Roughness Patents (Class 73/105)
  • Patent number: 8925111
    Abstract: Provided are a scanning probe microscope and a method of operating the same. The scanning probe microscope includes a chuck configured to fix an object. A stacker is configured to load one or more cantilevers onto a head module. A stacker lifting element is configured to move the stacker in an up and down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wan-Sung Park, Sung-Ha Kim, Young-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8915124
    Abstract: A surface texture measuring apparatus includes a stylus displacement detector having a measurement arm which is able to swing, a pair of styli provided at a tip of the measurement arm, and a detection unit configured to detect swing amounts of the measurement arm, a stage configured to mount the subject of measurement thereon, and a relative movement mechanism configured to cause a relative movement between the detector and the stage. The apparatus includes a posture switching mechanism configured to switch a posture of the measurement arm between a posture in which the measurement arm is urged in one swing direction and a posture in which the measurement arm is urged in the other swing direction, and a speed control mechanism configured to control a switching speed of posture switching of the measurement arm to a preset speed when the posture of the measurement arm is switched by the posture switching mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8914911
    Abstract: Described are methods for magnetically actuating microcantilevers and magnetically actuated and self-heated microcantilevers. Also described are methods for determining viscoelastic properties and thermal transition temperatures of materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Anasys Instruments
    Inventors: William P. King, Craig Prater, Byeonghee Lee, Doug Gotthard
  • Patent number: 8891193
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of tracks. The head comprises a touchdown element operable to generate a touchdown signal. The touchdown signal is amplified by a gain to generate an amplified touchdown signal, and a touchdown event is detected by comparing the amplified touchdown signal to a threshold. During a calibration operation, the gain is adjusted and the threshold is adjusted until the amplified touchdown signal does not exceed the threshold. During a normal operation, the touchdown event is detected based at least partly on the adjusted gain and the adjusted threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Noureddine Kermiche, Xianghui Xiao, Scott A. St. John
  • Publication number: 20140326057
    Abstract: A surface property measuring apparatus includes a control unit, configured to control operations of a roughness measuring instrument and a relative moving mechanism, including: a measuring force command module configured to output a measuring command; and a measuring force control module configured to control the direction and magnitude of the measuring force, wherein the measuring force control module instructs a measuring force application unit of the roughness measuring instrument to generate therein the measuring force whose magnitude and direction are designated by the measuring force command when a displacement speed of a measuring arm is equal to or slower than a predetermined threshold, and the measuring force control module instructs the measuring force application unit to generate therein a force in a direction in which the distal end of the measuring arm is raised upwards when the displacement speed of the measuring arm exceeds the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8869601
    Abstract: A lever-type detector, a stylus, and an automatic stylus exchanger allow styluses of different types to be exchanged automatically and reduce the burden of exchanging the styluses of different types for the lever-type detector. An approximately U-shaped notch is formed in a seating plate provided for a stylus body. In order to attach a stylus to a stylus holder, the longitudinal direction of the stylus body is set in a direction orthogonal to the central axis of a shaft body of the stylus holder, and the seating plate is moved in the direction orthogonal to the central axis of the shaft body. Then, the notch guides the shaft body to the center of gravity of the whole stylus on the seating plate. With the shaft body guided to the center of gravity by the notch, a flat swinging member holds the seating plate detachably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamamoto, Atsushi Shimaoka
  • Patent number: 8869602
    Abstract: An AFM based technique has been demonstrated for performing highly localized IR spectroscopy on a sample surface by using the AFM probe to detect wavelength dependent IR radiation interaction, typically absorption with the sample in the region of the tip. The tip may be configured to produce electric field enhancement when illuminated by a radiation source. This enhancement allows for significantly reduced illumination power levels resulting in improved spatial resolution by confining the sample-radiation interaction to the region of field enhancement which is highly localized to the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Anasys Instruments Corp.
