Patents Issued in November 25, 2003
  • Patent number: 6651451
    Abstract: A variable capacity refrigeration system which does not require a costly inverter compressor and does not exhibit low energy efficiency at high capacity. The system employs a constant speed compressor that operates continuously when the system is energized, irrespective of the heat load, and a refrigerant bypass path including a secondary expansion device, a heat exchanger, and a flow control device which is operable to permit a portion of the refrigerant exiting from the condenser to flow through the bypass path to an inlet of the compressor when the heat load is below a predetermined threshold, whereby the heat exchanger operates as a secondary evaporator, and to prevent refrigerant exiting from the condenser from flowing through the bypass path to the compressor inlet when the heat load is not below the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Vai Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Young T. Cho, Cheolho Bai
  • Patent number: 6651452
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switch cabinet or cover with an air-conditioning unit, which comprises a cooling circuit system with an evaporator and a condenser. The evaporator has an integral air circuit, connected spatially with the interior of the switch cabinet and through which the air in the interior of the switch cabinet may be forced, by means of a blower. The condenser is in contact with the remaining components of the cooling circuit, by means of refrigerant lines. According to the invention, in order to reduce emissions from the air-conditioner, due to environmental damage considerations, the evaporator, together with the dedicated blower, is integrated in an evaporator unit, attached to the switch cabinet. The condenser, together with a dedicated blower, is integrated in a condenser unit, whereby the condenser unit is spatially separate from the evaporator unit and from the switch cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Rittal Rudolf Loh GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Lecke, Steffen Wagner
  • Patent number: 6651453
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle having a blower for feeding air through an air-conditioning housing, in which a cooling heat exchanger, a heating heat exchanger, and airflow control elements are arranged. The air-conditioning device and the heat exchangers have their greatest dimension in the transverse direction (y direction) of the vehicle. In order to provide a space-saving and cost-effective system, the blower is arranged laterally on the air-conditioning housing, and an air filter having approximately the same transverse dimension as the cooling heat exchanger is arranged in the air stream between the blower and cooling heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Dietrich Klingler, Dieter Schmadl, Werner Schwahn, Klaus Voigt
  • Patent number: 6651454
    Abstract: An elevating system for a heat pump through which plumbing may be installed to permit multiple configurations of the plumbing the system consisting of a base having a floor and four sides, the floor having two holes to accommodate the inlet and outlet pipes of the heat pump and a selection of two or four holes in the sides forming an empty space beneath the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Bill Spiegel
  • Patent number: 6651455
    Abstract: An evaporative condenser system has an air handler with an input end and an output end with a fan to facilitate the movement of the air. An air cooler has at least one conical spiral coil having a top end and a bottom end, each with linear extents in the output ends and the input ends of the air handler. A pump moves a working fluid through the coil. A cooling water pathway has a water recycle input and a reservoir for the cooling water adjacent to the bottom end of the air cooler coils. The reservoir has a submersible sump pump for moving the cooling water to an elevated location with a sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Robert W. Yoho, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6651456
    Abstract: An insulated cooler having a narrower upper portion and a wider lower portion with a ledge therebetween is transformed into an elegant food dispensing station. A shelf that surrounds the cooler at its upper portion is formed from a horizontal panel with an aperture great enough to pass the upper portion of the cooler and rest on the ledge. The shelf may be provided with features for holding items on its surface such as glasses. It may have features for mounting a skirt that conceals the lower portion of the cooler. The assembly may include a rolling cart that is also concealed by the skirt to provide a complete self-contained dispensing station for parties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventors: Robert White, Richard White
  • Patent number: 6651457
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to improve heat efficiency of an absorption refrigerator driven by exhaust heat supplied from the other apparatus as a part of heat sources. A diluted absorption liquid that absorbs a refrigerant in an absorber to decrease in concentration of the absorption liquid is discharged to the absorption liquid pipe and then branched to be supplied to first and second spaces of an exhaust heat regenerator. The diluted absorption liquid is heated by exhaust gas supplied through the exhaust heat supply pipe in each space and concentrated and regenerated for the first time. The absorption liquid concentrated and regenerated in the first space is supplied to a high-temperature regenerator and further heated by a gas burner. The heated absorption liquid is flown into a vapor-liquid separator in a mixed state of vapor and liquid, and then separated into refrigerant vapor and further concentrated absorption liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Air Conditioning Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Hoshino, Masahiro Furukawa
