Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a fault detection system for a dynamometer includes circuitry for measuring the armature voltage of the dynamometer. The voltage can used as an indicator of dynamometer speed to prevent reverse rotation of the dynamometer and to prevent overspeed operation of the dynamometer.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive element is arranged around a core unit along the longitudinal axis of a stylus pen (10) to detect the pressure applied to the core unit. The pressure sensitive element comprises a pressure transmittable member (30b), in an annular plate shape, for transmitting the pressure applied in the axial direction of the pressure sensitive element, a pressure sensitive member (28), in an annular plate shape, arranged coaxially in parallel to the pressure transmittable member, and a support member (18b) for supporting the pressure sensitive member between the support member against the applied pressure, arranged coaxially in parallel to the pressure transmittable member. The core unit is a push and thrust type writing unit (14).

Abstract: An ocean environment monitoring system has a sensor inside a sensor chamber provided with a pair of electrodes at the inlet port of the chamber and a pump for introducing seawater inside the chamber. When a voyage is applied to the electrodes, seawater is electrolyzed to produce an antifouling substance. By operating the pump and a power supply unit for the electrodes intermittently, the antifouling substance is supplied to the filter, the interior of the sensor chamber and the sensor. The monitoring system is compact, consumes a reduced amount of electric power, performs measurement substantially without producing errors for a prolonged period of time, and effectively prevents settlement of marine organisms onto the sensor.

Abstract: A load cell assembly includes a load cell body having a pair of sensors mounted therein which provide complementary output signals in response to a force applied to the load cell body. A linearization and common mode discrimination routine analyzes changes in the sensor outputs and characterizes the changes as being either primarily due to applied force or primarily due to common mode effects. A force value, indicative of the applied force on the load cell body, is updated only for changes in the sensor outputs which are primarily due to applied force. However, changes which are primarily due to common mode effects are not incorporated into force value calculations, whereby common mode effects are rejected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to continuously measure the ratio of gasses in a binary gas mixture. A binary gas mixture is passed through a chamber in which a single ultrasonic wave travels from one piezoelectric transducer to another on the opposite side of the chamber. Immediately upon sensing an incoming ultrasonic wave, the transducer on opposite side of the chamber converts into a transmitter and transmits a single wave on top of the just received wave. The new wave travels back in the direction of the first transducer where it is received. The time of travel back and forth through the chamber is compared to a reference time, and represents the concentration of a gas in a binary gas mixture. The difference between time of travel in the direction of flow and against the direction of flow represents standard flow rate. A temperature sensor located in the middle of the chamber is used to temperature compensate the result.

Abstract: A dynamic system adapted to test a patient to determine the degree to which his physical stability is impaired and therefore predisposes the patient to injurious falls. The system includes a stable platform yielding signals that depend on the magnitude and direction of the force applied to the face of the platform. The platform is rendered unsteady by a convex rocker dish resting on the the platform face and having a flat top on which the patient stands. The resultant signals which are a function of the changing orientation of the flat top of the dish relative to the platform face are fed to a computer whose output is applied to a video monitor having a display screen on which is presented a cursor whose position is controlled by the signals.

Abstract: A sled testing system comprising a first carriage and a second carriage, the first carriage and second carriage being movably mounted together, and an acceleration absorption assembly located relative to the first carriage and the second carriage such that when the second carriage is accelerated at a second carriage rate, the first carriage will be accelerated at a first carriage rate.

Abstract: A test motor 2 is controlled by a controller 7 in accordance with travelling pattern (i.e. vehicle speed) data of an electric vehicle. A load motor 3 is controlled by a controller 9 in accordance with a load pattern. A host controller 10 generates the load pattern based on the vehicle speed pattern and factors of the electric vehicle, and synchronously outputs the vehicle speed pattern and the load pattern to the controller 7 and 9, respectively. Data detected by a torque sensor 4 or other measuring element are input to the host controller 10 to generate a two-dimensional map showing the relationship between the motor efficiency and motor output, or between the motor efficiency and revolution speed. Since the load pattern is generated and input in advance without using feedback control, test results can be obtained with high accuracy.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter for converting flow rate of a fluid to be measured into an electrical signal and for outputting a flow rate signal corresponding to the flow rate using detecting electrodes, comprising exciting means for applying a magnetic field to the fluid with an excitation period thereof being shorter than the non-exciting period; AC coupling means for obtaining an AC signal through AC coupling of signals outputted from the electrodes sample and hold means for sampling and holding the AC signals with a sampling signal having a sampling width including portions before and after the excitation period, and for outputting the resulting sample and hold signal as a hold signal; switching means for changing a reference potential before and after the sample and hold; and signal processing means for processing the hold signal to produce the flow rate signal.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system comprises a position location array adapted to be affixed to a surface layer of an imaging subject. The position location array comprises a plurality of electrodes disposed in a grid pattern within a flexible substrate. An imaging transducer having at least one element is operable to provide an acoustic pulse through the position location array and the surface layer in response to a driving signal and to provide a corresponding return signal in response thereto. A receiver is coupled to the imaging transducer to receive the return signal from the at least one element and provide a beamformed signal. A processor coupled to the receiver and the position location array forms an image from the beamformed signal that includes position coordinates that correspond to an intersection between the acoustic pulse and associated ones of the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor system according to the invention employs a piezoelectric actuator relay (20) having a piezoelectric element displaceable in response to an actuation voltage and contacts (23, 24) which open or close in accordance with the displacement of the element, wherein the actuator relay (20) is adapted to receive a force (L) to be measured against the displacement. This piezoelectric actuator relay (20) is supplied, by a driver circuit (60), with a varying voltage as the actuation voltage. The relation between the forces (L) and the activation voltages necessary for opening or closing the contacts (23, 24) has been stored in a memory (70). A processor (50) obtains a value of the force (L) based on a value of the actuation voltage at the instant of the opening or closure of the contacts (23, 24) and the relation stored in the memory (70).

