Patents Examined by Herbert Goldstein
  • Patent number: 5394260
    Abstract: The short optical pulse generator is provided with a semiconductor laser which oscillates continuously at a single wavelength, a semiconductor electro-absorption type optical modulator which performs the intensity modulation of the output light from the laser, and a sinusoidal voltage generator and a DC voltage generator for driving the electro-absorption type optical modulator. A DC voltage is applied to the electro-absorption type optical modulator so that the output light from the laser is sufficiently extinguished. By applying a sinusoidal voltage to the optical modulator, short optical pulses are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Kokusai Denshin Denwa Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Suzuki, Hideaki Tanaka, Yuichi Matsushima
  • Patent number: 5392647
    Abstract: A flow sensor for sensing heat transfer with a high-speed response, which is manufactured by applying IC micro-machining technology, and which attains an improved heat transfer efficiency by controlling the flow's direction between a heating portion and a sensing portion or by utilizing the intrinsic characteristics of the gas flow. The flow sensor has a substrate whereon a heating portion and a sensing portion are formed each in the form of a bridge supported at both ends or at one end in the direction of the flowing gas to be measured, and which is placed, its surface with the elements down, at the upper inside wall of a pipe for gas to be measured. Its output signal is taken out through lead wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Ricoh Seiki Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Manaka
  • Patent number: 5392653
    Abstract: A pressure measurement system includes a diaphragm and a chamber for exposing one side of the diaphragm to a fluid. A force transducer is provided for measuring force exerted by the fluid on the one side of the diaphragm independent of diaphragm position. A ferromagnetic plate is attached to the diaphragm to enable removable coupling of the diaphragm with a magnet permanently attached to the force transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Allergan, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Zanger, Tim Surber, Donald E. Lehmer
  • Patent number: 5392645
    Abstract: The average volumetric velocity U.sub.m of a fluid flowing within a large industrial flue stack is determined by a combination of measurement and calculation techniques. The temperature, velocity head and static pressure of the stack fluid are measured at two points within the bounded path of the flue stack. The flight time of a random acoustic noise wave is measured in both the upstream and downstream directions. The path average velocity U.sub.p is determined from the measured values of the upstream and downstream flight times. The fluid velocity is determined using the measured values of the flight times, the fluid temperature, velocity head and static fluid pressure. The determined values of the path average velocity U.sub.p and the fluid velocities are used to determine the average volumetric velocity U.sub.m. A curve fitting algorithm is employed to determine an approximation of the actual fluid flow distribution across the bounded path, and this approximation is used to calculate U.sub.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Scientific Engineering Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Kleppe
  • Patent number: 5390540
    Abstract: A method of controlling movement of the lower chuck of a tire uniformity machine toward the upper chuck by controlling acceleration and deacceleration of the lower chuck in response to pressure encountered during its movement. One embodiment of the apparatus utilizes a low-range pressure switch connected to a pump which activates a cylinder driving the lower chuck and which senses the pressure and controls the pump in response thereto. This embodiment also employs a high-range pressure switch for sensing closing pressure. Another embodiment substitutes a linear displacement transducer and linear electrohydraulic servo actuator for the switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Akron Special Machinery, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank K. Mallison
  • Patent number: 5390534