  • Patent number: 6651458
    Abstract: An internal intermediate pressure type two-stage compression rotary compressor (10) is provided with an electrically driven element (14) disposed within a sealed vessel (12), and first and second rotary compression elements (32, 34) driven by the electrically driven element (14), and is structured such as to discharge CO2 refrigerant gas compressed at a first stage by the first rotary compression element (32) within the sealed vessel (12) and compress the discharged refrigerant gas having an intermediate pressure at a second stage by the second rotary compression element (34) via an accumulator (106). The rotary compression elements (32, 34) include upper and lower cylinders (38, 40), upper and lower rollers (46, 48) eccentrically rotating within the cylinder and upper and lower vanes (50, 52) brought into contact with the rollers so as to section the inner portions of the upper and lower cylinders into high pressure chambers and low pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ebara, Masaya Tadano, Takashi Yamakawa, Atsushi Oda
  • Patent number: 6651459
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of hyperpolarizing a gas sample. The method cryogenically forming a solidified gas structure from the sample gas, the solidified gas structure being surrounded by 3He. A magnetic field is then to the solidified gas structure and the 3He to thereby polarize the solidified gas structure, before the 3He is removed to thereby leave a solidified gas structure of hyperpolarized sample gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Oxford Instruments Superconductivity Limited
    Inventor: Neal Frederick Kalechofsky
  • Patent number: 6651460
    Abstract: Oxygen-containing gas comprising no more than about 50 mol % oxygen is fed (150) to an auxiliary separation column (40) in a multiple column cryogenic air distillation system comprising at least a higher pressure (“HP”) column (10) and a lower pressure (“LP”) column (30) for separation into nitrogen-rich overhead vapor and oxygen-rich liquid. Oxygen-rich liquid is fed (154) from the auxiliary column (40) to an intermediate location in the LP column (30). The auxiliary column (40) is refluxed with a liquid stream from or derived from the HP column (10). One advantage of the invention is that the diameter of the upper sections (II, III) of the LP column (30) need no longer be larger than the diameter of the rest of the column system thereby increasing the capacity of the column system (under the constraint of a defined maximum column section diameter).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Declan P. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 6651461
    Abstract: A conveyor belt including a series of predefined sections and elevated support structures at the edges of each section for supporting items on the belt above the belt at each section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Paul J. Richter
  • Patent number: 6651462
    Abstract: Knitting of a neckline 10 formed in a front body 2a of seamlessly knitted, sleeved knitwear, such as a sweater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6651463
    Abstract: This knitted boxer comprises a shorts part (3) forming two leg openings and a crotch part; the crotch part is made of a knitted part of two adjacent pieces of different tension, with a pinched piece (25) sewn onto a front seam (10) connecting the two leg openings and a non-pinched part sewn onto a rear seam connecting the two leg openings, the rear seam being longer than the front seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sara Lee Corporation
    Inventor: Michel Andre Bonnin
  • Patent number: 6651464
    Abstract: A selector actuator is provided with two controlled attraction parts (5, 6) and three non-controlled attraction parts (7, 8, 9). In the controlled attraction part (5), two magnetic coil poles having attraction sites (16a, 16b) at their top ends are arranged with a magnet in between them. In the non-controlled attraction part (7), three yokes (32a, 32b, 32c) having attraction sites (33a, 33b, 33c) at their top ends are arranged with two permanent magnets (31a, 31b) sandwiched in between them. The controlled attraction part (6) and the non-controlled attraction parts (8, 9) are similarly arranged, respectively. Each magnetic coil pole is arranged to oppose to the ends of two yokes of the same non-controlled attraction part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ueyama
  • Patent number: 6651465
    Abstract: An anti-splash hose retainer (36) includes a substantially cylindrical body portion (38) having a first open end (40) and a second open end (42). The cylindrical body and is defined by an inner surface (46) and an outer surface (48). The inside diameter of the body portion is greater than or equal to the outside diameter of an associated drain hose. In an alternate embodiment, the body portion includes a vertical slit (80) and has an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of the drain hose. A flexible and resilient hook member (50), adapted to secure the hose retainer to an upwardly extending sidewall (52) of a drain receptacle (12), extends from the outer surface of the body portion. The hook member, which is substantially “S” shaped, has a first end (54) operatively connected to the outer surface of the body portion and a second free end (56) spaced along the body portion from the first end. A spine member (66) is included on a portion of an outer surface of the hook member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Terry V. Stewart
