Patents Examined by Max H Noori
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Patent number: 10976207Abstract: Provided are sensors and articles of manufacture comprising one or more sensors. Also provided are uses of the sensors. The sensors have an elastomeric foam and one or more light sources and one or more light receivers. In various examples, the light source(s) and light receiver(s) are disposed on and/or disposed in and/or partially disposed in the elastomeric foam.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Cornell UniversityInventors: Bryan Peele, Robert Shepherd, Ilse Van Meerbeek
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Patent number: 10976206Abstract: A device for measuring the preloading of a screw during a screwing operation including a container body in which a support is inserted, inside which there is a leadscrew into which such screw is screwed by a tightening tool, at the bottom of such support and connected thereto a transducer being arranged, capable of measuring the traction generated on itself as a result of the compression created by the screwing of the screw into the leadscrew.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: ATLAS COPCO INDUSTRIAL TECHNIQUE ABInventor: Attilio Alessandro Interdonato
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Patent number: 10976149Abstract: A strain gauge for mounting on a surface includes first and second mounting pads arranged for securing to respective first and second portions of the surface. The first and second mounting pads have respective first and second upstanding walls each arranged to extend away from the surface to a bridging portion extending between the first and second upstanding walls. The strain gauge has a strain sensing element secured to one of the first and second upstanding walls.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2017Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: DATUM ELECTRONICS LIMITEDInventor: Malcolm Habens
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Patent number: 10969312Abstract: Provided are a striking device and a natural frequency measuring device capable of simply and accurately measuring a natural frequency of a system including force detector. The striking device includes an arm capable of swinging around a spindle, and a steel ball arranged in an end part of the arm on a side opposite to the spindle. The spindle is supported by a supporting part capable of lifting up and down relative to a post erected on a magnet stand. A supporting part for supporting a supporting plate is arranged at a position in the post and above the supporting part. A permanent magnet is placed above the supporting plate. The steel ball falls down in an arc shape from a standby height position when the permanent magnet is removed.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignees: SHIMADZU CORPORATION, Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, City of Nagoya, AKITA PREFECTUREInventors: Tadaoki Takii, Masaki Nishimura, Satoshi Taniguchi, Mitsuhiko Kimura, Norifumi Kasai
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Patent number: 10969263Abstract: A fluid flow meter with configuration of flow generation and flow sensor is intended for measuring a flow rate of working fluid (a gas or a liquid) passing through an inner cavity. The meter is a compact measuring apparatus of a small size, resistant to disturbances and distortions in the structure of the measured fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: ENERGOFLOW AGInventors: Andrii Stetsenko, Iurii Glova, Sergii Nedzelskyi
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Patent number: 10968590Abstract: A measurement system that comprises at least one horizontal load measuring unit, that is preferably arranged on the leg guide is provided. The horizontal load measuring device measures or determines horizontal load on the position of the leg where the device is placed, which gives a more accurate indication of the leg bending moment than the rack phase differential measurement. Advantageously, multiple load measuring units can be provided along the leg guide.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: GUSTOMSC B.V.Inventors: Jochem Rutgers, Andries Johannes Hofman
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Patent number: 10969284Abstract: There is provided an optical sensor that includes a base portion, an action portion, a reflecting member disposed at one of the base portion and the action portion, and a detection unit including a light source and a light receiving element disposed at the other one of the base portion and the action portion. In the optical sensor, a space between the detection unit and the reflecting member is filled with a light transmissive material, and a force and/or acceleration is detected due to the light receiving element detecting light emitted from the light source and reflected by the reflecting member.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Chihiro Nagura
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Patent number: 10962427Abstract: Described herein is a MEMS force sensor with stress concentration design. The stress concentration can be performed by providing slots, whether through or blind, and/or selective thinning of the substrate. The MEMS force sensor is in chip scale package with solder bumps or metal pillars and there are sensing elements formed on the sensor substrate at the stress concentrate area. The stress concentration can be realized through slots, selective thinning and a combination of both.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: NextInput, Inc.Inventors: Mehrnaz Youssefi, Julius Minglin Tsai
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Patent number: 10955302Abstract: The system and method determines the torque applied to a rotating shaft by a load. A first sensor detects rotation of a first wheel and a second sensor detects rotation of a second wheel. A third sensor is proximate to the first sensor. A processor determines: 1) a magnitude of a phase angle (?A) based on the first and second sensors and having an unknown sign; 2) a magnitude of a phase angle (?B) based on the second and third sensors and having an unknown sign; and 3) a magnitude of a phase angle (?C) based on the first and third sensors and having a known sign. The processor determines a sign of the phase angle (?A) based on the values of the phase angles (?B) and (?C) and determines a torque value from the load applied to the shaft at least in part based on the magnitude and sign of the phase angle (?A).Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Andy B. Appleton, Robert J. White
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Patent number: 10955323Abstract: To provide a method whereby viscoelasticity of an object can be measured nondestructively and in non-contact fashion in a short time. By this method, elastic waves and light are radiated to an object and the viscoelasticity of an object is measured nondestructively and in non-contact fashion using a shadow change based on a change in the direction of a line normal to the surface of the object. Specifically, the present invention has an elastic wave transmission step for pressurizing or exciting the object by elastic waves and causing a minute displacement of the object surface shape, a photoirradiation step for radiating light to the minutely displaced object surface, an image acquisition step for acquiring a shadow change based on a change in the direction of a line normal to the object surface, and a viscoelasticity estimation step for processing an image of the acquired shadow change and calculating a viscoelasticity.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2017Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: National University Corporation Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyInventors: Takahito Aoto, Yasuhiro Mukaigawa
