Patents Examined by Lydia M. De Jesús
  • Patent number: 6406180
    Abstract: The sensor has an outer member 10 formed with an upwardly directed hole 12 having an open upper end 14. An inner member in the form of a tube 16 is provided having a lower portion 18 positioned in the hole 12 and an upper portion 19 which projects above the outer member 10. Solar radiation applied to the upper portion 19 of the tube 16 creates a chimney effect which causes air to flow upwardly inside the tube 16 and downwardly from the open upper end 14 through a space 22 between the inner and outer members 10, 16. Sensing devices 24, 26 for sensing temperature and humidity are arranged within the outer member 10 and in the air flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: BAE Systems (Defence Systems) Limited
    Inventors: Jeffery C. Walker, David K. Deedman, Nigel P. Fleming, Brian W. Oughton, Iain D. Sandoe, Paul M. Wilton
  • Patent number: 6405447
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an alignment device for electrically connecting a testing device to a socket of a sliding plate. The testing device is positioned beside a conveyer. The sliding plate is slidably placed on the conveyer and is temporarily halted in front of the testing device. The alignment device comprises a positioning device fixed on the socket of the sliding plate, a plug electrically connected to the testing device, a guiding device fixed on the plug, a driving device installed beside the testing device for pushing the plug and the guiding device toward the socket and the positioning device of the sliding device, and a mounting device installed on the driving device for slidably supporting the plug and the guiding device. The guiding device is used for interacting with the positioning device to adjust the position of the plug on the mounting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Acer Communications and Multimedia Inc.
    Inventor: Lee Tiek Nyen
  • Patent number: 6390014
    Abstract: An acoustic signalling device for containers destined for culinary use, in particular for boilers, is proposed, comprising a nozzle (11) able to convey externally to a container able to be closed (2) whereto the device is associated a steam jet formed inside the same container, a sounding body (12) fastened to a portion of the container able to be closed (2) and a movable element (13) positioned in the trajectory of the steam jet and able repeatedly to strike the sounding body (12) under the thrust of the same steam jet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Frabosk Casalinghi, S.P.A.
    Inventor: Tiziano Ghidini
  • Patent number: 6390672
    Abstract: A space vehicle includes a temperature sensitive oscillator carried by a housing. The temperature sensitive oscillator includes a radiation hardened inverting gain circuit, such as a comparator, able to withstand radiation in an ambient space environment, and a thermistor connected to the radiation hardened inverting gain circuit so that an output frequency of the temperature sensitive oscillator varies based upon a temperature of the thermistor. Also, a frequency counter is preferably connected to the temperature sensitive oscillator for generating a digital output signal representative of a sensed temperature. The sensed temperature may be used by one or more electronic circuits connected to the frequency counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Vail, Thornton Hinshaw
  • Patent number: 6370788
    Abstract: Vibrations of the stylus (4) of a measuring probe (1) mounted on a machine, and which are transmitted to the probe stylus via the machine quill and probe body, are reduced or eliminated by a vibration damping means positioned within a cavity of the stylus. FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment in which the vibration damping means is a unconstrained rubber cylinder (16), in a hollow cartridge (12) connected to the stylus at its tip. Alternatively a dynamic vibration absorber can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Renishaw PLC
    Inventors: Peter K. Hellier, Graham R. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 6367974
    Abstract: A thermocouple assembly that is used to monitor the temperature of materials held within a container that has a flanged access port. The assembly includes a thermocouple probe having a base and a shaft that extends from the base. The thermocouple probe can be connected to a remote microprocessor or can contains its own integral microprocessor. A well structure is provided for selectively connecting the thermocouple probe to the container. The well structure contains a platform that is adapted to connect to the flanged access port of the container. A tube extends from one side of the platform and a connector mechanism that extends from the opposite side of the platform. The thermocouple probe can be removable placed into the well structure so that said shaft of said thermocouple probe passes into the tube of the well structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Inventor: Peter Lin
  • Patent number: 6361207
    Abstract: An electrical termination system (100) includes a monolithic electrical termination device (101) for providing an electrical termination to an electrical circuit. The device (101) includes a ceramic substrate (106) supporting an RF termination resistor element (102) and a thermistor element (104) and providing a fast temperature conducting path therebetween. A ceramic cover (105) and the ceramic substrate (106) provide an enclosure enclosing the RF termination resistor element (102) and the thermistor element (104). The thermistor element (104) senses a temperature corresponding to the RF termination resistor element (102) and provides a signal representative of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor element (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Florida RF Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald A. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 6357130
    Abstract: A drafting template for preparing axonometric drawings or sketches comprising a unitary, clear, substantially planar, chevron-shaped body having an apex and an antapex, an upper face, a lower face, and at least six side edges. Various embodiments of the template provide for preparing trimetric, dimetric and isometric drawings or sketches. The template is provided with indicia on an upper or lower face thereof for measuring and scaling the drawing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Inventor: David William Rank
  • Patent number: 6357910
    Abstract: A pyrometer for measuring the temperature of an object with high accuracy and fast response time that uses both multi-wavelength pyrometry techniques and nanotechnology. Radiance from an object is transmitted through a fiber optic cable, is received by a thin-film multi-wavelength modulator, and is detected by an optical detector array. More specifically, the pyrometer includes means for conveying light; an optical lens; an optical fiber; means for optically modulating the wavelength of light; means for optically detecting the modulated light; means for transforming the optically detected wavelengths into electrical signals; and means for processing and recording the electrical signals. The means for optically modulating the wavelength includes at least one piezoelectric film deposited by an electrostatic self-assembly method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: PhotoSonic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaosheng Chen, Richard O. Claus, Yanjing Liu
  • Patent number: 6357909