    Inventors: Mikhail Belkin, Feng Lu, Vladislav V. Yakolev, Craig Prater, Kevin Kjoller, Markus Raschke
  • Patent number: 8869590
    Abstract: A flexible member is coupled between an actuator arm and a slider. The flexible member facilitates relative motion in a tangential direction of a rotating medium. The relative motion is detected via a displacement sensor, and a friction between the slider and the rotating medium is determined based on the sensed relative motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Huiwen Liu, David Wobbe, Xuan Zheng, Timothy William Stoebe
  • Patent number: 8869311
    Abstract: A displacement detection mechanism for a vibrationally driven cantilever includes a vibration frequency detector comprised of an LC resonator that detects a change of capacitance between the cantilever and a sample surface due to a change of vibration of the cantilever, and an F-V converter or an FM demodulator that detects a voltage based on the vibration frequency, whereby displacement of the cantilever can be detected. The displacement detection mechanism can be used in a scanning probe microscope to perform shape measurement and physical property measurement without the presence of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Ryusuke Hirose
  • Patent number: 8863568
    Abstract: A device and method for characterizing quality of a conducting surface. The device including a gaseous ionizing chamber having centrally located inside the chamber a conducting sample to be tested to which a negative potential is applied, a plurality of anode or “sense” wires spaced regularly about the central test wire, a plurality of “field wires” at a negative potential are spaced regularly around the sense, and a plurality of “guard wires” at a positive potential are spaced regularly around the field wires in the chamber. The method utilizing the device to measure emission currents from the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Mac Mestayer, Steve Christo, Mark Taylor
  • Patent number: 8857247
    Abstract: A probe assembly for an instrument and a method of manufacture includes a substrate and a cantilever having a length that is independent of typical alignment error during fabrication. In one embodiment, the probe assembly includes a buffer section interposed between the substrate and the cantilever. The cantilever extends from the buffer section and a portion of the buffer section extends beyond an edge of the substrate. The portion of the buffer section is more stiff than the cantilever. The corresponding method of producing the probe assembly facilitates batch fabrication without compromising probe performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Bruker Nano, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Kjoller, Ami Chand, Nihat Okulan
  • Patent number: 8857248
    Abstract: The invention is direct to a piezoelectric microcantilever for static contact and dynamic noncontact atomic force microscopy which may be carried out in solution. The piezoelectric microcantilever, which includes a piezoelectric layer and a non-piezoelectric layer is capable of self actuation and detection. The piezoelectric layer may be constructed from a lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3)0.65—(PbTiO3)0.35(PMN0.65-PT0.35) (PMN-PT), zirconate titanate (PZT)/SiO2 or from any lead-free piezoelectric materials such as doped sodium-potassium niobate-lithium niobate. The piezoelectric layers of the microcantilevers may have dielectric constants of from 1600-3000 and thicknesses below 10 ?m. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating microcantilever sensors and methods for atomic force microscopy employing the microcantilevers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih, Zuyan Shen, Qing Zhu
  • Patent number: 8845555
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor system for measuring an elastic modulus and a shear modulus and a method for using the sensor system to evaluate a tissue by determining the presence of and/or characterizing abnormal growths. The method involves applying a set of forces of different magnitudes to one or more locations of tissue, detecting the corresponding displacements due to said applied forces, determining the forces acting on those locations of tissue which are a combination of forces from the applied voltages and the countering forces from tissue deformation, obtaining the elastic modulus and/or shear modulus for a plurality of locations, and determining abnormal growth invasiveness, malignancy or the presence of a tumor from said elastic and/or shear moduli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Drexel University, Philadelphia Health & Education Corporation
    Inventors: Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih, Hakki Yegingil, Ari D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 8841964
    Abstract: An apparatus for demodulating an input signal that includes a frequency detector for tracking a frequency of the input signal, an oscillator and a mixer is disclosed. The input signal and an output signal of the oscillator can constitute the incoming signals for the mixer and the output signal of the mixer can constitute the demodulated input signal, wherein an arithmetic unit is arranged downstream of the frequency detector and upstream of the oscillator, wherein the tracked frequency of the input signal and a predefined second frequency constitute the incoming signals of the arithmetic unit and the arithmetic unit is designed such that it computes a control signal for the oscillator from the tracked frequency of the input signal and the predefined second frequency with the output signal of the oscillator depending on the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Zurich Instruments AG
