valve adjacent to the drill bit is turned to the open position and the drill bit is moved through the valve and the drill guide and operated to drill a hole in the pipe.

Abstract: A method is provided to select appropriate material properties for turbulent friction drag reduction, given a specific body configuration and freestream velocity. The method is based on a mathematical description of the balance of energy at the interface between the viscoelastic surface and the moving fluid, and permits determination of the interaction of turbulent boundary layer fluctuations with a viscoelastic layer by solving two subtasks—i.e., a hydrodynamic problem and an elasticity problem, which are coupled by absorption and compliancy coefficients. Displacement, velocity, and energy transfer boundary conditions on a viscoelastic surface are determined, and a Reynolds stress type turbulence model is modified to account for redistribution of turbulent energy in the near-wall of the boundary layer. The invention permits drag reduction by a coating with specified density, thickness, and complex shear modulus to be predicted for a given body geometry and freestream velocity.

Abstract: A low-hysteresis torque sensor and method for producing a low-hysteresis magnetoelastic element including thermally spraying a magnetoelastic material onto a metal substrate. During the spraying process, axial compressive pressure is applied to the substrate, and subsequently released after the substrate and magnetoelastic element have substantially cooled. This process has the effect of substantially reducing hysteresis and the axial stress in the magnetoelastic element that would normally occur due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion between the magnetoelastic element and the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetoelastic element includes nickel and the substrate includes stainless steel. It is further preferred that the substrate include a shaft and the magnetoelastic element comprise a circumferential ring intimately attached thereto.

Abstract: A module assembly suitable for attachment to an inner surface of a vehicle windshield includes a housing and a rain sensor. The housing comprises a first side, which is configured to be generally adjacent the inner surface of the vehicle windshield when the module assembly is attached to the inner surface of the windshield. The housing further comprises a second side, which is generally opposing the first side. The module assembly further includes a rearview mirror assembly mounting member provided at the second side of the housing for releasably mounting a rearview mirror assembly to the module assembly. The rain sensor and at least one other vehicular accessory are accommodated in the housing, which is adapted at its first side for attachment to the inner surface of the vehicle windshield by at least one of a mechanical attachment and an adhesive attachment.

Abstract: An infant drinking cup is described. The infant drinking cup is a first color when at room temperature. When the cup is filled with a cold beverage, the portion of the cup below the fill line changes to a second color. When handled by an infant, those areas below the fill line in contact with the infant's warm hands change color back to the first color. The process is fully reversible, such that the infant drinking cup can change from the cold color to the warm color, and vice versa, repeatedly.

Abstract: The present Coriolis mass/flow density meter and method for measuring a mass flow rate of a medium flowing through a flow tube of a Coriolis mass flow meter provide measurement results which are independent of the current velocity field of the medium to be measured. At least one measuring tube is provided, through which the medium flows, which oscillates during operation. A means for measuring the oscillations is arranged at an inlet end of the measuring tube and provides a measurement signal. A second means for measuring the oscillations is arranged at the outlet of the measuring tube and provides a second measurement signal. A third measuring means provides a third measurement signal which represents the current Reynolds number of the flowing medium, Evaluation electronics generate a measurement value representing the mass through-flow. The evaluation electronics also generate a measurement value representing the current density of the medium.