    Abstract: Apparatus to test for the impact strength of a game racket comprising a base plate having an upper surface; a support post extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base plate; a pivot arm having a first end and a second end with clamping components adjacent to the first end adapted to releasably secure the racket to be tested with at least a portion thereof extending beyond the first end; a pivot pin rotatably coupling the second end of the pivot arm to the support post adjacent to its upper end; a pointer coupled to the second end of the pivot arm; an indicator plate with indicia thereon cooperable with the pointer to indicate the angle of the pointer, pivot arm and racket supported thereon with respect to the vertical; and an impact place secured to the upper surface of the base plate, the impact plate having a striking surface with a central extent at a location to be in point contact with the frame of a racket to be tested when supported by the swing arm when in a vertical orientation whereby the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Lisco, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian P. Feeney
  • Patent number: 5390542
    Abstract: A fluid flow meter has a housing with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and defining therebetween a fluid flow path. The flow meter has a flexible membrane having a inlet end mounted at an inlet region of the fluid flow path and a outlet end mounted at an outlet region of the fluid flow path. The flexible membrane produces undulating motion in response to fluid flow in the fluid flow path. Fluid flow rate is measured by sensing the undulating motion of the membrane. Performance of the meter is enhanced by laminating a layer of material to the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Measurement Technology International
    Inventor: Eugene L. O'Rourke
  • Patent number: 5388457
    Abstract: A thermal flow sensor according to the present invention is provided with a flow velocity probe equipped with a support member formed with an insulating wire material and a heat-sensitive resistor attached on a surface of the support member, in which the heat-sensitive resistor is formed as a film and made of a material whose resistance varies with temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuaki Yasui
  • Patent number: 5388466
    Abstract: The flow meter has in a substantially cylindrical inner housing (1) a helically designed diffuser (4), which imparts a swirl to the medium flowing through the inner housing. Downstream of the diffuser there is rotatably mounted a rotor (8), which has blades (13) extending from its rotational spindle (9) as well as a ring (14) which connects the blade ends to one another and is coaxial to the spindle. The rotor (8) is set in rotation by impingement of the blades (13) by the flowing medium. On the outer circumferential surface (15) of the ring (11) there is on a circular line a multiplicity of markings (16) arranged at equal angular intervals from one another. Through a window (18) in the inner housing (1), a light beam strikes the outer circumferential surface (15) of the ring (14), provided with the markings (16). Upon rotation of the rotor (8), the sequence of markings is transmitted by an optical-fibre cable (20) and sensed by a sensor (21), so that from the signals received the flow rate can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Inventor: Theodora A. Teunissen
  • Patent number: 5388465
    Abstract: In an electromagnetic flowmeter for obtaining a signal corresponding to flow rate of conductive fluid in a magnetic field, a noise detector detects a noise superimposed on the fluid, and a timing signal generator produces timing of generating an exciting current to produce the magnetic field and timing of sampling electrical potential generated in electrodes in the fluid, based on the noise detected by the noise detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Yamatake-Honeywell Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Okaniwa, Ichiro Mitsutake, Atsushi Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 5390042
    Abstract: An optical receiver for receiving tile optical signals with high speed modulation at a high sensitivity. In this optical receiver, a local beam synchronized with a carrier of the optical signal is generated, and multi-frequency local beam components obtained from the local beam are spatially resolved to obtain spatially resolved beams with mutually different frequencies. Then, the optical signal and the obtained spatially resolved beams are entered into the photo-detector element array simultaneously to obtain an interference fringe pattern. The received optical signal is then reconstructed by Fourier analyzing the interference fringe pattern obtained by the photo-detector element array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.
