Patents Examined by J M Saint Surin
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Patent number: 9488619Abstract: A sensor device and method for monitoring interaction between a fluid and a wall includes includes a mechanical oscillator, a housing, and mechanical response sensing system. The mechanical oscillator includes a floating member formed from a first material configured to be susceptible to the fluid and a support member formed from a second material resistant to the fluid. The mechanical oscillator is affixed within the housing that is adaptably fastened to the structural component such that the floating member contacts the fluid. The mechanical response sensing system is configured to measure a mechanical characteristic of the combined floating member and the support member. The mechanical characteristic is configured to be indicative of the interaction between the fluid and the wall.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2012Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Ohio UniversityInventors: Srdjan Nesic, Valery A. Sheverev
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Patent number: 9488567Abstract: A pipe damage detection apparatus and method are disclosed. The pipe damage detection apparatus includes an ultrasonic supply unit configured to supply an ultrasonic signal to a pipe; an ultrasonic reception unit configured to receive the ultrasonic signal of the pipe; and an analysis unit configured to analyze the ultrasonic signal received by the ultrasonic reception unit, and determine whether the pipe is damaged. The pipe damage detection apparatus and method can detect whether a pipe that is difficult for an inspector to access because it is coated with an insulating material or buried in the ground is damaged.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2012Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Hoon Sohn, Hyeon Seok Lee, Jin Yeol Yang
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Patent number: 9488623Abstract: A method of inspecting a structure is disclosed. The method generally comprises selecting a search region of a dispersion curve of the structure corresponding to one or more inspection parameters. The search region comprises at least one guided wave mode activation point not located on the dispersion curve. The method further comprises activating, using an inspection system comprising at least one transducer, a plurality of activation points located within the search region of the dispersion curve and identifying an optimal activation point for the one or more inspection parameters. The optimal activation point comprises at least one of the plurality of activation points producing an optimal response for the one or more inspection parameters.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2014Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Joseph L. Rose, Jason Philtron
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Patent number: 9482645Abstract: Ultrasonic detection methods are disclosed. The method includes providing an ultrasonic detection system having a transmitting phased array device and a receiving phased array device. A phased array wave is transmitted through a revolutionary body from the transmitting phased array device to the receiving phased array device, thereby obtaining ultrasonic detection information about the revolutionary body. In another embodiment, the method includes positioning the transmitting phased array device and the receiving phased array device on a periphery of a turbine rotor, transmitting a phased array wave into the turbine rotor, the phased array wave not reflecting off of a reflecting feature, adjusting the positioning of the transmitting phased array devices on the periphery of the turbine rotor, and transmitting the phased array wave into the turbine rotor, the phased array wave reflecting off of a reflecting feature. The reflected phased array wave is received by the receiving phased array device.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2013Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Michael Charles Freda, Francis Alexander Reed
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Patent number: 9476761Abstract: A system for making available information which represents a vibration state for the operation of vibration-emitting machines, in particular construction machines, comprising at least one measuring station (12, 12?, 12?) having at least one sensor (20) for detecting at least one variable which relates to the vibration state and having a radio-transmitting unit (24) for outputting a radio output signal which relates to the variable, or at least one reception station (16, 16?, 16?) for picking up the radio output signal of the at least one measuring station (12, 12?, 12?), is characterized in that the at least one measuring station (12, 12?, 12?) comprises an evaluation unit (22) which picks up a sensor signal from the at least one sensor (20) and has the purpose of making available an evaluation signal, representing the vibration state, on the basis of the sensor signal, wherein the radio-transmitting unit (24) generates the radio output signal on the basis of the evaluation signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2012Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: HAMM AGInventor: Thomas Olschewski
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Patent number: 9470576Abstract: A measuring system including: at least two electromechanical resonators each having a resonant frequency varying around an offload resonant frequency according to a physical quantity to be measured; at least one reading device connected to inputs of the resonators and configured to supply an excitation signal on the inputs; and a memory in which is recorded, for each resonator, offload resonance information relating to the offload resonant frequency of the resonator. Each reading device is configured to determine the resonant frequency of one or more resonators selected for reading by configuring at least one element of the reading device using the offload resonance information stored for each selected resonator.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternativesInventors: Eric Colinet, Philippe Andreucci, Laurent Duraffourg, Sébastien Hentz
