Patents by Inventor Benjamin S. Moates

Benjamin S. Moates has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5637241
    Abstract: The electrical power supply cables (shunt cables) of a robotic welding machine are continuously monitored during welding operations to determine cable fatigue resulting from mechanical flexing and high electrical current flow. Increases in cable resistance, being representative of a fatigued cable, are determined by measuring voltage across the cables. When a threshold voltage level or threshold voltage increase is reached, a monitor outputs a signal alerting plant personnel of the fatigued cable. The alert signal may further provide plant personnel with a predetermined time to cold weld failure of the fatigued cable, allowing plant personnel to schedule replacement of the fatigued cable during production breaks or scheduled downtime. In one embodiment, robotic welders and associated cable monitors are networked to a centralized computer to identify and isolate fatigued cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Computational Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin S. Moates