Patents Examined by Warren K Fenwick
  • Patent number: 12368840
    Abstract: Disclosed example video extensometers include: a load string configured to secure a test specimen; an imaging device configured to capture images of a surface of the test specimen when secured in the load string; a storage device configured to store a plurality of first calibration parameters corresponding to intrinsic properties of the imaging device; and control circuitry configured to: perform a verification process using the first calibration parameters to verify that a plurality of second calibration parameters correspond to an arrangement of the test specimen with respect to the imaging device; and perform an optical strain measurement process to measure displacement of the test specimen based on the first calibration parameters and the second calibration parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Balcarek, Martin Allen Peterson, Michael Ashman
  • Patent number: 12366789
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aperture unit having an optical axis. The aperture unit includes a fixed portion, a guiding element, a first blade and a driving assembly. The guiding element is movably connected to the fixed portion, and the first blade is movably connected to the guiding element and the fixed portion. The driving assembly is disposed on the guiding element for driving the guiding element to move relative to the fixed portion in a first moving dimension. When the guiding element moves relative to the fixed portion in the first moving dimension, the first blade is driven by the guiding element to move relative to the fixed portion in a second moving dimension, and the first moving dimension and the second moving dimension are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Kuo-Chun Kao, Meng-Ting Lin, I-Mei Huang, Sin-Jhong Song
  • Patent number: 12366763
    Abstract: Provided is a lens device provided in an imaging apparatus body including an image sensor, the lens device including a processor, a a memory coupled to or integrated with the processor, a lens that includes a movement lens and that images incident light on the image sensor, and a drive mechanism that moves the movement lens by applying power to the movement lens along a coordinate plane intersecting an optical axis of the lens. The processor is configured to perform, with respect to the drive mechanism, control of changing a movement amount of the movement lens based on a wavelength range of the light transmitted through the movement lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Aoi, Taro Asami, Shinichi Shimotsu, Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12360442
    Abstract: A camera mounting system including a camera, a first planar structural member and a battery structure. The camera has a first surface and a second surface. The first planar structural member has a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the first surface of the camera. The battery structure is connected to the second end of the first planar structural member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Inventor: Caleb Pike
  • Patent number: 12363408
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for aligning a lens holder in a small-height scan engine are disclosed herein. An example method for aligning a lens holder in a small-height scan engine includes: mounting an image sensor to a circuit board; optically aligning, using one or more alignment fixtures, a lens holder holding one or more lenses or optical elements with the image sensor based upon one or more images captured by the image sensor through the lens holder; and after the lens holder and image sensor are optically aligned, physically aligning, using the one or more alignment fixtures, the lens holder with the circuit board based upon a misalignment between a surface of the lens holder and an edge of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Carl D. Wittenberg, Bryan E. Joles, Robert T. Roedig, William P. Hurley, IV, David A. Chiesa
  • Patent number: 12352564
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device for scanning an object, the device having a collar configured for coupling to the object, the collar having an arcuate segment, a carriage coupled to the collar, the carriage configured for displacement along the arcuate segment, a ultrasonic probe unit coupled to the collar and comprising a wedge having a contoured face configured for maintaining conforming contact against a surface of the object, the ultrasonic probe unit configured to emit an ultrasonic beam for transmission through the contoured face of the wedge and into the object, and a position locator coupled to the carriage, the position locator configured to record a position of the ultrasonic probe unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Canada Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Dekker, Robert Jeffrey Martin, Mitchel Lucas West
  • Patent number: 12349664
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a device and a method to measure the level of food or water in a feedlot feeder. The device also provides a method for identifying an individual animal entering the feeder area and calculating the amount of food or water ingested. The device provides an alert for individual animals not feeding or drinking withing a predetermined period of time such that the identified animal may be evaluated for health or social interaction issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Inventors: Horacio Luis Huergo, Gustavo Dario Listo
  • Patent number: 12339565
