Patents by Inventor Paulo H. Pereira

Paulo H. Pereira 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).

  • Dual-axis static and dynamic force characterization device
    Patent number: 6434845
    Abstract: A force characterization device utilizes a flexure having a compliant portion and a solid portion. During operation of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) on the solid portion of the flexure, a first capacitance probe detects displacement of the solid portion of the flexure in a first dimension and a second capacitance probe detects displacement of the solid portion of the flexure in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension. The detected displacements in the first and second dimensions of the solid portion of the flexure are correlated to forces applied to the flexure in the first and second dimensions based on the detected displacements and the predetermined spring constant of the compliant portion of the flexure. A total applied force is determined based on the forces applied to the flexure in the first and second dimensions. The flexure may be utilized for touch-trigger operations or scanning operations of the CMM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    Inventors: Paulo H. Pereira, Ashok Muralidhar, Robert J. Hocken, Jimmie A. Miller, Stuart Smith