Patents Examined by Edward Lefkowitz
  • Patent number: 7380435
    Abstract: A deterministic shocker holds a test animal within an enclosure on a grid floor of electrodes such that a controller places a small current across each electrode and measures the electrical resistance of each electrode. The electrode with the lowest resistance strongly correlates to the location of a paw of the animal so that the controller delivers a small electric shock to only that electrode. Animal movement can be tracked and recorded during an experimental run. A second enclosure may be located adjacent the first enclosure separated by a transparent partition wherein the second enclosure also has a grid floor comprised of a plurality of electrodes, The controller also places a current across each of these electrodes and measures the electrical resistance thereof so that this animal's movement can also be tracked during the experiment to measure this second animal's response in witnessing the shocking of the first animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Florida State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ross P. Henderson, Carlos A. Bolanos
  • Patent number: 7380450
    Abstract: An assembly for fixing a module to a surface of a tire. The assembly includes a base having a sole plate with a mounting face, for permanent connection to the surface of the tire and a bearing face. The base also has holding means for holding the module in place on the bearing face. The holding means includes a resilient strap located opposite the bearing face of the sole plate and connected to the sole plate by two opposite ends of the resilient strap. A case encloses the module, and the casing is, under normal operating conditions of the tire, held in place between the strap and the bearing face of the sole plate by resilient restoring forces developed by the resilient strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Pierre Durif
  • Patent number: 7380449
    Abstract: A method and device for testing a fuel metering system. A control unit checks the injector contacts during the initialization phase prior to starting up the fuel metering system. For the test, the injectors are activated by the control unit, and the current values and/or voltage values are evaluated to detect errors. The control unit controls the fuel metering process during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Mrosik, Marco Gangi, Udo Schulz, Michael Schueller, Eduard Moser
  • Patent number: 7380451
    Abstract: A sheet information output apparatus comprising an application member for applying external force to a sheet, a receiving member in opposition to the application member for receiving the external force, and an output unit for outputting a signal corresponding to the application of the external force. The receiving member has a depressed portion having a support portion for aerially supporting the sheet, a slope face provided inside the support portion and a bottom face. The smallest length of the supported sheet W, a depth from the support portion to the bottom face d, and a length of the application member in a direction of the smallest length at height d when the application member is brought into contact with the bottom face s satisfy [(W?s)/2>5d].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehiko Kawasaki, Norio Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7380475
    Abstract: A dynamometric cell having an elastically deformable force transducer for receiving a weight force and a sensor arrangement for detecting the deformation of the force transducer and its conversion into an electric weight signal is disclosed, wherein the force transducer is connected to a mounting member at its first end and supports a force introduction member at its second end, such that it allows a more exact determination of weight force even when it is incorporated into narrow spaces and wherein the force transducer is designed as a hollow bar with two attenuation zones spaced in longitudinal direction of the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Bizerba GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Peter Selig, Klaus Wurster
  • Patent number: 7380434
    Abstract: A device for positioning a component part in an inclined position, having a mounting support unit which is accommodated in a support of a base for tilting about at least one axis of the component part, and having an actuator unit which tilts the mounting support unit at a specified angle of inclination about the at least one axis of the component part, the mounting support having at least one coupling element which is supported on at least one counter-support of the actuator unit, which is movable relative to the at least one coupling element, in order to position the mounting support unit with the component part in the inclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Schmitt, Jörg Schöfer
  • Patent number: 7377160
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement (1) for a tachometric sensor of an automatic transmission (4) of a motor vehicle, which encompasses a module carrier (2) in which a part of a sensor housing (3) is integrated. The sensor housing (3) is secured in the module carrier (2) or in the transmission housing (4) by way of a guide in the plane and is so affixed as to prevent turning and an apparatus (5) for the generation of a prestress force by way of which the sensor housing (3) is pressed in the direction of the signal disk by way of a projection (8, 8?) acting against the sensor housing (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ralph Böhm, Gerhard Birkenmaier, Jörg Kurth
