Patents Issued in December 4, 2007
  • Patent number: 7302824
    Abstract: A system for pushing or punching out deformations in automotive components. The system consists of a support frame, a top rail on a support frame, a hydraulic press that may be suspended at any point along the top rail of a support frame, a mounting surface and a tool head assembly for attaching to the hydraulic press. The system provides a press assembly that is portable and allows quick and easy repair of a damaged automotive component. The system provides the user with increased flexibility to modify the position and alignment of the tool assembly for positioning at the center of the deformation and thereby increasing the accuracy with which a user may restore the original shape of the automotive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Donald J. Buckler, Randy W. Garmon
  • Patent number: 7302825
    Abstract: A suspension testing or demonstrating apparatus includes a first section of track having a first undulation that displaces a wheel of the vehicle by a first predetermined amount when the wheel traverses at least a portion of the first undulation. A second section of track is positioned proximate to the first section of track such that the wheel traverses the second section of track after traversing the first section of track. The second section of track includes a second undulation that displaces the wheel of the vehicle by a second predetermined amount when the wheel traverses at least a portion of the second undulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence D. Knox
  • Patent number: 7302826
    Abstract: Provided are shock waveform synthesis methods for a shock response spectrum over a short time interval, which are used for a shock response spectrum test. For the purpose, the shock response spectrum test is performed by including the steps of: obtaining each time ?k (k=1, 2, . . . , M) at which a maximax value is detected in the response history due to a zero delay wavelet input, wherein a natural frequency of the SDOF system with a Q (quality factor) of 10 equals to the wavelet frequency of the zero delay wavelet input; and establishing each delay time ?k as ?k=?1??k (k=1, 2, . . . , M).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Agency For Defense Development
    Inventor: Eul-Jae Yoon
  • Patent number: 7302827
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the concentration of gas, such as hydrogen, in a liquid, such as molten aluminum, without requiring a bias or adjustment to compensate for variations in ambient conditions, such as humidity. A measurement system includes a probe connected to an analyzer with a housing enclosing a pump assembly. The measurement system may include a climate-controlled environment substantially devoid of ambient humidity and surrounding at least the pump assembly. A modified pump assembly includes at least one seal, at least one diaphragm and at least one gasket made from a material compatible with hydrogen and substantially unaffected by ambient humidity. A method of use is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Todd M. Gansemer, Jim N. Hart
  • Patent number: 7302828
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor includes a tubular casing; an oxygen detecting element installed in a leading end of the tubular casing; lead wires each extending from the oxygen detecting element to the outside of the tubular casing through an open base end of the tubular casing, each lead wire including a core wire of metal; a rubber bush plugged in the open base end of the tubular casing, the rubber bush having the lead wires passed therethrough; and a heat resisting structure for protecting the rubber bush from a high temperature. The heat resisting structure is constructed to satisfy the following inequality: 10%?Al/Ar?50%, wherein: Al: The sectional area in total of the lead wires; and Ar: The sectional area of the rubber bush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Uchikawa, Masao Tsukada, Shoichi Sakai, Masami Kawashima, Keiji Mori
  • Patent number: 7302829
    Abstract: The invention provides a contactless sensor device operable for sensing water vapor or a predetermined chemical vapor including a thin film, wherein the thin film includes a nanostructured sensing layer and a soft magnetic layer disposed directly adjacent to the nanostructured sensing layer. The thin film has a first mass, a first density, and a first magnetostrictive resonance frequency prior to the nanostructured sensing layer adsorbing a predetermined amount of a predetermined vapor and a second mass, a second density, and a second magnetostrictive resonance frequency subsequent to the nanostructured sensing layer adsorbing the predetermined amount of the predetermined vapor. The sensor device also includes a driving coil disposed indirectly adjacent to and at a predetermined distance from the thin film, the driving coil operable for generating an alternating-current magnetic field used to query a shift in the magnetostrictive resonance frequency of the thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Anis Zribi
  • Patent number: 7302830
    Abstract: An improved system, device and method for characterizing a fluid sample that includes injecting a fluid sample into a mobile phase of a flow characterization system, and detecting a property of the fluid sample or of a component thereof with a flow detector comprising a mechanical resonator, preferably one that is operated at a frequency less than about 1 MHz, such as a tuning fork resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Kolosov, Leonid Matsiev, Miroslav Petro
  • Patent number: 7302831
    Abstract: A device and method for scratch and/or mar testing the surface of a material specimen. In an embodiment, the scratch testing device comprises a scratching member. In addition, the scratch testing device comprises a carriage operable to move the scratching member. Further, the scratch testing device comprises a load mechanism, wherein the load mechanism applies a load to the scratching member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Allan H. Moyse, Hung-Jue Su
