Patents Examined by George H. Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5393938
    Abstract: A scale disposable on a bed frame for measuring the weight of a person in the bed on a mattress, the scale comprising a relatively thin scale frame assembly having overall length and width dimensions related to the dimensions of the bed frame. A plurality of load cells are carried by the scale frame assembly at selected locations in the assembly, each cell producing a signal representative of the weight applied to the frame assembly in its vicinity. A scale control and display device receives the several load cell signals and produces a scale output signal indicative of the weight of a person supported on the mattress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Bio Clinic Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy R. Bumbalough
  • Patent number: 5394176
    Abstract: An electrostatic printing apparatus is arranged to generate an electrostatic latent image on an image supporting medium having an insulating releasing layer and a resin thin film layer formed successively on an electrically conductive substrate, to generate a toner image on the resin thin film layer by developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner solution, and to transfer the toner image together with the resin thin film layer to a recording medium by superposing the recording medium on the resin thin film layer of the image supporting medium with the toner image formed on the resin thin film layer and pressing and heating at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the resin thin film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Itaya, Hiroyuki Nakagoshi, Tsutomu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5393939
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for measuring the weight of an object such as a letter, magazine or parcel, while the object is in motion, without using a weighing scale. The apparatus and method disclosed make use of moving, preferably vertically-oriented transport belts driven by a constant velocity, closed-loop feedback system which includes an electric motor. An object to be weighed is engaged and lifted upwards by the moving belts, increasing the load on the motor as a function of the weight of the object. The increased motor current evoked by the lifted object can be processed to extract the object's weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Anthony T. Nasuta, Jr., Dale H. Brown
  • Patent number: 5393937
    Abstract: A control system for a bi-directional shuttlecar having a loading end and a discharge end. A conveyor extends along the shuttlecar from the loading end to the discharge end, and a pressure sensing transducer is located at the loading end and an independent pressure sensing transducer is located at the discharge end. The pressure sensing transducers are connected in an electric circuit with programmable logic controller which also includes a drive motor for the conveyor and a controller for the drive motor. The weight of mined material supported on the conveyor at the loading end of the vehicle is sensed by the pressure sensing transducer at the loading end and creates a signal for transmission to the programmable logic controller to start the movement of the conveyor and the weight of the mined material at the discharge end of the vehicle is sensed by the pressure transducer at the discharge end and creates a signal for transmission to the programmable logic controller to stop the movement of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Dosco Overseas Engineering Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Etherington, Michael R. Walker
  • Patent number: 5391843
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to accurately measure a carrying weight of a vehicle on the basis of a force applied to suspension cylinders and allow an operator to accurately recognize the weight. A first force applied to a front wheel suspension cylinder of a vehicle carrying a load can be obtained on the basis of detection values of pressure sensors (2a, 3a, 2b, 3b), and a second force applied to a rear wheel suspension cylinder can be obtained on the basis of detection values of pressure sensors (2c, 3c, 2d, 3d). An inclination O of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction is detected by an inclinometer (8), and the first and the second force are corrected in accordance with this inclination O. Further, the first and the second force are corrected in accordance with the magnitudes of the first and the second force to thereby obtain the weights of the vehicles on the front wheel side and the rear wheel side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hideo Sato, Takao Nagai
  • Patent number: 5391844
    Abstract: The invention is a load cell for the measurement of force, independent of displacement, created by means such as weight, acceleration, pressure, and the like. The load cell has a beam structure with beams positioned parallel to each other in at least one plane. Generally, these parallel beams are attached to a stationary base and have sensing means attached between the two beams. In operation, deflection of one beam creates a response in the sensing means due to the relative action or deflection in the second beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Weigh-Tronix Inc
    Inventors: Thomas H. Johnson, Michael R. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 5389959
