By Thermal Property Patents (Class 73/25.01)
  • Patent number: 11889224
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus, method, and system for acquiring at least one image inside a cooking device including a housing having a front surface, back surface, and an interior; at least one attachment element removably coupled to the back surface of the housing, the attachment element configured to secure the housing to an external surface of the cooking device; a camera positioned at least partially within the interior of the housing, the camera configured to acquire the at least one image; and a controller configured to manage i) acquisition of the at least one image acquired by the camera and ii) transmission of the at least one image to a remote electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventors: C. Douglass Thomas, Adrienne Yeung
  • Patent number: 11827078
    Abstract: A safety protection method based on a vehicle-mounted air conditioner of a new energy vehicle, including: detecting a running state of the vehicle; if the vehicle stops running, performing human body detection; when a person is detained in the vehicle, detecting a staying time of the person detained in the vehicle; after the staying time exceeds a reasonable time, alerting an associated contact person that the detention person is left behind in the vehicle, and simultaneously performing temperature monitoring, time monitoring and power monitoring. A safety protection system based on a vehicle-mounted air conditioner is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI HONGYAO ELECTRONIC LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qi Liu, Danting Jin, Miao Chen, Lianping Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11009448
    Abstract: A plurality of disparate datasets is aggregated into a geodata data structure specifying a plurality of geospatial locations and a set of aspatial parameters at each geospatial location. Each aspatial parameter is combined at each geospatial location to generate an atmospheric corrosivity scale parameter at each of the plurality of geospatial locations. A grid is created with cells representing each of the plurality of geospatial locations and each of the corresponding atmospheric corrosivity scale parameters. The grid is stored for output of at least a portion of the plurality of geospatial locations and the corresponding atmospheric corrosivity scale parameters overlaid on a geographic map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Inventors: Mehrooz Zamanzadeh, Peyman Taheri Bonab, Carolyn Tome, Alyson Char
  • Patent number: 11009478
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a gas sensor includes a film structure including a gas sensitive film and a heater film heating the gas sensitive film, a physical quantity sensing section sensing a predetermined physical quantity which varies based on storage of a gas to be carried out by the gas sensitive film, a voltage generation section generating a first voltage for heating the gas sensitive film at a first temperature and a second voltage for heating the gas sensitive film at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a voltage switching section switching between the first voltage and the second voltage to be supplied to the heater film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yumi Hayashi, Hiroaki Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10969319
    Abstract: The apparatus for mass analysis includes: a heating unit heating a sample containing a first substance and a second substance having different gasification temperatures to evolve gas components; a heating control unit controlling the heating unit to heat the sample at a first temperature point at which gas of the first substance is evolved and gas of the second substance is not evolved, until reaching a first time point, whereafter the heating unit is controlled to heat the sample until reaching a second temperature point at which gas of the second substance is evolved; and an analysis control unit performing mass analysis under a first measurement condition assigned to the first substance until reaching the first time point at the first temperature point, and performing mass analysis under a second measurement condition assigned to the second substance at the second temperature point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryusuke Hirose, Hideyuki Akiyama, Noriaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10935507
    Abstract: A gas analyzer for a gas mixture with at least three components includes a channel guiding the gas mixture, a thermoelement probe with a measuring point in the interior of the channel and a cold junction in thermal contact with the channel wall, a control device for pulsed activation of the thermoelement probe, a measuring device for measuring voltage at the cold junction in pauses between current pulses, and an evaluation device for determining temperature differences and calculating the ratio of the components of the gas mixture from temperature difference values determined at different time instant pauses, wherein the control device generates current pulses with at least two different energy contents and the temperature difference values at the first time instant in the pause after a current pulse with a higher energy content and used for the calculation is higher than with a current pulse with a lower energy content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Ludwig, Günter Marcaux
  • Patent number: 10816445
    Abstract: A particle sensing system is for sensing particles entrained in a fluid. The system comprises a flow channel having a longitudinal direction along which the fluid is to be passed, a heating arrangement for heating the fluid and thereby applying a positive thermophoretic force on the fluid in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flow channel and a first sensor for sensing the particles in the fluid after heating by the heating arrangement. The thermophoretic force increases the concentration of the particles at the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Declan Patrick Kelly, Michael Martin Scheja, Shuang Chen, Cornelis Reinder Ronda
  • Patent number: 10775311
    Abstract: The device for detecting the presence of gas hydrates and/or ice according to the invention comprises at least: a laser source, at least two band-pass filters, at least one APD detector, at least one means for measuring the temperature at the measurement point, and means for analysing the presence or not of hydrates and/or ice at the measurement point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Olivier Delpoux, Didier Frot, Anne Sinquin, Corinne Sagnard
  • Patent number: 10705111
