Patents Examined by Mohammed E Keramet-Amircolai
  • Patent number: 10302672
    Abstract: An angular velocity detection circuit includes: an angular velocity signal generation unit that generates an angular velocity signal on the basis of an output signal of a differential amplifier unit that differentially amplifies a signal based on an output signal of a first conversion unit and a signal based on an output signal of a second conversion unit; and a correction signal generation unit that generates a correction signal for reducing an offset of the angular velocity signal which occurs due to leakage signals which are respectively included in the first detection signal and the second detection signal on the basis of a signal based on drive oscillation of the angular velocity detection element. The correction signal is input to a circuit that is located on a first signal path ranging from the first detection electrode of an angular velocity detection element to the differential amplifier unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Kanemoto
  • Patent number: 10294914
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydraulic installation where sediment concentration in the water flow circulating through the cited installation is monitored continuously. According to the invention, the hydraulic installation comprises a pressure-reducing device and a primary sensor: the pressure reducing device decreases the pressure and discharge of upstream water flow, comprising sediments, allowing that the primary sensor can operate continuously measuring sediment concentration from the upstream water flow. The hydraulic installation also comprises a calibrating device, providing the primary sensor with a reference value to be used for comparison matters and for establishing the content of sediment in the water flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Rajesh Panchal, Nicholas Balcet, Serge Prigent
  • Patent number: 10288521
    Abstract: This invention relates to a force and moment balance (1) including a support (9) therefor and more specifically, but not exclusively, to a force and moment balance (1) and a support (9) therefor for a wind tunnel. Force and moment balances are known in the art and are typically used in wind tunnels to measure the force and moment loads on a model in the wind tunnel. A problem with current balances is that there is inherent vertical movement associated with horizontal force. According to the invention, the balance (1) has a fixed end (3) and a movable end (6) with a number of supports (9) between the fixed end (3) and the movable end (6). Each support (9) includes compensation means to compensate for resultant movements caused by lateral movement of the movable end (6) relative to the fixed end (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
    Inventors: Jules David De Ponte, Frederik Francois Pieterse
  • Patent number: 10281317
    Abstract: A bottle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a sidewall, at least one cap removably attached to the sidewall, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to determine whether fluid expelled from the bottle is consumed by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventor: Dilan Dubey
  • Patent number: 10281343
    Abstract: The present subject matter discloses a method of measuring a peak load, including the steps of placing an indenter between a first surface and a second surface, exerting a load on at least one of the first and second surfaces, measuring at least one of a width, depth, radial chord length, and cross-sectional area of an indentation formed by the indenter in at least one of the first and second surfaces; and converting the measured parameter into a load value. Certain methods further include the steps of converting the measured parameter into a load per length value and obtaining a load value by integrating along a circumferential length of the indentation. In still other methods, the exerted load is a compressive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: David A. Bullen, Brian A. McGraw
  • Patent number: 10261001
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided to implement a desorber of a sensor detector device that permits manual operation and is completely detachable from a main body of the sensor detector device. In one example, a device includes a desorber. The desorber includes an inlet comprising a fluid path configured to receive samples vaporized from sample media. The desorber also includes a cap configured to slide toward the inlet in response to a manual actuation of the cap performed by a user to transition the desorber from an open position to a closed position. The desorber further includes a heater configured to slide with the cap toward the inlet in response to the user actuation and vaporize the samples while the desorber is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FLIR DETECTION, INC.
