Patents Examined by Robert E. Nappi
  • Patent number: 6648100
    Abstract: A vehicle seat cover is designed to facilitate acoustic energy absorption by forming in the cover an optimal size and arrangement of perforations based on at target noise frequency range, the perforations allowing the noise to pass through the cover into the interior structure of the seat where the acoustic energy is dissipated in the form of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventor: Gordon L. Ebbitt
  • Patent number: 6650084
    Abstract: A motor driver generates a signal synchronized with the rotation of a three-phase by comparing each of induction voltages generated in the motor's coils with a specified standard voltage. A triangular wave signal is generated such that its frequency increases with the speed of rotation of the motor increases. A standard value is set according to a change in the amplitude of the triangular wave signal and a noise mask signal is generated by comparing this standard value with the triangular wave signal. Noise is removed from the synchronized signals by using the noise mask signal, and currents are supplied to the coils of the motor by using the synchronized signals from which noise has been removed. With such a motor driver, noise can be effectively eliminated because both the noise mask time and the position detecting time can be varied gently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Fujioka, Keishi Oto
  • Patent number: 6648098
    Abstract: The invention features an acoustic waveguide and system for transmitting pressure wave energy produced by an electroacoustical transducer in a medium that propagates pressure wave energy. The acoustic waveguide and system includes a tube defining a spiral-shaped channel with a length of L. The tube has a first end and a second end with the first end closed and the second end open to the medium. The tube has a transducer opening for accommodating an electroacoustical transducer located between the first and second end of the tube. The system includes an electroacoustical transducer mounted to the acoustic waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: George Nichols
  • Patent number: 6646398
    Abstract: A power-window safety device which includes an annular magnet 21 mounted on a rotary shaft (9a) of a drive motor (9) for opening and closing a window glass of an automotive vehicle, and a magnetic flux sensor (20), disposed facing the annular magnet (21), for sensing a change of a magnetic flux developed from the annular magnet (21), which change in flux is caused by rotation of the rotary shaft (9a). The magnetic flux sensor includes Hall ICs (22A and 22B). An operational element (24A, 24B) performs a process of linearly approximating a sinusoidally varying voltage output from a Hall element (23A, 23B) which is provided in association with the operational element, and produces an output voltage (VA, VB) thus processed. Every angular position of the rotary output shaft, or every opening/closing position of the window glass, is detected over the range of one complete rotation on the basis of the output voltages (VA and VB) that are generated through the rotation of the rotary shaft (9a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fusao Fukazawa, Keiichi Tajima
  • Patent number: 6646411
    Abstract: A control device for a compressor motor and an inverter according to the present invention monitors the amplitude of a phase current of a three-phase DC motor. As the amplitude of the phase current approaches an overload condition of the inverter or motor, the control device decreases the rotational velocity of the motor by a predetermined rotational deceleration. By reducing the rotational velocity of the motor by a certain deceleration, the control device of the present invention ensures that the motor load, i.e., the amplitude of the phase current, does not reach or exceed an overload condition. By use of this device, it is possible to suppress or reduce effectively the frequency of motor stops caused by an increase in the phase current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Hirono, Ichirou Kuwabara, Yuuji Yoshii
  • Patent number: 6646395
    Abstract: A invention relates to a throttle body which has at least one housing (14) and an actuator (18), which is arranged in the housing (14) and drives a moving element (6). The outlay on the production and assembly of the throttle body is particularly low while, at the same time, particularly severe heating of the actuator (18) is reliably avoided during operation of the actuator (18) wherein, the housing (14) is manufactured from plastic (K), and functional elements of the actuator (18) are arranged in the housing (14) and are at least partially surrounded by plastic (K). The moving element (6) is surrounded by a stub pipe (4), a functional element of the actuator (18) and the stub pipe (4) being connected to one another in a heat-conducting manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Christian Reimann
  • Patent number: 6644436
