Patents by Inventor William J. Furnas

William J. Furnas 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: 8134695
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of the walls of glass containers is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in glass containers. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers throughout the circumference of the glass containers. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale glass container manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennakoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Patent number: 8094293
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennakoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Patent number: 8049871
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennakoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Publication number: 20110033103
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of the walls of glass containers is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in glass containers. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers throughout the circumference of the glass containers. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale glass container manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennakoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Publication number: 20110032510
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennakoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Publication number: 20110032524
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennakoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Publication number: 20110032523
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of the walls of glass containers is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in glass containers. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers throughout the circumference of the glass containers. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale glass container manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennekoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Patent number: 7876437
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of the walls of glass containers is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in glass containers. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers throughout the circumference of the glass containers. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale glass container manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the side walls of glass containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventors: William J. Furnas, Sarath K. Tennekoon, Gary C. Weber
  • Patent number: 7781723
    Abstract: A machine is disclosed for inspecting the wall of a bottle which is delivered by a conveyor sequentially to an inspection station. A light source defines a plurality of vertical row groups each having no black row, a white row and a plurality of adjacent rows where the intensity systematically decreases to a lowest level where light blocking defects can be seen and than increases systematically to the next white row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventor: William J. Furnas
  • Patent number: 7582856
    Abstract: An inspection machine for determining whether a bottle at an inspection station is “out of round”. A laser, spaced from the bottle to be inspected directs a laser beam towards the axis of the bottle to be inspected whereby a diffuse spot of energy will be defined on the surface of the bottle to be inspected. The bottle to be inspected is rotated about its axis and a CCD camera views the spot of energy on the surface of the bottle at a defined angle to the laser beam. A control determines the displacement of the spot of energy as the bottle to be inspected is rotated 360 degrees about its axis and issues a reject signal in the event the displacement exceeds a set limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventors: Gary C. Weber, William J. Furnas, Richard D. Diehr
  • Publication number: 20070278433
    Abstract: An inspection machine for determining whether a bottle at an inspection station is “out of round”. A laser, spaced from the bottle to be inspected directs a laser beam towards the axis of the bottle to be inspected whereby a diffuse spot of energy will be defined on the surface of the bottle to be inspected. The bottle to be inspected is rotated about its axis and a CCD camera views the spot of energy on the surface of the bottle at a defined angle to the laser beam. A control determines the displacement of the spot of energy as the bottle to be inspected is rotated 360 degrees about its axis and issues a reject signal in the event the displacement exceeds a set limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Gary C. Weber, William J. Furnas, Richard D. Diehr
  • Patent number: 7162026
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to a method for muting an alerting portable device such as a ringing cell phone or alarming PDA. Specifically where muting is activated in a means not requiring direct contact with the keys of the device. The indirect contact such as a hand pat or smack is detected within the device by a sensor such as a microphone or accelerometer. Control circuitry detects active indirect contact and then mutes the alert, and or does some other programmable operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Inventor: William J Furnas
  • Patent number: 7120284
    Abstract: An L.E.D. matrix light source illuminates a bottle at an inspection machine. A vertically periodic intensity pattern is defined to facilitate the identification of defects. The L.E.D. that locates the top of the bottle is identified and a peak of the pattern is located at that L.E.D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventor: William J. Furnas
  • Patent number: 6989857
    Abstract: An inspection system completes two inspections with a single camera. In one inspection polarized light illuminates the side wall of a bottle, passes through a pair of electrode surfaces on either side of a ferroelectric crystal which do not change the polarity and passes through a polarizer to image on the camera. In a second inspection the polarized light is rotated 90° by the same structure so that only light rotated as a result of stress in the bottle passes through the polarizer and images on the camera as a defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventor: William J. Furnas
  • Publication number: 20040263618
    Abstract: An inspection system completes two inspections with a single camera. In one inspection polarized light illuminates the side wall of a bottle, passes through a pair of electrode surfaces on either side of a ferroelectric crystal which do not change the polarity and passes through a polarizer to image on the camera. In a second inspection the polarized light is rotated 90° by the same structure so that only light rotated as a result of stress in the bottle passes through the polarizer and images on the camera as a defect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: William J. Furnas
  • Patent number: 6621573
    Abstract: A machine for inspecting the wall of a bottle having a surface decoration made up of lines. A two dimensional camera receives a transmitted image of the surface decoration and a computer scans the pixels to determine an area of selected pixels in which a selected pixel threshold is located. The aspect ratio of the area of selected pixels is determined and a bottle reject signal is issued in the event that the determined aspect ratio exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Emhart Glass, S.A.
    Inventors: Robert A. Shultz, William J. Furnas
  • Patent number: 6618495
    Abstract: A machine is disclosed for inspecting the wall of a bottle which is delivered by a conveyor sequentially to an inspection station. A light source defined as spatially cyclically continuously varying between the extremes of dark and light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Emhart Glass, S.A.
    Inventor: William J. Furnas
  • Patent number: 6536598
    Abstract: Two data streams which are not related real-time are operated on so that the input stream can be processed real-time vis-a-vis the output stream. Both streams are clocked by the same encoder and a random tracking signal is imposed on both the input and output data streams. A reject signal on the input stream can accordingly be placed at the correct location on the output stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Emhart Glass S.A.
    Inventor: William J. Furnas
  • Publication number: 20020118360
    Abstract: A machine for inspecting the wall of a bottle having a surface decoration made up of lines. A two dimensional camera receives a transmitted image of the surface decoration and a computer scans the pixels to determine an area of selected pixels in which a selected pixel threshold is located. The aspect ratio of the area of selected pixels is determined and a bottle reject signal is issued in the event that the determined aspect ratio exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Robert T. Shultz, William J. Furnas
  • Publication number: 20020082743
    Abstract: Two data streams which are not related real-time are operated on so that the input stream can be processed real-time vis-a-vis the output stream. Both streams are clocked by the same encoder and a random tracking signal is imposed on both the input and output data streams. A reject signal on the input stream can accordingly be placed at the correct location on the output stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventor: William J. Furnas