    Inventors: Sadik Hafizovic, Flavio Heer, Stefan Koch, Niels Haandbaek
  • Patent number: 8819860
    Abstract: A device including a first part and a second part, the first and second part being connected to each other and being movable relative to each other. The first part is a cantilever that has a rectangular strip with a probe tip at one end and a magnetic element the other end. The magnetic element is configured to interact with a magnetic field. The first part is connected to the second part by a hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michel Despont, Venkataraman Kartik, Charalampos Pozidis, Deepak R. Sahoo
  • Patent number: 8813261
    Abstract: A scanning probe microscope including: a scanning probe microscope unit section including, a cantilever having a probe, a cantilever holder configured to fix the cantilever, a sample holder on which a sample is configured to be placed, a horizontal fine transfer mechanism configured to relatively scan a surface of the sample with the probe, a vertical fine transfer mechanism configured to control a distance between the probe and the sample surface, an optical microscope configured to observe the cantilever and the sample; a control device; an imaging device to which a viewing field, wider than that of the optical microscope and capable of observing the cantilever and the sample at the same time, can be set; and an image display device configured to display images observed by the optical microscope and the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Iyoki, Naokatsu Nosaka, Hiroumi Momota, Junji Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 8793811
    Abstract: This invention involves measurement of optical properties of materials with sub-micron spatial resolution through infrared scattering scanning near field optical microscopy (s-SNOM). Specifically, the current invention provides substantial improvements over the prior art by achieving high signal to noise, high measurement speed and high accuracy of optical amplitude and phase. Additionally, it eliminates the need for an in situ reference to calculate wavelength dependent spectra of optical phase, or absorption spectra. These goals are achieved via improved asymmetric interferometry where the near field scattered light is interfered with a reference beam in an interferometer. The invention achieves dramatic improvements in background rejection by arranging a reference beam that is much more intense than the background scattered radiation. Combined with frequency selective demodulation techniques, the near-field scattered light can be efficiently and accurately discriminated from background scattered light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Anasys Instruments
    Inventors: Craig Prater, Markus B. Raschke, Sam Berweger
  • Patent number: 8720256
    Abstract: Modifications to the indenter probe tips and transducer, and proper selection of optics in an indentation system allow straight down or slightly angled optical viewing of the sample surface under the indentation tip by a microscope, by providing an optical path through the transducer from the sample surface under the tip to a microscope objective, thereby simplifying alignment of the tip to features on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Wayne Allen Bonin
  • Patent number: 8726411
    Abstract: A charged probe and an electric field measuring method are provided. The probe can be charged with single electricity on single nano particle attached on the top of the probe tip being a charged probe and the probe is applicable for measuring the electric fields of object in the nano scale. The probe comprises an insulating tip base, a cantilever and a single nano-particle. The cantilever is arranged for supporting the insulating tip base and the single nano-particle is configured on the erosion plane. After conducting contact electrification method to charge the electric nano particle, the single nano-particle will be charged with fixed number of single electrical charge. Then, the amount of the fixed number of single electrical charge is calculated by the virtual image charge calculation method. The charged probe can be used to measure the electric fields distribution by tapping mode or f-d curve measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Fan-Gang Tseng, Joe-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 8695398
    Abstract: Intrinsically calibrating friction mensuration device has a drive unit with controllable motive member, configured to receive a controllable propulsion force, and to apply tractive force to a test piece on a surface. A force engine couples to the motive member, and applies the controllable propulsion force. The device includes a controller imposing a propulsion control signal actuating the force engine to produce the propulsion force. A force sensor is between the drive unit and the test piece, producing a force signal responsive to a sensed force between the drive unit and the test piece. The drive unit can self-propelled or stationary. A method includes applying an increasing tractive force to a test piece at rest; measuring the tractive force; identifying the maximum tractive force applied at incipient motion; identifying the transition between the resting test piece and incipient motion; determining the SCOF; continue motion and determine the DCOF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventor: Fred M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8686358
