Patents Examined by Paul M. West
  • Patent number: 11530960
    Abstract: A method of testing for leaks within substantially the entirety of a piping system of a building or a section thereof. The method comprises isolation of a main of the piping system and removal of the building fixtures. Optionally, a line trace and/or a dye test may be implemented. The method further comprises purging the piping system to at least partially reduce or eliminate entrapped air. The method further comprises sealing the plumbing outlets of the piping system and filling the piping system up to a predetermined elevation above a highest fitting connection or up to the highest serviceable point of the system. The method further comprises inspecting the piping system for leaks after a predetermined period of time, which may be anywhere from immediately after filling the piping system to about twenty minutes thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Plumbing Diagnostics Corp.
    Inventors: Reynaldo Alvarez, Reynaldo Alvarez, Jr., Valerie Guerra
  • Patent number: 11530974
    Abstract: The invention provides devices and methods for linked multimodal measurements of individual particles using a mass sensor and an additional sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Travera, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kimmerling, Selim Olcum, Mark Stevens
  • Patent number: 11525820
    Abstract: In examples, a method of manufacturing a fluid sensing package comprises coupling a semiconductor die to a first set of conductive terminals; positioning the semiconductor die within a socket, a fluid probe extending through a probe orifice in a lid of the socket; positioning a ring of the fluid probe on a fluid sensing portion of the semiconductor die by closing the lid of the socket; and using the fluid probe to apply fluid to an area of the fluid sensing portion circumscribed by the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sebastian Meier, Heinrich Wachinger, Bernhard Peter Lange
  • Patent number: 11518671
    Abstract: In one aspect, data characterizing a fuel storage facility can be received from a sensor in operable communication with the fuel storage facility. An estimate of meter drift of a flow meter of a fuel dispenser in fluid communication with the fuel storage facility can be determined based on the received data. The estimate of meter drift can be determined based on at least one predictive model that predicts whether a calibration parameter characterizing a calibration of the flow meter has deviated from a predetermined flow meter calibration parameter. The estimate of meter drift can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Wayne Fueling Systems LLC
    Inventors: Prem Swaroop, Atish Kamble, Bodhayan Dev
  • Patent number: 11519812
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are components, systems, and methods to monitor acoustic emissions of a high pressure system to predict failure of the high pressure system. Further disclosed herein are components, systems, and methods to monitor acoustic emissions of a high pressure system to identify characteristics of one or more defects as they form and grow within components of the high pressure system. Characteristics of the defects include type, size, growth, and location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Flow International Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Mital, Sean Schramm
  • Patent number: 11519772
    Abstract: Pressure sensor systems for measuring a liquid pressure and deriving a liquid level from the measured pressure using gas pressure sensing devices. In one embodiment, liquid pressure results in compression or decompression of a trapped gas (as an example, air), wherein the gas pressure is detected by a gas pressure sensing device directly or a gas pressure sensing device that is protected inside a flexible pouch filled with a liquid. In another embodiment, a gas pressure sensing device is packaged in a flexible pouch filled with an inert liquid to protect the sensing device and circuit thereof from external contaminants while accurately transferring pressure from the liquid through a protective barrier. Application of such sensors in a wireless flood or a wireless liquid level measurement system is described as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Evigia Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Krammer, Siva Aduri, Navid Yazdi
  • Patent number: 11519769
    Abstract: A control unit 3 of a flow rate control system 1 comprises: a recording unit 31 for recording measured values of a pressure sensor P and a temperature sensor T, a storage unit 32 for storing volume data between a first valve V1 and a second valve V2 corresponding to the measured value of the pressure sensor P, and an arithmetic unit 33 for calculating a flow rate based on a first pressure value P1 and a first temperature value T1 measured after opening the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 to flow a gas and then closing the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 simultaneously in a state where the gas is flowing; a second pressure value P2 and a second temperature value T2 measured after opening the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 to flow a gas, closing the second valve V2 in a state where the gas is flowing, and then closing the first valve V1 after a predetermined time ?t has elapsed; and a volume value V between the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 which corresponds to the second pressure
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Satoru Yamashita, Masayoshi Kawashima, Masahiko Takimoto, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11513030