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Patent number: 10948366Abstract: A flexible sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoresistive element incorporating piezoresistive composite material arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. Piezoresistive composite materials include a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and a conductive filler material (e.g., carbon), may have an elastic modulus value of preferably less than about 1×10?3 GPa, and exhibit a change in electrical resistance responsive to a change in pressure applied thereto. Exemplary flexible sensors may have a thickness and a feel similar to human skin, may be amenable to simple fabrication techniques (e.g., fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensional (3D) printing or molding), and can be manufactured into user-specific geometries.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2017Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Jeffrey LaBelle, Steven Lathers
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Patent number: 10942074Abstract: A method for monitoring the spindle preload amount of a spindle by: S1 obtaining a spindle preload amount through a PPC Preload Analyzer; and S2 obtaining an axial force sensor output of the spindle through an axial force sensor, wherein the axial force sensor output is calibrated using the spindle preload amount that is obtained through the PPC Preload Analyzer; establishing a relationship between the spindle preload amount and the axial force sensor output, then regarding the axial force sensor output as the spindle preload amount, and then monitoring the spindle preload amount by monitoring the axial force sensor output.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Precision Machinery Research & Development CenterInventors: Tadao Tsuneyoshi, Peng-Jui Chen, Chi-Cheng Kuo, Tung-Yi Lu, Hsing-Chieh Huang
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Patent number: 10937598Abstract: A flexible electrode is provided in which an increase in resistance change rate caused by repeated stretch is reduced. A sensor element is also provided, which uses the flexible electrode. A strain sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor are also provided, each using the sensor element. The flexible electrode can include an insulating flexible substrate and an electrode film laminated on the flexible substrate. The electrode film can include a fibrous carbon nanohorn aggregate.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2017Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: NEC CORPORATIONInventor: Ryota Yuge
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Patent number: 10933534Abstract: Included is a method for a mobile automated device to detect and avoid edges including: providing one or more rangefinder sensors on the mobile automated device to calculate, continuously or periodically, distances from the one or more rangefinder sensor to a surface; monitoring, with a processor of the mobile automated device, the distances calculated by each of the one or more rangefinder sensors; and actuating, with the processor of the mobile automated device, the mobile automated device to execute one or more predetermined movement patterns upon the processor detecting a calculated distance greater than a predetermined amount, wherein the one or more movement patterns initiate movement of the mobile automated device away from the area where the increase was detected.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: AI IncorporatedInventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Soroush Mehrnia, Masih Ebrahimi Afrouzi
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Patent number: 10935443Abstract: Provided is a pressure sensing device, which includes one or more pressure sensing sheet and a first substrate for supporting the pressure sensing sheet. The pressure sensing sheet is connected with the first substrate through welding, a welding spot of the welding is configured for deformation transfer and electrical signal transmission. The pressure sensing sheet includes a second substrate, at least one pressure sensing component, and a plurality of pads. The pressure sensing component is arranged at a lower surface and/or an upper surface of the substrate, the pads are arranged at the upper surface of the second substrate and are conductively connected with the pressure sensing component for deformation transfer and electrical signal transmission. The deformation is transferred to the substrate of the pressure sensing sheet through the pads when the pressure sensing device deforms.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: SHENZHEN NEW DEGREE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Hao Li, Weizhi Liu, Yabo Guo
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Patent number: 10921199Abstract: There is provided a force sensor including a substrate and a polymer material layer. The substrate has a circuit layout that includes a first electrode and a second electrode configured to form a capacitor therebetween. The polymer material layer covers at least on a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and is used to change capacitance of the capacitor while being pressed.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.Inventor: Chih-Ming Sun
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Patent number: 10908037Abstract: Transparent nanocomposites may be used as force sensing materials, either as a transparent piezo-resistive material for resistive force sensing or a transparent dielectric material for capacitive force sensing. The common aspect of these nanocomposites is to engineer the refractive index of the binder to the index of the fillers so that when incorporated into a force sensor the nanocomposite films are optically transparent.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: New Degree Technology, LLCInventors: Hao Li, Zhiyun Chen
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Patent number: 10908035Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pressure sensor is disclosed. The pressure sensor includes a substrate, and a first capacitor element. The first capacitor element includes a lower electrode provided on the substrate, an upper electrode disposed above the lower electrode, and a film provided over the lower electrode and upper electrode. The lower electrode and the upper electrode are between the substrate and the film. An absolute value of an amount of change in an electrostatic capacitance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode with respect to unit change in an ambient temperature of the first capacitor element is substantially zero.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2019Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Kei Masunishi, Naofumi Nakamura, Hiroaki Yamazaki, Tomohiro Saito, Fumitaka Ishibashi, Yoshihiko Kurui, Tomohiko Nagata
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Patent number: 10908038Abstract: A stretchable, conductive tubule is capable of operating as an electrical interconnect and/or a sensor. The stretchable, conductive tubule has a first end and a second end, and includes a stretchable conductor housed within the stretchable tubule. A first electrode is electrically coupled to the stretchable conductor at the first end of the stretchable tubule, and a second electrode is electrically coupled to the stretchable conductor at the second end of the stretchable tubule.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Yon Visell, Do Thanh Nho
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Patent number: 10908034Abstract: The present disclosure provides a pressure-sensitive element having a relatively wide pressing force measurement range and a relatively simple structure. Pressure-sensitive element is provided with pressure-sensitive part that receives pressing force and detector that detects the pressing force, and has a structure described below. That is, pressure-sensitive part has first conductive member that has elasticity, second conductive member, and dielectric body. Dielectric body is disposed between first conductive member and second conductive member, and at least partially covers the surface of first conductive member or second conductive member. Detector detects pressing force based on a variation in electrostatic capacitance between first conductive member and second conductive member.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2017Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuta Moriura, Tetsuyoshi Ogura, Shinobu Masuda, Keiji Noine, Yui Sawada