    Abstract: A radiation thermometer that avoids deterioration of measurement accuracy or loss of hygiene due to a dirty front end of a probe portion of the radiation thermometer, lowers running costs which are created if a probe cover is used, and reduces the labor of procuring the probe cover. To this end, the front end of the probe portion of the radiation thermometer has a waterproof structure so that the front end of the probe portion can be wiped with alcohol or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6357912
    Abstract: A current sensing noise thermometer is described, in which a low noise amplifier is used to measure the noise current in a sensor resistor and the sensor resistor is connected in series with a superconducting coil, or a coil assembly including at least one superconductor. The superconductor of the coil assembly is preferably positioned inside the coil, and the superconducting transition temperature of the superconductor is used to calibrate the thermometer. Preferably, the sensor resistor is grounded to enable particularly low temperatures to be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Royal Holloway & Bedford New College
    Inventor: Junyun Li
  • Patent number: 6354733
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combustion temperature sensor, and, more particularly, to a combustion temperature sensor that measures infrared energy emitted at several preselected wavelengths from a flame and/or a flame's hot gas at a turbine inlet location and applies the energy signals to a calculation model to yield temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Ametex, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. Glasheen, Charles DeMilo, Helmar R. Steglich
  • Patent number: 6350056
    Abstract: Fiber optic temperature measurement, especially for electric power equipment is effected utilizing, as the sensor, a portion of an optical fiber from which the coating has been removed and to which a glass capillary has been bonded by an adhesive. The measurement is carried out polarimetrically and utilizes the change in birefrigence resulting from a temperature change because of the mechanical stressing of the sensor region of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Helmig, Jörg Teunissen
  • Patent number: 6345448
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a combination protractor/chalk line device, including: a housing; a chalk line string disposed in the housing and withdrawable from the housing at a first end of the housing; a manually graspable handle loosely attached to the housing; a protractor disposed on a side of the housing; and the combination protractor/chalk line being arranged such that, when the chalk line string is withdrawn from the housing and held taut and the handle is grasped, the protractor will indicate an angle from horizontal defined by the chalk line string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Chontos
  • Patent number: 6330753
    Abstract: A large diameter gauge consists of a series of measuring units. Each measuring unit comprises two positioning elements(11,12), a fastener(14) and a body(13). These series of measuring units are placed and fixed sequentially and head to end or end to head around the circumference of the cylinder or hole to be measured during measuring until the remained space is not large enough to be put into another one measuring unit. Measuring the distance between the first measuring unit and the last measuring unit, the diameter to be measured can be obtained through the geometric relations between the gauges and the cylinder or hole to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Southeast University
    Inventor: Bin Li
  • Patent number: 6328467
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting the presence of a frozen deposition at an interface between a substrate of known thermophysical properties and surroundings of unknown thermophysical properties. The system involves applying a predetermined quantity of heat to a temperature sensor positioned at the interface to cause a thermal perturbation, measuring an output signal of the sensor subsequent to applying the predetermined quantity of heat, and comparing one or more measured values of the output signal to one or more reference output level values to determine the presence or absence of the frozen deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: University of Tennessee Research Corp.
    Inventor: Majid Keyhani
  • Patent number: 6317992
    Abstract: An angle rotating device for wheel alignment test has a disk seat, a lever bar inserted in the disk seat, a cover plate covering the disk seat, a solid rotating disk disposed on the cover plate, a ring disposed in the solid rotating disk, and a hollow disk disposed in the cover plate. The solid rotating disk has a center shaft. The ring has an annular face having a plurality of circular apertures receiving a plurality of balls. A sleeve is disposed in a center of the ring. A plurality of springs are connected to the sleeve and the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Inventor: Tswen-Jang Lin
  • Patent number: 6312155
    Abstract: An apparatus for assessing burn injury to underlying tissue from a flammable material. The apparatus includes an artificial human tissue and a plurality of temperature sensors located at predetermined locations in the artificial human tissue to measure temperature of the artificial human tissue during a flammability test. The apparatus further includes a heat sink device for simulating the heat sink properties of a human body. The apparatus further includes a heat exchange tank for maintaining the artificial human tissue at a regulated temperature, the heat exchange tank being filled with a fluid. The apparatus further includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the fluid in the heat exchange tank. The apparatus further includes a water supply device for supplying water to the interior of the heat exchanger. The apparatus also includes a data acquisition system attached to the plurality of temperature sensors for recording the temperature of the artificial human tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Risk Analysis & Management
    Inventors: Daniel Stool, Merrill Zavod, Scott Milkovich, Eugene D. Rider
  • Patent number: 6308428
    Abstract: An alignment system includes a laser transmitter and receiver. The receiver includes a linear photodetector array centered at a predetermined location with respect to machined surfaces that define a receiver reference plane. An indicator on the receiver displays a deviation of the position of the laser beam from a predetermined location on the photodetector array thereby to quantify any misalignment of a surface supporting the receiver with respect to the transmitted laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Pinpoint Laser Systems
    Inventor: Albert M. Creighton, III
  • Patent number: 6305841
    Abstract: A temperature sensor includes a thermistor element housed in a metal cap and a mineral insulated cable for acquiring signals from said thermistor element wherein the mineral insulated cable employs a ventilation composition that provides stable thermistor element resistance characteristics. Thermistor element is equipped with thermistor section including an oxide semiconductor, and electrode wires extending from thermistor section for acquisition of thermistor signals, and is arranged on the end of mineral insulated cable and housed in metal cap. The mineral insulated cable employs a composition in which electrically conducting core wires connected to electrode wires are insulated and held in a metal outer cylinder by insulating powder filled into the outer cylinder. A ventilation quantity of at least 5×10−4 ml/(MPa sec) is secured within outer cylinder at normal temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Matsuo Fukaya, Junichi Nagai