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Patent number: 9470659Abstract: A device for detecting an impact on a composite material structure. This detection device comprises at least two acoustic modules intended to be secured to the composite material structure and a processing unit able to communicate remotely with each of the acoustic modules. Each acoustic module is electrically autonomous and comprises its own means for recording the sound waves sensed by its acoustic sensor. An aircraft structure is also provided comprising a composite material structural element equipped with the impact detection device. A method is also provided for detecting an impact on a composite material aircraft structural element equipped with an impact detection device.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2013Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SASInventors: Olivier Chaume, Xavier Kern, Jean-Pascal Cabot
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Patent number: 9464961Abstract: An inspection probe includes a vibration transmission portion transmitting an ultrasonic vibration along a longitudinal axis, and a vibration damping portion continuous with a distal direction side of the vibration transmission portion. the vibration damping portion damps the ultrasonic vibration by causing vibration energy of the ultrasonic vibration to be lost and converting the lost vibration energy to heat energy in a state that the vibration damping portion vibrates in a manner to follow the vibration transmission portion. An index section of the inspection probe serves as an index indicating a conversion amount to the heat energy in the vibration damping portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2016Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventor: Tsunetaka Akagane
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Patent number: 9465013Abstract: HPLC methods for detecting, identifying and quantifying munitions compounds or munitions materials are disclosed. Insensitive munitions explosives (IMX) can be detected along with conventional munitions compounds such as 2,4,6-trinitrotolene (TNT) in a single column analysis. The methods are also useful to provide analytical evaluation of soil samples, aqueous samples such as ground water samples and tissue samples containing insensitive munitions explosives (IMX).Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2014Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMYInventors: Amber Lea Russell, Jennifer Maureen Seiter, Jessica Ann Coleman, Anthony Joseph Bednar
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Patent number: 9464671Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing (10) including an inner ring (12), an outer ring (11), and rolling bodies positioned between the inner and outer rings, one of the rings being rotary and the other not, the bearing further including: a first module (20) including at least one set of sensor(s) suitable for performing successive measurements of at least one parameter representative of the vibrations within the bearing; and a second module (20) suitable for determining a frequency representation of the signal corresponding to the successive measurements, and for obtaining a set of elements(s) representative of the frequency representation based on that frequency representation, so as to compare at least one representative element of the set with a corresponding reference element and identify a malfunction based on that comparison (10).Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2013Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: SKF AEROSPACE FRANCE S.A.S.Inventor: Yoann Hebrard
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Patent number: 9453820Abstract: A crack and thickness detecting apparatus for detecting a crack in a wafer and also detecting the thickness of the wafer. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic oscillating unit oscillating a first ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the wafer at a predetermined incident angle, an ultrasonic oscillating and receiving unit oscillating a second ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the wafer in a direction perpendicular thereto and also receiving reflected waves obtained by the reflection of the first and second ultrasonic waves from the wafer, a crack determining unit determining whether or not the crack is present in the wafer according to the first reflected wave, and a thickness calculating unit calculating the thickness of the wafer according to the second reflected wave. The ultrasonic oscillating and receiving unit alternately receives the first reflected wave and the second reflected wave.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: DISCO CORPORATIONInventor: Takayuki Masada
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Patent number: 9453760Abstract: A device for the evaluation of vibrations (10) comprises an evaluating device (12), which comprises an input for introducing a vibration signal (SG) and is designed to determine a characteristic signal (BK) with the dimension of length/time? and/or the square (SE) of the characteristic signal (BK) from the vibration signal (SG) by means of a frequency-dependent evaluation of the vibration signal (SG). For a predefined value of a dimensional exponent ?, 1.3<?<1.7, a vibration sensor (11) of the device (10) outputs the vibration signal (SG). An RMS value (BEF) of the characteristic signal (BK) or the square (SE) of the characteristic signal (BK) essentially corresponds to the damaging effect of the vibrations on a structure or a machine. The square (SE) can be converted into a service life (T) according to the equation T=KB/SE and displayed.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2013Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: PRUFTECHNIK DIETER BUSCH AGInventor: Heinrich Lysen
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Patent number: 9453822Abstract: The invention may be embodied as a fingerprint scanner having an ultrasonic wave detector, a platen, an ultrasonic wave generator located between the detector and the platen. The invention may be embodied as a method of scanning a finger. One such method includes providing a platen, a detector and a generator, the generator being placed between the platen and the detector. A finger may be provided on the platen, and an ultrasound wave pulse may be sent from the generator toward the finger. The wave pulse may be reflected from the finger, and received at the detector. The received wave pulse may be used to produce an image of the finger.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2013Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: John K. Schneider, Jack Conway Kitchens, II, James T. Baker
