Patents Examined by Kenneth Whittington
  • Patent number: 7019522
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for measuring the magnetic field strength between the magnet arrays of an insertion device in an X-ray generating system comprising a magnetic field strength sensor that produces an output signal, three stages for positioning the sensor along the X, Y and Z axes of the insertion device, means for controlling positions of the stages and information storage means for reading the output signal operably connected to the sensor. The apparatus eliminates the need for a dedicated measurement facility by mounting guide means for the long (Z-)axis directly to the insertion device. This long-axis guide means can be permanently or temporarily mounted to the insertion device. The remainder of the measurement apparatus may then be transferred onto the long-axis guide means while measurements and, if necessary, adjustments are made. The apparatus is compact, allowing greater access to magnet arrays for adjustment than existing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Design Consulting USA
    Inventors: Eric Arthur Johnson, Joseph Duane Kulesza
  • Patent number: 7012432
    Abstract: An antenna assembly for an induction logging tool for use in a drilling operation. The assembly includes an outer pressure housing, a coil former within the pressure housing, magnetic cores mounted in the housing, a core carrier within the coil former and the pressure housing which carries the magnetic cores, and shock-absorbing mountings on the core carrier for the magnetic cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Geolink (UK) Ltd.
    Inventor: Victor Allan
  • Patent number: 6960911
    Abstract: A strain sensor includes a sensor section having a magnetic material provided on one surface of a conductor, the magnetic material being formed integrally with the conductor and having a magnetic strain constant with an absolute value larger than 1×10?7, a fixing mechanism which fixes at least a part of the sensor section, an inductor disposed in a surface side of the sensor section which is opposite the surface on which the magnetic material is provided, the inductor being disposed opposite and away from the sensor section, and a detection unit which detects the amount of deformation of the sensor section caused by stress applied thereto on the basis of a change in inductance of the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tetsuo Inoue
  • Patent number: 6958603
    Abstract: A metallic contaminant detecting method and apparatus according to the present invention detect metallic contaminants mixed in objects under inspection, such as food products, pharmaceuticals, and materials for industrial use, which are wrapped in electrically conductive packaging materials, e.g. aluminum. A small magnetic field is generated by applying a voltage to coils (10, 11) or supplying an electric current to the coils. A detection magnetic field generated from a metallic contaminant in response to the small magnetic field is detected as a detection voltage or a detection current of the coils (10, 11), and a detection signal is output. The detection signal is analyzed to detect the metallic contaminant. The small magnetic field is created by applying a small voltage or supplying a small electric current to the coils (10, 11) and using a non-linear portion of the magnetic field characteristics of cores constituting the coils (10, 11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Tok Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobukazu Kondo
  • Patent number: 6917196
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing magnetostrictive sensor techniques for the nondestructive evaluation of pipes or tubes. A magnetostrictive sensor generates guided waves in a pipe or tube, which waves travel therethrough in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe or tube. This is achieved by using a magnetized ferromagnetic strip being pressed circumferentially against the pipe or tube. For improved efficiency, the strip may be made from an iron-cobalt alloy. The guided waves are generated in the strip and coupled to the pipe or tube and propagate along the length of said pipe or tube. For detection, the guided waves in the pipe or tube are coupled to the thin ferromagnetic strip and are detected by receiving MsS coils. Reflected guided waves may represent defects in the pipe or tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Hegeon Kwun, Sang-Young Kim, James F. Crane, Myoung-Seon Choi
  • Patent number: 6906513
    Abstract: A rotary motion detector includes an electrically conducting induction element formed essentially as a hollow cylinder and rotatable about a rotation axis. An excitation assembly applies an inhomogeneous magnetic field and induces an eddy current in the induction element, when the induction element rotates about the rotation axis. A sensor assembly detects a measurement signal that depends on the eddy current. The excitation assembly and the sensor assembly are both arranged radially inside the induction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Dünisch, Roland Finkler, Andreas Kuhn, Christoph Nolting, Günter Schwesig