Patents Examined by John M Royston
  • Patent number: 12044560
    Abstract: The present invention relates to magnetic flowmeters. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic flowmeter designed for oil and gas exploration and production, including offshore fracking, onshore hydraulic fracturing, and onshore and offshore non-fracking applications that is capable of withstanding high pressures and a variety of corrosive slurries, acids, bases, and solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: THOMPSON EQUIPMENT COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Todd C. Thompson, Thomas Meacham, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12031852
    Abstract: A magnetic flowmeter for sensing process fluid flow includes a flow tube configured to receive the process fluid flow there through and a plurality of electrodes disposed to contact process fluid. At least one electromagnetic coil is disposed proximate the tube. A flow tube liner is provided in the flow tube having an interior surface configured to contact process fluid and an exterior surface mounted to the flow tube. The flow tube liner has at least one adhesion feature in the exterior surface which promotes adhesion between the flow tube liner and the flow tube. A method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: MICRO MOTION, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Michael Keltgen, Michael John Mayer, Michael Jeffrey Mikolichek, Eddy Sun, Yabin Zhang
  • Patent number: 12018999
    Abstract: A test system for a pressure control equipment (PCE) stack includes a pump for directing fluid into the PCE stack, a drive for operating the pump to control fluid flow into the PCE stack, and a controller communicatively coupled to the drive and a sensor that transmits sensor data indicative of pressure within the PCE stack. The controller instructs the drive to cause the pump to direct fluid into the PCE stack until the sensor data indicates that the pressure within the PCE stack has reached a threshold pressure, blocks fluid flow into and out of the PCE stack upon receiving sensor data indicating the pressure within the PCE stack has reached the threshold pressure, monitors the pressure within the PCE stack over a time interval, and determines a condition of the PCE stack based on a change in the pressure within the PCE stack during the time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan Haslanger
  • Patent number: 12019000
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing cells of interest from a larger group of cells are provided. In some embodiments, the cells are held within cell culture media inside a chamber during laser dissection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignees: DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE, INC., THE BROAD INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Stamatios Papathanasiou, Huaibin Zhang
  • Patent number: 12013319
    Abstract: A sample producing method of producing an observation sample by placing an observation target object on an optically transparent plate, comprising a placement step of placing the observation target object on a surface of a liquid pool retained on the plate, and a fixing step of making an amount of a liquid of the liquid pool on the plate larger on one end portion side of the plate than on the other end portion side and attaching and fixing the observation target object to a surface of the plate sequentially from the other end portion toward the one end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: HIRATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seigo Murakami
  • Patent number: 12007300
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a housing including a locking step part, a sensor body including a locked part locked to the locking step part, a sealing member filled between an inner periphery of the housing and an outer periphery of the sensor body on a base end side of the locked part, an insulating member disposed on the base end side of the sealing member, and a circular disc spring pressing a base end surface of the insulating member. The housing includes a caulking part caulking the circular disc spring to cover the circular disc spring. The elastically compressed circular disc spring is disposed between the caulking part and the insulating member. At least part of a base end side pressing part, at which the caulking part presses the circular disc spring, is disposed between an inner and outer periphery edges of the base end surface of the insulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 12007263
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus to determine water-to-liquid ratio and water volume fraction for high gas-volume-fraction wet-gas flows or multiphase flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Gang Xie, Massimiliano Fiore
  • Patent number: 12007232
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for monitoring the health of a battery cell. Specifically, the method includes receiving, by a controller communicatively coupled a pressure sensor positioned proximate to a battery housing having an initial volume and an initial shape and containing a battery cell, a pressure value indicative of a current volume or a current shape of the battery' housing. The pressure sensor is configured to measure the pressure value indicative of the current volume or the current shape of the battery' housing. The method also involves comparing, by the controller, the pressure value to a predetermined threshold pressure value. The method further involves adjusting, by the controller and based on the comparison, at least one parameter associated with operations of the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 12000760
    Abstract: This invention relates to a resonant frequency vibrational test and a method of subjecting a component to such a resonant frequency vibrational test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Universite De Mons
    Inventors: Lassaad Ben Fekih, Olivier Verlinden, Georges Kouroussis
  • Patent number: 11994419
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a multiphase flow in a pipe using magnetic induction tomography, the apparatus comprising a tubular member adapted for fitting around a pipe defining a flow conduit, wherein the tubular member has outer and inner tubular surfaces surrounding a central longitudinal axis of the tubular member, the inner tubular surface defining a central bore extending along the central longitudinal axis for receiving a pipe therealong, wherein the outer tubular surface has a polygonal cross-section and is comprised of an annular array of a plurality of planar faces, each planar face extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis, wherein at least two of the planar faces each includes a respective coil mounting portion on which is mounted a respective electrical coil, wherein the coil mounting portion comprises a recess in the tubular outer surface which receives a respective electrical coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: ENERCORP ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Lu Ma, Yessica Arellano
  • Patent number: 11988576
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a leak test device, including: a test platform, the test platform being configured to carry and place a polishing head to be tested for leak, the polishing head being divided into one or more independent partitions, each of the partitions having a chamber correspondingly, and each chamber having vents correspondingly; an upper cover for sealing the chambers, the upper cover being located on the side of the chambers away from the test platform; and a movable device, the movable device being movable on a surface parallel to the test platform, movable in a direction perpendicular to the test platform, and also adapted to apply pressure on the upper cover so that the upper cover seals the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiaping He, Chin-Chung Ku
