Patents Examined by Ruben C Parco, Jr
  • Patent number: 10444099
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a helmet testing system includes a sled adapted to support a bullet dummy, a track along which the sled can travel, a target dummy support apparatus adapted to support a target dummy at a point near an end of the track, and an impact cushion positioned at the end of the track that is adapted to halt forward motion of the sled along the track to enable the bullet dummy to be launched from the sled and into the target dummy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: UAB Research Foundation
    Inventor: Dean Sicking
  • Patent number: 10429260
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire pressure sensing device for detecting the tire pressure in a pneumatic tire, comprising a pressure sensor (6) in a housing (1); a tire valve (11) or another retainer to be fastened to the rim, which bears the housing; a spring element (2), which is connected to the tire valve or the other retainer at one end and to the housing (1) at the other end, wherein the spring element is partially embedded in the housing and the housing has at least one opening (4, 5) in the area in which the spring element is embedded, said opening being partially or completely opened up by a soft component (13), which partially surrounds the spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: ALLIGATOR VENTILFABRIK GMBH
    Inventor: Christian Markert
  • Patent number: 10416811
    Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating a force input device are disclosed. The force input device includes a force-sensitive structure with a number of individual force sensors that compress or expand in response to input. The force input device measures an electrical property of the force sensors of the force-sensitive structure. After the force sensors are measured, the values obtained are adjusted based on a mechanical model of the response of the force sensitive structure. Upon receiving a force input event of high magnitude, the force input device recalibrates the mechanical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Golnaz Abdollahian, Wayne C. Westerman
  • Patent number: 10401172
    Abstract: An angular velocity acquisition device includes a movable body, a drive electrode to which a drive voltage is applied to vibrate the movable body in a first direction, at least one stopper that stops the movable body at a predetermined position, a hold electrode which receives a hold voltage to hold the movable body at the predetermined position, a detection unit that detects a predetermined physical quantity depending on an amplitude of the vibration of the movable body in a second direction based on a Coriolis force acting on the movable body that vibrates in the first direction, and an angular velocity calculation unit that calculates an angular velocity of the movable body based on the predetermined physical quantity detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Haruka Yamamoto, Yasushi Tomizawa, Tamio Ikehashi
  • Patent number: 10384479
    Abstract: A printer includes a mainframe including a front face part that has an opening through which a recording medium passes; a guide unit connected to the mainframe on a first side of the front face part; a printer mechanism unit configured to perform printing on the recording medium, and connected to the mainframe on a second side of the front face part opposite to the first side thereof; an arm unit having a first end connected to the mainframe; and a shaft unit configured to hold a roll of the recording medium, and connected to a second end of the arm unit, wherein the guide unit is configured to guide the recording medium so as to feed the recording medium to the printer mechanism unit through the opening of the front face part of the mainframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro Tsuchiya, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Sumio Watanabe, Yukihiro Mori, Masaru Kihara
  • Patent number: 10365183
    Abstract: The abnormality diagnosis system of an air-fuel ratio sensor comprising an exhaust purification catalyst, an upstream side air-fuel ratio sensor provided at an upstream side of the exhaust purification catalyst, a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor provided at a downstream side of the exhaust purification catalyst, and a diagnosis device diagnosing the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor for abnormality based on outputs of these air-fuel ratio sensors. The diagnosis device judges that the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor suffers from an abnormality if the output air-fuel ratio of the upstream side air-fuel ratio sensor has become a rich air-fuel ratio richer than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor air-fuel ratio has changed from an air-fuel ratio richer than a lean judged reference air-fuel ratio to an air-fuel ratio leaner than the lead judged reference air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyamoto, Yasushi Iwazaki, Keiichiro Aoki, Toru Kidokoro
  • Patent number: 10365185
