Patents by Inventor Douglas Howard Durland

Douglas Howard Durland 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).

  • Eddy current brake for air driven centrifuge
    Patent number: 4078719
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for braking the rotation of a centrifuge rotor is disclosed comprising magnet means operable in a first condition wherein substantially no eddy currents are induced in a rotating rotor made of electrically conductive material by the magnetic flux of the magnet means and a second condition wherein eddy currents are induced into the rotating rotor sufficiently to slow the rotor. In one embodiment, magnet means is movable from a first position wherein substantially no eddy currents are induced in an electrically conductive portion of the rotating rotor by the magnetic flux to a second position wherein eddy currents are induced into the rotating rotor in a quantity sufficient to slow the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1978
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Howard Durland, George Norton Hein, Jr., Robert James Ehret
  • Fluid pressure operated eddy current brake for air driven centrifuge
    Patent number: 4036428
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for braking the rotation of a centrifuge rotor is disclosed comprising magnet means operable in a first position wherein substantially no eddy currents are induced in a rotating rotor made of electrically conductive material by the magnetic flux of the magnet means and a second position wherein eddy currents are induced into the rotating rotor sufficiently to slow the rotor. In the preferred embodiment, the magnet means is movable by fluid pressure from the second position to the first position and movable by a bias force from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1977
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Howard Durland, Malcolm Canmore McGilvray, Jr.