    Abstract: There is disclosed a thermal printer system having a multiple channel laser print head which focuses closely spaced spots of laser light energy onto a dye donor element which moves at constant velocity relatively past the print head. These laser light spots respectively print multiple lines of an image a swath at a time by heat transfer of pixels or subpixels of dye from the dye donor element to a receiver element. A light source (such as an arc lamp) applies to the dye donor element one or more precisely positioned spots of light energy which elevate the temperature of the dye donor element substantially uniformly within a zone coincidently with and closely surrounding the laser light spots. The shape, the position and the power absorbed within the zone from the light source are carefully controlled. Thus the temperature within this zone is held to a substantially uniform value slightly below the vaporization temperature of the dye to be transferred from the dye donor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Daniel D. Haas
  • Patent number: 5387766
    Abstract: A scale incorporating an abuse detection and recordal system has a scale for weighing an article placed thereon, the scale defining a surface adapted to support the article thereon and a component damageable by an excessive force downwardly directed on the support surface. A frangible layer is disposed on the support surface and frangible by a downwardly directed force less than the excessive force required to damage the component, whereby the frangible layer acts as an abuse detection and recordal system to detect and record the use of such force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Jopo, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Teller, Lance Ong
  • Patent number: 5384437
    Abstract: A torque bar suspension scale having a platform for supporting objects to be weighed and a pair of torque bars with each torque bar being disposed at an opposite end of the platform. Strap assemblies are connected to the platform, the torque bars and a frame whereby the torque bars are rotated in response to a weight being disposed on the platform. Each strap assembly comprises a strap having a rectangularly shaped cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Adrian J. Paul Company
    Inventors: John Paul, Adrian J. Paul
  • Patent number: 5384591
    Abstract: An electrophotographic recording device comprises a photoconductive drum which is rotated at a constant speed, a charger for charging a photoconductive surface of the photoconductive drum, a recording head which includes a large number of light emitting diodes arranged in a line, and which exposes the charged photoconductive surface, in order to form an electrostatic image corresponding to image data on the photoconductive surface, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic image into a toner image, a transfer unit for transferring the toner image onto a paper sheet, a fixing unit for fixing the toner image transferred onto the paper sheet, a line density decision circuit for deciding the line density of an image from the image data, and an emission time setting circuit for determining an emission time of the light emitting diodes in accordance with the line density detected by the decision circuit, the emission time setting circuit determining a first emission time in relation to image data to be pri
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yukio Tsuda
  • Patent number: 5384583
    Abstract: An ink jet printing device has a drop generator for producing continuous streams of ink drops from at least one orifice and further has stimulation control electronics for maintaining desired stimulation conditions in response to a feedback from the drop generator. First and second feedback transducers measure the stimulation amplitude in the drop generator and generate feedback output signals in response to the stimulation. The feedback output signals are approximately equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to each other when the stimulation amplitude in the drop generator is a desired stimulation mode. An amplifier, whose inputs are the feedback output signals, provides an amplifier output signal to the stimulation control electronics which is the difference between the two feedback output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Katerberg, Mark C. Bowers
  • Patent number: 5384436
    Abstract: A mobile apparatus and method for weighing bales on an electronic scale in a field. Fixedly supported on the rear end of a mobile crop baler are two load cells from which is pivotably suspended the inboard end of a bale-receiving-structure. The outboard end of the bale-receiving-structure is adjustably supported by a tether from at least one other load cell fixed to a rearwardly extended portion of the baler which allows the outboard end to swing upwardly as the underside of the bale-receiving-structure encounters berms in the field thereby preventing damage to the electronic scale components. The weight of each bale produced by the baler is digitally readout in the baler cabin where, by comparison to a predetermined weight, real time adjustments are automatically or manually made to adjust bale weight to the predetermined weight, thereby achieving greater weighing accuracy and enhanced overall output from the field. The scale may be used on original equipment balers or made to retrofit existing balers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Inventor: Gary E. Pritchard
  • Patent number: 5384438
    Abstract: A torque bar suspension scale having a platform for supporting objects to be weighed and a pair of torque bars with each torque bar being disposed at an opposite end of the platform. Strap assemblies are connected to the platform, the torque bars and a frame whereby the torque bars are rotated in response to a weight being disposed on the platform. Each strap assembly comprises a strap having a rectangularly shaped cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Adrian J. Paul Company
