Patents Examined by Jonathan Dunlap
  • Patent number: 10191015
    Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus is used, which includes: an irradiation unit for irradiating an object with a laser beam; a restriction unit for restricting an output of the laser beam from the irradiation unit; a control unit for controlling an irradiation of the laser beam and an activation of the restriction unit; a probe for receiving acoustic waves that are generated from the object irradiated with the laser beam; and a construction unit for generating characteristic information relating to the object in use of the acoustic waves, wherein the control unit performs irradiation control of not irradiating the laser beam when the restriction unit is being activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadaki Watanabe, Daisuke Nagao
  • Patent number: 10184778
    Abstract: Provided are a device and method for measuring the thickness of a secondary battery cell. The device comprises: a mounting stand on which a secondary battery cell is positioned; a pressurizing plate which is installed so as to be variable in distance from the mounting stand; a pressurizing device which pushes or pulls the pressurizing plate; a measurement device for measuring the pressurization force applied to the pressurizing plate; and a controller which is configured to control charging, discharging or temperature of the secondary battery cell according to measurement conditions, receive a pressurization force measurement value and a thickness measurement value from the measurement device to thereby determine the magnitude of the pressurization force applied to the pressurizing plate and the thickness of the secondary battery cell, and vary, or maintain the pressurization force applied to the pressurizing plate to be constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Du-Seong Yoon, Su-Hyun Kim, Ji-Hyun Kim, Jae-Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 10184846
    Abstract: A system may include a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor may include a driving pole that includes a driving coil that receives a driving current and emits a magnetic flux portion through a structure. The first sensor may also include a sensing pole that may include a sensing coil that receives the magnetic flux portion and generate a first signal based at least in part on the received magnetic flux portion. The first signal is based at least in part on a force on the structure. The second sensor may be disposed on the driving pole and may generate a second signal representative of a distance between the driving pole and the structure. The system may also include a circuit that may adjust the first signal based on the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dan Tho Lu, Lysle R. Turnbeaugh, David Erik Folkner
  • Patent number: 10184847
    Abstract: A magnetostrictive sensor, including a tubular or columnar substrate extending along an axis, and a magnetostrictive portion disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the substrate and including a plurality of magnetostrictive lines. The plurality of magnetostrictive lines include adjacent first and second magnetostrictive lines that extend along an extension direction, and that are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the substrate via respectively first and second contact areas. In a cross sectional view of the magnetostrictive portion taken orthogonally to the extension direction, a first length, which is a width of a widest portion of the first magnetostrictive line in a width direction parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the substrate, is larger than a width of the first contact area in the width direction, and than a shortest distance between the first and second contact areas in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satomi Ishikawa, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10180367
    Abstract: Proposed is a method of determining optimal operation conditions for treating holes with a rotary tool by performing a hole treatment operation on a tester under various treatment conditions which are similar to the use of the tool in the industrial production on a real manufacturing equipment. The method consists of changing the treatment conditions and determining those operation parameters at which the treated hole is most optimally satisfies the given technical requirements. A criterion for evaluation of these optimal conditions is equality of pair forces acting on the rotary tool in the X- and Y-axis directions since such a situation prevents sidewise deviation of the tool from the direction of the thrust force applied in the Z-axis direction. The above condition is provided by the specific structure of the tester used for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Inventors: Vishal Khosla, Nick Doe, Jun Xiao, Ming Chan, Gautam Char
  • Patent number: 10180366
    Abstract: A torque detection device including a multipolar ring-shaped magnet fixed to a first shaft, a yoke holder configured to be fixed to a second shaft coaxially linked to the first shaft via a torsion bar and have a cylindrical portion surrounding the magnet, a pair of magnetic yokes each having a plurality of claw portions opposing the magnet and are fixed to the yoke holder, and a sensor part that detects a difference in rotational phase between the first shaft and the second shaft, wherein the pair of magnetic yokes are each provided with a plurality of swaging pieces swaged on the cylindrical portion, the swaging piece disposed at a position that overlaps in a radial direction of the cylindrical portion a specific claw portion selected from the plurality of claw portions and being formed so as to have a smaller width than a width of the claw portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yoneda, Kenjirou Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10179386
