Patents Examined by William L. Oen
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Patent number: 5753806Abstract: A plurality of piezoelectric sensors are disposed in a spatial array around the ports of an injection nozzle. Separate electrical signals proportional to the instantaneous momentum of fluid discharged from the injection nozzle and impacting on each of the sensors are used to calculate the instantaneous momentum and mass flow rate of fluid impacting each of the sensors.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1996Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Southwest Research InstituteInventors: Thomas W. Ryan, III, Kendall R. Swenson
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Patent number: 5751101Abstract: A cathode ray tube has a contact spring 30 which is fixed at one end to a shield cup 27 provided on an anode electrode 26 of an electron gun assembly and is pressed at the other end against an electrically conductive coating 3a applied to an inner wall of a funnel portion 3, so as to provide a reliable electrical connection between the anode electrode 26 and the electric conductive coating 3a and to hold the electron gun assembly coaxially in the neck portion 2. The contact spring 30 is made of an alloy material which is composed of 30-35 wt % nickel (Ni), 19-23 wt % chromium (Cr) and the balance of which is substantially iron (Fe), and which has a micro Vickers hardness of 250-400.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1997Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Electronic Devices Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Takanobu, Akimasa Ishikawa
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Patent number: 5750899Abstract: To provide a flush-mounted and corrosion-resistant pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of a medium which, on the one hand, is very rugged and, on the other hand, has a casing (2) mechanically isolated from the sensing element (1) as perfectly as possible, and whose measured values exhibit little temperature dependence and little hysteresis, the casing (2) has an internal space (21) and is preferably pot-shaped for receiving the sensing element (1). An annular, particularly annular-disk-shaped, flexible connecting element (3), disposed between the casing (2) and the sensing element (1), and the sensing element close the interior space (21) toward the medium to be measured, and a liquid (4) fills the enclosed interior space (21).Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 1997Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: ENVEC Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH + Co.Inventors: Frank Hegner, Elke Maria Schmidt, Ulfert Drewes, Rainer Martin
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Patent number: 5750891Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the airspeed of a rotary wing aircraft having a sustaining rotor with a plurality of radially extending rotor blades for rotation about a substantially vertical axis comprises the steps of measuring an airflow sideslip angle established during rotation of each rotor blade by the vector of a radial flow component due to the relative wind vector and the rotational velocity perpendicular to a blade feathering axis, producing a signal representative of the sideslip angle, comparing the signal in a processor containing information on a known relationship between the sideslip angle and airspeed, providing an output signal representative of the airspeed and wind direction to a display which may display both the airspeed and wind direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1996Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: GKN Westland Helicopters LimitedInventor: Alan Brocklehurst
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Patent number: 5746511Abstract: A temperature transmitter and a process control system includes a sensor input for coupling to a temperature sensor having a temperature dependent resistance. The resistance measuring circuitry couples to the sensor input and provides a resistance output related to resistance of the temperature dependent resistance. Analog to digital conversion circuitry couples to the sensor input and provides a digital output related to AC signals across the sensor input. Digital signal processing circuitry isolates a Johnson noise component of the AC signals and provides a digitized Johnson noise output. Temperature measurement circuitry provides a calibrated temperature output based upon the resistance output and the digitized Johnson noise output. Output circuitry transmits the calibrated temperature output over the process control loop.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Rosemount Inc.Inventors: Evren Eryurek, Gary Lenz
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Patent number: 5747686Abstract: A reduction in pressure in tires fitted to follower wheels and driven wheels is precisely determined irrespective of slipping states of the driven wheels. A driven wheel slip rate calculating means M1 calculates driven wheel slip rates .lambda.L and .lambda.R. A driven wheel torque calculating means M2 calculates a driven wheel torque TQDW. A driven wheel slip rate estimating means M4 estimates a characteristic of variation in driven wheel slip rates .lambda.L and .lambda.R relative to the variation in driven wheel torque TQDW using a least squares method. A rotation-number ratio calculating means M5 calculates ratios CVWL and CVWR of the numbers of rotations of the follower wheels to the numbers of rotations of the driven wheels in a state in which the driven wheel torque in a graph of the variation characteristic is equal to zero.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Nishihara, Shuji Shiraishi, Osamu Yamamoto, Osamu Yano
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Patent number: 5747705Abstract: A micromechnical sensor having a polysilicon beam that is an integral part of the diaphragm resulting in a frequency of the beam that is a direct result of the pressure applied to the external surface of the diaphragm. Fabrication of this resonant microbeam sensor has no backside wafer processing, and involves a process and layout independent of wafer thickness for high yield and robustness. Both the diaphragm and resonant beam are formed from polysilicon. The sensor may have more than one resonant beam. The sensor beam or beams may be driven and sensed by electrical or optical mechanisms. For stress isolation, the sensor may be situated on a cantilevered single crystal silicon paddle. The sensor may be recessed on the isolating die for non-interfering interfacing with optical or electrical devices.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Honeywell Inc.Inventors: William R. Herb, David W. Burns
