Patents Examined by Warren K Fenwick
  • Patent number: 9933333
    Abstract: A bearing diagnostic device senses a failure in a bearing of a machine tool including a rotation shaft device. The bearing diagnostic device includes a rotation counting unit, a temperature measuring unit, a frictional torque calculating unit, a rolling speed calculating unit, a bearing characteristic calculating unit, a storage unit, and a determination unit. The frictional torque calculating unit is configured to calculate a frictional torque of the rotation shaft device. The rolling speed calculating unit is configured to calculate a rolling speed of the bearing from the count of rotations. The bearing characteristic calculating unit is configured to calculate a bearing characteristic from the frictional torque and the rolling speed. The determination unit is configured to compare the bearing characteristic calculated by the bearing characteristic calculating unit with a reference bearing characteristic stored in the storage unit to determine a presence of a failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Kawada, Issei Koike
  • Patent number: 9930236
    Abstract: Systems and method for controlling camera flash direction are provided. A system includes: a computing device including a processor; an image sensor operatively connected to the processor; a flash lighting system including at least one light emitting element; and a flash direction system including a fluidics system that is controllable to selectively adjust a position of the at least one light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James E. Bostick, John M. Ganci, Jr., Martin G. Keen, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 9930265
    Abstract: Systems and method for controlling camera flash direction are provided. A system includes: a computing device including a processor; an image sensor operatively connected to the processor; a flash lighting system including at least one light emitting element; and a flash direction system including a fluidics system that is controllable to selectively adjust a position of the at least one light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James E. Bostick, John M. Ganci, Jr., Martin G. Keen, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 9904150
    Abstract: A transmission mode fast-conversion structure for a photographic sliding rail comprises an elongated rail, bracket modules mounted on two ends of the rail, a sliding block module sliding on the rail, a sliding block transmission structure, a flywheel module and an electric module; both the electric module and the flywheel module are provided with a claw disc coupling capable of being engaged with a claw disc type coupling of the sliding block transmission structure and a securing buckle inserted into and buckled with a lock catch structure in the sliding block module. in this way, transmission mode conversion can be achieved by way of plugging and pulling, so that there is no need to loosen screws to demount the original flywheel or electric module before mounting a new electric or flywheel module and to tighten the screws finally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Zhongshan Dashan Photographic Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xihua Zhu, Shuang Xiao
  • Patent number: 9896653
    Abstract: A system for processing samples by a robotic platform has a tray that defines a well defining a drain. The well has a bottom surface, an access port in fluid communication with the drain, and an insert adapted to be received in the well. The insert has a bottom wall and a side wall. At least one of the bottom wall and the side wall define a plurality of openings, such that an interior of the insert is in fluid communication with the well when the insert is inserted into the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Rostislav Chernomorsky, Nicholas Gale, Sam Cichon
  • Patent number: 9880040
    Abstract: Provided is a welding structure which enables external visual checks and has improved stability of bonding properties at a laser weld between a cover and a housing of this flow sensor. This flow sensor is provided with a housing, a cover, a circuit chamber sealed between these and housing electronic components or wiring, and a subpassage through which the fluid flows that is to be sensed, and is characterized in that at least the part near the gate section of the cover that transmits the laser is thinner than the other parts that transmit the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Arai, Shigeharu Tsunoda, Shinobu Tashiro, Takeshi Morino
  • Patent number: 9874083
    Abstract: Disclosed are downhole probes in which electrical interconnections between different modules are achieved without wiring harnesses. Modules may be coupled to one another and/or to bulkheads in the probe my couplings that provide substantially rigid couplings. The couplings may be configured to connect together only in one orientation. Electrical connectors may be fixed relative to components of the couplings so that the electrical connectors are automatically aligned for connection by the couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Evolution Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron W. Logan, Patrick R. Derkacz, Justin C. Logan, David A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 9861987
    Abstract: Provided herein is generally tubular container, preferably including a plurality of reservoirs defined therein. The container can be adapted for acoustic ejection of a fluid disposed within at least one of the reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs. Alternatively, the container can be adapted for extraction of a fluid disposed within at least one of the reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs using a non-acoustic liquid handling method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: LABCYTE INC.
    Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
  • Patent number: 9857664
    Abstract: An example enclosure includes a base, a plurality of walls extending from the base, and a top disposed opposite the base and connected to at least one of the plurality of walls. The enclosure also includes a light assembly configured to illuminate an interior space of the enclosure. The light assembly includes a diffuser, a heat sink connected to the diffuser, a substrate connected to the heat sink, and a light source connected to the substrate. The diffuser may be connected to one of the top or the base such that the heat sink is spaced from the one of the top or the base. Additionally, the top is moveable toward the base to transition the enclosure from an expanded state to a collapsed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Tang, John Larkin, Isabella Talley Lewis, Cameron Bo Logsdon, Michael Paul Nelson, Gregory James Nyssen, Guruprasad Ramanathan, Srivatsan Subbarayan, Robi Thomas, William Franklin Troutman, Jr., Bradley David Urban
  • Patent number: 9851234
    Abstract: A physical quantity measuring device includes a chip package and a casing. The casing fixedly stores the chip package. The casing includes a first bypass passage allowing a gas to be measured taken from a main passage, to flow in a first measuring unit, and a second bypass passage allowing the gas to be measured taken from the main passage, to flow in a second measuring unit. The chip package is configured to dispose a signal processing unit between the first and second measuring units. The casing has a cooling unit that allows the gas to be measured from the main passage to flow between the first measuring unit and the second measuring unit, and cooling the signal processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Isoya, Hiroaki Hoshika, Takayuki Yogo, Takahiro Miki
  • Patent number: 9841357
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for sensing particulate matter in an exhaust system of a vehicle. An example system comprises a particulate matter sensor inside a tube configured to receive a portion of exhaust gas in an exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9841014
    Abstract: An insulin pump data acquisition device & system including: an insulin pump data acquisition device for use with an insulin pump, the data acquisition device including a holster having a wall defining an interior volume and an exterior volume, the exterior volume being sized to removably secure the insulin pump; an environmental sensor operable to generate environmental data in response to environmental conditions; memory operably connected to the environmental sensor, the memory being operable to store the environmental data; a controller operably connected to the environmental sensor and the memory, the controller being operable to control reading of the environmental data from the environmental sensor and writing of the environmental data to the memory; and a battery operably connected to power the environmental sensor, the memory, and the controller. The environmental sensor, the memory, the controller, and the battery are disposed within the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Y. K. Yap, Carl A. Link, Vincent Ming Hai Chow, William Jackson Dannemann, Jennifer Marie Reitmajer
  • Patent number: 9841329
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting a failure of a fluid film bearing is disclosed. The system and method use one or more non-laser based strain transducers to detect changes in the frequency spectrum of the pressure of the fluid film at one or more locations in the bearing to identify failure or the risk of failure of the bearing. The system and can use metallic film, piezoelectric, and piezoresistive strain sensors to generate alarms when particular frequency bands become present in the strain frequency spectrum. The system and method can also generate strain orbit plots and perform waveform analysis of the time varying strains in the bearing housing caused by time-varying changes in the pressure of the fluid film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Pioner Engineering Company
    Inventors: Mitchell Stansloski, Austin Neumeier, Grant Slinger
  • Patent number: 9823226
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sample dispatcher configured for individually introducing a plurality of portions of one or more sample fluids into a flow of a mobile phase of a separation system configured for separating compounds of the sample fluids. The separation system comprises a mobile phase drive configured for driving the mobile phase through a separation unit configured for separating compounds of the sample fluids in the mobile phase. The sample dispatcher comprises a plurality of sample reservoirs, each configured for receiving and temporarily storing a respective sample fluid portion or at least a part thereof. The sample dispatcher is configured for selectively coupling one of the plurality of sample reservoirs between the mobile phase drive and the separation unit, and further for coupling at least two of the plurality of sample reservoirs in parallel between the mobile phase drive and the separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Klaus Witt, Konstantin Shoykhet, Manfred Berndt
  • Patent number: 9823108