    Abstract: A lens selector for selectively exposing one camera lens and covering other camera lenses of a cell phone or the like is shown and described. The lens selector comprises a base which grips the cell phone and a lens cover movable between two or more positions. The lens cover may slide along the base when moving between positions. An arm resiliently biased into an engaged positions may lock the lens cover into a selected position on the base. The lens selector may substantially cover that side of the cell phone having lenses, and may grip edges of the cell phone. The lens selector may include a socket for centering an associated cell phone with respect to an optical device such as a spotting scope, so that the cell phone may capture images visible through the scope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Inventors: Cheston Davis, Tracy Davis
  • Patent number: 12313450
    Abstract: Described herein is an optical fibre mounting structure (180) for fibre vibration sensing of a distributed system (100) of spaced apart vibration sources (112-131). Mounting structure (180) includes a base portion (200) having a two dimensional surface area defining a vibration surface (202). A mounting apparatus (236) is adapted to mount the base portion (200) to a support structure (e.g. 104) of the distributed system (100) adjacent one of the vibration sources. A fibre engagement structure (e.g. 210-215) is provided for supportively engaging a length (218) of optical fibre in contact with the vibration surface (202).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Hawk Measurement Systems Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Les Richards, Ravi Vivekanantham
  • Patent number: 12301997
    Abstract: An optical-element driving device includes: a holding groove formed in a first fixing part to hold a first supporting part; and a first biasing part including an elastic member and a spacer that are disposed with the first supporting part in the holding groove. The first biasing part biases the first supporting part toward a first movable part by the elastic member via the spacer. The first supporting part includes a pair of ball rows arranged at an interval from each other outside of the first movable part. Each ball row is parallel to an optical axis. The ball rows being held respectively by different ones of a plurality of the holding grooves. The first biasing part biases one of the ball rows obliquely with respect to a formation direction in which one of the holding grooves for holding another one of the ball rows is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 12292325
    Abstract: In order to provide a detection device that is capable of detecting the submersion of a fiber-optic cable in water before water penetrates the interior of the fiber-optic cable, a detection system 1 comprises: a vibration-detecting fiber-optic cable 20; a receiving means 11 that receives an optical signal including vibrations detected by the fiber-optic cable 20; and a detection means 12 that detects submersion of the fiber-optic cable in water on the basis of the vibrations included in the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihide Yoda, Naoto Ogura, Yoshiaki Aono
  • Patent number: 12285292
    Abstract: A device and method used to log images of target objects with ultrasound transducers. The object may be a fluid-carrying tubular, such as a pipeline. The transducers operate as phased arrays, insonifying areas of the target object with a plane wave and then storing the reflected signals. The signals are sampled and summed for each pixel, by considering various paths taken by the wave from transmitting to receiving via that pixel. Refraction and reflection from surfaces are used to determine segments of the paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: DarkVision Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Jay Roderick Hope
  • Patent number: 12286142
    Abstract: An equipment housing assembly removably securable to a hi-rail vehicle operable to advance along first and second rails of a railroad track includes a housing that houses and/or supports at least one rail sensor. The at least one rail sensor is operable to sense at least one property of at least one of the first and second rails as the hi-rail vehicle advances along the first and second rails. The at least one rail sensor is advanceable from a retracted configuration relative to the equipment housing to a deployed configuration relative to the equipment housing to sense the at least one property of at least one of the first and second rails. A power distribution system is removably and electrically connectable to a power source in the hi-rail vehicle. A control system is communicatively coupled the at least one sensor to control operation thereof and communicate sensor data therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Herzog Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Kieser, Brent T. Applebury, Andy White
  • Patent number: 12282005
    Abstract: A method for testing a sample for ball dent properties is provided. The method comprises disposing a sample on a stage of a testing apparatus and moving a trigger assembly that contains a tip having a radiused terminus toward the sample such that the terminus impacts the sample one or more times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Tiocona LLC
    Inventors: Young Shin Kim, Young Chul Yang, Soohee Choi
  • Patent number: 12276540
