Patents Examined by E. Pipala
  • Patent number: 5245552
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing multiple-source repetitive vibrations in a region or structure (12) by applying control vibrations to the region or structure via actuators (18), frequently recalculating the control vibrations based on source elements to accommodate for varying phase differences between the sources of the repetitive vibrations (14) and (16), and cyclically updating the source elements of the control vibrations is disclosed. The repetitive vibrations are sensed (20) synchronously with the repetitive vibration source chosen as the reference source and decomposed into a number of frequency components corresponding to the reference source. The control vibrations are formed of the same frequency components and applied synchronously with the reference source. Each frequency component of the control vibrations is defined by source elements, one for cancelling vibrations produced by each of the repetitive vibration sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anders O. Andersson, Erik L. Godo
  • Patent number: 5220517
    Abstract: A plurality of gas flow control units in cabinets are connected to distribute process gas, on demand, to a plurality of utilization locations known as "tool" locations in a semi-conductor manufacturing plant. Each gas flow control unit is connected to a single tool interface controller over a single communications cable. The status and operational characteristics of the individual units are communicated through the tool interface controller to a supervisory control computer by means of polling. Each flow control cabinet has its own data processor, and can be operated alone. Also, the supervisory computer can be used to operate each cabinet, as well as to monitor operations of the system. Gas demand and other signals are communicated from each tool location to the control units through a single cable connected to the interface controller, thus reducing the original wiring cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: SCI Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Sierk, Ronald R. DuRoss, Stephen G. Geist, Gregory L. Hayes
  • Patent number: 5200899
    Abstract: A hybrid method and system are disclosed for the detection of internal combustion engine misfires. The method and system are capable of detecting misfires even at very low occurrence rates in real time with inexpensive analog and digital (i.e. hybrid) electronics suitable for use on-board a vehicle, thus satisfying current and proposed exhaust emission control regulations. The method and system exploit a measurement of engine crankshaft angular velocity in conjunction with hybrid electronic signal processing. Once the angular velocity signal is conditioned to minimize the effects of random error and external disturbances, four alternate computationally efficient methods may be used to extract information pertaining to individual cylinder torque productions. Two of the methods employ extremal samples of the estimated torque or velocity waveform to obtain a random torque nonuniformity index or metric. The other two methods utilize a transformation into the frequency domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: William B. Ribbens, Giorgio Rizzoni
  • Patent number: 5150301
    Abstract: An air/fuel mixture ratio learning control system for an internal combustion engine using a mixed fuel employs a learnt correction coefficient which is used both in a FEEDBACK mode air/fuel ratio control and in an OPEN LOOP mode air/fuel ratio control. The learnt correction coefficient is derived based on a FEEDBACK air/fuel ratio dependent correction coefficient per one of preselected engine driving ranges and per one of preselected concentration ranges of one fuel component contained in the mixed fuel. The learnt correction coefficient is cyclically derived in a preselected stable engine driving condition during the FEEDBACK mode air/fuel ratio control for updating a previously derived and stored one to minimize a deviation of the FEEDBACK correction coefficient from a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Japan Electronic Control Systems Company Limited
    Inventors: Masuo Kashiwabara, Hideyuki Kojima, Hiromitsu Yamaura, Seiichi Otani
  • Patent number: 5142485
    Abstract: A new two-axis accelerometer comprising a rotating body linked to the motor rotor via a flexure zone. In a first type the rotating mass is concentrated and the flexure zone permits the rotating mass to perform a transversal parallel shift. In a second type the rotating body is an inertia rotor and the flexure zone is an extension of the rotor shaft that embodies a flexible portion. In either type the rotating body/flexure zone combination has two degrees of flexing freedom with two different flexure coefficients in two mutually perpendicular directions both normal to the electric motor shaft. The accelerometer further comprises a deflector shaft coaxial with the rotor shaft and extending beyond the rotating body and associated with electro-optical measuring means and processor means for measuring linear acceleration components in said two mutually perpendicular directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: The State of Israel, Ministry of Defence, Rafael Armament Development Authority
    Inventors: Jehuda Rosenberg, Patrick Bar-Avi
  • Patent number: 5126940
