Patents Examined by Suman K Nath
  • Patent number: 11860147
    Abstract: A device for determining the real evapotranspiration of a vegetated surface of a soil includes a porous evaporator, at least one portion of which has resistance to water vapor flow depending on a parameter, the porous evaporator having an upper surface exposed to the atmosphere, a tank of liquid water underlying the porous evaporator to which the tank is connected by a suction tube, and provided with a meter for measuring water level, a sensor for measuring the humidity value of the soil, and a CPU controlling the parameter on which the resistance to the water vapor flow through the porous evaporator depends, depending on the humidity value of the soil detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSITA' DI PISA
    Inventor: Giovanni Rallo
  • Patent number: 11860131
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system with an ultrasonic transducer housing assembly that maintains an acoustic coupling path for spherically focused transducers while allowing the placement of the housing at angles relative to a vertical angle. This invention extends the use of spherically focused transducers into portable systems with significantly reduced system and operational costs for non-destructive testing. The transducer housing assembly features a lens housing with an opening that is sealed with a replaceable fluid-tight membrane defining an acoustic window with acoustic properties similar to those of fluid in the housing and therefore at least translucent to the transducer and causing minimal signal loss. The housing contains minimal fluid to be cleaned up in case of improper use or leakage. The transducer housing also includes an optional surface offset and an ability to adjust the focal point of the transducer relative to the component surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: VERIFI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Jack, Benjamin M. Blandford, Nathaniel J. Blackman, Kayla P. Garrett, Douglas E. Smith
  • Patent number: 11852509
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor may include a stretchable substrate, a first conductor assembly disposed on the substrate, a second conductor assembly disposed on the substrate and above the first conductor, and a redundancy member coupled to the one of the conductor assemblies. A capacitive sensor may include a first serpentine conductor assembly disposed on the substrate and having first and second terminal ends coupled to the substrate, a second serpentine conductor assembly disposed above and overlapping the first conductor assembly and having first and second terminal ends coupled to the substrate, wherein each of the terminal ends of the first conductor assembly is offset from the corresponding terminal ends of the second conductor assemblies. A sensor system may include a stretchable sensor, an electronics module coupled to the stretchable sensor, and a strain relief member extending from the stretchable sensor and coupling to the electronics module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventor: Bryce Beamer
  • Patent number: 11855265
    Abstract: Systems and methods for acoustic signal based analysis, include obtaining acoustic response signal data of at least a portion of a battery cell, the acoustic response signal data comprising waveforms generated by transmitting one or more acoustic excitation signals into at least the portion of the battery cell and recording response vibration signals to the one or more acoustic excitation signals. One or more metrics are determined from at least the acoustic response signal data, the one or more metrics being determined based on correlation of the one or more metrics to one or more characteristics of battery cells and a reference model is generated from the one or more metrics. A test battery can be evaluated using the reference model. Actionable insights or recommendations can be generated based on the evaluation. The reference model can also be updated based on the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: LIMINAL INSIGHTS, INC.
    Inventors: Barry J. Van Tassell, Shan Dou, Shaurjo Biswas, Andrew G. Hsieh, Andrew M. Raphael
  • Patent number: 11852580
    Abstract: A sensor for photoacoustic spectroscopy including a support and a mechanical resonator fastened to the support, including at least one sensor element designed to be vibrated by an acoustic wave, and at least one first capacitive electrode mechanically coupled to the sensor element so as to be moved by the sensor element when it is vibrated; and at least one second capacitive electrode forming with the at least one first electrode, a capacitive sensor; the support facing the sensor element, an apertured part formed by one or more through-openings. Also provided is a detection and/or measurement device and method, for photoacoustic spectroscopy, using such a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Aurore Vicet, Kaim Chamassi, Michaël Bahriz
  • Patent number: 11844650
    Abstract: A thermoacoustic measurement probe includes an open-ended hollow radio-frequency (RF) waveguide; at least two RF feeds positioned within the open-ended hollow RF waveguide, wherein each RF feed is configured to provide RF energy; and a thermoacoustic transducer, wherein the open-ended hollow RF waveguide, in the form of a sleeve, surrounds and is mechanically joined to the thermoacoustic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: ENDRA Life Sciences Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Christopher Nelson Davis, Paolo Maccarini, Idan Steinberg, Michael M. Thornton
  • Patent number: 11846566
    Abstract: Integrity of a flexible bag is verified by a testing system, using helium to detect existence of a possible hole. The flexible bag is preliminary placed in vacuum chamber of a fluid-tightly isolated enclosure. After connecting a port of the bag to a helium feeding pipe, vacuum suction is performed to obtain vacuum outside the bag in the enclosure. Then, a first amount of helium is diffused in the internal volume of the enclosure through a gas permeable wall, to increase helium partial pressure outside the flexible bag. After, in a test phase while said vacuum suction is still performed, the bag is filled with a second amount of helium. A detector detects information representative of helium partial pressure in the internal volume, to allow detection of helium escaping from the bag, by analysis of a helium partial pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM FMT SAS
    Inventors: Laurent Thenard, Marc Hogreve, Tomasz Urbaniak, Mandip Nachhattar, Delphine Philippeau, Bastien Cattaux
  • Patent number: 11841315
    Abstract: A photoacoustic remote sensing system (PARS) for imaging a subsurface structure in a sample, comprising one or more laser sources configured to generate a plurality of excitation beams configured to generate pressure signals in the sample at an excitation location, and a plurality of interrogation beams incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the plurality of interrogation beams returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated pressure signals, an optical system configured to focus the plurality of excitation beams at a first focal point and the plurality of interrogation beams at a second focal point, the first and second focal points being below the surface of the sample, and a plurality of detectors each configured to detect a returning portion of at least one of the plurality of interrogation beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: ILLUMISONICS INC.