    Inventors: Chris Willis, Matthew Szabo, Craig Aker
  • Patent number: 10254220
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes a communication unit including a first transmitter and a second transmitter. The communication unit is coupled to an on-board computing device including at least one processor coupled to a memory device. The processor is configured to obtain a position of the inspection apparatus, unprocessed image data, and fluid concentration data for at least one fluid. The processor geotags the data with the position of the inspection apparatus and transmits the data to a remote processing device. The geotagged image data is transferred using the first transmitter and the geotagged fluid concentration data is transmitted using the second transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nasr Eldine Alkadi, Dustin Michael Sharber, Ashraf Osama El-Messidi, Radislav Alexandrovich Potyrailo, John Andrew Westerheide
  • Patent number: 10228632
    Abstract: A powder detection device includes a detection mechanism including an oscillation unit and a vibrated member, a vibrating member, and a detection unit. The oscillation unit outputs a signal having a frequency according to a state of a magnetic flux passing a space facing the oscillation unit. The vibrated member affecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside a container to face the oscillation unit via the container is vibrated by the vibrating member in a direction of facing the oscillation unit. The detection unit acquires frequency information of the signal at predetermined periods, determines presence/absence of an error of the detection mechanism based on error information associating a type of the error with a state of the signal, detects vibration of the vibrated member based on a change in the frequency information, and detects a remaining amount of powder in the container based on the detected vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsufumi Yamamoto, Tetsuro Hirota, Kenji Kikuchi, Kazuho Satoh, Shingo Nishizaki, Ko Tokumaru
  • Patent number: 10215769
    Abstract: A device and method for rapid assessment of sensor response times as the sensor is rapidly switched between two or more calibration fluids discharged from a multi-fluid jet nozzle. The novel method includes exposing the sensor to a first calibration fluid and then rapidly exposing it to a second calibration fluid without removing the sensor from the fluid phase. The sensor's output is then assessed to determine its response time. This method is simpler and less expensive than other methods and allows improved precision timing of the change in calibration fluids without changing flow velocity or exposure to other media or viscosities. An embodiment of the novel device is a dual-fluid jet nozzle that ejects two distinct jets of calibration fluid at the same velocity through a single nozzle discharge aperture divided by a sharply-edged boundary wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Markus H. Huettel, Alireza Merikhi
  • Patent number: 9989399
    Abstract: A liquid surface sensing device includes a rotational body that is made of resin and rotates according to upward and downward motion of a surface of liquid in a container, a magnet that is held by the rotational body to rotate together with the rotational body, a stationary body that is fixed to the container and rotatably bears the rotational body, and a magnetoelectric conversion element that is embedded in the stationary body and detects a magnetic field generated by the magnet to output an electric signal indicating the liquid surface. The rotational body includes a storage space that accommodates the magnet, a resilient claw that projects into the storage space and is in contact with the magnet in its resiliently deformed state to press the magnet on a storage wall for the storage space, and a projection that projects from an opposite side of the magnet toward the resilient claw in the storage space and expands to be in contact with the resilient claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isao Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 9983042
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a liquid-level sensor to detect liquid-level information of a liquid to be tested in a container. The sensor includes an electrode, a sensing circuit, an amplifier and a controller. The electrode is disposed on the outer surface of the container, comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The sensing circuit is coupled to a first electrode and a second electrode, and receives a clock signal to generate a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal. The amplifier receives the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal to output an output voltage. The controller acquires liquid-level information of the liquid to be tested according to the output voltage and a voltage-volume table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Li-Ren Huang, Zen-Dar Hsu, Cheng-Hsun Lin, Huan-Ke Chiu, Cihun-Siyong Gong, Po-Hsun Tu
  • Patent number: 9966243
    Abstract: Plasma-assisted reaction chemical ionization (PARCI) provides highly sensitive elemental analysis by producing positively and negatively charged ions. The PARCI apparatuses, kits, and methods described in this application relate to systems that comprise a chemical reaction interface (CRI) containing reactant gas plasma and an ionization chamber that is downstream from the CRI. The ionization chamber facilitates formation of ions from element-specific products of the CRI by an electron source or an ionization gas. In particular, PARCI provides a method for conducting highly sensitive mass spectrometric elemental analysis of analyte compounds with high ionization potential elements; for example, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Georgetown University
    Inventors: Kaveh Jorabchi, Haopeng Wang
  • Patent number: 9952045
    Abstract: A calibration gauge having plane symmetry is set in a position other than a rotation center of a rotary table. The calibration gauge is measured while the rotary table is driven to rotate. Offset of a measurement axis is determined based on a phase pattern of the rotary table when a stylus head detects the calibration gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Madoka Yasuno