  • Patent number: 6651466
    Abstract: A dual lock system includes a housing for enclosing an actuating mechanism, a latch bolt, a dead bolt, a stop block, a lock core, and a safe therein. Upper and lower openings are provided in a faceplate to allow extension and retraction of the latch bolt and the dead bolt. Two upper actuating plates are pivotable by operation of the inside handle and the outside handle, respectively. When the dual lock assembly is in a locked status, rotation of the inside handle is allowed to simultaneously retract the deadbolt and the latch bolt, yet rotation of the outside handle is prohibited by a stop piece of the stop block. The latch bolt can be rotated through 180° when extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Simon Shih
  • Patent number: 6651467
    Abstract: A slam-capable, T-handle operated rotary latch has a pan-shaped housing for nesting the T-handle and employs a single rotary jaw that is releasably retained in its latched. position by a rotary pawl. The latch has spaced first and second side plates that sandwich the rotary jaw, the rotary pawl and a torsion spring that biases the jaw toward an open position. The pawl defines a release trigger which, when tripped, permits the jaw to be pivoted by the torsion spring to an open position. A compact arrangement of stop formations and independently pivotal operating arms is provided adjacent a backwall of the housing to enable the T-handle to trip the release trigger during forward pivoting of the T-handle and the operating arms in opposition to the action of a return spring, and to limit reverse pivotal movement of the operating arms and the T-handle under the influence of the return spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Scott A. Arthurs
  • Patent number: 6651468
    Abstract: Clutch device for locks which consists of an interior axis, an exterior axis, a frame or static body, an elastic element, a radial trigger, a radial trigger lock and a radial actuator; wherein: the interior axis, exterior axis and static body comprise a coaxial assembly in which the exterior axis penetrates an axial cavity of the interior axis while both axes are assembled within the static body, the elastic element is in a fixed relative position with respect to the static body and in an annular housing defined between this static body and the interior axis, the radial trigger is lodged in a movable position within the interior axis and has a length equal to the difference between the exterior diameter of the exterior axis and the interior diameter of the static body, the radial trigger lock is installed within the exterior axis with its tip in the exterior diameter of this exterior axis and with its tail end placed against one end of a radial compression spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Talleres de Escoriaza, S.A.
    Inventors: Luis Angel Ruano Aramburu, Fermin Menta San Miguel
  • Patent number: 6651469
    Abstract: A seat retainer arrangement for use on the cargo compartment of a pickup truck or the like comprising a substantially rigid, longitudinally extensible and retractable arm member for engagement removably to respective joints on the bed liner sections covering two opposite side walls of the cargo compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Antonio M. Arias
  • Patent number: 6651470
    Abstract: A system for ornamenting a key. The system for ornamenting a key according to the present invention includes a casing. One or more threaded rods with casing are provided for securing a key or key blank within the casing. In an alternative embodiment, a bore, a notch, and a tray formed with a neck for securing a key or key blank using one or more threaded rods is provided. The casing itself may be ornamented, and the securing a key or key blank within the casing also may be ornamented. The key is removably securable within the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: W. Michael Rafter
  • Patent number: 6651471
    Abstract: Fork of the self-centering oscillating type, particularly for the bending angle measuring, in a pressbrake including at least a fork provided along a matrix or a matrix fractioned element, able to detect the real inclination of the two specular planes of a pressed-bent sheet-plate, each having two detection points, one of which is static and known, and the other one is dynamic. The fork including a forked end and a relative shank which interacts with a position transducer, communicating with a data processing logic unit which controls the pressbrake. The fork being hinged in correspondence with the shank top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Luciano Gasparini
  • Patent number: 6651472
    Abstract: A numerical control device for a bending machine includes a keyboard, a memory and a processor. The memory stores one or more groups of data, each containing bending conditions, a bend angle and at least one penetration depth. The memory further stores program instructions for searching whether data input with the keyboard is stored in the memory, in a same group of data, and that sends a signal to the bending machine so that the bending machine peforms bending according to the penetration depth included in the group of data. The processor that executes said program instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Amada Europe
    Inventor: Brahim Chebbi
  • Patent number: 6651473
    Abstract: Seamless tubing of a nonferrous material is made by continuously and concomitantly advancing a tubular workpiece of the nonferrous material along an axis through a rolling station, radially squeezing the workpiece in the station between external rolls and an internal mandrel to radially reduce a wall thickness of the workpiece and increase an axial length of the workpiece so that the workpiece is heated, and spraying a liquid coolant against the workpiece in and upstream of the station to maintain the workpiece at a temperature below a recrystallization temperature of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: SMS Meer GmbH
    Inventor: Erling Roller
  • Patent number: 6651474
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for fixed-rolling radii or recesses on main (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) or connecting rod bearings (1′, 2′, 3′, 4′) of crankshafts (6) by means of fixed rollers and supporting rollers on the respective main (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) or connecting rod bearings (1′, 2′, 3′, 4′) to support the rolling force exerted on the crankshaft (6) by the fixed rollers. A device is provided for applying an additional external load (12) in the direction of the load on the crankshaft (6) that arises during operation while fixed-rolling the radii or recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Hegenscheidt-MFD GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alfred Heimann
  • Patent number: 6651475
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing bends in tubes, including a bending die assembly having a fixed die section that is rigidly mounted to a support member and at least one a movable die section that is movable relative to the fixed section. When used to make “wrinkle” bends the die assembly includes a pair of moveable die section that are moveable relative to the fixed die section and relative to each other along a predetermined path. The movable die section or sections are supported for movement in a common plane and include camming pins engageable with slots formed in the support member, such that the engagement of the pins with the associated slots define paths of movement for the die sections. When used to make “wrinkle” bends, the fixed die section and movable die sections define wrinkle receiving recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Beckett Gas, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. O'Donnell, Richard D. Cook
  • Patent number: 6651476
    Abstract: A roll-type straightening and feed mechanism includes opposing sets of straightening rolls adapted to straighten coil stock as it travels therebetween, opposing feed rolls adapted to grip the coil stock therebetween to advance the straightened coil stock to a using station, and operators connected to simultaneously separate the straightening rolls and the feed rolls and release the coil stock therebetween, and to simultaneously reset the straightening rolls and the feed roll and re-grip the coil stock for advancing straightened stock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mechanical Tool & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Richard D. Nordlof
  • Patent number: 6651477
    Abstract: A process of producing from an elongate tube a tubular structural component having a first longitudinal section integrally connected to a second longitudinal section, the second section being located at the end of the tube and being of a desired cross-sectional shape and size, the cross-sectional size of the second section being greater than that of the first section, the process including selecting a mandrel having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the second section, relatively axially feeding said end of the tube over the mandrel in order to form said second section, the choice of the size of mandrel and the rate of feed and the axial pressure applied to said tube being controlled such that the wall thickness of the second section is on average at least 70 percent of the average wall thickness of the first wall section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: GKN Autostructures Limited
    Inventors: Peter Humphries, Alexander Mark Duff, Simon Jonathan Giles Griffiths
  • Patent number: 6651478
    Abstract: An assembly is provided which can crimp or compress an intraluminal device or measure the radial strength of an intraluminal device. The device includes a stationary disk and a drive disk for imparting movement to a number of wedges attached to linear sliders on the stationary disk. As rotational movement is imparted by the drive disk to the wedges, the wedges move in a linear direction to form a crimping motion for use in crimping an intravascular intraluminal device onto a catheter or a mandrel. Alternatively, the same motion of the wedges is used to measure the radial strength of an intraluminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Arkady Kokish
  • Patent number: 6651479
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a one piece sinker reversibly attachable to a fishing line. The sinker is a streamlined, truncated cone shape having a line accepting passage along the center line thereof. The sinker includes line centering surfaces to prevent line twist as the sinker is drawn though water, and a elongated thumb slot for inserting a tool having a length longer than the sinker to allow a user to manually opening the sinker. Also disclosed is a method of making the sinker employing a unique core blade punch for forming the line accepting passage with the sinker jaws having discontinuous but mateable line engaging surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Water Gremlin Company
    Inventor: Geoffrey S. Ratte
  • Patent number: 6651480
    Abstract: The mass of particulate matter in a particle laden gas stream is measured using a single mass detector. The particle laden gas stream and a substantially identical but particle-free gas stream alternately engage the mass detector during successive measurement time periods. A difference between a reading provided by the mass detector for a current measurement time period and a reading provided by the mass detector for a consecutive measurement time period is determined. This difference intrinsically corrects for volatilization losses occurring during the current measurement time period. A measure of the mass or concentration of particulate matter in the particulate laden gas is determined from this difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Rupprecht & Patashnick Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Harvey Patashnick, Georg Rupprecht
  • Patent number: 6651481
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods are provided that use light sources instead of sound sources for characterizing and calibrating sensors for measuring small pressures to mitigate many of the problems with using sound sources. In one embodiment an apparatus has a light source for directing a beam of light on a sensing surface of a pressure sensor for exerting a force on the sensing surface. The pressure sensor generates an electrical signal indicative of the force exerted on the sensing surface. A modulator modulates the beam of light. A signal processor is electrically coupled to the pressure sensor for receiving the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Robert C Youngquist
  • Patent number: 6651482
    Abstract: An apparatus 10 for measuring and/or analyzing the rollover characteristics of a vehicle 12. Apparatus 10 includes a controller 14, a selectively movable test fixture assembly 16, a truck or towing vehicle 18 which is coupled to trailer assembly 16 and which selectively tows or drives assembly 16, several cameras 22, 24, 26 and 28, and a user interface 30. Vehicle 12 is attached to test fixture 16, and user interface 30 is used to activate motor assembly 36 which selectively rotates vehicle 12 to a desired roll angle 90 relative to the ground surface 43. Once vehicle 12 is correctly positioned, an operator drives truck 18 at a predetermined and desired speed. Controller 14 generates release signals to exploding bolts 86, 88, which simultaneously explode, thereby releasing vehicle 12 from frame 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Exponent, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Moffatt, Eddie Cooper
  • Patent number: 6651483
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for monitoring the fluidic contents of a tank. The tank includes a quick disconnect valve and an assembly includes a monitor device, such as, for example, a gas density monitor, a pressure monitor, a temperature monitor, etc., and a quick disconnect fitting. The monitor device is coupled to the quick disconnect fitting. The quick disconnect fitting is adapted to couple to the quick disconnect valve such that the interior of the quick disconnect fitting is in fluidic communication with the interior of the monitor device for reducing the chance of leakage upon connection/disconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Jeffry R. Meyer, Willie B. Freeman, Caroline Komlenic
  • Patent number: 6651484
    Abstract: A device for measuring the specific density of a gaseous or liquid medium (8) having an acoustic transducer (1), which is active on both sides, and further having cylindrical delay paths (4, 5) as well as a ring (6) in which the acoustic transducer (1) is embedded. The diameter of the acoustic transducer (1) is selected such that it is smaller than the diameter of the delay paths (4, 5) so that diffracted waves generated in the area of the edge of the acoustic transducer generate fewer parasitic echoes and surface waves on the boundary surfaces (7, 9) resulting in less corruption of the measured result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus-Dieter Fiebelkorn, Alf Puettmer
  • Patent number: 6651485
    Abstract: A method of determining the viscosity of an operating liquid, such as engine oil, in an internal combustion engine uses a sensor having a measuring chamber for determining the liquid level and its variation. The measuring chamber is connected via a damping device to a reservoir of the operating liquid. On starting the internal combustion engine, the variation in the liquid level is measured in the measuring chamber of the sensor and the variation of the level over time is used as a measure for determining the viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Hubrich, Michael Pulvermueller
  • Patent number: 6651486
    Abstract: A pressure testing device comprising a connector adapted to engage a gas line containing a gas supply under pressure is provided. The pressure testing device includes a measuring device and a compressible pump. The measuring device operably communicates with the connector and is responsive to variations in pressure of the gas supply. The compressible pump has an input port and an exhaust port. The input port is adapted to receive ambient gases and the exhaust port is adapted to communicate with the measuring device for delivering ambient gas pressure to the measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Basic Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny A. Johnson, Richard E. Shelton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6651487
    Abstract: A reactive test strip having a pre-exposure color is used to measure and indicate the concentration of copper ions in brake fluid in terms of a readily visible color change. The strip is immersed in the fluid within a brake fluid container and any resulting color change is compared to a color chart and a known test standard representative of the maximum metal concentration determined empirically to correspond to a boiling point considered safe for normal operation. If the color change indicates a higher copper concentration than the known test standard, then the fluid is considered inadequate for safe operation and thus recommended for replacement without any further tests. Similar copper or metal strips can also be used in a similar test to determine iron or zinc concentration within the brake fluid so as to also determine suitability of the brake fluid for ensuring safe operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Phoenix Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jon A. Petty
  • Patent number: 6651488
    Abstract: Systems and methods of monitoring thin film deposition are described. In one aspect, a thin film deposition sensor includes an acoustical resonator (e.g., a thin film bulk acoustical resonator) that has an exposed surface and is responsive to thin film material deposits on the exposed surface. A substrate clip may be configured to attach the thin film deposition sensor to a substrate. A transceiver circuit may be configured to enable the thin film deposition sensor to be interrogated wirelessly. A method of monitoring a thin film deposition on a substrate also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Larson, III, Herbert L. Ko, Richard K. Karlquist, Mark A. Hueschen, Kent W. Carey
  • Patent number: 6651489
    Abstract: A detecting device for a cycle includes a sprocket rotatably secured on a shaft, the shaft has an actuator for actuating the sprocket to rotate relative to the shaft. A device may be used for detecting the angular displacement between the shaft and the sprocket, in order to obtain or to calculate the power and the energy and the torque required to rotate the shaft and to drive the cycle. The motor device for driving the cycle may be actuated with less energy while moving down hill. A greater energy may be applied to the motor device while climbing up the hill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Morgan Yang
  • Patent number: 6651490
    Abstract: A process for detecting a misfire in one or more cylinders of an internal combustion engine, including sampling the exhaust gas pressure values during at least one engine cycle at a sampling frequency proportional to the crankshaft rotational speed, analyzing the sampled signal in the frequency domain, calculating a misfire index from the analysis, comparing the index with one or more threshold values, and identifying a misfire based on the comparison of the index with the threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Ceccarani, Corrado Rebottini, Riccardo Bettini, Piero Campi
  • Patent number: 6651491
    Abstract: There is provided a failure diagnostic system of an evaporated fuel processing system, which comprises a first failure diagnostic device that shuts off an evaporated fuel purge passage connecting a fuel tank and an engine intake passage from the air and determines whether there is any leakage from a large hole by monitoring the degree of increase in pressure in the fuel tank in which engine intake negative pressure is introduced; and a second failure diagnostic device that reduces a pressure the fuel tank to a predetermined negative pressure and seals off the fuel tank from the air to carry out failure diagnosis as to whether there is any leakage from a small hole by monitoring the degree of increase in pressure in the fuel tank. An operating range of the second failure diagnostic device is set to substantially include an operating range of the first failure diagnostic device and to be extended from the operating range of the first failure diagnostic device to include a lower intake negative pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Satoshi Nagashima, Yoichiro Ando, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 6651492
    Abstract: A method for controlling partial air pressure in an intake manifold of an engine. The engine has an intake throttle device for controlling a flow of air to the intake manifold. An EGR valve is provided for controlling a flow of exhaust gas from the engine to the intake manifold downstream of the intake throttle. The engine has at least one cylinder fed a flow comprising air passing through the throttle to the intake manifold and exhaust products passing through the EGR valve to the intake manifold. Both the air through the throttle and the exhaust gas products in the intake manifold are passed as a combined flow to the intake manifold and then to the at least one cylinder. The method includes: specifying a dynamic reference model for the desired partial pressure of the air as a function of time; and controlling the flow through the intake throttle device in accordance with an estimated EGR flow obtained by a dynamic observer and an estimate of partial air fraction in the exhaust gas products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ilya V. Kolmanovsky, Alexander Anatoljevich Stotsky
  • Patent number: 6651493
    Abstract: A dynamometer provides an apparatus and method for testing a torque converter without requiring that an automotive transmission be attached. The dynamometer includes a prime mover mounted on a frame for driving the torque converter. A dynamic loading device with an eddy current brake is movably mounted on the frame. An adapter extends between the loading device and the torque converter and has passages for routing hydraulic fluid to and from the torque converter. Sensors connected to a computer monitor pressures, temperatures and fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Hicklin Engineering, L.C.