  • Patent number: 7302832
    Abstract: A surface analysis device is disclosed for identifying molecules by simultaneously scanning nanocodes on a surface of a substrate. The device includes a scanning array that is capable of simultaneously scanning the nanocodes on the surface of the substrate and an analyzer that is coupled with the scanning array. The analyzer is capable of receiving simultaneously scanned information from the scanning array and identifying molecules associated with the nanocodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Berlin, Narayanan Sundararajan, Mineo Yamakawa, Valluri R. Rao
  • Patent number: 7302833
    Abstract: A method for measuring high frequency force of interaction between a tip of a cantilever and a sample includes providing a cantilever having a cantilever arm and a probe tip formed on a free end of the cantilever arm where the cantilever arm has a first shape and an axis of torsion associated with the first shape and the probe tip is positioned in an offset displacement from the axis of torsion, vibrating the cantilever at or near the fundamental flexural resonance frequency with a predetermined oscillation amplitude, bringing the cantilever to the vicinity of the sample, tapping the surface of the sample repeatedly using the probe tip, and detecting changes in the amplitude or the phase of a high frequency vibration harmonic of the cantilever as the cantilever is deflected in response to features on the surface of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Ozgur Sahin, Calvin F. Quate, Olav Solgaard
  • Patent number: 7302834
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the quantities of pollutants in the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines wherein an essentially constant and fully conditioned quantity of humidity and/or temperature-conditioned combustion gas is supplied to the internal combustion engine at each instant whose quantity corresponds to at least the maximum quantity required by the respective combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas is diluted with the quantity of combustion gas not used by the combustion engine, and then tested relative to quantities of pollutants and flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Erlach, Johann Simperl
  • Patent number: 7302835
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for determining a phase position between a crankshaft and a camshaft of an internal combustion engine. An internal combustion engine is provided with a crankshaft, a camshaft, at least one cylinder and an intake tract to which gas inlet valves are assigned that control the gas supply from the intake tract to the one or more cylinders and that are driven via the camshaft. The intake tract is associated with a pressure sensor that detects an intake tube pressure in a manifold of the intake tract. The phase position is determined depending on the intake tube pressure detected. The inventive method and device allows to determine the phase position in a simple manner and without any additional sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frédéric Galtier, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7302836
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tire distortion detecting method, a distortion detector, and a tire which can reduce the occurrence of a deterioration and can be used for a control system such as a stability control system. That is, series of conductors composed of a plurality of conductor pieces 101 and 102 are provided in two different layers. The conductor pieces 101 and 102 are embedded in lines at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of a tire 300. A pulsed electromagnetic wave is radiated to the surfaces of metal foils 101 and 102 in the layers from a monitoring device 200 provided in a tire house 400 of a vehicle. The monitoring device 200 receives a pulsed electromagnetic wave reflected from the metal foils 101 and 102 in the layers or a member other than the metal foils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company
    Inventor: Yutaka Hattori
  • Patent number: 7302837
    Abstract: A central tire inflation system for an agricultural implement that is linked to a work vehicle for movement in a field. The central tire inflation system includes a database of soil conditions corresponding to location, an implement load sensor, a location determiner, a processor, and tire inflation controller. The processor determines the proper inflation of implement tires based on factors including the soil conditions and implement load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Keith W. Wendte
  • Patent number: 7302838
    Abstract: A system is provided for controlling boundary layer shear stress adjacent a surface over which a fluid stream has been established. The system comprises a boundary layer control device adapted for altering at least one flow characteristic within a boundary layer in a selected region of the surface. The system further comprises a shear stress measurement system comprising a hot film sensor arrangement having at least one hot film sensor element appliable to the surface in the selected region. The at least one hot film sensor element is connected to an anemometer circuit configured to provide a sensor signal corresponding to heat transfer from the associated hot film sensor to the fluid stream. The system also comprises a control module in communication with the anemometer arrangement and the boundary layer control device. The control module is adapted for receiving and processing sensor signals signal from the anemometer circuit and for providing input signals to the boundary layer control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Tao of Systems Integration, Inc.
    Inventor: Siva M. Mangalam
  • Patent number: 7302839
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of and system for gathering off-body pressure signature data from a scaled model in a wind tunnel. The data is gathered using a probe having multiple longitudinally disposed static pressure ports. Because of the number of ports and their spacing, the probe is able to remain stationary in the tunnel for the entire range of Mach numbers and model positions to be tested. Thus, tunnel flow characteristics can be easily and effectively removed. The system also has an automated model positioning system which enables settings at different pitch, yaw, and roll angles. This enables the user to locate the model so that it can be traversed at a fixed distance above the probe while maintaining the desired angular orientation of the model. By repeatedly traversing the model at different angular orientations, a detailed and accurate off-body pressure distribution can be obtained. The wind tunnel test technique captures full off-body pressure signatures in a complete 360 degree azimuthal range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Cessna Aircraft Company
    Inventors: John Felter, Michael Thacker, Kelly Laflin
  • Patent number: 7302840
    Abstract: An aerodynamic or hydrodynamic test apparatus that permits all air to be evacuated from the test enclosure, such that no free liquid surfaces remain. This permits more accurate testing of structures, particularly at low Reynolds numbers. The apparatus includes a seal that allows the elimination of a liquid free surface. The seal is disposed in a slit on an upper surface of the enclosure and can include one or more inflatable sealing members. The upper surface of the enclosure is preferably sloped upwardly towards the seal to prevent the entrapment of air bubbles within the enclosure. A method of testing using such an apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Ernest S. Hanff, Xing Zhong Huang
  • Patent number: 7302841
    Abstract: A free point tool comprises an elongated main shaft assembly and a low mass sensor assembly coaxially and slidingly disposed over the elongated main shaft. The low mass sensor assembly is adapted to be supported within the down hole casing by first and second drag spring centralizers coupled respectively to upper and lower ends of the low mass sensor assembly. The low mass sensor assembly comprises a magnetic amplifier sensor disposed in a sensor body and having a variable inductance proportionally responsive to longitudinal and rotational displacement of an adjacent sensor plate portion of a movable sensor sleeve concentric with and enclosing the sensor body, wherein the sensor sleeve is attached to the first drag spring centralizer and the sensor body is attached to the second drag spring centralizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventor: James D. Estes
  • Patent number: 7302842
    Abstract: A displacement measuring device measures a path of a moving object that can be displaced in a direction has at least one first component that is allocated to the moveable object and a second, stationary component. The components are interlinked for the purpose of converting a movement and/or displacement of the moving object into an electrical signal. The displacement measuring device also has an evaluating device for converting the electrical signal into movement and/or position information. The displacement measuring device has a high degree of accuracy, is not susceptible to wear, is resistant to vibration, shocks, or corrosion and is economical to use in almost all media. To this end, the first component is a spring element connecting the moving object and the second component is a force-measurement device which releases an electrical signal corresponding to the force that is exerted on the spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Klaus Biester, Peter Kunow
  • Patent number: 7302843
    Abstract: A housing structure for improving air flow to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine is claimed. The present invention is a replacement part for a factory-installed mass air flow sensor housing and is designed to allow for larger air flow through the housing through the use of a bypass air passage or calibration tube that reduces air flow as experienced by the mass air flow sensor. The calibration tube reduces air flow across the sensor with a larger bore on its inlet and a restriction in its outlet. The calibration tube is angled to reduce back flow from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: C & L Performance, Inc.
    Inventor: Lee Frederick Bender
  • Patent number: 7302844
    Abstract: The flow rate of a fluid flowing around a measuring element is measured using a guide for guiding an electromagnetic wave along the longitudinal extension thereof and at least one electric heating element that is placed adjacent to the guide. The guide can be heated by the heating element. An electromagnetic wave, which can be launched into the guide, can be influenced according to the temperature of the guide that is dependent on the flow rate of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Siegfried Birkle, Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7302845
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for energy conversion by gas flow over solid materials and also to a method for measurement of velocity of a gas flow over solid material such as doped semiconductors, graphite, and the like as a function of the 5 electricity generated in the solid material due to the flow of the gas along the surface thereof using a combination of the Seebeck effect and Bernoulli's principle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: M/S Indian Institute of Science
    Inventors: Ajay Kumar Sood, Shankar Ghosh
  • Patent number: 7302846
    Abstract: The present invention deals with determining the level of fluid in a container. Typically, a beverage container containing a liquid will absorb heat energy from the surrounding environment at a greater rate than a gaseous component in the headspace of the beverage container. Thus, as the liquid is drawn from a beverage container a greater headspace results. If a thermometric measuring device is employed along the height of the beverage container the volume may be determined by observing the difference in the temperature along the height of the beverage container. In practice, a beer keg may exhibit a difference of as much as 9° Fahrenheit on the exterior surface of the beer keg when measured at the headspace as opposed to the area where the liquid is present in the beverage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventor: Anthony J. Hadala
  • Patent number: 7302847
    Abstract: An angular rate sensor includes: a support substrate; a semiconductor layer; and a movable portion. The movable portion includes a driving vibration portion and a detecting vibration portion. The driving vibration portion is capable of vibrating in a first direction. The detecting vibration portion is capable of vibrating in a second direction. The driving vibration portion includes through holes, and the detecting vibration portion includes thorough holes. Each through hole of the driving vibration portion has an elongated shape extending in the first direction. Each through hole of the detecting vibration portion has an elongated shape extending in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Ito, Minoru Murata
  • Patent number: 7302848
    Abstract: A force compensated comb drive for a microelectromechanical system includes a MEMS mechanism for providing an output signal representative of a physical quantity; a comb drive for actuating the MEMS mechanism; a comb drive circuit for providing a drive signal to the comb drive for developing a predetermined displacement applied by the comb drive to the MEMS mechanism; an automatic gain control responsive to a change in the force to provide a correction signal to the comb drive circuit to maintain the predetermined motion; and a compensation device responsive to the correction signal for adjusting the output signal of the MEMS mechanism to compensate for errors in the output signal due to a change in the predetermined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony S. Kourepenis, Marc S. Weinberg, Richard Elliott, Steven Daley
  • Patent number: 7302849
    Abstract: The invention relates to monitoring of fluid-filled domains in various media including, for example, subterranean formations, construction elements, bones. Claimed are a method for determining characteristic sizes of a fluid-filled crack in a medium and a system for implementation thereof. In accordance with this method, oscillations of the fluid-filled crack are registered. Wave characteristics of standing interface waves propagating along the fluid-filled crack surfaces are determined based on the registered oscillations taking medium and fluid properties into account. The fluid-filled crack characteristic sizes are calculated based on the determined wave characteristics of the standing interface waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arkady Segal, Marc Jean Thiercelin, Christian Besson
  • Patent number: 7302850
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs high acoustic pressure and low acoustic pressure ultrasonic transmissions by switching at predetermined timing in the enhanced ultrasonography, and displays concurrently a replenishment image obtained through the low acoustic pressure transmission in real time like a moving picture, and a pre-flash image obtained through the low acoustic pressure transmission immediately before switching to the high acoustic pressure transmission like a still image to allow the operator to understand the structure at the level of capillaries. It is also possible to display a selected image obtained through the low acoustic pressure transmission at an arbitrary timing instead of the pre-flash image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Naohisa Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 7302851
    Abstract: A method of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) testing a component of an assembly is provided. The method includes positioning a transducer on a face of the component, transmitting ultrasonic waves into the component at a plurality of steering angles, receiving ultrasonic echoes, wherein each received echo is indicative of an acoustic impedance interface within the component, and analyzing the ultrasonic echoes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gerald John Czerw, Laurie Diane Donovan
  • Patent number: 7302852
    Abstract: A vibration measuring and monitoring system (100) for an object (20) includes a laser unit (11), a laser sensor unit (12), and a processor (15). The laser unit is used for emitting a laser beam (13). The laser sensor unit is used for receiving the laser beam, and the laser sensor detects a light intensity signal of the laser beam. The processor is used for processing the light intensity signal of the laser beam. The object is partially disposed between the laser unit and the laser sensor unit. The laser beam crosses the object and is received by the laser sensor unit. The processor obtains a vibration signal by processing the light intensity signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yang-Chang Chien
  • Patent number: 7302853
    Abstract: A sliding vibration-resisting building model includes a vibration machine having a vibration table provided thereon with a model base. Two vibration-resisting devices are fixed on the model base, and a model chassis is secured on the two vibration-resisting devices and a model testing structure is assembled on the model chassis. The vibration-resisting devices are able to lower the vibration of the model testing structure when the vibration machine carries out simulating earthquakes and reduce the energy received by the structure, able to elevate the vibration resistant strength of buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences
    Inventors: Sheng-Fu Peng, Chun-l Lee
  • Patent number: 7302854
    Abstract: A method for detecting a high pressure condition within a high voltage vacuum device includes detecting the position of a movable structure such as a bellows or flexible diaphragm. The position at high pressures can be detected optically by the interruption or reflection of light beams, or electrically by sensing contact closure or deflection via strain gauges. Electrical sensing is provided by microcircuits that are operated at high voltage device potentials, transmitting pressure information via RF or optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Jennings Technology
    Inventors: Solinda Egermeier, legal representative, Roderick C. Mosely, Steven Jay Randazzo, Bryce Sollazzi, John Egermeier, deceased
  • Patent number: 7302855
    Abstract: A pressure detection device includes a sensing part that outputs an electrical signal responsive to an applied pressure, a pressure receiving diaphragm that receives a pressure from a subject device, a cylindrical stem having a first end connected to the sensing part and a second end connected to the pressure receiving diaphragm, and a pressure transmission member located within the cylindrical member to transmit the pressure received by the pressure receiving diaphragm to the sensing part. In the pressure detection device, a side wall portion of the cylindrical stem has a spring portion which is provided to generate an elastic force in an axial direction of the cylindrical member. Accordingly, fluctuations in a spring characteristic acting on a pressure transmission mechanism of the pressure detection device can be effectively restricted by the spring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Teruo Oda
  • Patent number: 7302856
    Abstract: A highly sensitive and ultra-high density array of electromechanical nanowires is fabricated. Nanowires are extremely sensitive to the strain induced by the attachment of biological and chemical species. Real-time detection is realized through piezoresistive transduction from the specially designed materials that form the nanowires. These specially designed materials include doped silicon or germanium, doped III-V semiconductors such as GaAs, GaN and InAs systems, and ultra-thin metal films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Hongxing Tang, Michael L. Roukes
  • Patent number: 7302857
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sensor including forming an insulating layer on top of a conductive substrate, and forming a conducting electrode on top of the insulating layer. Further, the insulating layer is formed to include support areas formed at edges of the conducting electrode and a partial area formed under the conducting electrode, and a thickness (d2) of the partial area of the insulating layer is less than a thickness (d1) of the support areas of the insulating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Heikki Kuisma, Juha Lahdenperä, Risto Mutikainen
  • Patent number: 7302858
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a MEMS cantilever strain sensor. Capacitor plates in a MEMS device of the invention are carried on cantilevered opposing micro-scale plates separated by a micro-scale gap under an unstrained condition. At least one of the micro-scale plates may be attached to a substrate or forms a substrate, which may be part of a monitored system. When a load is applied to the substrate, distal ends of the opposing cantilevered micro-scale plates become further separated, resulting in a change of capacitance. The change of capacitance is proportional to a load and therefore is an indication of the strain. Electrodes may be integrated into the strain sensor to provide a connection to measurement circuitry, for example. Sensors of the invention also provide for telemetric communication using radio frequency (RF) energy and can be interrogated without a power supply to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Kevin Walsh, Mark Crain, William Hnat, Douglas Jackson, Ji-Tzuoh Lin, John Naber
  • Patent number: 7302859
    Abstract: In this device for indicating (10) pretensioning forces in a tensioning element (7), such as tie-down straps or tie-down ropes, the spring surrounds the tie bolt (3) which is located on the loop of the tie-down strap, and in response to weak forces describes a path (6) which is easily visible. The combination of two components which differ in shape allows the spring (1) to maintain its shape and spring constant. As a result, the pretensioning force is indicated directly, yet the spring is not subject to an additional load under high tensions but is protected by positive engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Spanset Inter AG
    Inventor: Andre Mamie
  • Patent number: 7302860
    Abstract: A panel testing device includes a frame, a first roller assembly pivotally mounted to the frame including a first roller and a second roller spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first roller. The panel testing device also includes a second roller assembly pivotally mounted to the frame having a third roller and a fourth roller spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the third roller. The device is configured such that the first and third rollers may be engaged with a first side of a test panel and the second and fourth rollers may be engaged with a second side of the test panel. The first and second roller assemblies are pivoted in opposing directions to bend the panel. A LASER displacement sensor is mounted on a movable manipulator measures the deflection of the panel as the panel is bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Timberco, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Uhlik, Paul Knuteson, Darren J. Robertson, Ed Starostovic, Leo Collins
  • Patent number: 7302861
    Abstract: A portable flow measuring apparatus includes an array of pressure sensors used to measure the acoustic and convective pressure variations in the flow to determine a desired parameter. A portable processing instrument processes the signals provided by the sensing array to provide an output signal indicative of a parameter of the fluid flow. The portable processing instrument includes a processor having appropriate processing algorithms to determine the desired or selected parameter(s) of the process flow 12. The portable processing instrument has a user interface to permit the user to select the parameters to be measured in the process flow, and/or more importantly, to enable the user to modify particular parameters or functions in the processor 30 and/or processing algorithms. The user interface 32 also enables a user to modify the code of the algorithm via a graphic user interface (GUI), keyboard and/or user input signal 34.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporation
    Inventors: Charles R. Winston, Michael A. Sapack, Patrick Curry, Daniel L. Gysling
  • Patent number: 7302862
    Abstract: A flow sensor 22 is provided on a wall surface of a flow path 4 in which a fluid to be measured. A member having minimal cross-section flow path 17 which has a diameter extremely smaller than that of the flow path 4 where the flow sensor 22 is provided is disposed at the downstream of the flow sensor 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Fujiwara, Satoshi Nozoe, Hidenari Kuribayashi
  • Patent number: 7302863
    Abstract: A method of improving the accuracy of a variable orifice flow meter that includes characterizing the flow coefficient of the flow meter orifice for different orifice openings and for different differential pressures. The method may be particularly useful with a flow metering and controlling device that includes a fluid flow conduit having at least one planar inner wall and an element having a linear edge configured to mate with the at least one planar inner wall of the fluid flow conduit. The element is movable relative to the conduit to define a flow orifice and vary a cross-sectional area of the orifice. The device also includes a processor configured to calculate the fluid flow based on the cross-sectional area of the orifice, the differential pressure, and the flow coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Rivatek Incorporated
    Inventors: John Allan Kielb, Grant Bradley Edwards, Dennis John Smith
  • Patent number: 7302864
    Abstract: A plurality of acoustic wave sensing devices can be provided, which are mechanically simulated for implementation upon a quartz wafer substrate. The quartz wafer substrate is appropriately etched to produce a quartz diaphragm from the quartz wafer substrate. A plurality of torque SAW sensing resonators can then be located upon the quartz wafer substrate, which is based upon previously mechanically simulated devices for implementation upon the substrate, together with a quartz cover to thereby produce a quartz torque sensor package from the quartz wafer substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: James Zt Liu, Steven J. Magee
  • Patent number: 7302865
    Abstract: A sensor mat, particularly for vehicle seats in connection with restraint systems, which includes at least one positioning strip that may be snapped onto a fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Schmied, Ralf Henne, Dietmar Jungen, Andreas Steier, Björn Wittmann
  • Patent number: 7302866
    Abstract: A phased array sensor assembly is presented that can be permanently adhered to and impart ultrasonic waves to a structural surface and receive ultrasonic waves from a structural surface. The sensor assembly includes piezo-electric disks, a plurality of electrically conductive epoxy film adhesive contacts positioned such that an electrical coupling is formed with the piezo-electric disks, piezo transducer flex wire trace circuits aligned to be electrically coupled respectively with the electrically conductive epoxy film adhesive contacts on one end and including a plurality of wire trace electrical contact pads on the other end, and a flexible polyimide layer. The polyimide layer includes laser ablated areas for exposing the contact pads such that they can be electrically coupled with an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew C. Malkin, Justin D. Kearns
  • Patent number: 7302867
    Abstract: A magnetic transducer element is formed by rotating an integral region of a shaft about an axis in the presence of a magnetic source. An annulus of magnetization results in having its magnetization in the axial direction. The exterior magnetic field emanated by the annulus exhibits respective axial magnetic profiles of its axially and radially directed components which have an axial shift under torque. The direction of profile shift depends on the rotational direction of the shaft while magnetization proceeds. A pair of regions exhibiting opposite shift directions provide signals in which torque-dependent shift is separated from axial displacements of the shaft. An annulus of magnetization may be non-uniform with angle about the shaft axis. Measures to prevent eddy currents generated in the rotting region of the shaft under magnetization are disclosed as we “sweet spots” for sensor placement to mitigate non-uniformity effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Abas, Inc.