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shock sensor for detecting an attack on a facility equipped with the shock sensor, comprising: a microprocessor; a micro electromechanical system in communication with the microprocessor, the micro electromechanical system being integrated with a shock sensing device adapted to sense a shock generated by the attack in any direction and a microchip adapted to receive and store at least one parameter from the microprocessor and to analyze a shock signal generated by the shock based on the at least one parameter; and an output device connected with the microprocessor and adapted to output information based on an analysis result of the shock signal. According to the invention, the shock sensor can detect reliably any attack and has a simple circuit arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Parker, Chungcheng Lo, Guohong Wan, Yaohui Zhi, Guiping Ding
  • Patent number: 10508577
    Abstract: A line connector for a fluid, in particular a urea solution, including a connecting piece with an interior flow-through channel extending in the longitudinal direction of the connecting piece. The connecting piece includes at each of its two ends a coupling section designed such that a flexible media line or a tubing or an aggregate can be connected to an aggregate connector. The flow-through channel is also provided with an electrical heating unit. In the region of the flow-through channel, between the connecting sections, an enclosed perimeter receiving housing is formed on the coupling piece, in which an optical sensor unit is disposed for measuring of properties of the fluid flowing in the flow-through channel. A ready-made media line, including a tubular or hose-like media line and a line connector connected on one or both sides to this media line is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: VOSS Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Sascha Rosenfeldt, Christian Zwillus, Waldemar Wilms
  • Patent number: 10429340
    Abstract: A sensor element includes a sensor FET provided in a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a cavity provided in the sensor FET and into which a detection target gas is introduced, and an ion pump provided over the cavity. By laminating the ion pump over the sensor FET via the cavity, a part of a front surface of a gate layer is exposed to the cavity, and a part of a lower surface of an ion pump electrode is exposed to the cavity. When the gate layer comes into contact with the detection target gas, a work function changes, so that gas concentration can be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasago, Shuntaro Machida, Hitoshi Nakamura, Takahiro Odaka
  • Patent number: 10101286
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a first heating element and a second heating element that is formed around the periphery of the first heating element and has a wider forming area than the first heating element. A gas amount is measured by heating the first heating element to a predetermined temperature, in which the second heating element is heated when the gas sensor is activated, and the first heating element is heated to the predetermined temperature after a heat value of the first heating element is restricted for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakano, Masahiro Matsumoto, Satoshi Asano, Yasuo Onose
  • Patent number: 9945803
    Abstract: A gas detecting method includes heating a gas detector, formed of a gas sensing layer and an adsorption layer, for an oxygen adsorption period t0 at an oxygen adsorption temperature T0; heating the gas detector for a target gas adsorption period t1 at a target gas adsorption temperature T1 at which a target gas is adsorbed to the adsorption layer, heating the gas detector for a target gas desorption period t2 at a target gas desorption temperature T2 at which the target gas adsorbed to the adsorption layer is desorbed to move to the gas sensing layer; and calculating a gas concentration of the target gas from a sensor resistance of the gas sensing layer. A gas detecting device includes the gas detector and a drive processing unit configured to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9803627
    Abstract: A pump unit comprises a primary piston pump, a secondary piston pump, and a flow path adapted for fluidically connecting in series the primary piston pump and the secondary piston pump. The pump unit's duty cycle comprises a delivery-and-fill phase, in which the primary piston pump supplies a flow of liquid to the secondary piston pump, and during the delivery-and-fill phase, the flow of liquid supplied by the primary piston pump is partly used for filling up the secondary piston pump and partly used for maintaining another flow of liquid dispensed across the secondary piston pump. The flow path comprises a heat exchanger, wherein liquid supplied by the primary piston pump passes through the heat exchanger before being supplied to the secondary piston pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Klaus Witt, Konstantin Shoykhet, Philip Herzog
  • Patent number: 9746384
    Abstract: A heat flux sensor comprising at least one support, where at least one membrane is suspended relative to the support by at least four nanowires, where the membrane is made from at least one current-conducting material, and where the nanowires are made from a current-conducting material, with two nanowires connected to a current source to polarize the membrane between two terminals and a heater for heating the membrane, and where two nanowires are connected to a voltmeter to form measure the voltage at the terminals of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Jeremie Ruellan, Laurent Duraffourg
  • Patent number: 9588093
    Abstract: A device for determination of the H2 content of H2/natural gas mixtures comprises an input interface configured to read in a calorific value of a first H2/natural gas mixture from a delivery station of a gas grid, an input interface configured to introduce a second H2/natural gas mixture into the device; a proton-conducting layer fluidically connected to the input interface of the second H2/natural gas mixture and configured to permit determination of a current-voltage characteristic, a volumetric flow rate sensor configured to determine a volumetric flow rate of the second H2/natural gas mixture into the proton-conducting layer, and a control apparatus connected to the proton-conducting layer, the input interface of the second H2/natural gas mixture, and the volumetric flow sensor. The control apparatus is configured to determine whether there is a hydrogen depletion of the proton-conducting layer, and output the current calorific value of the second H2/natural gas mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Steiner, Pedro Da Silva
  • Patent number: 9574982
    Abstract: A method of measuring concentrations of gas mixtures is disclosed in which an ionic liquid and/or low vapor-pressure organic solvent is exposed to a gas mixture being tested to form a solution of the gas components in the liquid. The vapor pressure of the solution is then measured at one or more other temperatures and compared to predicted vapor pressures based on known individual vapor pressure profiles of the gas components in the liquid in order to determine the actual proportions of the components in the gas sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yinshan Feng, Parmesh Verma, Mary Teresa Lombardo