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided herein for time-resolved analysis of the effect of a perturbation (e.g., a light or voltage pulse) on a sample. By operating in the time domain, the provided method enables sub-microsecond time-resolved measurement of transient, or time-varying, forces acting on a cantilever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: David Ginger, Rajiv Giridharagopal, David Moore, Glennis Rayermann, Obadiah Reid
  • Patent number: 8677809
    Abstract: Apparatus and techniques for extracting information carried in higher eigenmodes or harmonics of an oscillating cantilever or other oscillating sensors in atomic force microscopy and related MEMs work are described. Similar apparatus and techniques for extracting information from piezoelectric, polymer and other materials using contact resonance with multiple excitation signals are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Oxford Instruments PLC, Oxford Instruments AFM, Inc
    Inventors: Roger Proksch, Anil Gannepalli
  • Patent number: 8656509
    Abstract: It has been difficult to highly accurately measure the profiles of samples using scanning probe microscopes at the time when scanning is performed due to scanning mechanism fluctuations in the non drive direction, i.e., vertical direction. The present invention is provided with, on the rear side of a sample stage, a high-accuracy displacement gauge for measuring fluctuation in the non drive direction, i.e., vertical direction, at the time when the sample stage is being scanned in the horizontal directions, and as a result, highly accurate planarity evaluation with accuracy of sample nm-order or less is made possible by correcting sample surface shape measurement results obtained using a probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Watanabe, Toshihiko Nakata, Takehiro Tachizaki
  • Patent number: 8650939
    Abstract: A surface texture measuring machine includes: a stage, a contact-type detector having a stylus, an image probe, a relative movement mechanism and a controller. The controller includes: a center position calculating unit that, when the image probe enters position data of at least three points on a circular contour of a circular concave portion or a circular convex portion of an object, approximates the entered position data to a circle to obtain a center position of the circle; and a stylus setting unit that, after calculating the center position, operates the relative movement mechanism to position the stylus of the contact-type detector at the center position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Sadayuki Matsumiya, Yoshiyuki Omori, Sadaharu Arita, Kotaro Hirano, Yasushi Fukumoto, Koichi Komatsu, Fumihiro Takemura
  • Patent number: 8646319
    Abstract: Dynamic IR radiation power control for use in a nanoscale IR spectroscopy system based on an Atomic Force Microscope. During illumination from an IR source, an AFM probe tip interaction with a sample due to local IR sample absorption is monitored. The power of the illumination at the sample is dynamically decreased to minimize sample overheating in locations/wavelengths where absorption is high and increased in locations/wavelengths where absorption is low to maintain signal to noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Anasys Instruments Corp.
    Inventors: Craig Prater, Kevin Kjoller
  • Patent number: 8646109
    Abstract: An improved mode of AFM imaging (Peak Force Tapping (PFT) Mode) uses force as the feedback variable to reduce tip-sample interaction forces while maintaining scan speeds achievable by all existing AFM operating modes. Sample imaging and mechanical property mapping are achieved with improved resolution and high sample throughput, with the mode being workable across varying environments, including gaseous, fluidic and vacuum. Ease of use is facilitated by eliminating the need for an expert user to monitor imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bruker Nano, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Hu, Shuiqing Hu, Chanmin Su, Jian Shi, Ji Ma
  • Patent number: 8607622
    Abstract: An AFM based technique has been demonstrated for performing highly localized IR spectroscopy on a sample surface. Such a technique implemented in a commercially viable analytical instrument would be extremely useful. Various aspects of the experimental set-up have to be changed to create a commercial version. The invention addresses many of these issues thereby producing a version of the analytical technique that can be made generally available to the scientific community.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Anasys Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandre Dazzi, Rui Prazeres, Kevin Kjoller, Michael Reading
  • Patent number: 8606376
    Abstract: A method of actuating a system comprising a movable component and an actuator configured to move the movable component comprises providing a control signal representative of a desired motion of the movable component. The control signal is supplied to one or more resonators. Each of the one or more resonators has a mode of oscillation representative of at least one elastic mode of oscillation of the system. The control signal is modified by subtracting from the control signal a signal representative of a response of the one or more resonators to the control signal. The actuator is operated in accordance with the modified control signal. Thus, undesirable elastic oscillations of the system which might occur if the system were operated with the original control system can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignees: Mitutoyo Corporation, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Endvertreten Durch den Präsidenten der Physikalisch-Technischen Bundesanstalt
    Inventors: Hartmut Illers, Kazuhiko Hidaka, Akinori Saito, Hans-Ulrich Danzebrink
