Patents Examined by Lisa Caputo
  • Patent number: 10113919
    Abstract: Provided are a temperature sensor that is hard to increase resistance in the electrode structure with respect to a Ti—Al—N thermistor material layer even under a high-temperature environment, and has a high reliability with a high heat resistance as well as a method for producing the same. The temperature sensor includes an insulation substrate; a thin film thermistor portion formed on the insulation substrate; and a pair of pattern electrodes formed on the insulation substrate with a pair of opposed electrode portions being arranged so as to be opposed to each other on the thin film thermistor portion, wherein the thin film thermistor portion is made of a Ti—Al—N thermistor material, and the pair of pattern electrodes has a Ti—N bonding layer formed on the thin film thermistor portion and an electrode layer made of a noble metal formed on the bonding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriaki Nagatomo, Hitoshi Inaba, Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10113901
    Abstract: TDR limit level switch determines whether or not the measuring probe is surrounded by the filling material on the basis of the positions relative to the transmission pulse that can be read out from the detected measuring signal and on the basis of the associated amplitudes of the reflections of the transmission pulse on the coupling point and on the end of the measuring probe. In this way, a limit level message can be formed in a simpler, more secure and more reliable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER AG
    Inventors: Christian Weinzierle, Levin Dieterle
  • Patent number: 10113920
    Abstract: A thermochromic efficiency indicator for indicating efficiency of a temperature affector, and methods of making and using such a thermochromic efficiency indicator, whereby the thermochromic efficiency indicator comprises: a substrate; and a first indicia coupled to the substrate, the first indicia comprising a first thermochromic compound capable of undergoing a first thermochromic compound color change; wherein the first thermochromic compound color change indicates the temperature affector is below a first predetermined efficiency threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Chromatic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Edson, Timothy J. Owen, Terrill Scott Clayton
  • Patent number: 10114145
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring a local acceleration of gravity includes releasing a ferrous rod having a regular alternating pattern of reflective and non-reflective portions on a surface thereof from an electromagnetic holder so that the rod falls with a substantially vertical acceleration and substantially no angular velocity about a center of mass of the rod. The falling rod is illuminated with a light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit infrared (IR) light, and IR light emitted by the LED and reflected by the falling rod is detected with a photodiode. A two-state signal is generated corresponding to an illumination state of the photodiode by the reflected IR light. Times of transitions between the two states in the generated signal are calculated to determine kinematic data, and the kinematic data is fitted to a predetermined curve to calculate a local acceleration of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Sohaib Abdelazem, Watheq Al-Basheer
  • Patent number: 10113869
    Abstract: An identifying device includes a vertical direction speed calculation unit configured to calculate a speed in a vertical direction of an air pressure measurement unit from an air pressure value measured by the air pressure measurement unit, the vertical direction speed determination unit configured to determine a magnitude of the speed in the vertical direction, a vertical direction continuous distance calculation unit configured to calculate a continuous distance of movement in the vertical direction based on the speed in the vertical direction calculated by the vertical direction speed calculation unit and the determination result of the vertical direction speed determination unit, and a vertical direction movement determination unit configured to determining whether the air pressure measurement unit is moving in the vertical direction or not in accordance with whether or not the vertical direction continuous distance is more than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10113917
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the temperature of a platen and a workpiece disposed on that platen is disclosed. Since the platen is a dielectric material, its properties, such as resistivity and conductivity, may change as a function of temperature. By understanding the relationship between these parameters and temperature, it may be possible to indirectly determine the temperature of the platen. For example, the platen may be in electrical communication with a power supply, which provides a clamping voltage for the workpiece. By monitoring the current waveform associated with the clamping voltage, it is possible to determine changes in the characteristics of the platen. Based on these changes, the temperature of the platen may be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: David E. Suuronen
  • Patent number: 10113926
