Patents Examined by Mark Shabman
  • Patent number: 11162832
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a flowmeter (5) is provided. A relationship between a flow calibration factor and a pressure coefficient for a class of flowmeter is determined. A unique flow calibration factor is then determined for a flowmeter (5). A unique pressure coefficient for the flowmeter (5) is determined, and the unique pressure coefficient is applied to the flowmeter (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. Kolbeck, Aart R. Pruysen, Dean M. Standiford, Jacob Andreas Sinte Maartensdijk
  • Patent number: 11162884
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for determining the density of insulation. For example, one aspect of the disclosure is a device that includes a sound generator and one or more sound sensors configured to detect sound that is generated by the sound generator and transmitted through the insulation to the one or more sound sensors. The device also includes a control system configured to cause the sound generator to generate the sound and use the sound detected by the one or more sound sensors to generate output that represents the density of the insulation. Another aspect of the disclosure is a method for using the device to determine the density of insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: CertainTeed LLC
    Inventors: Aldo Glean, David Knutson, Jean-Philippe Ndobo-Epoy, Phillip Evans, Timothy Briggs, Jonathan Wilson, Brice Dubost
  • Patent number: 11150123
    Abstract: A system for measuring a filling level in a container for liquids that can be installed in a vehicle, which comprises a sound conductor, a vibration sensor for measuring a natural frequency of the sound conductor, a sound transmitter, in particular an ultrasound transmitter, for subjecting the sound conductor to sound, a sound receiver for receiving sound from the sound conductor, and an evaluation unit, which has a data connection to the sound transmitter and the sound receiver, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to determine a distance between the sound transmitter and a boundary surface of the liquid, and to evaluate the distance with regard to a filling level of the container, and to evaluate the natural frequency of the sound conductor with regard to a density of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Georg Tenckhoff
  • Patent number: 11143568
    Abstract: An inspection system for detecting one or more misaligned seals is disclosed and includes a linear transducer array connected to a sleeve. The linear transducer array includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers each configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transducers direct the ultrasonic waves towards one or more seals that are disposed underneath the sleeve. The inspection system also includes a rotational device configured to move the ultrasonic transducers around a circumference of the sleeve, one or more processors in electronic communication with the linear transducer array, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the inspection system to instruct the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to transmit and receive the ultrasonic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William J. Tapia, Shereef G. Shehab, Michael D. Fogarty
  • Patent number: 11143031
    Abstract: A tool for balancing a turbine engine module in a balancer, the module including a stator, a rotor and a shaft, the balancer including at least one power drive unit and a table equipped with two support of the shaft of the module. The tool includes at least: one stator support, fixed on the table of the balancer behind the supports, a tubular false bearing, configured to support a bearing for guiding the rotor in the stator and protruding outside of the stator, a guiding sleeve of the shaft, confining a support of the false bearing, and received on the supports of the balancer, a rear support plate of the stator, fixed to the support of the stator, and immobilising the rotor with respect to the stator, a front support plate of the stator, fixed to the stator support, and immobilising and centring the false bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Alain Roland Luinaud, Alain Decocq
  • Patent number: 11137251
    Abstract: A ring gyroscope which comprises a substantially circular and flexible ring which defines a ring plane, one or more primary piezoelectric split transducers configured to drive the ring into resonance oscillation, four or more mass elements which form a symmetrical mass distribution in relation to both a first and a second transversal symmetry axis and to a first and a second diagonal symmetry axis. The ring gyroscope also comprises a suspension structure configured to support the weight of the ring and the mass elements, wherein the suspension structure comprises N outer suspenders, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and each outer suspender extends along a ring tangent from a suspension attachment point on the outer edge of the ring to an anchor point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 11125641
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas leakage sensing device comprising a gas conduit, a liquid storage tank and a bubble sensing component. The gas conduit guides leaking gas from industrial equipment into a liquid in the liquid storage tank through an exhaust port and generates bubbles. A monitoring part with a bubble sensing component is formed on the tank wall of the liquid storage tank, the height of the monitoring part from the liquid surface is less than the height of the exhaust port from the liquid surface. By sensing the size, amount of generated bubbles, and floating frequency of the bubbles generated in the liquid, the flow rate and volume of the leaking gas are obtained to improve the accuracy of sensing the leaking gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: MAS AUTOMATION CORP.
