Patents by Inventor Eric A. Edwards

Eric A. Edwards 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: 5388528
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving within pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least one wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall. An arm is rotatably mounted on the central portion of the outer wheel member. The arm has a pair of magnetically permeable members disposed widthwise of the vehicle body. A magnet is mounted on the arm with its poles in contact with the pair of magnetically permeable members. The arm can be rotated and freely oriented toward the running surface magnetically to hold the wheel to the running surface. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ronald E. Pelrine, Eric A. Edwards, Lawrence S. Gullman
  • Patent number: 5355807
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving in pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least on wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall and an inner wheel member including a portion of a magnetically permeable material. The inner wheel member has an outside diameter smaller that the inside diameter of the outer wheel member and is rollable on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wheel member. A magnet is provided in the inner wheel member having magnetic poles in contact with the permeable portion of the inner wheel. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald E. Pelrine, Eric A. Edwards, Lawrence S. Gullman
  • Patent number: 5284096
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving within pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least one wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall with an inner wheel member including a portion of magnetically permeable material. The inner wheel member has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the outer wheel member and is rollable on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wheel member. A magnet is provided in the inner wheel member having magnetic poles in contact with the permeable portion of the inner wheel. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ronald E. Pelrine, Eric A. Edwards, Lawrence S. Gullman
  • Patent number: 5220869
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving within pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least one wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall with an inner wheel member including a portion of magnetically permeable material. The inner wheel member has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the outer wheel member and is rollable on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wheel member. A magnet is provided in the inner wheel member having magnetic poles in contact with the permeable portion of the inner wheel. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald E. Pelrine, Eric A. Edwards, Lawrence S. Gullman
  • Patent number: 5176143
    Abstract: A tonometric blood pressure monitoring system is disclosed having a variable extension sensor assembly. The sensor assembly is connected to a central control unit through separable pod elements. Within the pod elements are a master cylinder and drive system for varying the extension of blood pressure sensor from the sensor assembly. The blood pressure sensor is mounted at the end of an sensor piston, the movement of which is guided on a central rod. The sensor assembly also includes a rolling bellows arrangement for providing a variable hold-down pressure between a cavity block and the sensor assembly housing. The blood pressure sensor is moved laterally, in one embodiment, to provide optimum lateral placement of the sensor with respect to a target source of blood pressure information such as the radial artery of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Colin Electronics Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph S. Eckerle, Roy D. Kornbluh, Rudolf Elbrecht, Eric A. Edwards
  • Patent number: 5016869
    Abstract: A self-actuated spring-action human bipedal device includes a back-mounted frame attached to the upper torso of a user, and separate articulated right and left leg frames pivotally attached by U-joints to lower portions of the back frame. The user's feet are secured to the leg frames so the bottoms of the leg frames contact the ground, behind and below the point where each foot is attached to its leg frame. Endless cord-like main springs are engaged with a spring actuator, which are carried on the back frame. Left and right tension lines running from respective leg frames to the spring actuator are arranged so that compression of the leg frames, caused by the force of downward movement of the user's feet and torso, pulls on the tension lines to apply a pulling force to the spring actuator for stretching the main springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Applied Motion
    Inventors: G. John Dick, Eric A. Edwards