  • Patent number: 7377179
    Abstract: A wireless, non-powered fatigue monitoring sensor uses a piezoelectric element that is attached to the surface of or embedded within a structure to be monitored. When subjected to stress over time, the material properties of the element change reliably and permanently. These properties are used to determine the fatigue history of the structure. The monitoring device requires no power for monitoring and is nondestructively queried to determine the stress history using wireless means such as radio frequency technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Todd Anderson
  • Patent number: 7377181
    Abstract: A method of measuring strain in a test specimen comprises the steps of placing a pattern of marks on a surface of the test specimen, wherein the pattern of marks includes a plurality of target marks and a plurality of sets of coded marks, using the sets of coded marks to identify locations of at least two of the target marks, and using a change in distance between at least two of the marks to determine strain in the test specimen. An apparatus that performs the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Christ, Jr., Jerrell Anthony Nardiello, John M. Papazian, John Steven Madsen
  • Patent number: 7373843
    Abstract: A sensor for a textured surface (e.g., a fingerprint) is provided. The sensor includes a flexible substrate and a flexible membrane supported above the substrate by one or more spacers. The sensor also includes multiple pressure sensor elements responsive to a separation between parts of the membrane and corresponding parts of the substrate. The membrane is conformable to the textured surface being sensed, so the variation in separation between substrate and membrane is representative of the textured surface being sensed. A preferred sensor array arrangement has a set of parallel substrate electrodes on the substrate facing the membrane and a set of parallel membrane electrodes on the membrane facing the substrate, where the substrate and membrane electrodes are perpendicular. The sensor array is preferably an entirely passive structure including no active electrical devices, to reduce cost. Row and column addressing circuitry can be provided as separate units (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Fidelica Microsystems
    Inventors: Srinivasan K. Ganapathi, Keith T. DeConde, Randolph S. Gluck
  • Patent number: 7373845
    Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor for use with a seat belt assembly. The sensor includes a housing that has a slot and a plate coupled with the housing. The plate has another slot and a cutout. The slots are connected with a seat belt. A sensor is retained by the housing and extends into the cutout. A portion of the plate is adapted to be engaged by the sensor as tension is increased on the seat belt. The sensor generates an electrical signal that is indicative of seat belt tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventor: Murray Kaijala
  • Patent number: 7373846
    Abstract: This load cell attachment structure includes a male screw which is formed on a load sensing part of the load cell, a nut which attaches the load cell to the attachment plate by engaging with the male screw, and a wave washer which is disposed between the attachment plate and the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Furukawa, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Toyohiko Shindo, Harutomi Nishide, Shigeru Endo, Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 7373844
    Abstract: A measuring system that relate to the measurement of relatively small one degree of freedom mechanisms, such as pivoting and rotary switches, is disclosed. In particular end effectors and a kit for assembling various end effector assemblies is disclosed, that allow for accurate measurement of torque versus angular displacement curves for various types of pivoting and rotary switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yifan Chen, Pietro Buttolo, Basavaraj Tonshal, James Rankin, II, Gary Strumolo
  • Patent number: 7373802
    Abstract: A method and testing fixture for toughness-testing corrugated high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. The method includes the steps of preparing a test sample, attaching the test sample in the testing fixture, and providing an impact load to the test sample. The test sample is cut from a section of corrugated HDPE pipe so as to have a clamped portion and a loading member extending outwardly therefrom. The clamped portion includes two sidewalls with a trough therebetween. A hole is bored in the loading member near the end of the loading member. The testing fixture includes a vertical clamp which is configured to grip the clamped portion of the test sample so as to retain the clamped portion in a stationary position when the test sample is loaded. The loading member of the test sample projects outwardly from the vertical clamp. A guide rod is attached to the loading member through the bore in the loading member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: The State of Florida, Department of Transportation
    Inventors: Rodney G. Powers, Robert M. Langley
  • Patent number: 7373823