    Inventors: John E. Myers, Randy A. Nation, Lawrence G. Kruse
  • Patent number: 6651494
    Abstract: A highly dependable process and device for monitoring wear for a holding brake is performed via an electronically controlled brake test. A shaft which is drivable by a motor can be braked by the holding brake. A reference angular position which is to be traveled by the motor during the brake test and which deviates from the current actual angular position of the motor is preset along with a maximum limit torque to be applied by the motor during the brake test are preset for the motor. During the brake test, the actual angular position of the shaft is monitored to determine whether the shaft rotates. The existence of wear in the holding brake is evidenced by rotation of the shaft during the brake test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mammesmann AG
    Inventors: Thomas Herterich, Wolfgang Rüppel, Eberhard Schemm
  • Patent number: 6651495
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting the condition of an item and, particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus and method for detecting a specific condition of a motor vehicle tire. The invention provides apparatus comprising a structure for radiating radio frequency energy in response to a reception by said structure of radio frequency energy; said structure having a first configuration which, in use, is changed to a second configuration in response to said item attaining said specific condition; said change in configuration producing a detectable difference in radio frequency energy radiated from said structure. Apparatus according to the present invention thereby allows for the remote interrogation of the condition of an item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Transense Technologies plc
    Inventors: Anthony Lonsdale, Bryan Lonsdale
  • Patent number: 6651496
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus for making magnetic and gravity component measurements in a borehole, including measurements made while the apparatus is rotating about the borehole axis, comprising a magnetic field component sensing device having at least two axes of sensitivity normal to the borehole axis and normal to each other, a gravity field component sensing device having at least two axes of sensitivity normal to the borehole axis and normal to each other, an inertial angular rotation sensing device having an axis of sensitivity along the borehole axis to sense inertial angular motion about the borehole axis, control, power and processing circuitry to operate said sensing devices and to process the outputs of said sensing devices to obtain stabilized component data in a coordinate system that does not rotate with the said measurement apparatus, communication circuitry to transmit output data to auxiliary equipment at the surface or in the borehole, and support structure to support the sensing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Scientific Drilling International
    Inventors: Donald H. Van Steenwyk, James N. Towle, Hans S. Fairchild
  • Patent number: 6651497
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pitching training tool, comprising a rod-shaped body portion, which has a hollow, cylindrical shaft portion that is lighter than a regulation ball, and a gripping portion, which is integrally formed to one end of this shaft portion; an acceleration sensor or other such detector, which is incorporated in the gripping portion side of this rod-shaped body portion, and which detects a state of motion when the rod-shaped body portion is swung around; an arithmetic processing portion for performing computations based on motion state data from this detector; and a display for displaying the results of computations by the arithmetic processing portion, and is constituted so as to compute in the computing portion at least the rotational speed of the rod-shaped body portion based on the detection results by this detector and to display same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Imatoh
  • Patent number: 6651498
    Abstract: A vibratory gyroscope for detecting a turning angular rate of rotation applied to a vibrator in a predetermined temperature range is disclosed. The vibratory gyroscope has a vibrator, a supporting member for supporting the vibrator and an adhesive portion made of an adhesive provided between the supporting member and the vibrator for bonding the vibrator to the supporting member. The vibratory gyroscope detects a turning angular rate based on a detecting vibration excited in the vibrator according to rotation when a driving vibration is excited in the vibrator. The adhesive has a tan &dgr; not higher than 0.1 within the temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kikuchi, Shosaku Gouji, Yukihisa Osugi, Takao Soma, Yuji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6651499
    Abstract: A vibrating structure gyroscope having a vibrating structure (3) primary drive means (4) and secondary drive means (7) and primary pick-off means (2) an secondary pick-off means (6) is provided with a control system. The control system includes a primary closed control loop (1) for controllably varying the drive signal applied to the primary drive means (4), a secondary closed control loop (5) for controllably varying the drive signal applied to the secondary drive means (7) in order to maintain a null value of the secondary pick-off means (6) and means (30) for actively adjusting the scalefactor in the primary and secondary closed control loops (1, 5). The means (30) includes means (34) for dividing a rate response signal from the loop (5) by a signal indicative of the amplitude of the primary mode vibration. The output form the means (34) is filtered to provide an applied rate output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventors: Christopher P Fell, Kevin Townsend
  • Patent number: 6651500
    Abstract: An integrated rate and accelerometer sensor includes two counter vibrating tuned accelerometers formed in a single substantially planar silicon body to form the sensing element. The two vibrating accelerometers are interleaved in a manner that places their respective centers of mass in the same line parallel to the direction of the vibration and has the centers of percussion of the two (pendulum) proof masses coincident. A phase insensitive quadrature nulling method is utilized for each of the two vibrating accelerometers. The sensor structure utilizes Pyrex for the top and bottom covers. Metalized electrodes, feedthrus and contact pads are also utilized for the sensing element, instead of interlayer wire bonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Stewart, Stanley F. Wyse