Patents Examined by Peter J. Macchiarolo
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Patent number: 12257014Abstract: A medical device comprises an end effector, a mechanical structure, a connector, and a force sensor unit. The connector extends from a drive component of the mechanical structure to the end effector. Motion of the drive component produces a tension force within the connector, which is associated with an end effector torque or force exerted by the end effector. The force sensor unit comprises a body, and the body is coupled in-line with the connector so that strain in the connector is imparted to the body. A strain sensor measures the strain on the body as an indication of strain in the connector, which is an indication of torque or force at the end effector. The connector may be continuous, and coupled to the body with a slack relief portion of the connector within the body. Alternatively, the connector may be discontinuous and coupled to opposite ends of the body.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2022Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Lizmarie Comenencia Ortiz, Jason Miao, David Moreira Ridsdale, Harsukhdeep S. Ratia, Sharathchandra Somayaji, Zhou Ye
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Patent number: 12259285Abstract: A semiconductor-based stress sensor can include a bipolar transistor device with first and second collector terminals. An excitation circuit can provide an excitation signal to an emitter terminal of the bipolar transistor device, and a physical stress indicator for the semiconductor can be provided based on a relationship between signals measured at the collector terminals in response to the excitation signal. The signals can indicate a charge carrier mobility characteristic of the semiconductor, which can be used to provide an indication of physical stress. In an example, the physical stress indicator is based on a current deflection characteristic of a base region of the transistor device.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2022Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: George Pieter Reitsma, Kalin V. Lazarov
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Patent number: 12253443Abstract: An elemental analysis device includes a heating furnace in which a test sample that is placed in a crucible is heated so that a sample gas is generated from the test sample, an inflow path through which a carrier gas is introduced into the heating furnace, an outflow path through which a mixture gas made up of the carrier gas and the sample gas is led out from the heating furnace, a dust filter that is provided on the outflow path, an analysis mechanism that is provided on the outflow path on a downstream side from the dust filter, and that detects one or a plurality of predetermined components contained in the mixture gas, and a cleaning gas supply mechanism that supplies cleaning gas to the dust filter in an opposite direction from a direction in which the mixture gas is flowing.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2021Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: HORIBA, LTD.Inventors: Takahito Inoue, Hiroshi Uchihara
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Patent number: 12252650Abstract: An apparatus for on-line temperature measurement and gas sampling used in the chute area of CDQ coke oven. The oven external unit includes a temperature indicator, a gas tube, a vacuum tank, and the oven internal unit includes a temperature measuring element, a temperature indicator. The temperature measuring element pass through the oven shell and oven along the oven radical, is located in the upper channel of the high-temperature ceramic tube with double-channel, one end of the high-temperature ceramic tube with double-channel is connected with the gas tube of the vacuum tank. The apparatus solves the problem that hard to measure the temperature and sample the gas of the part where the environment is the most complicated in CDQ coke oven, and has the advantages that the structure is simple, operation is easy to handle and can achieve real-time monitoring for the inner environment of the CDQ coke oven.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2022Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: MCC5 GROUP SHANGHAI CORPORATION LIMITEDInventors: Cangjuan Han, Chunhua Tan, Wenjian Gao, Pengmin Wu
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Patent number: 12241771Abstract: A method for calibrating flow meters measuring fluid passing through a pipe wherein fluid pressures are detected and used to determine a volume or mass flow rate using an energy correlation calculation. The energy correlation calculation equates a change in potential energy for the flowing fluid with a change in kinetic energy for the flowing fluid. The energy correlation method of calculating flow rate offers lower measurement uncertainty than calculating flow by the Reynolds number versus discharge coefficient method.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2022Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: BELL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Zaki Din Husain
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Patent number: 12241813Abstract: An ultrahigh-temperature wind tunnel erosion testing system is provided, including a fuel system (1), an erosion system (2), an erosion spray gun (3), a test piece fixture (5) and a testing device; the erosion spray gun (3) is connected with the fuel system (1) and the erosion system (2) respectively; the erosion spray gun (3) is arranged on a lifting and rotating mechanism (4); the test piece fixture (5) is arranged on one side of the lifting and rotating mechanism (4) and is opposite to a nozzle of the erosion spray gun (3); and the testing device is connected with the test piece fixture (5). The plurality of groups of test pieces are circlewise arranged around the lifting and rotating mechanism (4).Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2022Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: EAST CHINA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Xiancheng Zhang, Liqiang Liu, Jianping Tan, Runzi Wang, Shantung Tu, Junmiao Shi