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Patent number: 9448149Abstract: Disclosed are a method for ultrasonic fatigue testing at high temperature and a testing device without needing preliminary Young's modulus measurement, and a method for ultrasonic fatigue testing at high temperature and a testing device capable of securing heat insulation for protecting a vibrator without water cooling of a horn, measuring end surface displacement of a test specimen in a noncontact manner, and solving problems of a noncontact temperature measurement of a test specimen and temperature control. Young's modulus is calculated by inverse calculation, a rod and a horn having heat resistance, heat insulation, and temperature symmetry of a test specimen are used, laser light is irradiated and received from an oblique direction to measure end surface displacement, and a noncontact temperature measurement of a test specimen by a black-body coating and a two-color radiation thermometer and temperature control by a high-frequency coil having a special shape are performed.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: National Institute For Materials ScienceInventor: Furuya Yoshiyuki
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Patent number: 9448208Abstract: An airborne ultrasonic testing system includes two sets of ultrasound transmitters and receivers, an ultrasound frequency generator, a computer analyzer, and a controller. The ultrasound transmitters and opposing receivers are fixedly mounted at oblique angles from a support. A seal-receiving slot is defined between the transmitters and receivers, and is sized to receive a sealed edge portion of a container to be tested. The ultrasound transmitters preferably emit respective ultrasound streams that encounter a top surface of a sealed edge portion of the container at an angle between approximately 0-45 degrees, and most preferably, approximately 45 degrees. The angle of ultrasound emission of the first transmitter may be inverse of the angle of emission of the second transmitter. The signal response of each pair of receivers can be processed individually or combined to produce a summary test result of the two measurements that eliminates systematic variation associated with material variation.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2014Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: PACKAGING TECHNOLOGIES & INSPECTION LLCInventors: Anton Stauffer, Mikhail Kneller
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Patent number: 9442097Abstract: The present application relates to a non-destructive testing system. The non-destructive testing system may include an ultrasonic probe and a hand-held display in communication with the ultrasonic probe. The hand-held display may be configured to display C-scan images or S-scan images.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Weiwei Zhang
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Patent number: 9435770Abstract: A method of making a flexible delay line for a transducer, a flexible delay line, and a transducer are provided. The method includes providing a mold having a desired geometry, applying a flexible material to the mold, curing the flexible material in the mold, and removing the cured material from the mold. The cured material forms a flexible delay line having a geometry conforming to a face of the ultrasonic transducer. The flexible delay line for a transducer includes a flexible material having an aperture shaped to receive a face of the transducer. The flexible delay line is operable to conform to a flat or an irregular surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary Austin Lamberton, Michael Rowe
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Patent number: 9435767Abstract: There is set forth herein a sensor for sensing of substances. The sensor can include a sensing crystal oscillator and a reference crystal oscillator. The sensing crystal oscillator and the reference crystal oscillator can be arranged in a phase locked loop so that the oscillators oscillate at a common frequency. The sensor can be configured so that there is a baseline phase differential between the oscillation frequencies of the sensing crystal oscillator and the reference crystal oscillator. Detectable substances accumulating on the sensing crystal oscillator will induce a phase shift between output frequencies of the reference oscillator and the sensing crystal oscillator to allow for highly sensitive sensing of substances in small concentrations.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Syracuse UniversityInventor: Fritz H. Schlereth
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Patent number: 9435780Abstract: In a method for testing a box blank formed from flat material, the said box blank is guided along a blade (12). At least one of the layers (10) is folded onto the blade (12), so that it is located between the layers (10, 14). A component (16) is located opposite the blade (12), which component is located outside the box blank (2). Waves (17, 21) which are affected by the layer (10) are propagated between the blade (12) and the component (16). In order to achieve a high contrast, the blade has at least one physical property which differs from the corresponding physical property of the box blank.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: TEXMAG GMBH VERTRIEBSGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Thomas Reiter, Lars Zwerger
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Patent number: 9429466Abstract: An illustrative distributed acoustic sensing system includes a multi-mode optical fiber cable for distributed sensing and a distributed acoustic sensing interrogator coupled to the multi-mode optical fiber cable via a single mode optical fiber. The interrogator derives distributed acoustic measurements from Rayleigh backscattering light that is initiated with a substantially under-filled launch configuration that is designed to excite only the lowest-order modes of the multi-mode optical fiber. Mode conversion within the multi-mode optical fiber is anticipated to be negligible. For elastic scattering (i.e., Rayleigh scattering), it is further anticipated that the scattered light will be primarily returned in the incident propagation mode, thereby escaping the extraordinarily large coupling loss that would otherwise be expected from coupling a single-mode optical fiber to a multi-mode optical fiber for distributed sensing. Experiments with graded index multi-mode optical fiber have yielded positive results.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.Inventors: David A. Barfoot, John L. Maida