Patents Examined by Robert E. Nappi
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Patent number: 6648100Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 21, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Lear CorporationInventor: Gordon L. Ebbitt
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Patent number: 6650084Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Nobuyoshi Fujioka, Keishi Oto
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Patent number: 6648098Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 28, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Bose CorporationInventor: George Nichols
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Patent number: 6646398Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 12, 2000Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Fusao Fukazawa, Keiichi Tajima
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Patent number: 6646411Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 12, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Sanden CorporationInventors: Daisuke Hirono, Ichirou Kuwabara, Yuuji Yoshii
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Patent number: 6646395Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 8, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AGInventor: Christian Reimann
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Patent number: 6644436Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 21, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AGInventors: Marcus Hofmann, Roudolf Starobinski, Hans Striebel
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Patent number: 6646399Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 30, 2000Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Harmony Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuo Kitamura
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Patent number: 6646397Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 23, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Frederick M. Discenzo
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Patent number: 6644437Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 2, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventor: Alan William Hayman
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Patent number: 6640924Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 20, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Meyer Sound Laboratories, IncorporatedInventor: Ian Strachan Messner
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Patent number: 6642685Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Mikio Onodera
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Patent number: 6640927Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 13, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Inventor: Willard B. Turner
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Patent number: 6642683Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 26, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Robert J. Atmur
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Patent number: 6639375Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 30, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Harold Beck and Sons, Inc.Inventor: Brian D. Paris
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Patent number: 6639379Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 22, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaki Matsushita, Masahiro Kimata
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Patent number: 6639371Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 17, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: James E. Walters, Ronald John Krefta
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Patent number: 6639376Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 26, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Eiji Hayashi
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Patent number: 6637546Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 20, 2000Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Inventor: Kevin Wang
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Patent number: 6639377Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 22, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Tsunehiro Endo, Noriaki Yamada, Hiroshi Fujii, Kiyoshi Sakamoto