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Patent number: 12241801Abstract: A sensor device includes a housing frame defining a first opening and a second opening; a sensing element having first and second sides is disposed within the housing frame and defines therein a first cavity at its first site and a second cavity at its second site, wherein the sensing element determines a differential pressure between the first and second sides; a first corrugated diaphragm configured to close the first opening to seal the first cavity, and a second corrugated diaphragm configured to close the second opening to seal the second cavity; and an inert hydraulic fluid disposed within the first and second cavities that fluidly couples an external pressure acting on the respective corrugated diaphragm to the respective side of the sensing element, wherein the first corrugated diaphragm and the second corrugated diaphragm is built by a conformal coating process using a substrate with structured surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2022Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: ABB Schweiz AGInventor: Andrew Holmes
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Patent number: 12241909Abstract: An accelerometer arrangement and method are described for determining accelerations of an inground tool. First and second triaxial accelerometers are supported such that a normal sensing axis of the first triaxial accelerometer is at least generally orthogonal to the normal sensing axis of the second triaxial accelerometer for determining the accelerations along the three orthogonal axes based on a combination of sensing axis outputs from one or both of the triaxial accelerometers. A weaker sensing axis of one triaxial accelerometer can be supported at least approximately normal to a weaker sensing axis of another triaxial accelerometer such that the weaker axes are not used. The triaxial accelerometers can be supported such that one axis of one accelerometer can be redundant with respect to another axis of another accelerometer. One triaxial accelerometer can be mounted on a tilted plane with respect to another triaxial accelerometer.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2024Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.Inventors: Albert W. Chau, John E. Mercer, Scott Phillips
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Patent number: 12241770Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for determining water level and assessing water consumption at a borewell. The device includes: a tapping mechanism coupled to a top metal cover of the borewell, configured to generate a first sound wave; a sound detector coupled to the top metal cover of the borewell, configured to detect a second sound wave associated with reflection of the first sound wave with a water level and generate a first data packet thereof; and a computing device configured to: enable, from received the first data packet, determination of water level at the borewell. The device also includes: a flow sensor coupled with an outlet pipe of the borewell, the flow sensor configured to generate a second data packet pertaining to flow of water in the outlet pipe. The computing device is configured to, upon receipt of the second data packet, enable determination of water consumption at the borewell.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2021Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Inventor: Vijay Dattatray Gawade
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Patent number: 12228468Abstract: A position sensor, designed, in particular, for detecting torsion in a steering column, includes a first magnetized magnetic rotor structure comprising a plurality of magnets, two flux-collecting components, which define at least one air gap in which at least one magnetically sensitive element is positioned. Each collecting component has at least one primary collecting zone extended by at least one extension having at least one secondary collecting zone. The secondary collecting zones end in flattened shoes that form the two poles of the air gap. The transverse mid-plane of the air gap intersects at least one of the extensions.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2020Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: MOVING MAGNET TECHNOLOGIESInventor: Didier Frachon
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Patent number: 12228487Abstract: Methods and systems for characterizing multiple parameters of viscous fluid simultaneously are provided. By imposing an oscillatory deformation profile on a filament formed of the viscous fluid between two plates, a nonlinear fit to the deformation profile captured at different times is analyzed against a filament model dependent upon the plates radius, viscous fluid density, and the oscillation frequency of the imposed deformation profile. The Reynolds number, Weber number, and the aspect ratio of the viscous fluid are thus determined, for identifying the Newtonian fluid.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2022Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: William W. Schultz, Subramaniam Balakrishna
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Patent number: 12228501Abstract: A system for measuring a target gas via laser absorption spectroscopy in an open-air configuration, comprising a mid-infrared distributed feedback interband cascade laser (mid-IR DFB-ICL) having a wavelength selected to correspond with a spectral absorption line of the target gas and first electronic circuitry to control the laser temperature, current and modulation frequency. The mid-IR DFB-ICL is mounted to a heat sink. The system includes an optical component that projects a beam of the mid-IR DFB-ICL onto a distal backscattering directionally-reflective target and an optical receiver assembly that receives a fraction of the laser light that is backscattered from the directionally-reflective target and focuses the collected light onto an uncooled photodetector having a spectral bandwidth and optical configuration selected to optimize signal-to-noise response to received laser light.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2022Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Heath Consultants IncorporatedInventors: Michael B. Frish, Shin-Juh Chen, Nicholas F. Aubut, Richard T. Wainner
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Patent number: 12223632Abstract: The invention discloses an intelligent detection method for multiple types of faults for near-water bridges and an unmanned surface vehicle. The method includes an infrastructure fault target detection network CenWholeNet and a bionics-based parallel attention module PAM. CenWholeNet is a deep learning-based Anchor-free target detection network, which mainly comprises a primary network and a detector, used to automatically detect faults in acquired images with high precision. Wherein, the PAM introduces an attention mechanism into the neural network, including spatial attention and channel attention, which is used to enhance the expressive power of the neural network. The unmanned surface vehicle includes hull module, video acquisition module, lidar navigation module and ground station module, which supports lidar navigation without GPS information, long-range real-time video transmission and highly robust real-time control, used for automated acquisition of information from bridge underside.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2021Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITYInventors: Jian Zhang, Zhili He, Shang Jiang