  • Patent number: 9945815
    Abstract: A method for testing a fuel cell stack includes providing a fluid, such as an ammonia-containing fluid, in a first reactant flow path in a first portion of the fuel cell stack, detecting the presence of the fluid using a detector, such as an ammonia detector, positioned within or adjacent to a second portion of the fuel cell stack that is separated from the first portion of the fuel cell stack and determining the presence of a defect in the stack based on detecting the presence of the fluid. Further embodiments relate to testing a fuel cell stack using a microphone that detects an audio signal indicative of a stack defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Wilson, Arne Ballantine, Matthias Gottmann, Tad Armstrong, Martin Perry, David Edmonston, Michael Lesher, Joshua Baime
  • Patent number: 9945752
    Abstract: A method for a hybrid-electric vehicle is presented, wherein a fuel tank is sealed closed during a first condition that includes an inductive charging event, and wherein degradation of a fuel tank pressure transducer is indicated responsive to a fuel tank pressure transducer output failing to increase above a threshold following an active testing duration. The outer walls of the fuel tank may include ferrous components which are energized by a magnetic field generated during the inductive charging event, thus heating the fuel tank and the fuel stored within. In this way, the pressure within the sealed fuel tank increases during the inductive charging event, and a determination may be made as to whether the output of the fuel tank pressure transducer is rational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 9940952
    Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes measuring an initial coating thickness on a tape bearing surface of a module in a carrier, running a tape across the tape bearing surface, and at intervals, measuring a residual thickness of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert G. Biskeborn, Jason Liang, Calvin S. Lo
  • Patent number: 9927347
    Abstract: Pneumatic ram road surface coefficient of friction measuring device is a stationary device that measures the coefficient of friction of a particular spot on a road surface using a known and precise amount of resistance force supplied from a pneumatic ram and a calibration valve. Pneumatic ram road surface coefficient of friction measuring device comprises a testing tire and wheel mounted to a carriage plate that is slideably attached to a framework that pivots around the front end of the framework and is supported by a jack mechanism at the rear end. Pneumatic ram provides resistance to the sliding action of the carriage plate that may be varied using the calibration valve. Pneumatic ram road surface coefficient of friction measuring device further comprises a sliding gauge indicator and coefficient of friction graduations that provide the coefficient of friction reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas LoPresti, Joseph F. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9897460
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an MEMS sensor and a method for compensation of a quadrature error on an MEMS sensor, which is intended for detection of movements of a substrate, especially accelerations and/or rotation rates. At least one mass arranged on the substrate and mounted to move relative to it is driven by means of drive electrodes. The mass/es execute a movement deviating from the prescribed movement due to a quadrature error. A deflection of the mass/es occurring due to Coriolis force and quadrature error is detected with detection electrodes. It is proposed according to the invention that a capacitance change be detected as a function of drive movement of the mass/es by means of compensation electrodes. A compensation charge dependent on the quadrature error of the MEMS sensor is generated on the compensation electrodes. For compensation, the distorted or incorrect charge generated by the quadrature error in the detection electrodes is compensated with the compensation charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Luca Coronato, Gabrielle Cazzaniga, Carlo Caminada, Manuel Santoro, Luciano Prandi, Demetre Kondylis
  • Patent number: 9890725
    Abstract: A constant current circuit is controlled to stop a constant current Ics (Ics=0) flowing between sensor electrodes of an oxygen sensor, in a period before the oxygen sensor becomes active, during a fuel cut of an engine, and after the engine stops. When an abnormality (for example, a failure) occurs in the constant current circuit, a sensor output equivalent to an output of the oxygen sensor of when the constant current circuit is controlled to stop the constant current Ics is different from a normal sensor output. An abnormality diagnosis is executed to determine a presence or absence of the abnormality in the constant current circuit depending on whether the output of the oxygen sensor is out of a predetermined normal range, in a period before the oxygen sensor becomes active, during a fuel cut of an engine, and after the engine stops (when the constant current circuit is controlled to stop the constant current Ics).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikiyasu Matsuoka, Shingo Nakata
  • Patent number: 9891161
    Abstract: A corrosion rate measurement system includes a first membrane of a first material configured to be exposed to a corrosive material and deflect in response to corrosion. A second membrane is configured to be exposed to a corrosive material and deflect in response to corrosion. A pressure sensor is operably coupled to at least one of the first and second membranes and configured to measure deflection of at least one of the first and second membranes as a function of a pressure and an amount of corrosion at least one of the first and second membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Rosemount Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Hedtke, Fred C. Sittler, Charles R. Willcox