    Abstract: Methods to use a tool for dimensional verification of a vehicle frame suspension system bracket pocket having first and second cam slots, the tool including a first sub-assembly configured for insertion through and registration of the first cam slot; a second sub-assembly configured for insertion through and registration of the second cam slot; and an intermediate sub-assembly disposed between and attachable to the first and second sub-assemblies via a shaft, the intermediate sub-assembly including an extension rod receiving feature defining at least one extension rod receiving aperture; wherein the sub-assemblies lock against the bracket walls to define a horizontal center axis and are adjustable to determine and register a center point along an intersecting vertical center axis between the first and second cam slots that is alignable with the at least one extension rod receiving aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher T. Clark
  • Patent number: 10365193
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining time-dependence failure under constant temperature through high pressure true triaxial loading for hard rock, includes a pressure chamber and four actuators, wherein a sample bearing platform is arranged in a center of the pressure chamber, a sample bearing and containing chamber is arranged in a center of the sample bearing platform, and a confining pressure loading oil supply hole is formed in the sample bearing platform, and communicates with a confining pressure loading injection pump; each actuator includes a sealing cover, an annular end cover, a counter-force cylinder barrel, a piston, a piston rod, a sealing flange and a stress loading injection pump; a heating coil is arranged in the pressure chamber; a force sensor is fixedly mounted at the end part of the piston rod; and a pressure sensor is mounted in the sample bearing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Xia ting Feng, Xi wei Zhang, Cheng xiang Yang, Shuai Peng, Jun Tian, Rui Kong, Dong hui Ma
  • Patent number: 10330471
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a triaxial micro-electromechanical gyroscope, comprising: a ring-shaped detection capacitor located at the center; two sets of driving capacitors located at outer sides of the ring-shaped detection capacitor and symmetrically distributed at two sides of an origin along a y-axis; two sets of second detection capacitors located at the outer sides of the ring-shaped detection capacitor respectively and symmetrically distributed at the two sides of the origin along an x-axis; and a linkage part connected with movable polar plates of the driving capacitors, movable polar plates of the second detection capacitors, and an outer edge of ring-shaped upper polar plates of the ring-shaped detection capacitor, respectively. The triaxial micro-electromechanical gyroscope provided by the present invention adopts a single structure design, and integrates capacitive electrostatic driving and differential capacitive detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Goertek, Inc.
    Inventor: Tingkai Zhang
  • Patent number: 10316689
    Abstract: A controller for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The controller is configured to measure a first rotational speed of a shaft of the engine at a first end of the shaft and to measure a second rotational speed of the shaft at a second end. The first end may be coupled to a turbine of the engine and the second end may be coupled to a compressor of the engine. The controller is further configured to determine a shaft twist angle as a function of the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed, determine whether the shaft twist angle is within a predetermined shaft health monitoring range, and record the shaft twist angle. The controller may be configured to generate a maintenance alert in response to determining that the shaft twist angle is within the predetermined shaft health monitoring range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: William S. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 10316767
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing sticking in a cylinder deactivation apparatus, the method comprising: an intake valve sticking determining step of determining whether the intake valve is stuck closed or stuck open by detecting the amount of variation of intake pressure in each intake manifold cylinders in an operation-off mode of the cylinder deactivation apparatus and comparing the amount of variation with a predetermined value; and an exhaust valve sticking determining step of determining whether the exhaust valve is stuck closed or stuck open by detecting the state of the air-fuel ratio in exhaust gas if it is determined whether the intake valve is stuck closed or stuck open in the intake valve sticking determining step, thereby sensing the stuck closed or the stuck open state of the intake valve and the exhaust valve so as to diagnose failure of the cylinder deactivation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI KEFICO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eun Sang Park
  • Patent number: 10317303
    Abstract: A unitary tension and torque calibration apparatus consists of a unitary device which has a hollow rotary torque transducer for calibrating the torque of a rotating torque tightening tool. At the same time the torque of the tool is being calibrated, a reaction arm attached to the transducer reacts against rotation to induce stress on the metal component being calibrated. The axial forces generated within the metal component by rotation, opposed by the reaction arm, results in tension which is calibrated by a piston driven load cell secured directly to the transducer. Display devices attached to the transducer and load cell simultaneously and contemporaneously show the calibrated results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Inventor: Steven Spirer
  • Patent number: 10295559