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Patent number: 5747694Abstract: A pressure sensor has a resin housing containing a pressure sensor positioned between a reference pressure chamber and a pressure to be measured. A terminal extends through the housing toward the sensor. A wire connects the terminal to the sensor. When a connector is connected to the terminal, it may compress air around the terminal. The compressed air may travel along the terminal and break the wire connected to the sensor. To prevent such breakage, a barrier wall is provided to block the compressed air from penetrating toward the wire. The reference pressure chamber is divided into a main chamber and a subchamber by the barrier wall. Since the barrier wall blocks the compressed air, the compressed air can not reach a silicon gel on the sensor and the wire in the main chamber. Therefore, the wire is protected.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.Inventors: Horonobu Baba, Tiaki Mizuno, Masahito Imai, Yuichi Yokoyama, Masaki Takakuwa, Yasuki Shimoyama
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Patent number: 5744904Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the leakage of the magnetic field from a deflection yoke without consumption of additional energy is provided. The apparatus includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit substantially loops around the upper portion of the funnel shaped C.R.T., defining a first space, and is connected to the ground reference. When the upper magnetic field generated from the deflection yoke passes through the first space, a first current of eddy current type is generated within the first circuit which, in turn, results in heat whereby the leakage of the magnetic field is reduced. The second circuit substantially loops around the lower portion of the funnel shaped C.R.T., defining a second space, and is connected to the ground reference.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1996Date of Patent: April 28, 1998Assignee: Acer Peripherals, Inc.Inventor: Hsieh Chang-Fa
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Patent number: 5744708Abstract: A wheelpan for use with tire coupled road simulators has a constrained layer damping material disposed between a top plate and a base plate, tuned mass dampers operably coupled to radially extending ribs or asymmetrical arrangement of the radially extending ribs in order to reduce vibrations of the wheelpan and noise generated therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 1996Date of Patent: April 28, 1998Assignee: MTS Systems CorporationInventors: Steven R. Haeg, Thomas C. Owens
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Patent number: 5743136Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a fluid level sensor includes a resistive element and a float coupled to a contact. The float moves in response to the fluid level, causing the contact to follow a path on the resistive element. The resistive element includes a layer of resistive material disposed on an insulating substrate. The resistive element also includes a layer of conductive material disposed on the layer of resistive material. The conductive material is disposed in segments along the path followed by the contact. This embodiment of the present invention provides a high-durability fluid level sensor which further provides low electrical noise.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1995Date of Patent: April 28, 1998Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Robert Duane Gaston, Narayanaswamy Rajendran
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Patent number: 5741073Abstract: A uniform temperature reference block for connection with the cold reference terminations of thermocouples inserted into a plurality of cavities in the block using a novel thermally conducting bridging bar having an electrically insulating covering and a corresponding plurality of electrically conducting uninsulated projections secured at successive spaced points of the bar along the insulating covering thereof and parallely extending transversely from the bar for inserting within the block cavities.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 1995Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Kaye Instruments, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth A. Ribeiro, Robert E. Goldschmidt, John Nelson, John R. Sullivan
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Patent number: 5740693Abstract: The invention is a level detector having an elongated level tube containing a bubble in a liquid, a detector body enveloping and supporting the level tube, a projector for emitting light, a reflector for directing the emitted light across the level tube, a photoelectric sensor for sensing the light arriving from the level tube, the sensor having a plurality of separate photoelectric receptor elements, a discriminator circuit for identifying selected receptor elements to determine the location of light arriving across the level tube without interference by the bubble therein and thus to detect the levelness of the detector body and of any surface on which the body is disposed, and at least one level indicator for providing a readout of the levelness.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 1995Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Daishowa Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yuzuru Tanaka
