Patents by Inventor Tom Michael

Tom Michael 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: 6597136
    Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which an electric motor is operatively connected to a steering assembly through a gearbox to apply an assistance torque to the steering assembly and in which the steering assembly includes a steering column coupled at one end to a driver's handwheel and at the other end to steerable wheels, a means being provided for generating a signal representative of the velocity of rotation of the steering column. The system includes a high pass filter which is adapted to generate, for frequencies below a prescribed threshold, a signal at least approximately proportional to steering column acceleration and representative of the inertia of the rotor of the electric motor, the latter signal being arranged to be used to compensate for the motor rotor inertia in an overall assistance torque demand as developed by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.
    Inventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Russell Wilson Jones, Marie Saunier, Tom Michael Richard Ernest Roberts
  • Publication number: 20020125845
    Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which an electric motor is operatively connected to a steering assembly through a gearbox to apply an assistance torque to the steering assembly and in which the steering assembly includes a steering column coupled at one end to a driver's handwheel and at the other end to steerable wheels, a means being provided for generating a signal representative of the velocity of rotation of the steering column. The system includes a high pass filter which is adapted to generate, for frequencies below a prescribed threshold, a signal at least approximately proportional to steering column acceleration and representative of the inertia of the rotor of the electric motor, the latter signal being arranged to be used to compensate for the motor rotor inertia in an overall assistance torque demand as developed by the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Limited
    Inventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Russell Wilson Jones, Marie Saunier, Tom Michael Richard Ernest Roberts
  • Patent number: 6388834
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing transmission of EMI noise effects originating within disc drives by including a grounding member positioned between at least a portion of a flex circuit and an EMI noise source. The grounding member makes electrically conductive contact with the cover and base plate of the disc drive and thereby provides an alternative pathway for EMI noise, as opposed to traveling along the actuator arm (E block). By reducing the transmission of EMI noise, the number of read errors from the disc is likewise minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Frank William Bernett, Tom Michael Durrum
  • Patent number: 5694629
    Abstract: A camera film transport mechanism includes a torque limiting one-way drive clutch for preventing film damaging excessive torque loading or reverse rotation of the drive. The clutch includes coaxial inner and outer members. A resilient arm extends generally tangentially from one of the members with a free end biased against the other member and engagable with a tooth or abutment thereon to transmit torque therebetween. A sloping surface on one or both of the tooth and the arm end limits torque transmission by camming the arm out of engagement when the friction force is overcome. Multiple arms and/or abutment teeth may be provided and the arms may be arranged for either compressive or tensile loading. Slip torque deviation is limited by making the engaging surfaces from diverse materials, for example, an amorphous polymer, such as polycarbonate styrene, for one surface and a semi-crystalline polymer, such as nylon or acetal, for the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley Ward Stephenson, III, Tom Michael Seamans
  • Patent number: 5666575
    Abstract: A camera includes a chamber for containing a film cartridge having a rotatable film spool with external engagement access to allow rotation of the spool. The chamber is closed by a lighttight door having a cavity including a status indicator member for determining the status of a contained film cartridge. The status indicator member is attached a cartridge engagement member which is rotatable with the cartridge film spool. The status indicator member includes a display disk for indicating the status of said cartridge based on the rotational position of said spool which is visible through an opening in the chamber door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley Ward Stephenson, III, Tom Michael Seamans