    Abstract: The method of controlling the modulation pressure in an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle engine includes determining which of n types of engines is being controlled, converting a digitized measured engine load value to one of eight scaled binary values, converting a digitized measured engine speed value signal to one of 32 scaled binary values, combining the scaled binary values of both engine speed and load into an address word for addressing one of n.times.256 storage locations of a data storage device containing reference control data, addressing the storage location corresponding to the address word and transferring the contents of the storage location so addressed to a microprocessor, which generates a current controlling a modulation pressure valve connected to the transmission according to the predetermined engine speed and load dependent data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Haubner
  • Patent number: 5050083
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an air/fuel mixture for an internal combustion engine are disclosed in which an integration constant used for a calculation of an integration portion included in a feedback correction coefficient (.alpha.) of the air/fuel mixture ratio after a relationship between an actual air/fuel mixture raito and target (stoichiometric) air/fuel mixture ratio has been inverted is set and varied according to an engine driving condition, so that the integration constant meets requirements of a stability during an engine steady driving condition and a favorable responsive characteristic during an engine transient condition. In a preferred embodiement, a fuzzy control is applicable to the calculation of the integration constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masaaki Uchida, Hideki Uema, Fumio Yukawa, Kunifumi Sawamoto, Toyaki Nakagawa, Naoki Nakada
  • Patent number: 5041980
    Abstract: Dynamic engine diagnostic devices are useful for detecting engine faults such as a misfiring cylinder during normal engine operation. Identification of the particular cylinder having the fault enables repairs to be made more efficiently. In the subject application, an apparatus is provided for detecting malfunctions in individual cylinders of an internal combustion engine having a rotating member driven by a plurality of cylinders. The apparatus includes a sensor for measuring the time between successive angular positions as the member rotates through at least one engine cycle and producing a plurality of period signals responsive respectively to the measured time intervals. Each engine cylinder has an equal number of the angular positions associated therewith, and the member makes one rotation per engine cycle. A deviation circuit receives the period signals and produces a deviation signal for each engine cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Maddock, Bradley W. Harrell
  • Patent number: 4959692
    Abstract: A developing device including a rotatable developing sleeve confronting an electrostatic latent image support member, a supply device for supplying developer to a peripheral surface of the developing sleeve, a bristle height regulating member, a device for removing from the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve, the developer having passed through a developing region, a cutoff device for cutting off supply of the developer from the supply device to the developing sleeve, which is retractably projected into a developer supply region defined between the developing sleeve and the supply device and a magnet member provided fixedly in the developing sleeve and having a developing magnetic pole confronting the support member, a first magnetic pole confronting the bristle height regulating member and a second magnetic pole of a polarity identical with that of the first magnetic pole such that the developer is continuously held in an erect state on the developing sleeve by the first and second magnetic poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Hayashi, Susumu Sakakibara, Katsumi Maeda
  • Patent number: 4939550
    Abstract: An electrostatic photographic apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a fixing device composed of a pair of rollers pressure-contacted with each other over a predetermined nip width, in which a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum is transferred onto a lower surface of a transfer paper transported over an upper portion of the photosensitive drum while contacting therewith and is fixed by a nip portion of the rollers of the fixing device, an inlet end of the nip portion is disposed on a curve of a cross section of the transfer paper when the latter is warped with a radius of curvature smaller than a radius of curvature of cross section of a transfer paper having stiffness smallest among other transfer papers usable in the apparatus when the transfer paper of the smallest stiffness is supported at its rear end horizontally at a point at which the transfer paper leaves the photosensitve drum while allowing the other portion thereof to be drooped freely by gravity, a tangential line of the rollers a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Takada, Toshio Shimazaki, Keiji Okamoto, Hideo Aoki
  • Patent number: 4935782
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first image forming unit for forming a first electrostatic latent image having two distinct portions on an image carrier, a first developing unit for developing the first electrostatic latent image into a first visible image on the image carrier, a charging unit for charging the image carrier with the first visible image thereon, a second image forming unit for forming a second electrostatic latent image on the image carrier, a second developing unit for developing the second electrostatic latent image into a second visible image on the image carrier, and a transferring unit for transferring the first and second visible images from the image carrier onto an image bearing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kohyama
  • Patent number: 4933726