    Abstract: A physical quantity measuring sensor includes: a joint having a projection; a ceramic sensor module including a diaphragm and a cylindrical portion integrated with the diaphragm and provided to the projection; and an O-ring interposed between a sensor-module flat portion extending in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the cylindrical portion and a joint flat portion extending in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: NAGANO KEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironori Kobayashi, Shuji Tohyama, Yusuke Abe, Haruhiko Sekiya
  • Patent number: 10114001
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for quantitation of amines in hydrocarbon stream. More specifically, the disclosure relates to rapid, precise and highly-sensitive methods for quantitating hydrogen sulfide-scavenging amines in crude petroleum oil or refinery streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Jim C. Thompsen, Johnnie M. Parnell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10113686
    Abstract: To adapt a housing (2) to an uneven standing surface, an adjustment device (1) has a foot piece (3) with an internal thread (5) that defines a displacement axis (4). The foot piece is located in a recess (6) of the housing that is accessed from a surface of the housing that faces towards the standing surface. A cross-sectional profile of the foot piece perpendicular to the displacement axis coacts with the recess to prevent rotation of the foot piece about the displacement axis. A spindle (7) with an external thread (8) that cooperates with the internal thread of the foot piece allows axial movement of the spindle along the displacement axis. A levelling wheel (9), connected to the spindle by a rotation-blocking connection allows the spindle to be rotated relative to the foot piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo (Albstadt) GmbH
    Inventors: Edgar Kempf, Xinwei Su, Dieter Kontschak
  • Patent number: 10113900
    Abstract: A radar level gauge comprising a physical communication interface bi-directional communication of data structured according to either a first digital communication protocol or a second digital communication protocol, first communication circuitry for communicating measurement data from the field device, second communication circuitry for enabling configuration of the field device, protocol identification circuitry connected to the communication interface for intercepting data and configured to parse intercepted data to identify the digital communication protocol, and control circuitry for directing the intercepted data to one of the first and second communication circuitries based on the identified protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: ROSEMOUNT TANK RADAR AB
    Inventors: Par Abrahamsson, Lars-Ove Larsson
  • Patent number: 10113422
    Abstract: Techniques for determining properties of a spotting fluid include positioning a member of a test apparatus into a prepared mudcake sample at a specified depth, the mudcake sample associated with a drilling fluid and including a specified thickness; circulating a flow of the spotting fluid to contact the prepared mudcake sample in a test cell; soaking the prepared mudcake sample in the spotting fluid for a specified time duration; subsequent to the specified time duration, detecting a force exerted on the member relative to a displacement distance of the member from the specified depth in the mudcake sample during removal of the member from the mudcake sample; recording, with the test apparatus, the detected force relative to the displacement distance; and determining, with the test apparatus, one or more properties associated with the mudcake sample based on the recorded force relative to the displacement distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Md Amanullah, Turki Thuwaini Mohammed Alsubaie
  • Patent number: 10113918
    Abstract: Arrangement of a sensor for measuring the temperature of a medium in a motor vehicle. The sensor has a sensor body and two connecting wires. The first connecting wire and the major part of the sensor body is in direct contact with the medium. The second connecting wire is completely insulated from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Keuten, Andreas Voegerl, Juergen Henniger, Daniel Guenther, Matthias Wieczorek, Lisa-Maria Wittmann
  • Patent number: 10107653
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a mounting member having fixation surfaces inside, and at least one electronic component directly or indirectly fixed to the fixation surfaces of the mounting member, and the mounting member constitutes a part of a casing for housing the electronic component. Further, the fixation surfaces are perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masayasu Sakuma, Yoshihiro Kobayashi, Shojiro Kitamura, Taketo Chino
  • Patent number: 10107315
    Abstract: A pressure sensor system may sense the pressure of a gas or liquid. The system may include a housing that has an entry port for the gas or liquid; a pressure sensor within the housing; and a baffle positioned between the entry port and the pressure sensor. The baffle may have one or more inlets oriented to receive gas or liquid that enters the entry port; one or more outlets oriented to deliver the received gas or liquid to the pressure sensor; and one or more sealed flow channels that prevent the gas or liquid from escaping from the baffle, other than through the one or more outlets. At least one of the outlets may be located within no more than one millimeter of a location on the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor and baffle may be made at the same time during a process of depositing, pattering, etching, wafer bonding, and/or wafer thinning a series of layers using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Lei Gu, Stephen F. Bart