    Inventor: John Paul
  • Patent number: 5384590
    Abstract: The present invention provides control means for always maintaining the transfer and separation condition of an image forming apparatus of electrophotographic type. The present invention comprises time detection means for detecting a time period elapsed after a power source of the image forming apparatus is turned OFF, judgement means for judging whether the detected result of the time detection means exceeds a predetermined time, and setting means for setting conditions of the transfer means and/or the separation means, the setting means selecting the conditions of the transfer means and/or the separation means to predetermined conditions when the judged result of the judgement means is out of a predetermined time period and adopting a previous transfer and separation condition when the judged result is in the predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Sugino
  • Patent number: 5380957
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for weighing particulate material, in which the particles are delivered onto a dish which is rotated to throw off the particles into a collector (7), the dish having an electric drive means powered from a controlled current source (1), and a circuit responsive to variations in the controlled drive current which produces an output signal representative of variations in said drive current due to transit of particles via the dish, thereby signalling meas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Inventor: Alan F. Giles
  • Patent number: 5381167
    Abstract: A color image forming machine includes a plurality of exposure units for irradiating an image carrier movable in a secondary scanning direction of the exposure units by primary scanning beams, at a plurality of irradiation positions to form latent images, a plurality of charging units for charging the image carrier corresponding to the irradiation positions of the exposure units and a plurality of developing units to form toner images corresponding the latent images. The plurality of toner images are superimposed on the image carrier to obtain a multi-color or full-color images trough transferring and fixing. A light-reflective registration mark is provided to a non-image area on one side of the image carrier. Employing at least two exposure units, irradiation by each primary scanning beam is conducted to the light-reflective registration mark moving in the secondary scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yozo Fujii, Tadashi Miwa, Hisao Satoh, Atsushi Ogane, Isao Matsuoka, Tadayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5381170
    Abstract: A continuous ink jet recording apparatus which can record an image always with an appropriate density on any of various record media. A vibrating element driver drives a piezoelectric vibrating element in response to a disintegrating frequency signal from an oscillator to disintegrate a jet of ink from a nozzle. A multiplier multiplies picture element data of a line buffer by a density coefficient, and a pulse width modulator converts the picture element data from the multiplier into a charging controlling signal of the pulse width which increases in proportion to the number of ink drops per picture element. The charging controlling signal is applied via a high voltage switch to a controlling electrode, by which the in drops are charged in accordance with the charging controlling signal. A deflecting electrode deflects the charged ink drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: SR Technos Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Mutoh
  • Patent number: 5378860
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for the prevention of theft in salesrooms. The weight of a customer is measured when he enters and when he leaves the salesrooms, and the two measurements are compared. According to the invention, a zone for placing the goods on a conveyor belt is separated spatially from a zone for paying for the goods. The zone for paying can be reached only after passing of an exit installation having a weighing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Inventors: Heinz Dingfelder, Heinz Boxleitner
  • Patent number: 5376761
    Abstract: An in bed infant scale for use with an infant care center and which may be slid underneath the infant platform of the infant care center while the infant is positioned within the center and which causes little disruption to the infant. The infant scale is thus movable from infant care center to infant care center conveniently. The infant scale is easily slid into the infant care center and raises the infant platform on which the infant is positioned such that the infant platform is raised off of its position on its supporting frame and becomes fully supported on the infant scale. Thus the infant scale can weigh the infant platform and the infant resting on that infant platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Chmeda Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Koch, Christopher Dykes
  • Patent number: RE34839
    Abstract: An apparatus for the accurate weighing and labeling of products with non-flat bottoms including three sections each having a horizontal conveyor belt and a pair of vertical controls belts to eliminate product wobble and improve weight are of a relatively thick, resilient material and are adjustable in spacing to accommodate various size products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Ossid Corporation
    Inventor: Sidney S. Tolson