    Abstract: To calibrate an accelerometer, a rotating member is rotated over multiple periods, thereby causing the accelerometer attached to the rotating member to repeatedly turn over. A processor obtains acceleration measurements as the accelerometer turns and determines a set of local minima and maxima of the acceleration measurements. Based on these local minima and maxima, the processor determines a sensitivity of the accelerometer. The processor stores the sensitivity for use in adjusting subsequent accelerometer measurements, thus calibrating the accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad S. Dawson, John Wertz
  • Patent number: 10282965
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for using synthetic jet technology as an air delivery device for sensing applications. In particular, a synthetic jet device is used to deliver a controlled airflow or other fluidic flow to a sensor measurement area. Such a sensing system can be used to detect accurate concentration of target features present in the ambient surroundings, such as gases, particles, solutions, mixtures, and any other environmental features that can be sensed from a controlled airflow. An example application is air quality monitoring by using one or more synthetic jet devices to deliver a known or otherwise controlled airflow to a sensing area, thereby allowing for detection of harmful or otherwise unacceptable concentrations of particulate matter, gases, or air pollutants. In some embodiments, a synthetic jet device is operatively coupled with a sensor via a flow channel in a common housing, so as to provide a controlled flow sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jessica Gullbrand, Melissa A. Cowan, Chytra Pawashe, Feras Eid
  • Patent number: 10281277
    Abstract: A phononic travelling wave gyroscope. The gyroscope includes a phononic waveguide including at least one loop. The phase change incurred by phonons propagating around the loop is compared to a reference phase, and utilized to form an estimate of the rotational rate of the gyroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Raviv Perahia, Logan D. Sorenson, Lian X. Huang, Hung Nguyen, David T. Chang, Deborah J. Kirby
  • Patent number: 10267178
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to the calculation of an absolute and relative axial displacement in a steam turbine between a stationary vane row and a rotating blade row steam turbine. This is achieved by using a measurement signal of an outer casing absolute axial expansion sensor, a measurement signal of an inner to outer casing differential axial expansion sensor and a measurement signal for a rotor to outer casing differential axial expansion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rolf Doebler, Michaela Ehrich, Thomas Schreier, Steffen Lehmann
  • Patent number: 10233886
    Abstract: A measurement device for measuring a flow distribution of a liquid spray stream which has been atomized by a nozzle may comprise: a sensing wire; at least one further sensing wire; an electric power supply; a measurement unit; and a second grid of parallel sensing wires. The sensing wires may be positioned within a spray volume of the liquid spray stream and arranged in parallel with respect to each other to form grids of parallel sensing wires. The electric power supply unit may supply an electric current to the sensing wires. The measurement unit may measure an ohmic resistance change of the sensing wires. The first axis defined by the parallel sensing wires of the first grid and a second axis defined by the parallel additional sensing wires of the second grid may enclose a slanted angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Marco Maragliulo
  • Patent number: 10191401
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a first frame having a plate-like shape and made of metal, the first frame being configured to support the image forming unit, a second frame arranged on an opposite side, with respect to the first frame, of the first frame with sandwiching the image forming unit therebetween, the second frame having a plate-like shape and made of resin, the second frame being configured to support the image forming unit in association with the first frame, a third frame bridging between the first frame and the second frame, a sheet supplying unit being secured to the third frame, and a contacting part formed to each of the first frame and the second frame, contact parts formed to the third frame being configured to contact the first and second frames, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10191432
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store a recording medium; a conveyance unit configured to convey the recording medium from the storage unit; an image formation unit configured to perform an image formation for forming an image to be transferred onto the recording medium conveyed from the storage unit; and a detection unit configured to detect a start of the image formation. Upon the detection unit detecting the start of the image formation, the conveyance unit moves the recording medium by a predetermined distance from the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunsuke Hamahashi
  • Patent number: 10155636
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that reduces image artifacts caused by the back tension of a separating unit. A control unit decreases the number of rotations (the rotational speed) of a resist roller pair after the leading edge of a sheet reaches a transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Motoyasu Muramatsu