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel management system for a vehicle. The fuel management system includes a fill-up sensor located at an inlet of a fuel tank of the vehicle, for determining the volume of fuel flowing into the fuel tank, a fuel supply sensor located in a fuel line between the fuel tank and an engine of the vehicle, for determining the volume of fuel flowing to the engine of the vehicle and a return line sensor located in the fuel return line of the vehicle, for determining the volume of fuel returning to the fuel tank. The system further includes a controller in communication with the fill-up sensor, fuel supply sensor and return line sensor, for collecting data from the sensors, calculating whether there is a fuel deviation between the amount of fuel entering the fuel tank and consumed by the vehicle, and generating fuel deviation events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventors: Josef Johannes Van Der Linde, Alexander George Whitehead, Lynette Irene Whitehead
  • Patent number: 9816845
    Abstract: The invention provides a boiler load analysis apparatus that has a simple configuration and achieves highly accurate analysis of a boiler load. A boiler load analysis apparatus (10) includes an opening sensor (15) provided to at least one of a fuel supply line (45) and a combustion air supply line (50) of a boiler (40) and configured to measure an opening degree of at least one of a fuel flow regulating mechanism (47) configured to regulate, with the opening degree, a fuel flow in the fuel supply line (45) and a supplied air flow regulating mechanism (54) configured to regulate, with the opening degree, a supplied air flow in the combustion air supply line (50), and a load analyzer (20) configured to calculate a steam load of the boiler (40) from a measurement value of the opening sensor (15), to analyze the steam load of the boiler (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kinzuka, Hideo Furukawa, Osamu Higuchi
  • Patent number: 9807290
    Abstract: In one example, a controller of a camera is configured to detect a mechanical connection of an accessory for the camera through data received by a sensor. The accessory includes a physical component that performs a function for the camera. The function may replace an existing function of the camera or supplement an existing function of the camera. The controller identifies one or more identification marks on the accessory to determine an existence of the accessory or a position of the accessory. The controller may disable an existing function of the camera or modify a configuration of the camera based on the identification marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Vids Samanta, Andrew Gartrell, Rhys Newman, Jeremy Matters, Julian Bleecker
  • Patent number: 9800783
    Abstract: An image capturing device includes a first controller operable to control image capturing; an operation section including a switch; a detector operable to detect a change to an image capturing mode and to send a signal representing the change; a second controller operable to monitor and process the sent signal, the second controller having a power consumption less than that of the first controller; and a power supply operable to supply power to the first controller, the second controller, and a functional section of the device. When the second controller receives the signal sent from the detecting section in a power saving state in which power is supplied from the power supply to the second controller, the power saving state is changed to a power supplying state capable of image capturing by supplying power from the power supply to portions of the device including the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9797791
    Abstract: A sensor including a layer having viscoelastic properties, the layer comprising a void, the void filled with a fluid; and optionally, a more rigid sensing element embedded within the layer. When a force is applied to a surface of the sensor, the shape of the void changes, causing the electrical resistance of the fluid in the void to change. When included, the more rigid sensing element can bear upon the void to cause the electrical resistance of the fluid in the void to change. A direction and intensity of the force can be determined by measuring the change of the electrical resistance of different voids positioned about the sensing element. The layer can be an elastomer, preferably silicone rubber. The fluid can be a conductive liquid, preferably Eutectic Gallium Indium. The sensing element can be plastic and can have a “Joystick” shape. The voids can take the form of channels or microchannels having a predefined pattern and/or shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Daniel Vogt, Yong-Lae Park, Robert J. Wood
  • Patent number: 9788792
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel approach means of screening various skin surfaces, including hard to reach areas of the human body, as well as more commonly seen areas such as the foot. The present invention can help patients, especially those who are immobile or those with diabetes self-monitor and transmit the skin condition accurately, so that medical providers may assess the risk or presence of skin tissue breakdown. Thus, provision is made for a remote screening device that can be used in telemedicine or home self-monitoring approaches and offers high resolution image, without artifacts or other distortions that might arise from images taken of feet that have been compressed through standing and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of General Counsel, Professional Staff Group IV(024)
    Inventors: Gary D. Goldish, Andrew Hansen, Eric Nickel, John E. Ferguson