Patents by Inventor William E. Stevens, Jr.

William E. Stevens, Jr. 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).

  • Break away slide mechanism with enhanced positioning accuracy
    Patent number: 8316728
    Abstract: An actuator for selectively extending and retracting a probe in a measuring instrument comprises an actuator body, a carriage having a first aperture slidably attached to the body, and a second aperture receiving a probe holder having a probe. The first aperture of the carriage, which surrounds the actuator body, includes a first plurality of magnets disposed around an inner circumference of the aperture. The actuator body includes a lead screw, a round lead screw nut mated with the lead screw, and a second plurality of magnets arranged on a periphery of the lead screw nut, generally aligned with the first plurality of magnets. The magnets are arranged so that the carriage may be displaced with respect to the actuator body a sufficient amount that the magnets do not significantly restrain the further movement of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Quality Vision International, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Lawson, William E. Stevens, Jr.
  • BREAK AWAY SLIDE MECHANISM WITH ENHANCED POSITIONING ACCURACY
    Publication number: 20110120240
    Abstract: An actuator for selectively extending and retracting a probe in a measuring instrument comprises an actuator body, a carriage having a first aperture slidably attached to the body, and a second aperture receiving a probe holder having a probe. The first aperture of the carriage, which surrounds the actuator body, includes a first plurality of magnets disposed around an inner circumference of the aperture. The actuator body includes a lead screw, a round lead screw nut mated with the lead screw, and a second plurality of magnets arranged on a periphery of the lead screw nut, generally aligned with the first plurality of magnets. The magnets are arranged so that the carriage may be displaced with respect to the actuator body a sufficient amount that the magnets do not significantly restrain the further movement of the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: QUALITY VISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: David E. Lawson, William E. Stevens, JR.