  • Patent number: 11988529
    Abstract: When counting a pulse signal, in order that the communication load and data processing load be suppressed and measurement accuracy be maintained, a counter unit (2) comprises: a measurement unit (21) which counts the number of pulses of a pulse signal, and thus measures an actual value; a comparison unit (22) which determines if the actual value and a target value match; a time information processing unit (23) which, if there is a match, sets the time of the actual value as target time information; and an output unit (24) which outputs the target time information, in a prescribed communication cycle, to an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Kudo
  • Patent number: 11982553
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a fluid flow in a pipe using electromagnetic velocity tomography (EVT) which can incorporate capacitively-coupled electrodes which avoid any direct physical and electrical contact between the process fluid to be monitored and the electronics for processing the flow induced voltages, yet which can provide highly accurate output data for processing using electromagnetic velocity tomography (EVT) to produce images of the fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: ENERCORP ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Lucas, Obie Ogheneochuko
  • Patent number: 11976991
    Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to power failure simulations, for example to test lighting systems, such as emergency lighting units or lighted signage. In some aspects, a pressure monitoring process of the disclosed technology can include steps for receiving a plurality of differential pressure measurements from the pressure sensor, determining whether to transmit pressure information to a management system based on at least two differential pressure measurements received from the pressure sensor, and transmitting the pressure information to the management system if a difference between the at least two differential pressure measurements exceeds a predetermined threshold. Systems and computer-readable media are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Hexmodal Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Hariz, Utkarsh Shah
  • Patent number: 11976999
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to chain monitoring systems and methods. In particular, the chain monitoring system is configured to mount onto a portion of a chain and measure one or more parameters associated with one or more characteristics of the chain. The measured parameters are processed by the chain monitoring system and/or transmitted to a remote system for analysis. The analysis may be used to determine a characteristic and/or change in the characteristic of the chain. In some examples, the characteristic is an elongation value associated with the chain, which can be transmitted to a networked system for analysis, display, and/or control. In some examples, a sensor can be employed to measure one or more characteristics of the chain. The sensor may include, but is not limited to, a strain gauge, an accelerometer, an optical, a sonic, and/or a magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: U.S. Tsubaki Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Monty, Brian Leduc, Paul Gorman, Robert J. Hogan, Michael C. Hogan, Daniel Harris, Joseph Audette
  • Patent number: 11971315
    Abstract: Disclosed is a force sensor. More particularly, the force sensor includes a first permanent magnet layer; a magnetic tunnel junction disposed on the first permanent magnet layer and configured to have a preset resistance value; and a second permanent magnet layer disposed to be spaced apart from the magnetic tunnel junction, wherein the second permanent magnet layer moves in a direction of the first permanent magnet layer when pressure is applied from outside, the preset resistance value of the magnetic tunnel junction is changed when a magnetic field strength formed between the first permanent magnet layer and the second permanent magnet layer becomes a preset strength or more according to movement of the second permanent magnet layer, and the force sensor senses the pressure based on a change in the preset resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DAEGU GYEONGBUK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: June Seo Kim, Myoung Jae Lee, Hyeon Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 11971289
    Abstract: Tank-installable switches for installation through a thief hatch port on a tank. In some embodiments, the switch may comprise a tubular body and a liquid level sensor. The liquid level sensor may include: a detector; a float in and moveable along a length of the lower end; and a rod connecting the float to the detector. The liquid level sensor may be configured to sense a liquid level relative to the lower end and further configured to generate a signal when at least a maximum selected liquid level is sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Tara Oilfield Services LTD.
    Inventor: Martin Sheridan
  • Patent number: 11970845
    Abstract: A water flow valve positioned within a waterline preferably just past a building's water meter. The valve compresses air bubbles into the water at the point where the water enters the meter, thus improving the accuracy of the meter reading. The internal passageway of the valve is non-linear and causing the water traveling therethrough to go through a plurality of turns. A blocking disk and spring are used to close off communication between a first portion of the internal passageway and a second portion of the passageway in a valve closed position. With enough water flow pressure the spring is compressed which causes the blocking disk to retract and allow water to travel through the passageway, while creating the backpressure in the waterline to collapse the air bubbles prior to the bubbles being read by the water meter. A laminar flow for the water can also be created which can reduce the wear and tear on the water meter possibly extending the useful life for the water meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BUDDERFLY, INC
    Inventor: Fabian Mauricio Barreda
  • Patent number: 11959815
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stress sensor that includes a stress detection layer including a laminated body including a first ferromagnetic layer, a first non-magnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and an antiferromagnetic layer stacked one on another. The antiferromagnetic layer includes Mn, and the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer is fixed by the exchange bias caused by the exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer. The stress sensor detects a stress by an electric resistance depending upon a relative angle between magnetization directions of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, the relative angle changing depending upon an externally applied stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Akira Ando, Daichi Chiba
  • Patent number: 11959797
    Abstract: An online detection device and method for a piezoelectric device. The device comprises an elastic wave sensor, a sell-detection circuit, a working circuit, a switch circuit and a control chip. The switch circuit is connected with the elastic wave sensor, the self-detection circuit and the working circuit. The sell-detection circuit is connected with the control chip and is used for, When being connected to the elastic wave sensor, generating, a self-detection signal according to the capacitance of the elastic wave sensor. The working circuit is connected with the control chip and is used for, when being connected to the elastic wave sensor, forming a touch detection circuit and detecting an external touch by means of the elastic wave sensor so as to obtain a detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Beijing Taifang Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaoliang Du, Hongfeng Guo