Patents by Inventor Darran Kreit

Darran Kreit 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: 10876861
    Abstract: An inductive detector is provided for measuring the relative position of bodies along a measurement path comprising: an inductive target arranged along the measurement path; a laminar antenna arranged facing a portion of the target; an electronics circuit arranged along the measurement path; wherein, the inductance of at least one winding in the antenna varies continuously in proportion to the relative position of target and antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ZETTLEX (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 10451443
    Abstract: An inductive detector for measuring the position of a first body relative to a second body along a measurement path comprises: a first body which comprises a substantially planar surface and a passive electromagnetic target; a second body which comprises a substantially planar surface facing the planar surface of the first body and an arrangement of laminar windings; said first and second body being configured such that the electromagnetic influence of the first body on the second body varies according to the position of the first body relative to the second body along the measurement path; wherein said passive electro-magnetic target comprises a first portion incorporating said planar surface and a second portion with a lower thickness than said first portion; whereby the second portion incorporates an insulating aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ZETTLEX (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 10323959
    Abstract: An inductive position detector with a first and second body, at least one of said bodies being displaceable relative to the other along a measurement path wherein said first body comprises one or more antenna windings forming a first arrangement of windings and said second body comprises a passive resonant circuit incorporating one or more target windings in series with a capacitor; said circuit covering at least in part said first arrangement; characterized in that said first body comprises an additional winding arrangement disposed along at least part of said measurement path; said additional winding arrangement being spaced from said first arrangement of windings; and said second body comprises an additional winding arrangement covering at least in part said additional winding arrangement of said first body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: ZETTLEX (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20190170539
    Abstract: An inductive detector is provided for measuring the relative position of bodies along a measurement path comprising: an inductive target arranged along the measurement path; a laminar antenna arranged facing a portion of the target; an electronics circuit arranged along the measurement path; wherein, the inductance of at least one winding in the antenna varies continuously in proportion to the relative position of target and antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: ZETTLEX (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 9945653
    Abstract: A detector to measure the displacement of relatively moveable bodies along an axis comprising: a resonant electrical intermediate device further comprising an inductor, whose width varies along the displacement axis, and a capacitor in electrical series which co-operates with an antenna comprising transmit and receive windings whose mutual inductance varies according to the position of the electrical intermediate device relative to the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20180016029
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear arrangement is provided comprising: a first landing gear portion comprising one or more wheels, a second landing gear portion, the first landing gear portion being rotatable with respect to the second landing gear portion; and a sensor for determining a rotational position of the first landing gear portion in relation to the second landing gear portion, the sensor comprising a first magnetic field generator operable to generate a magnetic field and a first magnetic field modulator for modulating said magnetic field, the sensor being operable to sense the magnetic field as modulated by the first magnetic field modulator, the first landing gear portion comprising the first magnetic field generator or the first magnetic field modulator, the second landing gear portion comprising the other of the first magnetic field generator and the first magnetic field modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Fraser WILSON, Daniel HAIKNEY, Mark HOWARD, Darran KREIT
  • Publication number: 20170292858
    Abstract: An inductive position detector with a first and second body, at least one of said bodies being displaceable relative to the other along a measurement path wherein said first body comprises one or more antenna windings forming a first arrangement of windings and said second body comprises a passive resonant circuit incorporating one or more target windings in series with a capacitor; said circuit covering at least in part said first arrangement; characterized in that said first body comprises an additional winding arrangement disposed along at least part of said measurement path; said additional winding arrangement being spaced from said first arrangement of windings; and said second body comprises an additional winding arrangement covering at least in part said additional winding arrangement of said first body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Anthony HOWARD, Darran KREIT
  • Patent number: 9217628
    Abstract: An inductive detector operable to measure displacement along a path comprises: a first inductive arrangement; a second inductive arrangement; said second inductive arrangement being spaced from said first inductive arrangement and extending along at least part of the measurement path; at least one of said inductive arrangements comprises a winding which extends along at least part of the measurement path; and said winding comprising at least four loops in electrical series; wherein adjacent loops have opposite magnetic polarity; and the pitch distance of said winding varies at least once along the measurement path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20150260549
    Abstract: An inductive detector for measuring the position of a first body relative to a second body along a measurement path comprises: a first body which comprises a substantially planar surface and a passive electromagnetic target; a second body which comprises a substantially planar surface facing the planar surface of the first body and an arrangement of laminar windings; said first and second body being configured such that the electromagnetic influence of the first body on the second body varies according to the position of the first body relative to the second body along the measurement path; wherein said passive electro-magnetic target comprises a first portion incorporating said planar surface and a second portion with a lower thickness than said first portion; whereby the second portion incorporates an insulating aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Darran KREIT, Mark Anthony HOWARD
  • Publication number: 20150166196