    Abstract: A device for noise configuration in a motor vehicle has a hollow body which is divided into at least two spaces. One space is connected to a gas-carrying part of an internal combustion engine arranged in the motor vehicle, and the other space is coupled acoustically to an interior and/or to an engine space of the motor vehicle and/or to the space surrounding the motor vehicle. The hollow body is divided into the two spaces by an essentially acoustically inactive wall. A vibrational element, which extends into both spaces, is arranged within the hollow body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Marcus Hofmann, Roudolf Starobinski, Hans Striebel
  • Patent number: 6646399
    Abstract: A controller for a shutter moved between an opened position and a closed position. A plurality of location ranges is defined between the opened position and the closed position. The controller detects the current moving speed of the shutter in each range, compares the moving speed with a predetermined reference speed, and generates a stop signal based on the comparison result to stop the movement of the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Harmony Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6646397
    Abstract: An integrated control and diagnostics system for a controlled system (e.g., a motor) includes a diagnostics module and a controller coupled to the motor. To optimize operation, the diagnostics information signal is used to modify the control provided by the controller as required. Moreover, the output of the control module is coupled to the diagnostics module so that the health assessment made by the diagnostics module can be based at least in part on the output of the controller. The invention uses a model-based diagnostics approach that allows integration of control algorithms with diagnostics algorithms to intelligently trade off optimizing performance to avert or accommodate failures, and to meet performance requirements in a wide range of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick M. Discenzo
  • Patent number: 6644437
    Abstract: An exhaust system provides the benefits of equal or near equal length exhaust pipes for vehicles (for example with transverse engines) having differing length exhaust pipes connected with a single muffler. In accordance with the invention, the muffler has separate first and second internal inlet pipes which have lengths differing by a predetermined length dimension equal or nearly equal to the difference in exhaust pipe lengths. The inlet pipes are connected so that the total lengths of the pairs of inlet pipes and connected exhaust pipes provide a total length of exhaust flow path which is generally equal for gas flow from both engine banks to the interior of the muffler. An optional feature is dual restricted and valve-controlled outlet flow paths which maintain a minimum back pressure at low flows to aid EGR distribution and allow high flow rates at low back pressure for high performance output of the engine with a performance sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Alan William Hayman
  • Patent number: 6640924
    Abstract: A rigging system for flying a vertical stack of loudspeakers includes left and right rigging side frames (15, 17). Each rigging side frame includes a frame structure having a top end (43), a bottom end (45), and rear and front corners (51, 53, 55, 57) which is mountable to the side of a correspondingly sized loudspeaker (13). Each rigging side frame further includes a rear link (59) for pivotally linking the rear corner of a rigging frame of one loudspeaker to the rear corner of the same side rigging frame of another loudspeaker placed in stacked relation therewith, and a cam plate link (61) pivotally attached to a cam pivot point (85) at one of the top or bottom ends of the frame structure in displaced relation to the cam link. Two or more link openings (143) are provided in the cam plate link at different angles about the cam plate link pivot point and at different radial distances from the cam plate pivot point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Meyer Sound Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ian Strachan Messner
  • Patent number: 6642685
    Abstract: A force-feedback input device contains a tiltable first operating member, a pair of first detecting members for detecting a tilt position of the first operating member and operated by the first operating member, and a pair of motors for conveying a force of the first operating member; and further having a detection means operated while slaved to movement of the first operating member, and since the tilt position of the first operating member can be detected by the detection means, even if the first detecting members break down, the tilt position of the first operating member can be detected by an auxiliary detection means installed separately from the first operating means, so that tilt position of the first operating member can be reliably detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mikio Onodera
  • Patent number: 6640927
    Abstract: An auxiliary silencer system for connection with the exhaust system of an all terrain vehicle includes a fiberglass packed flow through silencer having a rigid elbow connected with the existing tail pipe and positioned by adjustable brackets transversely on the vehicle in alignment with the existing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Willard B. Turner
  • Patent number: 6642683