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tidal simulation test device and a method of use thereof. The tidal simulation test device includes a water supply pool, a water level adjustment pool, a subtidal zone simulation pool, an intertidal zone simulation pool, a supratidal zone simulation pool and a two-way water flow adjustment control box. The two-way water flow adjustment control box is provided therein with an electromagnetic flow control meter, a forward frequency conversion self-priming pump, a reverse frequency conversion self-priming pump and an intelligent time-controlled three-way controller. In the method, the start and stop of the forward frequency conversion self-priming pump and the reverse frequency conversion self-priming pump are controlled through an intelligent switch, and a water flow is adjusted through the electromagnetic flow control meter, thereby realizing periodic changes in a water level to simulate different types of tides and coastal wetlands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ludong University
    Inventors: Junbao Yu, Miao Yu, Debin Sun, Kai Ning, Hongfang Dong, Xuehong Wang, Yunzhao Li, Di Zhou, Jisong Yang, Chao Zhan, Zhikang Wang, Zhenbo Lv, Jianbai Zhang, Yang Yu
  • Patent number: 11513541
    Abstract: The method for inspecting the flow rate controller for controlling a flow rate of a fluid includes creating and recording a three-dimensional database in which a first pressure, a set flow rate or a second pressure, and a control value of a piezoelectric element are associated with each other, based on reference data, measuring, as target data, control values of the piezoelectric element corresponding to the first pressure detected by a first pressure detector and the set flow rate specified in a recipe of a substrate processing process or the second pressure detected by a second pressure detector, at the time of the execution of the substrate processing process, and determining whether or not there is a problem in a diaphragm valve, by comparing the target data with the reference data included in the three-dimensional database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura
  • Patent number: 11512997
    Abstract: A full charge notification device of a urea water tank for a vehicle is provided. The device is configured to generate a predetermined sound when urea water is normally injected into the urea water tank before a full state, to provide a notification to a user of a full state of the urea water tank through non-generation of the sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Seung Hoon Choi, June Young Park, Jun Sik Lim, Tae Yoon Lee, Sung Won Lee
  • Patent number: 11504736
    Abstract: Systems and methods for closed loop fluid velocity control for jetting are disclosed. A method includes dispensing a first volume of viscous fluid from a nozzle of a dispensing device according to a first value of an operating parameter that affects the exit velocity of the first volume. A characteristic of the first volume is measured using a sensor. The characteristic of the first volume is then compared to a range of values to determine whether the characteristic of the first volume is outside of the range. The value of the operating parameter is adjusted to a second value in response to determining that the characteristic of the first volume is outside the range. A second volume of viscous fluid is dispensed according to the second value of the operating parameter. The exit velocity of the second volume is different than the first volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory L. Hartmeier, Alan R. Lewis, Yuriy Suhinin
  • Patent number: 11506588
    Abstract: A portable air quality monitoring device is disclosed that can identify the type of particles in the air. This device takes images of particles in the air and compares them with a library of particles in its memory to identify the type of particles. The device has a housing that draws ambient air into the system and takes microscopic images of the flowing particles and droplets using flash photography. The device can be stand alone or can connect to the back of a mobile phone and use the mobile phone camera and light. People can upload their local air quality data online for all to see the local air quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: Mostafa Abdollahi, Farzam Keshavarzi, Mehrdad Hooshmand, Hossein Varmazyar, Mojtaba Falahatinezhad
  • Patent number: 11506589
    Abstract: An apparatus to determine the concentration of a target component in a mixture, the apparatus including at least one acoustic transducer located within the mixture, a controller generating a signal for the at least one acoustic transducer that's generating an acoustic signal in the mixture and transmitting same toward the target component within the mixture, wherein the acoustic signal is generated with a known power level, and a processor for measuring change in the power level of the at least one acoustic transducer as the acoustic signal is transmitted through the mixture, wherein the magnitude of the change in signal power determines the concentration of the target component in the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: FloLevel Technologies Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Robert Sidney Stirling
  • Patent number: 11506595
    Abstract: A lubricity tester unit may comprise a housing, a shaft, wherein a first end of the shaft is disposed at a first end of the housing, wherein the shaft extends through housing along a central axis of the housing, and an encoder, wherein the encoder is disposed on an internal wall of the housing, wherein the shaft is disposed through a hole in the encoder, wherein the encoder is an optical encoder configured to measure angular position of the shaft. The lubricity tester unit may further comprise rotating rings, wherein the rotating rings are coupled to a second end of the shaft, a friction inducing surface, wherein the friction inducing surface is disposed around the rotating rings, a first sensor, wherein the first sensor is disposed through the housing, and a second sensor, wherein the second sensor is disposed through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Vos, Dale E. Jamison, Ketan C. Bhaidasna
  • Patent number: 11499860