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear arrangement is provided comprising: a first landing gear portion comprising one or more wheels, a second landing gear portion, the first landing gear portion being rotatable with respect to the second landing gear portion; and a sensor for determining a rotational position of the first landing gear portion in relation to the second landing gear portion, the sensor comprising a first magnetic field generator operable to generate a magnetic field and a first magnetic field modulator for modulating said magnetic field, the sensor being operable to sense the magnetic field as modulated by the first magnetic field modulator, the first landing gear portion comprising the first magnetic field generator or the first magnetic field modulator, the second landing gear portion comprising the other of the first magnetic field generator and the first magnetic field modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Fraser Wilson, Daniel Haikney, Mark Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 8847892
    Abstract: An apparatus for user interfaces is described to measure inductively the deformation of a body (1) comprising at least two laminar conductive elements (3, 4), at least one of which is an AC energized inductor (4), wherein deformation causes relative axial movement between the at least two laminar elements (3, 4) and the maximum deformation distance is limited to prevent damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventors: Darran Kreit, Mark Anthony Howard
  • Publication number: 20130082692
    Abstract: An inductive detector operable to measure displacement along a path comprises: a first inductive arrangement; a second inductive arrangement; said second inductive arrangement being spaced from said first inductive arrangement and extending along at least part of the measurement path; at least one of said inductive arrangements comprises a winding which extends along at least part of the measurement path; and said winding comprising at least four loops in electrical series; wherein adjacent loops have opposite magnetic polarity; and the pitch distance of said winding varies at least once along the measurement path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 8278945
    Abstract: An inductive detector arranged to measure position along a axis comprising: a transmit winding; a receive winding; a passive circuit comprising a winding in electrical series with a capacitor; wherein: the mutual inductance between the transmit winding and the receive winding is a function of the relative displacement of the passive circuit along the measurement axis; a first portion of one of the windings is wound on a first pitch and a second portion of the same winding is wound on a second pitch whose extent is greater than the first pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20120007591
    Abstract: A detector to measure the displacement of relatively moveable bodies along an axis comprising: a resonant electrical intermediate device further comprising an inductor, whose width varies along the displacement axis, and a capacitor in electrical series which co-operates with an antenna comprising transmit and receive windings whose mutual inductance varies according to the position of the electrical intermediate device relative to the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 8020453
    Abstract: A system to measure the displacement of relatively moveable bodies along an axis comprising: a resonant electrical intermediate device further comprising an inductor, whose width varies along the displacement axis, and a capacitor in electrical series which co-operates with an antenna comprising transmit and receive windings whose mutual inductance varies according to the position of the electrical intermediate device relative to the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventors: Darran Kreit, Mark Anthony Howard
  • Patent number: 7944215
    Abstract: A device for measuring the position of a first body relative to a second body comprising: a first body which further comprises an electrical intermediate device; a second body which further comprises at least two inductors energised with an alternating current and at least one of which is formed by a planar spiral winding on a printed circuit board normal to the measurement axis and attached to the second body; arranged such that displacement of the electrical intermediate device causes a change in inductance of the planar spiral winding and whereby measurement of the ratio of the inductances indicates the position of the first body relative to the second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 7932715
    Abstract: An inductive detector operable to measure relative displacement along a measurement path of a first body including an electrical intermediate device and a second body including at least three windings. At least one winding is a transmit winding and at least one other is a receive winding. The windings are arranged such that relative displacement of the two bodies causes a change in inductive coupling between at least one transmit winding and at least one receive winding. At least two windings are formed by a convoluted conductor with a first portion extending along the measurement path on a first surface of the substrate and a second portion returning back along the measurement path on an opposite second surface of the substrate. The first and second portions are connected via a connection extending between the first and second surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20110025349
    Abstract: An inductive detector arranged to measure position along a axis comprising: a transmit winding; a receive winding; a passive circuit comprising a winding in electrical series with a capacitor; wherein: the mutual inductance between the transmit winding and the receive winding is a function of the relative displacement of the passive circuit along the measurement axis; a first portion of one of the windings is wound on a first pitch and a second portion of the same winding is wound on a second pitch whose extent is greater than the first pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20100045360
    Abstract: A device for measuring the position of a first body relative to a second body comprising: a first body which further comprises an electrical intermediate device; a second body which further comprises at least two inductors energised with an alternating current and at least one of which is formed by a planar spiral winding on a printed circuit board normal to the measurement axis and attached to the second body; arranged such that displacement of the electrical intermediate device causes a change in inductance of the planar spiral winding and whereby measurement of the ratio of the inductances indicates the position of the first body relative to the second.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Publication number: 20100001718
    Abstract: A detector to measure the displacement of relatively moveable bodies along an axis comprising: a resonant electrical intermediate device further comprising an inductor, whose width varies along the displacement axis, and a capacitor in electrical series which co-operates with an antenna comprising transmit and receive windings whose mutual inductance varies according to the position of the electrical intermediate device relative to the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit