Patents Examined by Jermaine Jenkins
  • Patent number: 8752433
    Abstract: A process variable transmitter for measuring a pressure of a process fluid includes a first inlet configured to couple to a first process pressure and a second inlet configured to couple to a second process pressure. A differential pressure sensor couples to the first and second inlets and provides an output related to a differential pressure between the first pressure and the second pressure. A first pressure sensor couples to the first inlet and provides an output related to the first pressure. Transmitter circuitry provides a transmitter output based upon the output from the differential pressure sensor and further provides enhanced functionality based upon the output from the first pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Rosemount Inc.
    Inventor: Robert C. Hedtke
  • Patent number: 8746072
    Abstract: A pressure switch comprises a housing having a cavity for conveying a pressurized fluid. The cavity extends from an inlet to an outlet and defines a flow path for the fluid. A pressure-transducing element is provided for measuring the fluid pressure. The pressure-transducing element is in fluid communication with the cavity and is at least partially disposed in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet. The pressure-transducing element has a cylindrical shape with a constant diameter and is partially disposed in a bore in the housing. The bore has a constant bore diameter. One end of the pressure-transducing element extends into the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Marcus Kampf, Jürgen Kreutzkämper, Fabian Schmidt, Dieter Schönherr
  • Patent number: 8746055
    Abstract: Described herein is a rain intensity sensor. The sensor includes a circuit, which includes a resistor and at least two spaced apart electrically conductive strips electrically connected in series to the resistor. The resistor is located between the conductive strips. The conductive strips are sufficiently spaced apart such that when a raindrop contacts with the conductive strips provides a resistive path therebetween and which is electrically parallel with the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott Adler, Harold Russell Baird
  • Patent number: 8733164
    Abstract: The invention comprises a wind turbine having an optical wind sensor 10. The optical wind sensor generates one or more multiple beams of light 42, each of which forms a sensor beam pointing along a sensor axis. Where more than one sensor beam is used the beams are arranged so that the different sensor axes lie at least partly orthogonal to each other, allowing the wind direction 40 to be detected for any direction of wind. Each multiple sensor beam comprises at least two individual sensor beams having different respective wavelengths of light. The different color of the individual light beams allows the sensor system to detect which of the light beams is triggered first when matter in the wind passes through the beam and reflects light back to light collecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Ib Svend Olesen
  • Patent number: 8733160
    Abstract: A tire defect tester and a method of operation are disclosed. In one aspect, the tire defect tester includes a first electrode arranged to direct energy toward a tire, and a second electrode arranged on an opposite side of the tire from the first electrode to receive energy passing through the tire from the first electrode. The tire defect tester further includes an energy sensor electrically connected to the second electrode and a fault indicator circuit responsive to the energy sensor and configured to indicate the presence of a flaw upon energy above a threshold level being sensed at the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Paul E. Hawkinson Company
    Inventors: David E. Range, Gary William Box
  • Patent number: 8733176
    Abstract: A stress concentrating apparatus and a method for a MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) sensors is provided. The apparatus includes a plate having an inner region and outer region, the inner region being separated from the outer region by slits defined in the plate. A stress concentrator bridge connects the inner region to the outer region, and to mechanically amplify stress applied on the inner region of the plate. At least one stress sensor is operatively connected to the stress concentrator bridge, whereby the at least one stress sensor converts the mechanically amplified stress applied on the inner region into an electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Kontel Data System Limited
    Inventor: Ping Wai Li
  • Patent number: 8720265
    Abstract: A spring testing fixture and measuring assembly thereof are described. The spring testing fixture includes a measuring assembly, an upper cover and a lower cover. The measuring assembly further includes a contact plate, a containing space and a buckling unit. The contact plate of the measuring assembly is correspondingly adapted to the configuration (or profile) of the spring for effectively restricting the exerted force on the spring to precisely measure the practical reliability and the life span of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jui-pin Lin
  • Patent number: 8714001
    Abstract: Disclosed is a floating mechanism loading vehicle provided with double shafts and eight wheels for pavement accelerated loading test. The floating mechanism loading vehicle comprises front and rear rotating shafts (5), on each of which two loading steel wheels (3) and two backhaul steel wheels (2) are mounted, the loading steel wheels (3) being fixed on the rotating shafts (5) and the backhaul steel wheels (2) being rotatable round the rotating shafts (5). During the loading rolling course, the loading steel wheels (3) runs on the loading rail (4), while during the unloading backhaul course, the backhaul steel wheels (2) runs on the backhaul rail (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Shandong Jiaotong University
    Inventors: Jinxiang Feng, Xingyu Guo, Ying Han, Qingzhen Wu, Xuguang Wang, Peng Zhang, Xiangzhen Kong, Zhiguang Guan, Xianggui Li, Qian Jia, Jiwei Zhang, Huijun Wang
  • Patent number: 8714007
    Abstract: A precipitation sensor including a cantilevered sensor member having a cantilevered portion and an upper and a lower surface extending on opposite sides of the cantilevered portion. The sensor member can receive falling precipitation on the upper surface and vibrate when struck by such precipitation. The cantilevered portion can have outer perimeter edges that are sloped downwardly for shedding the precipitation off the cantilevered portion. An electromechanical sensor can be incorporated with at least a part of the cantilevered portion of the sensor member for sensing the vibrations of the sensor member caused by the precipitation, and generating an electrical response from which precipitation properties can be determined. A support structure can be connected to the lower surface of the cantilevered portion at about a central region of the sensor member for supporting the sensor member. The cantilevered portion extends outwardly beyond the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Airmar Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Cullen, Chad Lawrence Andrews, Frederic Schoff Boericke, II, Stephen G. Boucher, Roger Henry Tancrell
  • Patent number: 8714019
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring cell with a casing for housing a sensor, in particular a pressure transducer, in which the casing has a pressure compensation vent for the sensor; and is provided with a sealing element with an axisymmetrical circumferential surface arranged proximate an internal surface of a casing bore formed operably and complementary hereto, and that the pressure compensation vent is formed as at least one gap resistant to ignition flashovers by interaction of a strip-shaped and plane surface section extending along the casing bore on the circumferential surface of the sealing element with the internal surface of the casing bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Vega Greishaber KG
    Inventor: Thomas Kopp
  • Patent number: 8707776
    Abstract: A vehicle having a device for acquiring and transmitting at least one measurement signal that characterizes the state of a vehicle tire, such as tire air pressure and/or tire air temperature, having at least one sensor module that is supplied with electrical energy by an energy supply device and that contains at least one tire air pressure sensor and/or at least one tire air temperature sensor, the energy supply device having at least one generator that rotates with the vehicle tire as well as at least one magnetic field generator, an electrical voltage being produced in the generator by electromagnetic induction. The magnetic field generator is situated on a brake caliper of a disc brake of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Fischer
  • Patent number: 8701482
    Abstract: A system for monitoring wind characteristics in a volume including a plurality of non-coherent laser anemometers operative to measure wind characteristics in a plurality of corresponding sub-volumes located within the volume and a data processing subsystem operative to receive data from the plurality of non-coherent laser anemometers and to provide output data representing the wind characteristics in the volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Pentalum Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sagie Tsadka, Nathan Sela
  • Patent number: 8695431
    Abstract: Sensors used in mapping strata beneath a marine body are described, such as in a towed array. A first acoustic sensor uses a piezoelectric sensor mounted with a thin film separation layer of flexible microspheres on a rigid substrate. Additional non-acoustic sensors are optionally mounted on the rigid substrate for generation of output used to reduce noise observed by the acoustic sensors. A second sensor is a motion sensor including a conductive liquid in a chamber between a rigid tube and a piezoelectric motion film circumferentially wrapped about the tube. Combinations of acoustic, non-acoustic, and motion sensors co-located in rigid streamer housing sections are provided, which reduce noise associated with different sensor locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Solid Seismic, LLC
    Inventor: Richard E. Pearce
  • Patent number: 8695430
    Abstract: Systems and methods that are capable of measuring pressure or temperature based on luminescence are discussed herein. These systems and methods are based on spin-allowed broadband luminescence of sensors with orthorhombic perovskite structures of rare earth aluminates doped with chromium or similar transition metals, such as chromium-doped gadolinium aluminate. Luminescence from these sensors can be measured to determine at least one of temperature or pressure, based on either the intense luminescence of these sensors, even at high temperatures, or low temperature techniques discussed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Jeffrey I. Eldridge, Matthew D. Chambers
  • Patent number: 8695412
    Abstract: A probe for measuring a local angle of attack designed to be fixed to a wall and a method implementing the probe are provided. The probe comprises at least three pressure sampling ports disposed over a nose of the probe body, pressure measurement means associated with the pressure sampling ports and calculation means capable of determining an angle of attack of the flow with respect to the main direction of the probe body as a function of the pressures measured by the pressure measurement means. The calculation means are configured for choosing from amongst the pressure sampling ports those allowing the best measurement precision of the local angle of attack to be obtained and for calculating the local angle of attack with respect to the main direction using the pressure measurements carried out in the chosen pressure sampling ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventor: Jacques Mandle
  • Patent number: 8689622
    Abstract: A system for detection of turbulent air flow across a sail of a sailboat, comprising at least one base module arranged to be attached to said sail; an elongate body arranged to move in said air flow, which is attached to said at least one base module at one end; a power source on said at least one base module; at least one sensor on said at least one base module arranged to detect movement of said elongate body; and a signalling device arranged to output signals to a sailor on said sailboat in response to signals received from said at least one sensor; wherein said base module comprises at least one radiator which is arranged to transmit electromagnetic or optical radiation in the direction of said elongate body moving in said air flow; and said at least one sensor on said base module is arranged to detect reflected radiation from said elongate body moving in said air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Almos Technologies Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Steve Rakoczy, Steven Thomas McGuinness
  • Patent number: 8689619
    Abstract: A wind tunnel device defines a cyclical tunnel to receive continuous airflow. Airflow is delivered through the tunnel to a testing region that includes a first portion carrying an arm including a spray tip configured to spray particulates in the testing region at an angle, and a second portion including an enlarged cutout region configured to receive the angled sprayed particulates. As airflow carries the angled spray particulates into the second portion, the enlarged cutout region enables the spray particulates to pass through and exit the second portion of the testing region. Analysis in the second region may be conducted through transparent walls free of openings to minimize exposure of the spray particulates to the exterior of the device. A scrubber is adapted to extract spray mist from the airflow as the airflow exits the testing region and is re-circulated through the cyclical tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Winfield Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Eric P. Spandl, Jon Martin Gehring, Gregory Keith Dahl, Joe V. Gednalske, William Thomas Hambleton, Lillian C. Magidow
  • Patent number: 8683867
    Abstract: An aspect of a pressure sensor package is that a condensed droplet can be prevented from solidifying and blocking the hole of a pressure inlet pipe, without increasing the external dimensions of the package. Aspects of the invention include a groove in a wall surface of a hole of a pressure inlet pipe, a droplet condensed on the wall surface spreads along the groove by a capillary action, and it is possible to prevent the hole of the pressure inlet pipe being blocked by the droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kimihiro Ashino
  • Patent number: 8683868
    Abstract: A transducer, generally 10, has a robust, yet very flexible, steel-braid reinforced protective cover 12 which is permanently assembled to a custom machined fitting 14. A typical pressure transducer 16 is threaded through a SST nut 18 and then through the cover 12. Bonding the transducer body to the cover's fitting 14 captures the nut 18 between a flange 16A on the transducer 16 and a shoulder 18A in the nut 18, allowing the nut 18 to be freespinning yet a permanent part of the assembly 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: Glen W. Davidson, Thomas E. Pauly
  • Patent number: 8677812
    Abstract: A device for measuring the tire pressure in a pneumatic tire of a vehicle, having an electronic system housing which has an electronic system for measuring values, acted on by a tire valve, for the tire pressure, wherein the electronic system for measuring values is assigned a receiver arranged outside the pneumatic tire, and wherein the electronic system housing is arranged in the region of the rim well of a rim for the pneumatic tire and is indirectly or directly connected to the tire valve, wherein at least one spring element which is operatively connected to the rim well is provided on the electronic system housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Baum