  • Patent number: 8606426
    Abstract: A system includes a displacement sensor, an actuator connected to the displacement sensor, and a feedback unit. The displacement sensor is configured to measure at least one of a relative position and a relative orientation between the displacement sensor and the target object. The feedback unit receives a signal from the displacement sensor related to the measured relative position or relative orientation and controls the actuator to move the displacement sensor on the basis of variations in the received signal arising due to a change in environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Academia Sinica
    Inventors: Ing-Shouh Hwang, En-Te Hwu, Hans Ulrich Danzebrink, Hartmut Illers
  • Patent number: 8596116
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide improved non-destructive testing of pavements and in particular non-destructive testing of pavements using rolling wheel deflectometer systems having more than four sensors. The additional sensors more accurately detect pavement deflections under load by compensating for the influence the load deflection basin can have on sensors beyond those at the wheel load. The sensors should be spaced with equal distances from the rolling weight and can have a distance between adjacent sensors that is greater than the equivalent thickness of the pavement being measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Dynatest International A/S
    Inventor: Per Ullidtz
  • Publication number: 20130312502
    Abstract: A method for estimating a roughness R of a surface, including the following steps: relative movement of a force sensor against the surface and in a direction of movement roughly parallel to the surface, measurement, during the movement, of a force Fortho perceived by the force sensor in a direction which is roughly orthogonal to the direction of movement and parallel to the surface, calculation of a statistical parameter P representative of the variations of the value of measured force Fortho, calculation of roughness R such that: R=ƒ(P), where ƒ( ) is a known function of which at least some of the coefficients have values which are dependent on the characteristics of the force sensor used, and on a force with which the force sensor is applied on said surface during the movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENE ALT
    Inventors: Christelle GODIN, Loris Olmos
  • Patent number: 8595859
    Abstract: A method for optically controlling an atomic force microscope (AFM) includes acquiring an optical image of a sample using an optical imaging device, identifying a feature of interest on the sample using the optical image, acquiring a high resolution AFM image of the sample using an AFM imaging device, the AFM imaging device comprising a cantilever having a tip, overlaying the AFM image with the optical image at the feature of interest, and positioning the probe tip over the feature of interest using the optical image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Rankl, Asger Iversen, Tianwei Jing
  • Patent number: 8573036
    Abstract: A surface texture measuring instrument includes a force sensor (1), an actuator (11) and a detector (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Igasaki, Masaoki Yamagata
  • Patent number: 8562546
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor system for measuring an elastic modulus and a shear modulus and a method for using the sensor system to evaluate a tissue by determining the presence of and/or characterizing abnormal growths. The method involves applying a set of forces of different magnitudes to one or more locations of tissue, detecting the corresponding displacements due to said applied forces, determining the forces acting on those locations of tissue which are a combination of forces from the applied voltages and the countering forces from tissue deformation, obtaining the elastic modulus and/or shear modulus for a plurality of locations, and determining abnormal growth invasiveness, malignancy or the presence of a tumor from said elastic and/or shear moduli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih, Hakki Yegingil, Ari D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 8555711
    Abstract: Apparatus and techniques for extracting information carried in higher eigenmodes or harmonics of an oscillating cantilever or other oscillating sensors in atomic force microscopy and related MEMs work are described. Similar apparatus and techniques for extracting information using contact resonance with multiple excitation signals are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Asylum Research Corporation
    Inventors: Roger Proksch, Roger C. Callahan
  • Patent number: 8555698
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a substantially rigid hardened wear surface for a tire tread wear testing apparatus is provided, the method comprising making a cast of a road surface on which tread wear of the tire is to be tested, providing a layer of adhesive mixed with at least one aggregate and configured for hardening to create the substantially rigid hardened wear surface, while the layer of adhesive is unhardened: (a) coating the layer of adhesive onto a road wheel of the tire tread wear testing apparatus, and (b) stamping an impression of the cast into the layer of epoxy adhesive for producing the wear surface adapted for emulating one or more surface roughness characteristics of the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Neugebauer, Erik Knuth, David O. Stalnaker, Craig K. McClung, Alleva Lorenzo, Kurata Takayuki, Yukitake Kosuke, Hiroshi Egami, Alberto del Grosso
  • Patent number: 8549899
