Patents Examined by Peter Macchiarolo
  • Patent number: 9945386
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting the rotation breakaway of a spacer from a compressor rotor disk are disclosed herein. The method includes detecting a disk sensed feature and a spacer sensed feature on the compressor rotor disk and the spacer respectively. The method also includes comparing the timing between the two to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the relative position of the spacer to the compressor rotor disk exceeds a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount may be selected to determine whether an imbalance, rubbing, or binding can occur in the gas turbine engine or to determine whether anti-rotation features have been broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: David Tai Wai Lee, Kwok-Kwong Ben Tse, Kenneth Gregory Thomas, Ching Kai Chan, Jorge Hernandez-Maldonado
  • Patent number: 9945884
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method of measuring wind speed includes measuring atmospheric pressure at a first pressure sensor arranged inside a case and shielded from wind, measuring air pressure at a second pressure sensor arranged at an opening in the case, and determining wind speed at the opening in the case based on measuring the atmospheric pressure and the air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Froemel, Waldemar Marsetz
  • Patent number: 9939301
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for use with a machine having an engine with at least one cylinder. The system may have at least one injector configured to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder, and a controller in communication with the at least one injector. The controller may be configured to determine an injection duration of the at least one injector. The controller may also be configured to calculate a fuel consumption value for the machine based on the injection duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
    Inventors: James David Seaton, Alexander Shubs, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9938980
    Abstract: A method for measuring air mass flow into a compressor section of a gas turbine engine is provided. Air is introduced into a chamber upstream from an inlet of the compressor section. The chamber includes filter packages with at least some of the filter packages including a flow sensor and a filter structure, the filter structure filtering the air. The flow sensors measure the velocity of the air flowing through the corresponding filter package. A controller uses the air flow sensor signal data to characterize a two dimensional flow field through the chamber. Additionally, a plurality of temperature, humidity, and static pressure sensors are disposed throughout the filter packages. The controller uses the temperature, humidity, and static pressure sensor signal data to characterize a two dimensional density field through the chamber. The controller combines the flow field with the density field to calculate a two dimensional air mass flow field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Heiko Claussen, Joshua S. McConkey, Richard H. Bunce
  • Patent number: 9939246
    Abstract: The disclosed micro-sensor includes: a substrate including a first portion and a second portion; a third portion and fourth portion provided between the portions and connected to the first portion and the second portion respectively by an elastic member; detection and a counter including: a counting gear, a third beam capable of meshing with the gear, an amplifier for the value of a relative movement between the portions and including: a first beam attached at one end thereof to the third portion and at the other end thereof to a plate, a second beam attached at one end thereof to the fourth portion and at the other end thereof to the plate, the third beam being attached on one side to the plate and including a tooth capable of meshing with the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: ETAT FRANCAIS REPRESENTE PAR LE DELEGUE GENERAL POUR L'ARMEMENT, SILMACH
    Inventors: Pierre-Francois Louvigne, Patrice Minotti, Paul Vescovo, Vianney Sadoulet
  • Patent number: 9939266
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a base body, a functional element that is placed on the base body, and a lid body, formed from silicon, that is placed over the base body so as to cover the functional element. A hole portion and a sealing member that closes the hole portion are disposed in the lid body, in the hole portion, the area of a second opening disposed on a side opposite to a first opening is larger than the area of the first opening disposed on the base body side, and the ratio of the volume of the sealing member to the volume of the hole portion is equal to or higher than 35% and is equal to or lower than 87%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Takizawa
  • Patent number: 9939421
    Abstract: Example methods and systems are described for evaluating an effectiveness of ceramic particles to recover heavy oil from a subterranean region. In some aspects, a heavy oil recovery evaluation system includes a vessel containing a mixture of heavy oil and sand, the vessel including a chamber to receive a plurality of ceramic particles and water, a probe connected to the vessel to transfer energy from an energy source for energizing the plurality of ceramic particles, wherein the energized ceramic particles convert the water into steam to recover the heavy oil from the mixture, and a computer system connected to the vessel to evaluate an effectiveness of the plurality of ceramic particles to recover heavy oil from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Sameeh Batarseh, Hazim Hussein Abass, Ayman Raja Al-Nakhli
  • Patent number: 9939325
    Abstract: A thermal sensor comprises a converter circuit, a counting circuit, and a ratio calculator. The converter circuit is configured to convert a temperature-independent signal into a first frequency signal, and to convert a temperature-dependent signal into a second frequency signal. The counting circuit is configured to receive at least one of the first frequency signal and the second frequency signal, to count a predetermined number of pulses of the first frequency signal, and to count a number of pulses of the second frequency signal for a time period corresponding to the counting of the predetermined number of pulses of the first frequency signal. The ratio calculator is configured to calculate a ratio based on the predetermined number of pulses of the first frequency signal and the counted number of pulses of the second frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mei-Chen Chuang, Jui-Cheng Huang, Alan Roth
  • Patent number: 9933407
    Abstract: An apparatus and process of using existing process water sources such as cooling towers, fountains, and waterfalls is provided in which the water sources are utilized as monitoring system for the detection of environmental agents which may be present in the environment. The process water is associated with structures and have an inherent filtering or absorbing capability available in the materials and therefore can be used as a rapid screening tool for quality and quantitative assessment of environmental agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: SAVANNAH RIVER NUCLEAR SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Brigmon, Mark T. Kingsley
  • Patent number: 9927270