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Patent number: 5741975Abstract: A pressure sensor (10) includes a base (12) supporting a lead frame (28) having a pressure sensing element (14) electrically coupled to the lead frame (28). The molded base (12) interlocks with first and second diaphragm mounting frames (18, 20) and together with first and second diaphragms (22, 24) forms first and second chambers (36, 40). An incompressible fluid resides in the first and second chambers (36, 40) and transfers the pressure of a sensed media impinging on either of the first or second diaphragms (22, 24) to the pressure sensing element (14). The incompressible fluid filling the first and second chambers (36, 40), together with the flexible and impermeable membrane material of the first and second diaphragms (22, 24) effectively isolates the pressure sensing element (14) from the sensed media.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 1996Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: John Howard Vaughn, II, Donald Ora Myers, Jeffrey Alan Bykowski
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Patent number: 5738441Abstract: A thermometer that rapidly predicts body temperature based on the temperature signals received from a temperature sensing probe when it comes into contact with the body. The logarithms of the differences between the temperature signals in a selected time frame are determined. A line is fit through the logarithms and the slope of the line is used as a system time constant in predicting the final temperature of the body. The time constant in conjunction with predetermined additional constants are used to compute the predicted temperature. Data quality in the time frame is monitored and if unacceptable, a different time frame of temperature signals is selected for use in prediction. The processor switches to a monitor mode if data quality over a limited number of time frames is unacceptable. Determining the start time on which the measurement time frame for prediction is based is performed by summing the second derivatives of temperature signals over time frames.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1995Date of Patent: April 14, 1998Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Vivien J. Cambridge, Thomas L. Koger, William L. Nail, Patrick Diaz
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Patent number: 5739434Abstract: A formed metal diaphragm for use in fluid pressure regulators includes a dome-shaped central portion and a convoluted shaped flexible area. The convoluted shaped flexible area includes a series of radially spaced elliptically shaped impressions in the diaphragm surface. The major elliptic axis of each impression is aligned with a radius emanating from the center of the diaphragm. The minor ellipse axis of the impressions is located on a concentric axis outward from the center of the diaphragm.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1996Date of Patent: April 14, 1998Assignee: Fisher Controls International, Inc.Inventor: Frank E. Jensen
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Patent number: 5739428Abstract: A balancing machine for balancing a wheel, wherein the wheel is rotated by a drive device for measuring the unbalance, is provided with a speed control device for controlling the speed of the drive device. The speed control device includes a computer and a frequency converter. Further drive devices can be switched by a switch-over device.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1996Date of Patent: April 14, 1998Assignee: Beissbarth GmbHInventors: Hermann Bux, Peter Ross
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Patent number: 5731507Abstract: An air data sensing probe adapted for mounting to an aerodynamically-shaped airfoil or strut attached to an air vehicle. An inlet port located near the leading edge of the strut admits fluid, to a first cavity and then, in turn, to a second cavity, so that the total temperature of the fluid may be measured and a signal related thereto conveyed to suitable flight control gear. A first exhaust port located generally opposite the inlet port allows entrained particles to exit the probe and boundary layer fluid evacuation apertures formed through the strut across the interface between the two cavities permit only a substantially particle-free core sample of fluid on the temperature sensing element. The secondary cavity couples to the primary cavity at an angle so that inertial separation of entrained particles results.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1994Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace, Inc.Inventors: Floyd W. Hagen, Gregg A. Hohenstein, Pennelle J. Trongard
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Patent number: 5728933Abstract: A sensing and displaying system is provided including a sensor unit having a transducer disposed in intimate contact with a vessel. The transducer senses a characteristic within the vessel like pressure and outputs electrical signal representative thereof. The sensor unit further includes a response signal generator which transmit a signal representative of the characteristic. A receiver unit receives the transmitted signal and converts it to visual indicia of the characteristic, for example, a number on a liquid crystal display. The system is capable of two-way communication between the sensor unit and the receiver unit. Both the sensor unit and receiver unit store transmitted data in internal memory.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1995Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Sentech CorporationInventors: Thomas J. Schultz, Alan J. Campbell
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Patent number: 5720553Abstract: A process of determining carbon content silicon content and carbon equivalent of molten iron includes immersion into the molten iron of an analysis device having a mold chamber with a temperature measuring device extending into the chamber. The temperature measuring device is operatively connected to a device for continuously monitoring and recording the temperature. The mold chamber is provided with at least one inner wall of a metal which serves as a heat sink for molten metal introduced into the mold chamber. A layer of thermally insulating material surrounds the mold whereby heat transfer from molten metal into the chamber is minimized. The mold, after dipping is removed into the ambient environment. The temperature of the sample is continuously measured as it cools. The rate of cooling is continually computed and the derived rate of cooling curve is used to identify parameters of the sample from analysis of the rate of cooling over a period of time.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1995Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Midwest Instrument Co., Inc.Inventor: Richard A. Falk