    Abstract: A surface texture measuring instrument includes a force sensor (1), an actuator (11) and a detector (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Igasaki, Masaoki Yamagata
  • Patent number: 8544324
    Abstract: A sensor device, method of fabricating the same, and a method of sensing a physical quantity. The sensor device comprises a substrate; a flexure member, one end of the flexure member being attached to the substrate, and a free end of the flexure member having an edge surface; a counter surface formed on the substrate such that the counter surface faces the edge surface of the flexure member and such that a separation distance between the counter surface and the edge surface remains substantially constant for movement of the edge surface as a result of flexure of the flexure member, each of the edge surface and the counter surface including one or more conductor layers disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to a flexure direction of the flexure member; and means for applying an electrical potential difference between the conductors of the edge surface and the conductors of the counter surface for detecting a quantum tunnelling current therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Pilsne Research Co., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Marek Michalewicz, Peter Slodowy
  • Patent number: 8548668
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a machine having a work tool and operating at a work site. The control system may have a sensor associated with the work tool and configured to generate a signal indicative of a position of the work tool, an offboard worksite controller, and an onboard controller in communication with the sensor and the offboard worksite controller. The onboard controller may be configured to receive from an operator an input indicative of a current task being performed by the machine, and track movement of a portion of the work tool corresponding with the operator input. The onboard controller may also be configured to communicate the tracked movement to the offboard worksite controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan J. Everett, Craig L. Koehrsen, Rodney R. Richards, Steven J. Cook
  • Publication number: 20130254948
    Abstract: The method relates to a method of scanning a sample. Scanning a sample is typically done by scanning the sample with a probe along a multitude of parallel lines. In prior art scan methods a sample is scanned multiple times with a nominally identical scan pattern. The invention is based on the insight that the coherence between adjacent points in a direction along the scan direction is much better than the coherence of adjacent points perpendicular to the scan direction. By combining two images that are scanned perpendicular to each other, it should thus be possible to form an image making use of the improved coherence (due to shorter temporal distance) in both directions. The method thus involves scanning the sample with two scan patterns, the lines of one scan pattern preferably perpendicular to the lines of the other scan pattern. Hereby it is possible to use the temporal coherence of scan points on a line of one scan pattern to align the lines of the other scan pattern, and vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Arthur Reinout Hartong, Cornelis Sander Kooijman
  • Publication number: 20130239668
    Abstract: A surface texture measuring method includes: moving a stylus toward an origin point; and, when the stylus reaches the origin point, braking the stylus to be stopped after overrunning the origin point waiting for a measurement start command (approach section setting operation); bringing the stopped stylus into contact with a target portion of the workpiece (workpiece setting operation); moving the stopped stylus in a measurement direction reverse to the overrunning (approach operation); and, when the stylus passes the origin point in the approach operation, continuing the movement of the stylus while acquiring data detected by the detector (measurement operation).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroomi HONDA, Shingo KUROKI
  • Patent number: 8533861
    Abstract: Described are methods for magnetically actuating microcantilevers and magnetically actuated and self-heated microcantilevers. Also described are methods for determining viscoelastic properties and thermal transition temperatures of materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: William P. King, Craig Prater, Byeonghee Lee
  • Patent number: 8499621
    Abstract: A scanning probe microscopy (SPM) inspection and/or modification system which uses SPM technology and techniques. The system includes various types of microstructured SPM probes for inspection and/or modification of the object. The components of the SPM system include microstructured calibration structures. A probe may be defective because of wear or because of fabrication errors. Various types of reference measurements of the calibration structure are made with the probe or vice versa to calibrate it. The components of the SPM system further include one or more tip machining structures. At these structures, material of the tips of the SPM probes may be machined by abrasively lapping and chemically lapping the material of the tip with the tip machining structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventor: Victor B. Kley
  • Patent number: 8499361