    Abstract: Rotating machine vibration monitoring process for detecting degradations within a rotating machine providing an output axle fitted with magnetic bearings, the magnetic bearings having at least a position sensor and at least a magnetic actuator, the process provides the following steps: 1) defining a set of excitations that does not destabilizes the rotating machine, 2) injecting the set of excitations in the rotating machine through the magnetic actuators and 3) measuring the response of the rotating machine checking whether the response verifies at least one predefined criterium, 4) if it is not the case, adjusting the properties of the set of excitations and resuming the process at the injection step, 5) if the response verifies the at least one criterium, determining at least one condition indicator based on the response measured, 6) determining if an alarm is to be triggered based on the condition indicator determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: SKF Magnetic Mechatronics
    Inventors: Salim Benbouzid, Joaquim Da Silva, Joel Mouterde
  • Patent number: 12265318
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a multi-directional control device applied to a waterproof case of a camera, which includes a direction button driving mechanism, wherein the direction button driving mechanism is provided with a first toggle knob, a trigger lever, a transmission rod, and a transmission sliding block; the trigger lever has a fulcrum; the trigger lever is provided with an action section that rotates around the fulcrum; the action section is provided with a trigger part and a load-bearing part; the first toggle knob is connected with a first rotary rod; the first rotary rod is provided with a first push block; the transmission rod is provided with a roller; and the transmission sliding block is provided with a pressing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: SHENZHEN KAICHENGYI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Rikai Wu
  • Patent number: 12252995
    Abstract: Health monitoring systems and associated methods for gas turbine engines are provided. A health monitoring method includes using a microphone to acquire operation data indicative of acoustic energy generated in a core gas path of the gas turbine engine. The operation data is compared to reference data indicative of an acoustic signature of fluid noise associated with a non-normal condition in the core gas path of the gas turbine engine. Based on the comparing of the operation data to the reference data, the non-normal condition is determined to exist within the core gas path of the gas turbine engine. A signal indicative of the existence of the non-normal condition within the core gas path of the gas turbine engine is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Peter Boyd, Andrew Ghattas
  • Patent number: 12242131
    Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a dual camera module, in which a first lens driving device is spaced apart from and arranged in parallel with a second lens driving device, a first Hall sensor of the first lens driving device is disposed is disposed at a corner portion which is spaced most apart from a second sensing magnet of the second lens driving device, among a plurality of corner portions of a first housing; and a second Hall sensor of the second lens driving device is disposed at a corner portion which is spaced most apart from the first Hall sensor, among a plurality of corner portions of a second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Ok Park, Sang Jun Min, Seong Min Lee
  • Patent number: 12235139
    Abstract: To apply an optical amplification repeater device to optical fiber sensing to lengthen a sensing range, as well as to enable compatibility with an optical communication system a cable system that uses a cable for optical fiber communication and optical fiber sensing of an environment surrounding the cable, wherein: the optical fiber communication is bidirectional communication using optical fiber pairs which are pairs of the optical fiber; in an optical fiber, a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band are different from each other; an optical amplification unit included in the optical amplification repeater device includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier that amplify rays of light in mutually opposing directions; and each of the communication optical signal, the probe light, and the backscattering light is amplified by at least either the first amplifier or the second amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yutaka Yano
  • Patent number: 12228841
    Abstract: A camera module includes a plastic carrier, an imaging lens assembly, a reflective element and a plurality of auto-focusing elements. The plastic carrier includes an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein an inner space is defined by the inner portion, and the outer portion includes at least one mounting structure. The imaging lens assembly is disposed in the inner space of the plastic carrier. The reflective element is for folding an image light by a reflective surface of the reflective element into the imaging lens assembly. The auto-focusing elements include at least two magnets and at least one wiring element, wherein the auto-focusing elements are for moving the plastic carrier along a second optical axis of the imaging lens assembly, and the magnets or the wiring element can be disposed on the mounting structure of the outer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: LARGAN DIGITAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Te-Sheng Tseng, Ming-Ta Chou, Wen-Hung Hsu