    Abstract: Proposed is a torque measurement tester for testing hole-treating rotary tools used on hole treating operations such as drilling, tapping, reaming, countersinking, or the like under real operation conditions for determining the most optimal operations parameters. The torque measurement unit consists of a package of three sensor units, in which the first unit is connected to the frame of the tester via pressure sensors for measuring a thrust force acting in the Z-axis direction, the second sensor unit measures forces acting on the tool in the direction of the X-axis, and the third sensor unit measures forces acting in the Y-axis direction. All measurements are carried out irrespective of each other without mutual effect on the measurement data. The third unit resiliently supports the rotary tool relative to the second unit, while the second unit is connected to the first sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Inventors: Vishal Khosla, Nick Doe, Jun Xiao, Ming Chan, Gautam Char
  • Patent number: 10175125
    Abstract: A planar sensor for sensing lateral displacement and shear measures the displacement of a small ferromagnetic or diamagnetic target that is positioned and allowed to move laterally over a series of specially shaped and orientated planar coils. The coils are preferably multi-layer printed circuit boards (PCB) that contain the planar windings and in other embodiments can be fabricated using flexible PCBs or using micro electromechanical (MEMS) assemblies. The target displacement is constrained to a general area and in multiple lateral directions (measuring shear).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventors: Bruce J. P. Mortimer, Gary A. Zets
  • Patent number: 10172541
    Abstract: A motion recognition device includes a sensing unit and a processing unit. The sensing unit generates a sense signal in response to a body motion occurring at a specific position on a user's body, wherein the sense signal includes a first sense signal portion and a second sense signal portion different from the first sense signal portion, and the body motion belongs to a motion segment of a motion type. The processing unit processes the sense signal to generate a motion parameter signal structure including a fusion signal of the first and the second sense signal portions, and recognizes the specific position to determine an effective reference signal for recognition of the motion type based on the motion parameter signal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: J-MEX INC.
    Inventors: Wen-Hsuan Liao, Chi-hung Chen, Meng-Yu Lee, Chao-Ling Chen, Chih-Hung Hsu, Chi-Hung Hsieh, Chun-Yuan Huang, Deng-Huei Hwang, Kun-Ming Tsai, Tsang-Der Ni, I-Tang Chen, Kwang-Sing Tone
  • Patent number: 10177762
    Abstract: A control element comprising a support; a control part which defines at least one operating surface, which is movable or elastically yielding if an operating force F acts upon the operating surface; a layer structure that is disposed between the control part and the support and that is elastically deformed if an operating force F acts on the operating surface. The layer structure has at least one first electrode associated with the support and a second electrode, which is associated with the control part and disposed underneath the operating surface, for the definition of a measuring capacity varying in accordance with the operating force. The layer structure further has an intermediate layer having a recess which is disposed between the first and second electrodes for defining a hollow chamber; and means for venting the hollow chamber. The means for venting is integrated at least partially into the intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Alain Dani, Xiaoxi Li, Jochen Schlereth, Tobias Bodenstein
  • Patent number: 10168238
    Abstract: A system for assessing the distribution of shear forces at fixation points on a textile-based implant includes a tissue model, a load simulation device, and an analysis system. The tissue model includes an upper surface defining an opening therethrough and a fixation support configured to secure a textile-based implant against the upper surface at a plurality of fixation points defined along a plane of the upper surface. The load simulation device is configured to apply a load to a textile-based implant that is secured to the tissue model. A marker is disposed on the fixation support at one or more of the plurality of fixation points. The analysis system is configured to calculate a shear force vector at each of the fixation points where a marker is disposed in response to the load applied by the load simulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Sofradim Production
    Inventors: Tristan Rene Guy Belzacq, Clément Ordrenneau, Frédéric Laurent Pascal Turquier
  • Patent number: 10164632
    Abstract: A capacitor type tactile sensor and a method of manufacturing the capacitor type tactile sensor are provided. To elaborate, the device includes a first electrode, an active layer formed on a top surface of the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on a top surface of the active layer. The active layer is made of ionic elastomer, and a concentration of effective ions within the active layer is adjusted by an external pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM TECHNO-PARK, UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Do Hwan Kim, Hee Tae Jung, Sang Sik Park, Ming Liang Jin
  • Patent number: 10161815
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotor including a shaft sleeve having a shaft sleeve main body and a stopper formed to protrude outward from an end portion of the shaft sleeve main body; a magnet disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft sleeve and a lower portion thereof is supported by the stopper; and a fixing part which fixes an upper portion of the magnet, and a torque sensor and an electronic power steering system including the same. Due to the above structure, a broken magnet is prevented from deviating even when a magnet is broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chang Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 10161814
    Abstract: A sensor is disposed between a first component and a second component of an electronic device. The sensor includes a first surface having a first dimension and a second surface having a second dimension that is less than the first dimension such that the sensor has a tapered profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Martisauskas, Richard D. Shuma
  • Patent number: 10156584
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor includes a fixing portion, a weight portion, a detection beam, support beams, and a metal wiring. The weight portion is supported on the fixing portion so as to be freely displaced. The detection beam is connected to the fixing portion and the weight portion and piezoresistive elements are provided on the detection beam. The support beams are provided separately from the detection beam and are connected to the fixing portion and the weight portion. Both ends of the metal wiring are extended to the fixing portion and the metal wiring is wired so as to pass through the support beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hamamura
  • Patent number: 10151651
    Abstract: A hollow machine element for transmitting a force and/or a torque is provided. The hollow machine element forms a component of an assembly for measuring the acting force and/or torque by using inverse magnetostrictive effect. The hollow machine element extends along an axis and has a cavity that extends along the axis. The machine element includes at least one magnetization region for magnetization, and which includes a magnetostrictive material. A magnetic field measurable via the assembly can be caused by the magnetization and by the force and/or by the torque. The magnetization region is directed toward the cavity and has an axially central segment, in which the magnetization region is arranged at a radial distance from a ferromagnetic region of the machine element to define a gap therebetween. The gap may be empty or filled with insulation, to provide magnetic insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Stephan Neuschaefer-Rube, Jan Matysik, Darius Dlugai, Christian Schmitt, Markus Neubauer, Tomas Smetana
  • Patent number: 10151652
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting an external magnetic field and/or a product-related magnetic field on a ferromagnetic component, which has a magnetization in the form of magnetic tracks. The apparatus comprises at least two magnetic field sensors which can detect an external magnetic field acting on the ferromagnetic component. Each magnetic field sensor comprises two coils, wherein each coil is assigned at least one magnetic track. Each two coils are configured so that they have a different sensitivity to one another, wherein one coil which has a higher sensitivity with respect to the other coil. The coil having the higher sensitivity ensures that the effect of an external magnetic field is amplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: METHODE ELECTRONICS MALTA LTD.
    Inventor: Johannes Gießibl
  • Patent number: 10139264
    Abstract: An elastically deformable load bearing structure includes a measuring arrangement for measuring a magnitude of a load acting on the load bearing structure in a loadable section. A mechanical transmission element extends from the loadable section to a measuring section of the load bearing structure and cooperates operatively with a sensor. The sensor is arranged in the measurement section. The mechanical transmission element is constructed as a pivotable rocker supported by a rocker bearing positioned inside a length of the transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: DIGI SENS AG
    Inventor: Martin Lustenberger
  • Patent number: 10139308
    Abstract: A detecting element unit of a physical quantity detection apparatus includes a detection part and a supporting part. The detection part has a base part, a movable part coupled to the base part via a joint part, and a vibrator provided over the base part and the movable part, and the supporting part includes a fixing portion to be fixed to a base for supporting the base part. A processing unit of the physical quantity detection apparatus extracts vibration response signals at a resonance frequency of the detecting element unit from output of the vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10139324
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiment is an extensometer to measure transverse strain with a passive vertical system making use of a linear optical encoder. The sensor arms are mounted on respective carriages which traverse on respective linear tracks. The carriages are spring-loaded so as to bias the sensor arms toward a closing direction. In order to separate the sensor arms and act against the force of the springs, the carriages are responsive to or pushed by upper and lower drive brackets which are affixed to respective upper and lower portions of a looped timing belt. The extensometer makes use of a low-friction design to minimize rolling friction in the movement of the two sensor arms. One carriage includes an encoder read-head which directly faces an encoder scale on the other carriage. In this configuration, the exact relative position of the two carriages, and hence the two sensor arms, can be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Fernando L. Castro, Christopher M. Joyce