    Abstract: The method serves to determine the vibrational state of turbine blades, arranged on a rotor shaft, mounted such as to rotate in a housing and/or of guide vanes. At least one electromagnetic wave is transmitted into a flow channel in the vicinity of the blades, using means for the generation of at least one electromagnetic wave. The electromagnetic waves are at least partly reflected from at least one blade. The reflected part of the at least one electromagnetic wave is received by means for receiving and the vibrational state of the corresponding blade is determined from a signal corresponding to the at least one received electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Franz Eiermann, Klaus Huber, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7373801
    Abstract: A test fixture for rollover crash testing of a test vehicle onto a moving surface employs a cradle to support and rotate the test vehicle. A vertical support structure to positions and releasably holds the cradle. A moving sled having a contact surface is carried by a guide extending beneath the structure and the cradle fixture. The cradle is rotated and released from the structure responsive to a sensor for contact within a drop impact zone on the contact surface of the moving sled. Vertical motion of the cradle is then arrested to prevent further damage to the test vehicle or the test structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Safety Testing Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Friedman, Acen Jordan
  • Patent number: 7373825
    Abstract: A disposable sanitary gauge tee with no dead zone for use in pressure measurement of fluid in disposable tubing including a body having a main fluid passageway in fluid connection with a proximal end of a pressure fluid passageway, the main fluid passageway including a fluid port and a second fluid port, wherein a hose barb is operatively attached to the body at the fluid port and the second fluid port, wherein the disposable tubing can be removably attached to the hose barbs, and the pressure fluid passageway including a distal end for removable attachment of a sanitary pressure gauge and a biocompatible gauge protector for isolation of the fluid from the sanitary pressure gauge. No dead zone is achieved within the gauge tee as the proximal end of the pressure fluid passageway is substantially the same diameter as the distal end of the pressure fluid passageway, therein providing a total transfer of fluid within the pressure fluid passageway during fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventor: George J Fennington, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7370540
    Abstract: Rotation angle sensor, in particular for an electrical steering system of an industrial truck, in which two magnetic field sensitive sensor elements are arranged on orthogonal axes and a permanent magnet is attached to a shaft extending through the axis intersection point and the output signals X, Y of the sensor elements are given to an evaluation unit, which determines from the two output signals X, Y the rotation angle value by means of a function saved in the evaluation unit, characterized in that for a plurality of predetermined values of one of the output signals X or Y associated ideal values calculated from the geometrical relationship of the sensors of the other output signal Y, X are saved in the evaluation unit, the measured values of the other output signal Y, X are compared with the ideal values and a warning or stop signal is created if the difference between the measured and ideal value reaches a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Robert Hammerl, Frank Manken, Christoph Weber
  • Patent number: 7370541
    Abstract: A torque detecting apparatus detects torque applied upon a torsion bar of an electric power steering apparatus, as two sensors, which have ratiometric characteristics and have the same characteristics, simultaneously detect the amount of torsion of the torsion bar. With a gain of one of the two sensors set to the positive polarity and a gain of the other sensor set to the negative polarity, a control circuit calculates the torque applied upon the torsion bar by multiplying a difference between detection outputs from the two sensors by a predetermined coefficient. A torque detecting apparatus which is capable of detecting the torsional angle of a rotation shaft, namely, torque applied upon the rotation shaft easily and accurately using two sensors is thus realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Tokumoto, Shunsuke Nakaura, Ken Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7370539
    Abstract: An electronic torque wrench for engaging a workpiece includes a wrench body having a first end and a second end. A wrench head is disposed on the first end of the wrench body and is configured to engage the workpiece. A grip handle is disposed on the second end of the wrench head. A user interface is carried by the wrench body and includes a housing, a digital display, and an input device for inputting a preset torque value. A torque sensing element is carried by the wrench head and is electrically connected to the display device. A detent extends outwardly from one of the wrench body, the wrench head, and the user interface and a plurality of recesses is formed in another of the wrench body, the wrench head, and the user interface, each of the recesses being configured to releasably receive the detent. The display device is rotatable relative to the wrench head so that the detent is received by one of the recesses for retaining the display device in a desired angular position with regard to the wrench head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Easco Hand Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: Awad Aly Gharib, Steve Booher, Bruce Dexter