Abstract: In an azimuth indicating apparatus, there are provided a wind speed measuring unit for measuring a wind speed, an azimuth measuring unit for measuring azimuth, a display unit for displaying wind speeds measured at respective azimuths, and a display control unit for controlling the display unit to display the wind speeds measured at the respective azimuths based on the measurement results of the azimuth measuring unit and the wind speed measuring unit. Accordingly, the blowing direction of the wind is indicated by the azimuth indicating apparatus.

Abstract: A torque sensor is provided which does not easily generate hysteresis in an output curve from a sensing device thereof and in which abnormality in detecting the rotational torque can therefore be prevented. An input shaft and an output shaft are connected to each other through a torsion bar. An actuator portion, having a semicircular cross sectional shape, and a stopper are, such that a predetermined interval is maintained, provided for a first mounting frame integrally formed with the input shaft. A sensing device comprising of a slide-operation-type variable resistor is secured to a second mounting frame integrally formed with the output shaft. A lever provided for the sensing device and having a circular cross sectional shape is caused to project between the actuator portion and the stopper.

Abstract: It is suggested for a balance with one or several weighing cells (1-4, 31) with a total of at least eight wire strain gauges (D.sub.1 -D.sub.4, S.sub.1 -S.sub.4), four of which (D.sub.1 -D.sub.4) are expanded under load and four (S.sub.1 -S.sub.4) compressed under load, in which the eight wire strain gauges are connected together circularly in series so as to form a single Wheatstone bridge which is supplied with voltage along a diagonal (12, 13) (vertical diagonal) and the output signal is taken off along the other diagonal (14, 15) (horizontal diagonal) that a signal is additionally tapped off along the upper horizontal chord (16, 17) and along the lower horizontal chord (18, 19). This makes possible a corner-load adjustment for the balance utilizing the additional signals.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the fracture toughness of a material based upon observation of crack opening displacement (COD) as a function of distance from the tip of a crack generated in the material. An apparatus is also provided for generating a crack in a material for subsequent fracture toughness determination.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the velocity of fluid flowing in a fluid path, includes a signal generator for generating input signals, and two ultrasonic transducers coupled diagonally across the fluid path. The transducers are connected in series to the signal generator such that equal and opposite input signals are simultaneously applied to each transducer. A signal processor combines the output signals of each transducer caused by the ultrasonic signal transmitted by the other transducer across the fluid path to obtain a destructive interference signal and a constructive interference signal, and compares the amplitude of the destructive interference signal with the amplitude of the constructive interference signal to obtain a measure of the velocity of the fluid. The signal processor may also compare the phase of the destructive interference signal with the phase of the constructive interference signal to obtain a measure of the direction of flow.

Abstract: A method for estimating a load acting on a machine tool and controlling a life of the machine tool based on the estimated load. When predetermined machining is effected on a predetermined workpiece, a disturbance load torque acting on a motor for a spindle or a motor for a feed shaft is estimated by a disturbance estimating observer. When the estimated disturbance load becomes not lower than a set reference value, a timer is reset and started. If the estimated disturbance load torque is kept not smaller than the set reference value until the timer reaches a predetermined set time, a tool change command is issued to stop the machining. Since the tool life is determined in accordance with the magnitude of the load acting on the tool, the tool life is controlled objectively and accurately.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for determining the flow rate of a fluid in a pipe. The apparatus includes a device for providing acoustic energy on a diagonal path through the fluid. The diagonal providing device is in contact with the pipe. The apparatus also includes a device for providing acoustic energy on a diametrical path through the fluid. The diametrical providing device is in contact with the pipe. The apparatus is also comprised of a device for determining the flow of fluid in the pipe based on the acoustic energy of the diagonal providing device and the acoustic energy of the diametrical providing device. In one embodiment, the diagonal providing device is fixedly disposed on the pipe. In another embodiment, the diametrical providing device provides acoustic energy emitted in both directions on the diametrical path. The diagonal providing device preferably includes a first transducer and a second transducer located at diametrically opposed positions about the pipe.

Abstract: An engine delivers torque to a transmission drive shaft through a flywheel and a damper. The damper includes a drive plate attached to the flywheel which is in turn mounted on the engine crankshaft. The damper has two driven plates which are fixed on the transmission drive shaft. The drive plate and driven plates have openings for retaining springs through which torque is transmitted from the drive plate to the driven plates. The flywheel has a plurality of arcuate segments equally spaced apart around a peripheral edge to form a plurality of windows. One of the driven plates has a plurality of radially extending fingers each extending into one of the windows so that gaps exist between each finger and two adjacent arcuate segments. As torque is transmitted through the damper the springs are compressed and the fingers move in the windows.

Abstract: A torque-angle wrench is provided with a handle for applying torque, such as to a fastener or bolt, through a tightening angle, at a rotational angular velocity. A piezoelectric gyroscopic sensor device including circuitry for vibrating an oscillating body is coupled to the wrench. As the wrench is rotated through the tightening angle, its rotational angular velocity causes the vibrating body to alter its direction of vibration. The new vibrating pattern is sensed and converted, by appropriate sensing circuitry, into an electrical signal proportional in intensity to the rotational angular velocity of the wrench. The electrical signal can be electronically processed by appropriate conversion and display circuitry to provide a visual indication of the tightening angle. Such conversion and display circuitry can be integral with the wrench or as part of an adaptably coupled meter non-integrally connected to the sensor device.