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Patent number: 12216107Abstract: A concrete workability meter having concrete vibrator portion and frame assembly, wherein the concrete vibrator portion may be selectively decoupled from the frame assembly to permit relative movement there between.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2022Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: MINNICH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Paul Jawarski, Allen Bragg, Tobin Pokrzywa, Jeff McDaniel
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Patent number: 12216100Abstract: As a technique for separating odorous compounds by using a supercritical fluid chromatograph, a method for separating an odorous compound is provided which includes a process of carrying a sample containing an odorous compound into a column filled with a packing material made of a polymer having an unsaturated hydrocarbon structure, by a flow of a mobile phase which is a supercritical fluid of a predetermined substance.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2021Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATIONInventors: Yuka Fujito, Takeshi Bamba
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Patent number: 12209898Abstract: A flow measurement system for performing an adjustable concurrent recalibration during a measurement operation, a computer program product which simulates operational behavior of the flow measurement system and a method for calibrating the flow measurement system that is mounted on a tube that encloses a medium, wherein the flow measurement system is provided in an active operating state and the flow measurement system includes a first flow rate sensor, where an ultrasound pulse is emitted into the tube wall via a first or second ultrasonic head of the first flow rate sensor, an ultrasound echo is received via the second ultrasonic head, the signal propagation time of the ultrasound pulse and echo are determined, a tube wall thickness is determined based on the determined signal propagation time, and a calibration parameter of the first flow rate sensor is set, where the calibration parameter includes at least the tube wall thickness.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2022Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jürgen Kiefer, Wilko Wilkening
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Patent number: 12209932Abstract: An improved pipeline leak detecting pig apparatus configured to locate leaks in the wall of a pipeline as the apparatus is pushed by pressurized fluid through the pipeline. The apparatus is configured with or without absolute pressure sensors and a flow meter configured to detect fluid flow through a controlled volume on the pig passing a leak in the pipeline and pressurized fluid in the controlled volume escapes through the leak. Pressure sensors, when provided, provide a secondary confirmation of the presence of a leak and the degree of severity when an absolute pressure drop in the controlled volume occurs. Onboard microcontrollers record continuous odometer pulses, apparatus diagnostic information and pressure and flow measurements for later analysis, quantification and determination of leak location.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2024Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: INLINE SERVICES, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Johnston, Justin Scruggs
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Patent number: 12208381Abstract: The invention relates to a method, a computer program and a system for operating a hand-held, computer-controlled piston-stroke pipette as well as a corresponding piston-stroke pipette as well a data processing device cooperating with that, wherein a precise pipetting of liquid with a vapor pressure higher than that of water is rendered possible by means of a sequence of prewettings of the pipette tip.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2021Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: EPPENDORF SEInventors: Benjamin Förthmann, Philipp Cloer, Jens Kleemann, Torsten Krauss
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Patent number: 12209893Abstract: A magnetic-inductive flow meter for determining a flow velocity-dependent measurement variable induced in a flowable medium is provided, said flow meter comprising: a measuring tube for conducting the flowable medium in a flow direction, the measuring tube comprising a carrier body, the measuring tube comprising an inlet region in which the carrier body has a first recess located on an inner side of the carrier body, the first recess extending continuously in the flow direction, the measuring tube comprising a support body for stabilizing a liner, the support body being located between the carrier body and the liner, the support body extending into the first recess and thus being interlockingly connected to the carrier body; a device located on the measuring tube for generating a magnetic field that penetrates the measuring tube; and —two measuring electrodes for tapping a measuring voltage induced in the flowable medium.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2020Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Frank Voigt, Steffen Ziegler, Werner Wohlgemuth
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Patent number: 12203894Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to built-in self-testing (BIST) of circuitry (e.g., a pulser or receive circuitry) and/or transducers in an ultrasound device. A BIST circuit may include a transconductance amplifier coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, a capacitor network coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, and/or a current source couplable to the input terminal of receive circuitry to which a transducer is also couplable. The collapse voltages of transducers may be characterized using BIST circuitry, and a bias voltage may be applied to the membranes of the transducers based at least in part on their collapse voltages. The capacitances of transducers may also be measured using BIST circuitry and a notification may be generated based on the sets of measurements.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2023Date of Patent: January 21, 2025Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Chao Chen, Youn-Jae Kook, Jihee Lee, Kailiang Chen, Leung Kin Chiu, Joseph Lutsky, Nevada J. Sanchez, Sebastian Schaetz, Hamid Soleimani