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring properties of a flowing multiphase mixture uses a plurality of electrodes or plurality of microwave antennas to rapidly and repeatedly measure an electrical property of the multiphase mixture over a period of time. A computer processes the rapid and repeated measurements to determine a succession of values of permittivity and/or conductivity of a liquid phase of the multiphase mixture within the said period of time and further processes the succession of values of a permittivity and/or a conductivity of the liquid phase to determine at least one of a water-in-liquid-ratio and a liquid holdup of the multiphase mixture. A conduit for the multiphase flow possibly includes a Venturi and the processor takes pressure and differential pressure as further inputs to compute flow rates for each phase in the multiphase mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Cheng-Gang Xie
  • Patent number: 9927310
    Abstract: A strain sensor assembly is configured to detect one or more of forces applied to a structure having a recess. The strain sensor can include at least a pair of opposed strain gauge members that extend from the support member. Each strain gauge member defines a support portion carried by the support member and a biasing portion. The support portion includes at least one strain gauge sensor. The biasing portion is configured to bias against a wall of the recess of the structure when the strain sensor assembly is disposed in the recess. The strain sensor assembly is configured such that the at least a pair of strain gauge members form an interference fit with the wall of the recess when the strain sensor assembly is inserted in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: APS Technology, Inc., Strain Measurement Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Bryant, Phillip T. Harkawik, Joseph E. Nord, Danny Shapiro, Neal Wostbrock
  • Patent number: 9927282
    Abstract: A liquid level detector includes a casing, a float, a magnet body, and a switch mechanism. The casing includes a tube section. The float is displaced upward or downward along a gravity direction. The magnet body is held by the float. The switch mechanism is accommodated in the tube section and is switched between an on-state and an off-state. The casing includes a first casing part and a second casing part. The first casing part includes the tube section, a first locking section that is formed radially outward of the tube section, and a first guide section that is formed at a tip of the tube section in an extending direction. The second casing part includes a second locking section and a second guide section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Yasuda, Makoto Hatano
  • Patent number: 9927322
    Abstract: A rotorcraft actuator monitoring system to monitor leakage past dynamic rotorcraft actuator seals of a rotorcraft actuator includes a body member and a fluid level indication housing attached to the body member. The body member is mounted to surround a dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal that seals fluid in a rotorcraft actuator, where the body member captures fluid that leaks past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal. The fluid level indication housing collects the fluid captured by the body member and indicates that a predetermined volume of fluid that leaked past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal has been collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Robert Michael Laramee, Carlos Fenny
  • Patent number: 9927287
    Abstract: A device and method for sensing including a sensor having a functional surface layer located to interact with a material to be sensed, the sensor having an output that produces a signal responsive one or more of inertia, stiffness, acceleration, pressure, radiation, chemical compounds, and biological compounds; and further including electronics including: an input coupled to the sensor to receive a first signal therefrom; and a non-linearity provider that applies one or more non-linear operations to the input signal to generate a non-linear second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Frederick Rhoads, George Tsu-Chih Chiu, Nikhil Bajaj, Andrew Burke Sabater
  • Patent number: 9927238
    Abstract: Dynamic range of a second amplifier which is provided in a subsequent stage of a synchronous detection circuit is set greater than dynamic range of a first amplifier which is provided in a preceding stage of the synchronous detection circuit, and thus, an output is prevented from being saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaka Takada, Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 9927326
    Abstract: A device is provided for placing one or more sensors along the inside surface of a tire. The device can accommodate tires of different shapes and sizes as well as projecting features along the inside surface of the tire. In one embodiment, sensors can be inserted into the interior of the tire and simultaneously deployed along the inside surface of both sidewalls. This embodiment of the device allows for repeated insertion and withdrawal of the sensors over a range of tire sizes so as to automate steps in the inspection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Bradley D. Schober
  • Patent number: 9921191
    Abstract: A gas chromatographic (GC) unit or module may include one or more microfluidic devices, a GC column, and a flow controller (FC) comprising an FC input port for controlling fluid flows and pressures. The GC unit may be reconfigurable to provide different functionalities. The GC unit may be fluidly coupled to various other fluidic devices, such as other GC units, sample inlets, GC detectors, and the like. Multiple GC units and other fluidic devices may be utilized to build GC devices and associated systems of flexible, reconfigurable, and scalable architecture, thereby enabling a variety of modes of operation useful for present and future GC method development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao-Sheng Guan, Qiang Xu
  • Patent number: 9921205
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for determining the effectiveness of one or more asphaltene dispersant additives for inhibiting or preventing asphaltene precipitation in a hydrocarbon-containing material subjected to elevated temperature and pressure conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Cesar Ovalles, Estrella Rogel, Michael Moir
  • Patent number: 9915640
    Abstract: A system and a process for detecting early stage electrical components problems with an analysis system is disclosed. The system process includes determining an oil quality of the oil of an electrical component using the analysis system. The system the process further including determining dissolved gases in the oil of the electrical component using the analysis system, processing and analyzing the oil quality and the dissolved gases using the analysis system, and determining whether there are problems in the electrical component using the analysis system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SPX TRANSFORMER SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: John Pruente, Nuwan Rodrigo
  • Patent number: 9915224
    Abstract: An engine testing system comprises a rotary absorber that provides a variable resistance to an engine under test and heats coolant from a cold reservoir. A hot reservoir coupled to rotary absorber stores the heated coolant for later (or concurrent) use. Moreover, an organic Rankine cycle turbine-generator device is coupled to the hot reservoir, which converts heat from heated coolant into electrical power. A conditioning system is coupled to the organic Rankine cycle turbine-generator device that cools the coolant for storage in the cold reservoir. The available captured waste energy may be augmented with waste energy that is also available during engine testing. The additional waste energy may be in the form of exhaust gases, thrust, heat from engine coolant systems, residual engine heat, radiant or convective waste heat, friction etc. Variations of the above system may replace the primary energy re-capture from other than a rotary absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SYMBRIUM, INC.
    Inventor: G. Wesley Blankenship