Patents by Inventor Markus Caprez

Markus Caprez 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: 5461924
    Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor arrangement which is installed in the surface of carriageways or runways and serves to detect the wheel loads of vehicles or aircraft and/or their shear components on the surface during travel. The construction of the flanged tube sensor with piezoelectric crystal plates makes possible modular assembly, in that either piezo-plates sensitive to pressure P only, or to shear S, or to combinations of both are installed, since all piezo-plates have the same dimensions. The force introduction flange makes possible a concentration of the force lines onto the measuring arrangement with a substantial mechanical amplifying effect. The packing of the flanged tube sensor ready to install ensures proper fitting and positioning in the installation groove. Here the two rolling force insulation compounds and the foam insulator of the tubular part are important. The application of the invention lies in traffic management for weight detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: K.K. Holding AG
    Inventors: Reto Calderara, Lothar Jahreiss, Hans C. Sonderegger, Markus Caprez
  • Patent number: 5265481
    Abstract: The invention comprises a force measuring system for the dynamic determination especially of axle loads, speed, vehicle wheelbase and gross weight. The force measuring system is laid permanently in the roadway. It is of modular assembly, consisting of the amplifier (11), sensor (12) and terminal module (13). The individual modules may be coupled tightly by plug-and-socket connections, welding flanges or glued flanges. The sensor module (12) consists of a hollow section (1), in which piezo-elements (4) are fitted under elastic preload. The piezo-elements (4) are accommodated in the hollow section (1) at intervals of typically 5 to 10 cm, and they may be connected all together with only one electrically conductive foil (5) to the signal processing facility (19), or groupwise or even singly. According to this subdivision the road width can be sectioned as desired, in order to obtain a road loading diagram for instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Kistler Instrumente AG
    Inventors: Hans C. Sonderegger, Reto Calderara, Mario Giorgetta, Dario Barberis, Markus Caprez