    Abstract: A localized nanostructure growth apparatus that has a partitioned chamber is provided, where a first partition includes a scanning probe microscope (SPM) and a second partition includes an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber, where the first partition is hermetically isolated from the second partition, and at least one SPM probe tip of the SPM is disposed proximal to a sample in the ALD chamber. According to the invention, the hermetic isolation between the chambers prevents precursor vapor from damaging critical microscope components and ensuring that contaminants in the ALD chamber can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: James F. Mack, Neil Dasgupta, Timothy P. Holme, Friedrich B. Prinz, Andrel Iancu, Wonyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 8490473
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a production method for producing a sensor film for measuring cracks of a material surface using the comparative vacuum measurement method. A gallery having a predetermined gallery course is milled along a surface of the sensor film using a milling apparatus. The sensor film comprises a plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Clemens Bockenhelmer, Peter Kohl
  • Patent number: 8495760
    Abstract: Techniques for atomic force microscope manipulation of living cells include functionalizing a nanoscale tip of a microscale cantilever with a first ligand for a first receptor associated with a surface of a first type of cell. The method further comprises, controlling the cantilever to cause the first ligand on the nanoscale tip to contact the first receptor on a surface of a living cell of the first type in a particular temporal pattern to induce a target response by the living cell. Other techniques for controlling an atomic force microscope comprising a nanoscale tip include controlling the cantilever to cause the nanoscale tip to contact a living cardiomyocyte at a predetermined pressure. The cantilever is also controlled to turn off vertical deflection feedback after contacting the cardiomyocyte and collecting deflection data that indicates a time series of nanoscale vertical deflections of the microscale cantilever caused by the living cardiomyocyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Manish J Butte, Marc Amor Bruce, Jianwei Liu
  • Patent number: 8485025
    Abstract: The present invention provides a standing wave fiber assembly for the collection and detection of a biological target in a complex biological fluid, including: an oscillator; and an elongated fiber coupled to the oscillator, wherein the elongated fiber is selectively exposed to a fluid potentially containing the biological target, and wherein the resonated elongated fiber attracts the biological target, and wherein a change in a response of the resonated elongated fiber indicates the presence of the biological target. The assembly also includes a top cover plate including one or more electrical connections and a port through which the fluid is introduced. The assembly further includes a bottom cover plate including a well in which the fluid is contained. Optionally, the elongated fiber includes one or more probes homogenously functionalized along its length that bind targeted biological materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: InSituTec, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Woody, Jennifer Weller
  • Patent number: 8489300
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to execute an optimum control of vibrations due to a driver's operation of an accelerator pedal, steering wheel and brake pedal. The operation instructions are inputted into a vibration calculating means (kinetic model) comprising a vehicle body model, suspension model and tire model. Conventional kinetic model controlled the suspension in order to suppress the vehicle body vibration. However, in the kinetic model of the present invention, the tire vibration due to a change in the engine output is first absorbed by the suspension, whereby a residual vibration which was not be absorbed yet by the suspension is transferred to the vehicle body. The operation inputs are compensated by the three feed-back loops between the outputs of the above-mentioned three portions and input of the tire portion, giving the highest priority on the vehicle body model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoaki Kataoka, Toshiki Matsumoto, Tsutomu Tashiro, Mamoru Mabuchi, Mamoru Sawada
  • Patent number: 8484755
    Abstract: A microprobe, measurement system and method are disclosed. The microprobe includes a probe tip mounted at a meeting point of a plurality of flexures. The probe tip is moveable upon flexing of one or more of the flexures, each flexure further comprising one or more actuators controllable to flex the flexure and one or more sensors arranged to sense flexing of the flexure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
    Inventors: Richard Leach, Ben Hughes, Alan Wilson
  • Patent number: 8479568
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring variations in the flatness of an Almen strip holding surface includes a gaging block having opposing parallel surfaces defining an aperture extending between said parallel surfaces and substantially conforming to the size of the holding surface. A plunger is mounted in a cross member which extends across the aperture and is moved along opposite sides thereof. A dial indicator responds to displacement of the aperture to permit detection of any variation in flatness as the plunger is moved over the holding surface and along and between the side and end edges thereof. Placement of the Almen strip holding screws is verified to be in tolerance by the gaging block in that the gaging block cannot be mounted on the holding surface if the distance between the openings is out of tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: Electronics, Inc., Metal Improvement Company, LLC
    Inventors: Jack Champaigne, David Francis