    Abstract: A copy paper which is passed between fixing rollers and then transported to discharge roller means to be discharged is usually in a wavy condition. This condition is corrected when this copy paper is passed between a driver roller and a follower roller which are parts of the discharge roller means and in contact and in rotary motion communicating relationship with each other such that the edge sections of the paper travels faster between them than the speed with which it passed through the fixing rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Moriyama
  • Patent number: 4928144
    Abstract: A developing device applicable to a color image forming apparatus includes a color developing unit and a black developing unit which are arranged around an image carrier of the apparatus. The color developing unit has at least two color developing sections and is constructed and arranged independently of the black developing unit. The end walls of at least two of the color developing sections of the color developing unit are constituted by common support members. This kind of developing device is efficient in view of the fact that the black developing unit is used more frequently than the color developing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Inventors: Nobuo Kasahara, Susumu Wagi
  • Patent number: 4924270
    Abstract: A toner supply device including a hopper for containing the toner; a toner supply roller rotatably disposed below the hopper so as to fill an opening formed in a lower section of the hopper; a charging blade which is disposed so as to be in close contact under pressure with the toner supply roller to electrically charge the toner which is transported on the toner supply roller; a toner scraping mechanism having a toner scraping blade arranged at a position located downstream to the charging blade with respect to a rotational direction of the toner supply; a sensor for detecting the toner density; and a control unit for controlling the toner scraping mechanism depending on signals from the sensor so as to make the toner scraping blade move to one of a first position at which it comes in close contact under pressure with the toner supply roller and a second position at which the blade stands apart from the toner supply roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mineyuki Sako, Tateki Oka, Yasuyuki Hiromoto, Tomoaki Yokoyama, Kunio Toda
  • Patent number: 4924268
    Abstract: An electronic copier including a corona charger having a charging wire for uniformly charging the surface of a photoconductor and a shield case for receiving the charging wire; a charge eliminator for emitting light onto a non-image area of the photoconductor to remove charges from the non-image area; a cleaning unit having cleaning members for simultaneously wiping the charging wire and the light emitting faces of the charge eliminator; a driving motor for moving the cleaning members; and a microcomputer control portion for counting and cumulating the number of copies of every copying operation, and activating the driving motor to operate the cleaning members as well as resetting the counted and cumulated number of copies to zero, if the counted and cumulated number of copies is equal to or larger than a predetermined value after the completion of each series of copying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 4920384
    Abstract: A copying machine with automatic document feeder has two document size detectors. On detects document size by means of sensors when the document is on a document carrying table before it is transported by a feeding apparatus to a copying position. The other detects at least the length of the document in the direction of its motion. If different sizes are detected by the two detectors, the size of copy paper and magnification to be used in the copying are determined on the basis of the document size detected by the latter detector. With a feeder of this invention, document size can be detected accurately and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 4912514
    Abstract: A printer used as an electronic copying machine or a non-impact page printer. Toner is attracted to a latent image by using a laser beam or the like, and the toner image is transferred to a recording medium for printing. The toner image is first temporarily fixed on an intermediate transfer medium, and then transferred to the recording medium and permanently fixed thereon. The temporary fixation and the permanent fixation of the toner image are carried out by heating the intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer medium may be heated by an electromagnetic induction heating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nagao Mizutani
  • Patent number: 4857955
    Abstract: An electronic printer apparatus is coupled to an electronic data source that generates electronic data signals that have no information associated with it as to the colors the respective data are to be printed in. The printer includes a computer that is programmed by the operator to compare incoming data signals and identify those characters that are to be printed in a color other than that which it prints the remaining portion of the information to provide hard copy reproductions with color accenting of selected data. In another embodiment all the data is printed in one color but the selected data is highlighted by color around the data. In still another embodiment, data signals for printing a multiple page document are compared. The fixed data on each page is printed in one color and the variable data on each page is color accented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Robert P. Crandall
  • Patent number: 4777512
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus using two component developer. When a toner content in the developer becomes out of a predetermined range as a result of the consumption of the toner, a control device effects a toner replenishing operation, and simultaneously, the image forming operation is substantially delayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Takahashi, Nobutoshi Yoshida, Ikumi Omura, Tatsuya Tada