    Inventors: Parsin Haji Reza, Kevan Bell
  • Patent number: 11841342
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a shear-type vibration-ultrasonic composite sensor and a measuring device. In the shear-type vibration-ultrasonic composite sensor, a metal matching layer includes an insulating layer arranged on a lower surface and a supporting pillar arranged on an upper surface, the metal matching layer is in contact with a to-be-detected object via the insulating layer, a first negative electrode face of a first normal piezoelectric element is attached to one side of the metal matching layer, a first positive electrode face of the first normal piezoelectric element is attached to a second positive electrode face of a second normal piezoelectric element, a second negative electrode face is attached to a first surface of a backing block, and a second surface of the backing block is provided with a metal housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Junhao Li, Yanfeng Song, Zhaoyu Zhang
  • Patent number: 11841255
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to measure a multiphase flow. An example system includes a flowmeter including a mixer to homogenize a fluid received at an inlet of the flowmeter, a differential pressure sensor to measure a differential pressure of the fluid across an inlet and an outlet of the mixer, a Doppler probe to transmit a microwave or an ultrasonic wave into the fluid to generate Doppler frequency shift data, and a flowmeter manager to calculate a velocity of the fluid based on the Doppler frequency shift data, and calculate a density of the fluid based on the differential pressure and the velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Gang Xie, Guillaume Jolivet
  • Patent number: 11828739
    Abstract: A method and system for sample analysis involve a temporally-resolving separation of sample components. In the method, solvent vapors are condensed prior to entering a temporally-resolving separator, a GC column, for example, and solvent-depleted vapors are directed to the separator where constituents are resolved in time. A system for analyzing a sample comprises an injection port, a temporally-resolving separator (e.g., a GC column) and a conduit connecting the two. The injection port is at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the solvent and analytes present in a sample. The conduit is configured and/or operated to condense the solvent, while maintaining the analytes in the vapor phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MLS ACQ, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly Renee McPartland, Martin L. Spartz
  • Patent number: 11828701
    Abstract: A detecting device configured to detect chemical or biological species in a given environment, includes a matrix-array sensor formed from opto-mechanical discs that are optically and mechanically resonant, able to bind to species of the environment, and arranged in rows and columns. The opto-mechanical discs of a given row are optically coupled to the same optical waveguide. Actuating electrodes are provided in order to ensure the mechanical resonance of the opto-mechanical discs. One p-n junction is associated with each opto-mechanical disc, the junctions of a given column being electrically connected to the same biasing electrode, so as to block the flow through the corresponding opto-mechanical disc of a parasitic electrical current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Houssein Elmi Dawale, Franck Badets, Sébastien Hentz, Guillaume Jourdan, Marc Sansa Perna, Loïc Sibeud
  • Patent number: 11821878
    Abstract: An autosampler includes an injection port for supplying a sample to an analysis device, a needle that collects the sample stored in a vial and injects the sample into the injection port, a cleaning unit that cleans the needle and a gas exhaust fan. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning container which stores a cleaning liquid and into which the needle is inserted, and a unit main body that has a space for storing the cleaning container and receiving the cleaning liquid overflowing from the cleaning container, and a unit gas exhaust passage for exhausting gas in the space outwardly of the cleaning unit. The unit main body has a unit opening through which the needle passes when accessing the cleaning container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shotaro Ando, Takashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 11796417
    Abstract: A site effect simulator, including a site effect simulator base plate, where counter-force pillars are vertically arranged at diagonals of the site effect simulator base plate, the counter-force walls are connected to counter-force pillars along two sides of the site effect simulator base plate, a plurality of single-layer soil boxes are arranged at the inner side of the site effect simulator base plate, wave-absorbing materials are arranged inside single-layer soil boxes, and sliding panels are arranged at an upper side and a lower side of each single-layer soil box. The present disclosure does not need to rely on other counter-force frames, has the characteristics of flexible use, and can be randomly placed, and the height can be adjusted randomly. With a servo hydraulic actuator with three directions and six degrees of freedom, seismic simulation tests can be realized independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING MECHANICS, CHINA EARTHQUAKE ADMINISTRATION
    Inventors: Tao Wang, Xiaoting Wang, Qingxue Shang, Zhongyi Zhou, Jichao Li, Rui Teng
  • Patent number: 11788688