    Abstract: A fill level measuring device for determining a fill level of a medium is provided, including a radar module configured to emit a transmission signal and to receive a received signal reflected on the medium, a controller configured to detect, based on the received signal, a measurement signal correlating with the fill level, and including a detector configured to detect a movement signal indicating a movement of the fill level measuring device and/or a position signal indicating a geographic position of the fill level measuring device. The controller includes activation circuitry configured to at least partially activate and/or deactivate the radar module depending on the movement signal and/or on the position signal detected by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Roland Welle, Michael Fischer
  • Patent number: 11497361
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an adjustable gas detection device for coal bed comprising a detection direction adjustment assembly, a suction head angle adjustment assembly and an analysis bin, wherein the suction head angle adjustment assembly includes a suction head first-level angle adjustment assembly and a suction head second-level angle adjustment assembly, and the suction head first-level angle adjustment assembly includes a suction head that sucks a gas through a suction pump and sends it into the analysis bin through a suction pipe for analysis; the detection direction adjustment assembly and the suction head angle adjustment assembly jointly adjust a position and a direction of the suction head. The gas detection device for coal bed of the present invention has many degrees of freedom, can quickly complete the angle adjustment, and realizes rapidly-oriented detection, as well as having advantages of high control efficiency, rapid response, flexibility and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventors: Shu Tao, Dazhen Tang, Hao Xu, Song Li, Xinyang Men, Yaning Wu
  • Patent number: 11499948
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and methods of use thereof, the devices comprising: a sample conduit providing a path for fluid flow extending from a sample inlet to a sample outlet; a thermal housing enclosing the sample conduit, the thermal housing comprising a plurality of measurement regions; and a motorized stage translatable along the thermal housing so as to align a detector with one or more of the plurality of measurement regions. The devices can continuously flow a fluid precursor sample from the sample inlet to the sample outlet, the fluid precursor sample comprising a first precursor and a second precursor, such that the first precursor reacts with the second precursor as the fluid precursor sample continuously flows from the sample inlet to the sample outlet to form the sample before reaching the sample outlet, wherein the sample comprises a plurality of particles or an organic molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Milad Abolhasani, Robert W. Epps, Kobi C. Felton
  • Patent number: 11493419
    Abstract: A model of the viscoplastic boundary layer of a yield stress fluid is described and, based on which, there is provided a method comprises the steps of: vibrating a vibratory transducer at resonance at a first resonant mode in a yield stress fluid and making a first measurement of the resonant frequency; providing a vibration to liquefy at least a portion of the yield stress fluid around the one or more vibratory transducers; while said portion of the yield stress material is liquefied, vibrating a vibratory transducer at resonance at the first resonant mode in the yield stress fluid and making a second measurement of the resonant frequency; and estimating the yield stress of the yield stress fluid based on the first and second measurements. The vibration to liquefy yield stress fluid around the one or more transducers may be provided by the making of the second measurement at an increased amplitude of vibration relative to the first measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HYDRAMOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: John Gallagher
  • Patent number: 11493420
    Abstract: A model of the viscoplastic boundary layer of a yield stress fluid is described and, based on which, there is provided a method of estimating the yield stress of a flowing yield stress fluid using one or more vibratory transducers having a vibratory surface in contact with the yield stress fluid, the method comprising: vibrating a vibratory surface of a vibratory transducer to transmit a wave from a vibrating surface into a viscoplastic boundary layer of the flowing yield stress fluid, the wave propagating a distance into the viscoplastic boundary layer; making, using the vibrations of the vibratory transducer, one or more measurements of the degree of damping of vibration; and estimating the yield stress of the flowing yield stress fluid based on the one or more measurements of the degree of damping of vibration. There are disclosed single-frequency, dual-frequency and triple-frequency modes of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HYDRAMOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: John Gallagher
  • Patent number: 11486756
    Abstract: A mechanical resonator device. The resonator device includes a resonator element made of an elastic material under tensile stress and adapted for sustaining at least one oscillation mode; and a clamping structure supporting the resonator element. The clamping structure has a phononic density of states exhibiting a bandgap or quasi-bandgap such that elastic waves of at least one polarisation and/or frequency are not allowed to propagate through the clamping structure. The resonator element and the clamping structure are configured to match with a soft-clamping condition that elastic waves of polarisation and/or frequency corresponding to the at least one oscillation mode of the resonator penetrate evanescently into the clamping structure in a manner such as to minimize bending throughout the entire resonator device. Thereby, bending related loss may be minimized and the Q-factor of the mechanical resonator may be maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN
    Inventor: Albert Schliesser