    Inventors: Chin-Cheng Lu, Pei-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 11125688
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a solid component of a reactor feed stream in a polymer production system, comprising (a) measuring a turbidity of the reactor feed stream, wherein the reactor feed stream comprises a solid component of a polymerization catalyst system, and (b) translating the turbidity of the reactor feed stream into a concentration of the solid component in the reactor feed stream. A method of monitoring a solid component of a reactor feed stream in a polymer production system, comprising (a) measuring a turbidity of a precontactor feed stream, wherein the precontactor feed stream comprises a solid component of a polymerization catalyst system, and (b) translating the turbidity of the precontactor feed stream into a concentration of the solid component in a precontactor effluent stream, wherein the precontactor effluent stream comprises the reactor feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Daniel G. Hert, Max P. McDaniel
  • Patent number: 11118907
    Abstract: The subject disclosure provides exemplary 3-axis (e.g., GX, GY, and GZ) linear and angular momentum balanced vibratory rate gyroscope architectures with fully-coupled sense modes. Embodiments can employ balanced drive and/or balanced sense components to reduce induced vibrations and/or part to part coupling. Embodiments can comprise two inner frame gyroscopes for GY sense mode and an outer frame or saddle gyroscope for GX sense mode and drive system coupling, drive shuttles coupled to the two inner frame gyroscopes or outer frame gyroscope, and four GZ proof masses coupled to the inner frame gyroscopes for GZ sense mode. Components can be removed from an exemplary overall architecture to fabricate a single axis or two axis gyroscope and/or can be configured such that a number of proof-masses can be reduced in half from an exemplary overall architecture to fabricate a half-gyroscope. Other embodiments can employ a stress isolation frame to reduce package induced stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Doruk Senkal, Robert Hennessy, Houri Johari-Galle, Joe Seeger
  • Patent number: 11112341
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for measuring the spreadability of powders and granular materials for applications that require powders to be spread in a thin layer. The apparatus consists of a test surface or powder bed for receiving a material sample layer, one or more spreading devices that form a layer of material sample on the test surface or powder bed when there is relative motion between the test surface or powder bed and the spreading device, and one or more scraping blades that remove the layer of material sample created by the spreading device from the test surface or powder bed and move it to one or more measuring devices to determine the amount of material in the layer of the material sample. The amount and consistency over time of sample material removed by the scraping blade from the test surface or powder bed indicate the spreadability of the material sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventor: Gregory Peter Martiska
  • Patent number: 11092529
    Abstract: A blood coagulation test device includes: a container into which a test-object blood is placed; a stirring part for stirring the test-object blood in the container; an elastic body being connected to the stirring part and capable of deforming in response to a force received through stirring of the test-object blood from the stirring part; a control unit for transmitting a predetermined rotary motion to the stirring part and causing the stirring part to rotate in a reciprocating manner in a circumferential direction by rotating the elastic body in a reciprocating manner about an axis of the stirring part as a rotation axis and controlling the reciprocating rotation at a position separated by a predetermined diameter from the rotational axis; and a measurement unit for measuring a rotation angle pertaining to the reciprocating rotation of the stirring part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIMORI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuya Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 11090871
    Abstract: A body phantom according to an embodiment includes a layered resin structure formed by combining a first material having a first refractive index and a second material having a second refractive index based on three-dimensional data that indicates an optical characteristic of a living body, wherein a mixing ratio of the second material to the first material to form the layered resin structure is a value corresponding to the optical characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunari Hanano
  • Patent number: 11092616
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor has a capacitance that varies based on a sensed force. A charge signal representing that capacitance is provide at an input node of an amplifier of a sense circuit. The sense circuit includes a filter and analog-to-digital converter. Feedback from the filter and the analog-to-digital converter is also received at the input node of the amplifier. The sense circuit outputs a digital signal that is representative of the sensed force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Omid Oliaei, Peter George Hartwell
  • Patent number: 11085765