    Abstract: A pressure testing method capable of determining with a higher accuracy whether a high-pressure tank is deteriorated. The pressure testing method tests the high-pressure tank that includes a liner and a fiber-reinforced resin layer covering the outer surface of the liner and that has been used while repeating charge and discharge of gas to and from the inside thereof after undergoing a pressure resistance test conducted at a pressure resistance test pressure. The method increases the internal pressure of the high-pressure tank filled with gas to a test pressure that is lower than the pressure resistance test pressure, so that a plurality of AE waveforms is extracted from output waveforms of an AE sensor that detects AE waves generated in the high-pressure tank, and determines whether the high-pressure tank is deteriorated, on the basis of the extracted AE waveforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hori, Takayoshi Doi
  • Patent number: 11781941
    Abstract: System and methods for characterizing a response of a structure-under-test to applied excitation forces using a test fixture. The fixture is selectively coupleable to the structure-under-test and is configured to hold the structure-under-test at a known position and in a known orientation relative to the fixture. A plurality of excitation devices and response sensors are coupled to the fixture. Excitation forces applied to the fixture by the excitation devices are conveyed by the fixture to the structure-under-test and each response sensor measures a dynamic response indicative of a response of the structure-under-test and the fixture to the applied excitation force. A controller receives response sensor data and applies a mathematical coordinate transformation to project the forces and moments corresponding to the applied excitation and the measured dynamic responses to a target point of the structure-under-test and to calculate a system response function based at least in part on the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Sturm, Kevin Wienen, Michael Yankonis
  • Patent number: 11774417
    Abstract: Methods and systems to preserve, prepare, extract, and/or analyze hydrocarbons in the pore spaces of or adsorbed in organic-rich rock samples, such as, but not limited to, drill cuttings and drill cores, using one or more combinations of physical energy sources, including, but not limited to, thermal, vapor pressure, and mechanical stress. The collected samples are transported and prepared in low temperature conditions, with parts of subsequent processing at very low temperatures, thereby allowing a fuller measurement of geochemical fingerprints for the extracted hydrocarbons using various analysis tools. More particularly, the treatment and process allows geochemical fingerprinting to very low carbon number ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Yifei Liu, Jiang Wu
  • Patent number: 11774347
    Abstract: A photoacoustic detecting device to be applied, via a contact face, against a medium to be analyzed, is disclosed. The device includes: a hollow cavity that opens onto a contact aperture, the contact aperture being produced in the contact face; a pulsed or amplitude-modulated light source configured to emit, when activated, an incident light beam, in an emission spectral band, through the cavity, to the contact aperture; and an acoustic transducer connected to the cavity and configured to detect a photoacoustic wave extending through the cavity. Under the effect of illuminating the medium by the incident light beam, the acoustic transducer detects an acoustic wave produced by heating the medium. The cavity includes a membrane extending through the cavity, facing the contact face. The membrane is bounded by a lower face and an upper face. The membrane includes through-apertures produced between the lower face and the upper face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Jean-Guillaume Coutard, Alain Gliere, Maryse Fournier
  • Patent number: 11774410
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a small-diameter wire/rod/tube ultrasonic detector with an end blind area and an automatic ultrasonic nondestructive detecting system, wherein a sealing cover of the ultrasonic detector is located on a water storage device; an annular array unit mounting rack and a water pump are fixed in the water storage device, and an annular array detecting unit is connected to the annular array unit mounting rack; the water pump is connected to an input end of water circulation input and output; a sensor is mounted in one side of the sealing cover in which a detected material is allowed to enter; the annular array detecting unit comprises an outer ring part and an inner ring part, and the outer ring part and the inner ring part are connected into a whole by means of a wire inlet side end cover and a wire outlet side end cover; the outer ring part consists of an outer ring substrate and an outer ring arraying probe, and the inner ring part consists of an inner ring inner core and an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Deliang Lian, Ying Li, Xusheng Zhang, Haoran Hua
  • Patent number: 11774320
    Abstract: An acoustic impedance measuring system configured to measure an acoustic impedance of an acoustic component includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a first sound pressure sensing device, a second sound pressure sensing device and a sound source. The first sound pressure sensing device is configured to sense a sound pressure in the first chamber. The second sound pressure sensing device is configured to sense a sound pressure in the second chamber. The sound source is connected to the first chamber, wherein the sound source generates a sound propagating towards a first cavity inside the first chamber. The acoustic component is disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber for being measured the acoustic impedance of the acoustic component, and the acoustic impedance of the acoustic component is measured by the first sound pressure sensing device and the second sound pressure sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: xMEMS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan-Ju Tseng, Wen-Chien Chen, Chiung C. Lo