Patents by Inventor John Hilton

John Hilton 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: 5798748
    Abstract: An apparatus provides an electronic signal in response to at least one of an applied force and an applied torque. The apparatus includes a detection device that detects movement of a movable member relative to a base, and provides the electronic signal, by driving a plurality of first sensor components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Spacetec IMC Corporation
    Inventors: John Hilton, Stephan Roundtree, Hal Avery
  • Patent number: 5706027
    Abstract: A force and torque converter provides an electronic signal in response to at least one of an applied force and an applied torque. The converter includes a base, a movable member that provides movement relative to the base in response to the at least one of the applied force and the applied torque, a controlling mechanism, and a detection circuit. The controlling mechanism has a plurality of resilient mechanisms, connected to the base and co-acting with the movable member, that provide at least one of a restoring force and a restoring torque to the movable member in response to the at least one of the applied force and the applied torque. The controlling mechanism further includes a restraining member, disposed within the movable member, that restrains the movable member when the movable member is in contact with the restraining member. The detection circuit co-acts with the controlling mechanism, to detect the movement of the movable member relative to the base, and provide the electronic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Spacetec IMC Corporation
    Inventors: John Hilton, Stephan Roundtree, Hal Avery
  • Patent number: 5591924
    Abstract: A force and torque converter is provided which provides an electronic representation of a planarly applied force and a torque applied about an axis that is orthogonal to the plane. The converter includes a base, an actuating member which is relatively displaced in response to the applied torque and force, resilient mechanisms to provide a restoring force and torque to the actuating member, and sensing mechanisms to sense the applied torque and force and generate an electronic representation thereof. The electronic representation is characterized by a sensitivity curve in which relatively small applied forces and torques result in a relatively low scale factor and where for a range of small applied forces and torques the relation of scale factor with respect to applied torque and force has a relatively low derivative. Further, for a range of larger applied forces and torques, the sensitivity curve has a relatively large scale factor and a relatively large derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Spacetec IMC Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Hilton
  • Patent number: 5452615
    Abstract: A force and torque converter is provided that senses force and torque applied to the device. The converter includes a base, a grip, resilient connection members that extend radially and coplanarly from a central hub, located within the grip, and that connect to the grip, and sensing mechanisms to sense the displacement of the connection members. The displacements are resolved to determine the force and torque that is applied to the device, with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Spacetec IMC Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Hilton
  • Patent number: 5374928
    Abstract: A method of compressing text by allocating word tokens to each unique word and phrase tokens to adjacent word tokens, to adjacent phrase tokens or adjacent phrase and word tokens, which occur in the text at least three times and changing the binary character code representation of the text so that the text is represented by phrase and word tokens. A data processing system for decompressing and displaying the compressed text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Megaword International Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: John D. Moore, Peter G. Swain, Roger B. Purchell, John Hilton
  • Patent number: 5222400
    Abstract: A force and torque converter provides command signals representative of a translational applied force and an applied torque extending about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis along which the translational force is applied. The apparatus comprises a body to which the force and torque are applied, first and second connecting means attached to the body, means for biasing the connecting means to a central position and sensor means comprising two sensor devices arranged to detect a displacement force in each of the first and second connecting means respectively and which respond to the applied translation force and also respond to the torque to resolve the torque into a force comprising two components. A very important embodiment of the invention is arranged to operate in three dimensions and to resolve any applied torque into a respective components related to three mutually perpendicular axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Spaceball Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: John A. Hilton
  • Patent number: 4811608
    Abstract: A force and torque converter provides command signals representative of a translational applied force and an applied torque extending about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis along which the translational force is applied. The apparatus comprises of body to which the force and torque are applied, first and second connecting means attached to the body, means for biasing the connecting means to a central position and sensor means comprising two sensor devices arranged to detect a displacement force in each of the first and second connecting means respectively and which respond to the applied translation force and also respond to the torque to resolve the torque into a force comprising two components. A very important embodiment of the invention is arranged to operate in three dimensions and to resolve any applied torque into a respective components related to three mutually perpendicular axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Spatial Systems Pty Limited
    Inventor: John A. Hilton
  • Patent number: 4346134
    Abstract: A sandwich assembly, e.g. an aluminum honeycomb sandwich assembly such as an inboard slat trailing edge for use in an aircraft wherein the spar cap spacing accuracy is retained through break-away tooling, e.g. a strip of low density core machined to the leading edge contour of the honeycomb core during core manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: R. John Hilton
  • Patent number: 4336090
    Abstract: Method of manufacturing a sandwich assembly, e.g. an aluminum honeycomb sandwich assembly such as an inboard slat trailing edge for use in an aircraft wherein the spar cap spacing accuracy is retained through break-away tooling, e.g. a strip of low density core machined to the leading edge contour of the honeycomb core during core manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: R. John Hilton
  • Patent number: 4304376
    Abstract: Composite honeycomb core structures, such as airplane control surface structures, capable of withstanding bending and shear stresses, are disclosed along with a single stage hot bonding process of manufacturing such structures. The composite structures include: a primary load carrying member formed of a high density honeycomb core, two spar caps, each having a predetermined thickness, bonded to opposing surfaces of the high density honeycomb core; a low density honeycomb core bonded to the high density honeycomb core along one edge thereof; and, a skin superposed on, and bonded to, the spar caps and the low density honeycomb core. (In some cases, depending upon the structural strength needed, the high density honeycomb core may be replaced by a low density honeycomb core and formed in a unitary manner with the low density honeycomb core to which the skin is bonded. Or, both can be high density honeycomb cores formed in a unitary manner and machined to the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1981
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: R. John Hilton
  • Patent number: 4284443
    Abstract: A single stage hot bonding process for manufacturing composite honeycomb core structures, such as airplane control surface structures, capable of withstanding bending and shear stresses, is disclosed. The single stage hot bonding process includes the steps of bonding a low density honeycomb core to a high density honeycomb core, shaping the combined honeycomb core, adhesively attaching spar caps to opposing surfaces of the high density honeycomb core, adhesively attaching a skin to the spar caps and the low density honeycomb core and curing the composite structure in an autoclave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1981
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: R. John Hilton