  • Patent number: 10107671
    Abstract: A device for determining the filling level of a fluid in a container, in particular in the oil reservoir of a vehicle, is provided. The device has at least one sensor element, at least one control unit, at least one energy source, and at least one transmitting unit for wireless transmission of measured data. The at least one energy source is a thermal generator, in particular a thermocouple. The device has at least one energy storage device. The thermal generator is configured for measuring a time-dependent temperature gradient, the thermal generator has a signal-conducting connection to the control unit, and the control unit is configured for placing the device from an energy-saving state into a ready-to-measure state. A method for determining the filling level of a fluid in a container using the device, and a vehicle with the device, in particular a motor vehicle, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Juergen Palloks, Bastian Kanning
  • Patent number: 10107625
    Abstract: A CMOS IC substrate can include sense amplifiers, demodulation circuits and AGC loop circuit coupled to the MEMS gyroscope. The AGC loop acts in a way such that generated desired signal amplitude out of the drive signal maintains MEMS resonator velocity at a desired frequency and amplitude. The system can include charge pumps to create higher voltages as required in the system. The system can incorporate ADC to provide digital outputs that can be read via serial interface such as I2C. The system can also include temperature sensor which can be used to sense and output temperature of the chip and system and can be used to internally or externally compensate the gyroscope sensor measurements for temperature related changes. The CMOS IC substrate can be part of a system which can include a MEMS gyroscope having a MEMS sensor overlying the CMOS IC substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: mCube Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Bhandari, Ali J. Rastegar, Sudheer S. Sridharamurthy
  • Patent number: 10107785
    Abstract: A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a liquid. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a surface of a liquid contained in a container and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Textures of liquids are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ou Bai, Wilfred Marcellien Bourg, Jr., Scott Fagan, Enrique Michel-Sanchez, Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Scott G. Richardson, Chen C. Shao
  • Patent number: 10107717
    Abstract: The invention relates to a test bench for an axial turbine engine, especially for a turbojet, including: a chamber intended to accommodate the turbine engine; a vertical inlet channel connected to the chamber upstream of the turbine engine; and a vertical outlet channel connected to the chamber downstream of the turbine engine; at least one wind power engine capable of converting the kinetic energy of a portion of the gas stream generated by the turbine engine into mechanical energy; the wind power engine or at least one of the wind power engines is situated in the vertical inlet channel and/or the vertical outlet channel. The invention also relates to a process for recovering energy of such a test bench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Safran Aero Boosters SA
    Inventors: Quac Hung Tran, Benoit Meys, Alain Lacroix
  • Patent number: 10107695
    Abstract: A method for installing a fiber-optic sensor in a protective tube, wherein a reshapable filler element which is preferably a wire made of spring steel is used as the filler element that, when twisted assumes an essentially helical shape, is introduced into the protective tube essentially in parallel to the axis of the fiber-optic sensor, where by changing the shape of the filler element, the free internal cross-section of the protective tube remaining for supporting the fiber-optic sensor is reduced such that the sensor is pressed against the wall of the protective tube whereby the thermal interface between the protective tube and sensor is improved and the reaction time during temperature measurements is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Herbert Schorb, Stefan Von Dosky
  • Patent number: 10107936
    Abstract: An atomic interferometric accelerometer comprises a laser that emits a pulsed beam at a first frequency, an electro-optic modulator that receives the beam, and a vacuum cell in communication with the electro-optic modulator. The electro-optic modulator outputs a first optical signal corresponding to the beam at the first frequency and a second optical signal having a second frequency different from the first frequency. The vacuum cell has a chamber for laser cooled atoms. The vacuum cell receives the optical signals such that they propagate in a direction that passes through the atoms. A piezo mirror retro-reflects the optical signals back through the vacuum cell in a counter-propagating direction. The piezo mirror is driven with substantially constant velocity during a beam pulse, thereby imparting a Doppler shift to the retro-reflected optical signals to create two non-symmetric counter-propagating lightwave pairs. One of the lightwave pairs supports interferometry while the other is non-resonant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Compton