Patents by Inventor Roger L. Unger

Roger L. Unger 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).

  • Compact, low cost particle sensor
    Patent number: 8009290
    Abstract: A compact, low cost particle sensor utilizing a photodetector (31) which directly collects light scattered by particles (33) entrained in a fluid traversing a beam of light (32). The beam of light (32) is aligned such that it is in close proximity to the photo detector (31). The beam of light (32) is typically provided by a laser and associated focusing/collimating optics. The beam of light (32) intersects a portion of the fluid flow permitting a low pressure drop system and fluid flow generated by a low cost, low pressure device such as an axial fan (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Inventor: Roger L. Unger
  • Compact, low cost particle sensor
    Publication number: 20080278725
    Abstract: A compact, low cost particle sensor utilizing a photodetector (31) which directly collects light scattered by particles (33) entrained in a fluid traversing a beam of light (32). The beam of light (32) is aligned such that it is in close proximity to the photo detector (31). The beam of light (32) is typically provided by a laser and associated focusing/collimating optics. The beam of light (32) intersects a portion of the fluid flow permitting a low pressure drop system and fluid flow generated by a low cost, low pressure device such as an axial fan (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventor: Roger L. Unger
  • Particle sensor and related method offering improved particle discrimination
    Patent number: 5870190
    Abstract: A method for counting, by ranges of size, particles flowing through a particle sensor including the steps of flowing a particle through the sensor, thereby producing a voltage pulse which is sampled over a period of time. Sampling yields a plurality of voltage values which includes a latest value and a former value. The latest value is compared with the former value and when less than the former value, the method finds, in a table of threshold voltages, the size range for the particle. A counting bin corresponding to the size range for the particle is then incremented. The former value may be the value immediately preceding the latest value or it may be several "counts" prior to such latest value. The new particle sensor has an inlet, sensing volume, exhaust port, light collection system and an electronic system coupled to the light collection system. The electronic system is programmed to count particles, by size, in any of several unique ways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Venturedyne, Ltd.
    Inventor: Roger L. Unger