    Inventor: Lutz Axel May
  • Patent number: 7302868
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for measuring forces acted upon a tire in which a radial force and a peripheral force acting to the tire, which are required for the high precision measurement of a friction coefficient on a road surface, are simply measured in a high precision by detecting a magnetic field formed by a magnet fixed to a tread portion of the tire by a magnetic sensor fixed to a rim and measuring the forces acting to the tire from a variant pattern of a magnetic flux density detected un the rotation of the tire and without influencing upon the balance of the tire, which contributes to the high precision measurement of the friction coefficient on the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shima, Katsuhiro Kobayashi, Wataru Seki, Yukio Aoike, Takahisa Shizuku
  • Patent number: 7302869
    Abstract: A pinion includes: a first pinion flange portion disposed so as to protrude radially at a front end of a pinion boss portion; and a second pinion flange portion disposed so as to protrude radially facing the first pinion flange portion from an opposite side of the pinion boss portion. A movement linking body includes: first and second engaging recess portions fitting together with the pinion boss portion and an intermediate gear boss portion; a first sliding surface coming into contact with the first pinion flange portion, the first sliding surface restricting rearward movement of the pinion; a second sliding surface coming into contact with a front-end end surface of the second pinion flange portion, the second sliding surface restricting forward movement of the pinion; and a third sliding surface coming into contact with the clutch cover, the third sliding surface restricting forward movement of the pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Kamei, Yoshiyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 7302870
    Abstract: Motor vehicle starter comprising a starter head provided with a pinion (1), a driver (2) and a coupling device with a conical clutch for coupling the pinion to the driver (2), in which the conical clutch comprises a first frustoconical friction surface (8) fixed to the pinion and a second frustoconical friction surface (8?) with a shape complementary to the first surface (8) and fixed to the driver and in which the coupling device comprises on the one hand a hollow-shaped coupling piece having. a bottom extended by an annular skirt directed axially towards one of the elements consisting of pinion and driver and on the other hand axially acting elastic means (10) bearing on a first stop fixed to the coupling piece for acting on a second stop fixed to one of the elements consisting of pinion and driver. The elastic means comprise axially deformable tongues (10b) and extend circumferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Gérard Vilou, Guy Faucon, Christian Mornieux, Chantal Bocquet, Gilles Vadin-Michaud
  • Patent number: 7302871
    Abstract: The invention relates to an oscillation generating device for use in a soil compacter with a tipping moment compensation device. A second unbalance shaft pair with oppositely rotating unbalance shafts is arranged adjacent to a first unbalance shaft pair as a tipping moment compensation device. Diagonally opposite unbalance shafts rotate in the same direction. In this way, centrifugal forces and torques on the two unbalance shaft pairs reciprocally cancel each other out so that no tipping moment occurs parallel to the axes of rotation of the unbalances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Bomag GmbH
    Inventor: Niels Laugwitz
  • Patent number: 7302872
    Abstract: At least one shift gate includes a stabilizing range for stabilizing an engagement between the engaging portion and the at least one shift gate. The system stops movement of the movable member by driving the actuator and determines a portion at the movable member as a shift gate reference position at a time when the movement of the movable member stops. The system moves the movable member by driving the actuator, stabilizes the engaging portion in the stabilizing range, and determines the stabilizing position of the engaging portion as a position of the at least one shift gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Aisin AI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ichikawa, Tatuhiro Miyake, Takeshige Miyazaki, Mitsutoshi Kamiya, Yoshiki Itoh, Hideyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 7302873
    Abstract: An angle drive having a housing (11) with a first axis (A1) for bearing means and a second axis (A2) for bearing means, which latter axis (A2) intersects the first axis (A1) at right angles, having an input shaft 16 which is supported in the housing, which carries an input ring gear (19) and is positioned on the first axis (A1), having an output shaft (28) which is supported in the housing, which carries an output gearwheel (27) and is positioned on the second axis (A2), having a counter ring gear 20 which is supported in the housing, which is positioned on the first axis (A1) and which, with reference to the second axis (A2) is arranged and designed symmetrically relative to the input ring gear (19), having at least one intermediate gearwheel which is supported in the housing, which is arranged on an axis (A3, A4) positioned radially relative to the first axis (A1) and in one plane together with the second axis (A2) and which is provided with the same type of toothing as the output gearwheel (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: GKN Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Nett