    Abstract: A controller for controlling a BLDC motor controller includes a drive assembly, and a processing element. The processing element is in electrical communication with the drive assembly and the BLDC motor, and the processing element is capable of controlling operation of the drive assembly. The drive assembly, is in electrical communication with a power supply and the BLDC motor. The drive assembly includes a plurality of half-bridge assemblies that each include two switching elements. In this regard, at least two half-bridge assemblies are electrically connected to each phase winding of the BLDC motor. Thus, each switching element is capable of operating at an operating frequency with a first duty ratio such that the half-bridge assemblies are capable of providing the pulse-width-modulated input voltage to the respective phase winding of the BLDC motor at the operating frequency at a second duty ratio higher than the first duty ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert J. Atmur
  • Patent number: 6639375
    Abstract: A control device and method is provided for controlling a control element by receiving a controller demand signal and a control element sensor signal, and processing the signals to determine if there is a change in the controller demand signal and/or a change in the control element sensor signal. A first dead band range and/or a second dead band range are determined based on the change in the controller demand signal and/or based on the change in the control element sensor signal. An error signal is calculated from the controller demand signal and the control element sensor signal, and a control signal for controlling the control element is generated based on the determination of the dead band ranges and whether the calculated error signal is outside of the first and/or second dead band ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Harold Beck and Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian D. Paris
  • Patent number: 6639379
    Abstract: An electric power steering control system is arranged so as to control a drive current of a brushless motor that generates a steering assist force on the basis of a steering torque acting on a steering shaft and a vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Matsushita, Masahiro Kimata
  • Patent number: 6639371
    Abstract: Method and system for controlling a permanent magnet machine are provided. The method provides a sensor assembly for sensing rotor sector position relative to a plurality of angular sectors. The method further provides a sensor for sensing angular increments in rotor position. The method allows starting the machine in a brushless direct current mode of operation using a calculated initial rotor position based on an initial angular sector position information from the sensor assembly. Upon determining a transition from the initial angular sector to the next angular sector, the method allows switching to a sinusoidal mode of operation using rotor position based on rotor position information from the incremental sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Walters, Ronald John Krefta
  • Patent number: 6639376
    Abstract: An instruction value is added to a specific signal to produce an added signal. A servo motor is driven based on this added signal. The response of the motor is measured while the motor is being driven. A characteristic value calculated based on the response is compared with a reference value. When the characteristic value is significantly smaller than the reference value, the amplitude of the specific signal is changed so that the characteristic value converges to the reference value. When the characteristic value has almost converged to the reference value, frequency characteristics can be identified accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6637546
    Abstract: A muffler for a steam cleaning apparatus comprising a housing having a first and a second inlet, and an outlet, a plurality of baffles disposed within, and coupled to the housing, wherein the plurality of baffles are covered with a foam; wherein the first inlet is pneumatically coupled to an air pump of the steam cleaning apparatus, and wherein the first inlet provides to the housing a stream of humid air from an application subsystem of the steam cleaning apparatus; and wherein the second inlet receives combustion exhaust from a combustion motor that drives an air pump that is operationally coupled to the application subsystem, and wherein the outlet releases air comprising combustion exhaust of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventor: Kevin Wang
  • Patent number: 6639377
    Abstract: In order to provide a driving device for a motor having a capability equivalent to conventional vector control type sensorless method by simplifying the controls structure to reduce number of parts to be adjusted, and to stabilize the control system, a driving device for a synchronous motor does not include a speed controller or a current controller, and calculates a voltage impressed on a motor on coordinate axes (dc/qc axes) based on a magnetic pole axis. For calculating a voltage command, command values such as a rotation speed command and a current command are used, and Iq* corresponding to a torque current command is calculated and provided based on a detected current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Tsunehiro Endo, Noriaki Yamada, Hiroshi Fujii, Kiyoshi Sakamoto