    Inventors: Fumihiko Ito, Kenichi Kitayama
  • Patent number: 5390043
    Abstract: In an optical heterodyne communication system for transmission of multiple optical channels at different wavelenths, the optical channels are grouped into blocks for increased utilization of the available bandwidth. The spacing between optical channels within a block is typically equal to or somewhat greater than the channel bandwidth. The spacing between blocks is such that when the optical signal is heterodyned with a local oscillator lightwave, the interference with a selected optical channel from adjacent blocks does not exceed a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated
    Inventor: Vincent A. O'Byrne
  • Patent number: 5386725
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive flow rate sensor in which a fluid shield is provided so as to cover at least part of a flow velocity probe disposed in a detecting tube, thereby preventing part of heat-sensitive resistor from being directly subjected to change in the flow velocity of a fluid. Temperature of the heat-sensitive resistor is maintained substantially constant even when the fluid flow rate has been drastically changed, thus providing good response characteristic of the flow rate sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Yamakawa, Yuuji Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 5386719
    Abstract: In a three phase fluid stream microwave monitor, an improved test cell having a fluid stream flowing through it with spaced, aligned first and second antenna located within the test cell to receive microwave energy, irradiate the fluid stream, and receive the microwave energy which has passed through the fluid stream. The test cell has a rotatable cage mounted to form a cylinder enclosing the antennas for reducing an amount of debris in a portion of the petroleum stream flowing therebetween. The cage includes vanes which cause it to rotate, under the influence of the flowing stream to thereby be self-cleaning. The cage also carries a block which lies between the antenna and perpendicular to the axis thereof. Rotation of the cage causes rotation of this block to modulate the microwave transmission in a manner indicative of the fluid velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Marrelli, Joseph D. Stafford
  • Patent number: 5385056
    Abstract: A pump station flowmeter is disclosed including a sudden high inflow change detection circuit for eliminating from a series of emptying characteristic calculations taken over a period of time those measurements which are outside of a predetermined acceptance range. The wet well dimensions, level detector signals, clock signals and pump status signals are supplied as inputs to both a volume rate of change calculator and to the sudden high inflow change detector. In the event of an undesirable measurement, the sudden high inflow changes detection circuit operates a gate to isolate the volume rate of change calculator from the emptying characteristic calculator that calculates outflow. A flow integrator is provided for calculating volume per cycle from the volume rate of change signal, and an inflow calculator serves to produce inflow from the volume per cycle signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Marsh-McBirney, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence B. Marsh, John D. Wright
  • Patent number: 5386311
    Abstract: Optical clock recovery is performed on an optical signal containing both data and clock information by applying it to a photodetector and adding part of the resulting electrical signal to the bias of a self-pulsating laser diode so as to force its pulsation frequency to the frequency and phase of the clock component of the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited
    Inventor: James A. Shields
  • Patent number: 5385051
    Abstract: An ultrasonic testing machine has a rotor (20) which incorporates several probes (21 to 23) and which has a transmission device (26) with several channels for connecting the probes (21 to 23) to a stationary electronic control and analysis device (32). The rotor (20) contains more probes (21 to 23) than channels in the transmission device (26). All probes (21 to 23) are connected electrically to a first multipoint connector (24) and all transmission devices are connected electrically to as second multipoint connector (28). At least one interchangeable plug counterconnector (30) corresponding to these two multipoint connectors is present and contains connections for contacts associated with the channels of the transmission device (26) with contacts of connections for some of the probes (21 to 23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Krautkramer GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Reinhard Prause
  • Patent number: 5385045
    Abstract: The invention provides a tire changing and balancing machine. On the same shaft used to mount and demount a tire, a wheel assembly is balanced. A tire on a wheel assembly is placed between a breaker blade and a breaker pad. The breaker blade collapses the tire. The wheel assembly is then mounted on a shaft. A mounting and demounting head is used to remove the tire from the wheel assembly. A new tire is placed on the wheel assembly. The mounting and demounting head is then used to mount the new tire on the wheel assembly. The wheel assembly and mounted tire are then spun on the shaft and balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Bryce L. Mannen, Steve Rogers
  • Patent number: 5383362
    Abstract: A control circuit for a resonating rotation sensor has a pair of closed loop controls for independently controlling component traveling waves of a resonant pattern in a ring shaped resonant member. Frequency and phase quantities of the independent traveling waves as well as time dependant quantities thereof indicate total rotation angle, rotation raze and rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Michael W. Putty, David S. Eddy
  • Patent number: 5383355
    Abstract: A system for the examination or inspection of a gas turbine engine in which a computer 3 controls a series of probes by way of devices for controlling movements in different directions. Thus, there is a centralized control of the measurements for allowing faster performance. The system is applicable to tests on gas turbine engines, particularly prior to mass production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventors: Jean-Marc R. Baleras, Hermano Grossi, Didier G. Moreau