    Abstract: A frequency adjustment method of a vibration element includes adjusting a resonance frequency of the vibration element by irradiating the vibration element, which includes a vibrating arm having a first principal surface and a second principal surface that are in a front and back relationship with each other with an energy ray, to remove a part of the vibrating arm on the first principal surface, and in which an activation amount by the energy ray on the second principal surface of the vibrating arm is smaller than an activation amount by the energy ray on the first principal surface of the vibrating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventors: Shogo Sasaki, Masashi Shimura, Keiichi Yamaguchi, Masahiro Oshio, Ryuta Nishizawa, Seiichiro Ogura
  • Patent number: 11079227
    Abstract: This disclosure is related to devices, systems, and techniques for determining, using an electro-opto-mechanical accelerometer system, a frequency value in order to determine an acceleration value. For example, an accelerometer system includes a light-emitting device configured to emit an optical signal and a circuit. The circuit is configured to determine a frequency value corresponding to the optical signal and determine an acceleration value based on the frequency value. Additionally, the accelerometer system includes a housing that encloses the light-emitting device, the circuit, and Helium gas, where the Helium gas defines a partial pressure within a range between 0.1 torr and 760 torr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Fertig, Arthur Savchenko, Steven Tin, Neil Krueger, Joshua Dorr
  • Patent number: 11076839
    Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection phantom includes ultrasonic inspection phantom including a hydrogel including water, a polymer, and a mineral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Niimi, Takashi Matsumura, Takuya Saito
  • Patent number: 11073418
    Abstract: A liquid level sensing device and a packing structure are provided. An outer tube fastener is connected to a signal module. A protective soft tube is connected to the outer tube fastener. An end of a double-layer flexible tube is connected to the protective soft tube. The double-layer flexible tube includes a flexible conductive outer tube and a fluorine-containing plastic inner tube coaxially attached in the flexible conductive outer tube. The fluorine-containing plastic inner tube is made of a flexible material. The flexible conductive outer tube is made of a conductive flexible material to form a grounding layer. A sensing module is disposed in the fluorine-containing plastic inner tube. A magnetic floater is assembled outside the double-layer flexible tube. A hanger is connected to another end of the double-layer flexible tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: FINETEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ting-Kuo Wu, Chih-Wen Wang, Wei-Yu Chen, Kuei-Yung Wu
  • Patent number: 11067425
    Abstract: A cap for a fluid sensor is provided. The cap comprises a cap input port including a first toolless connector configured to removably couple to a cable; and a cap output port including a second toolless connector configured to removably couple to a cable. The cap may further comprise an interface circuit including a circuit input port, a circuit output port, and a sensor port configured to couple to the fluid sensor. The first toolless connector may be configured to removably couple the circuit input port to a cable and the second toolless connector may be configured to removably couple the circuit output port to a cable. The circuit will automatically sequence the signals on the cable, so standard one-to-one wired cables can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Scully Signal Company
    Inventor: Charles F. Squires
  • Patent number: 11067484
    Abstract: A detector inlet for providing a sample to an analytical apparatus for detecting a substance of interest, the detector inlet comprising a plenum for allowing passage of a flow of a gaseous fluid, the plenum comprising a sampling volume a sampling inlet arranged in the plenum and arranged to collect samples of the gaseous fluid from the sampling volume and to provide the samples to the analytical apparatus, wherein the flow carries particulates and a flow director arranged to create circulatory flow of the gaseous fluid around the plenum encircling the sampling inlet thereby to vary a spatial distribution of the particulates carried by the fluid to increase a relative proportion of the particulates carried past the sampling inlet without entering the sampling volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Smiths Detection-Watford Limited
    Inventors: Oliver Kirkby, Alastair Clark, Bruce Grant
  • Patent number: 11067469
    Abstract: Techniques for implementing and operating a system that includes a pipe segment, which has tubing that defines a bore and a fluid conduit implemented in an annulus of the tubing, and a test head. The test head includes a shell, which defines an annulus cavity, and an inflatable bladder implemented in the annulus cavity, in which the system maintains the inflatable securing bladder in a less inflated state while pipe segment tubing is not present in the annulus cavity and increases inflation of the inflatable bladder to a more inflated state when the tubing is present in the annulus cavity to facilitate securing and sealing an open end of the pipe segment in the test head to enable integrity of the tubing to be tested at least in part by flowing a test fluid into the annulus of the tubing via a testing port on the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk Spencer Francis, David Michael Gregory, Jonathan Guerrero, Alexander Lee Winn