  • Patent number: 9086364
    Abstract: A photoacoustic detector wherein a detector response transfer function can be measured at various times under predetermined conditions during the life of the detector. One or more of the time related transfer functions each can, when acquired, be compared to the stored initial transfer function established at initial manufacture and calibration of the detector. Span and baseline correction values can be determined. These values can be used to compensate detected output values during normal operation. Time related transfer functions can be compared to each other as well as to the stored initial transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Rezachek, Gary Shubinsky
  • Patent number: 9027385
    Abstract: A method of measuring density of a sterilant aerosol e.g. aqueous hydrogen peroxide, in a gas stream (such as a stream of air) for the purposes of measuring sterilant dosage comprising: passing a gas stream at flow rate past an electrically heated element and measuring a first cooling effect, passing an aerosol suspended in a gas stream at flow rate past an electrically heated element and measuring a second cooling effect and measuring the difference between the first cooling effect and second cooling effect and correlating the difference with aerosol density. The total dosage can thus be determined. A measured dosage of a sterilant aerosol can be delivered by way of a feedback loop to halt further delivery of sterilant aerosol when the amount of aerosol delivered reaches a predetermined dosage. The methods allow sterilization to be certified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Saban Ventures Pty Limited
    Inventors: Brian Hingley, Michael Potas
  • Patent number: 9027386
    Abstract: A hydrogen sensor includes a support having a first temperature sensor, a heating element and an evaluation unit. The hydrogen sensor furthermore includes a mass flow reduction apparatus by which a gas mass flow over the first temperature sensor and the heating element is reduced. The evaluation unit determines a hydrogen concentration in a gas or gas mixture based on a first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor. A detection method for hydrogen concentration having the hydrogen sensor and a motor vehicle having a fuel cell drive having the hydrogen sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Bierl, Philippe Grass, Stephan Heinrich, Thorsten Knittel, Andreas Wildgen
  • Patent number: 9021862
    Abstract: A method for predicting an exhaust gas temperature. The method includes detecting a plurality of exhaust gas temperatures and applying a weight value to the detected plurality of exhaust gas temperatures to determine a plurality of weighted temperature values. The weight value applied to at least one detected exhaust gas temperature may be different than the weight value applied to at least one other detected exhaust gas temperature. The method also includes determining an estimated temperature corresponding to the plurality of weighted temperature values and the applied weight value. The estimated temperature may be used to determine a set-point for the storage or absorption of a reductant by a catalyst. Moreover, the estimated temperature may allow for an adjustment to the reductant being stored on the catalyst if the storage capacity of the catalyst may be changing based on a predicted change in exhaust gas temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC.
    Inventor: Michael James Miller
  • Patent number: 9021861
    Abstract: A heatable flow-through measuring cell for a gas analyzer having an inner tube made of a corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel, and is terminated at each end with a respective end piece and a radiolucent window held therein. The measuring cell also includes an electrical heating apparatus for heating each end piece, an outer tube that coaxially surrounds the inner tube so as to form a narrow gap and is made of material with good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, and includes thermal insulation that surrounds the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Ludwig
  • Publication number: 20150096350
    Abstract: A method for predicting an exhaust gas temperature. The method includes detecting a plurality of exhaust gas temperatures and applying a weight value to the detected plurality of exhaust gas temperatures to determine a plurality of weighted temperature values. The weight value applied to at least one detected exhaust gas temperature may be different than the weight value applied to at least one other detected exhaust gas temperature. The method also includes determining an estimated temperature corresponding to the plurality of weighted temperature values and the applied weight value. The estimated temperature may be used to determine a set-point for the storage or absorption of a reductant by a catalyst. Moreover, the estimated temperature may allow for an adjustment to the reductant being stored on the catalyst if the storage capacity of the catalyst may be changing based on a predicted change in exhaust gas temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael James Miller
  • Publication number: 20150068281
    Abstract: An improved temperature sensor assembly (15) comprising a temperature sensing probe (16) having a temperature sensing portion (18), a terminal portion (21), and an intermediate portion (20) between the temperature sensing portion and the terminal portion; a mounting element (28) in sliding engagement along a first axis (x-x) with the intermediate portion of the temperature sensing probe such that the temperature sensing probe is movable linearly relative to the mounting element in an axial direction; the mounting element configured to attach to an open tip thermowell (100) such that the temperature sensing portion of the probe is exposed to a process environment (104); the temperature sensing probe comprising a stop (19) configured to bear against a seat (108) in the thermowell; and a spring element (24) arranged between the stop and the mounting element and configured to bias the stop and the mounting element linearly away from each other in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Conax Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Richard A. Lyon, Thomas P. Oakley, Jr., Steven M. Dale
  • Publication number: 20150059443
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring dust in flue gas of small-scale furnace installations for solid fuels includes: a measuring probe; a weighing device having a filter device; a heated suction hose connecting the measuring probe to the weighing device; and a weighing module in which the weighing device is arranged. The weighing device is thermally insulated in the weighing module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Stephan Ester
  • Patent number: 8950273
    Abstract: Method and thermal, flow measuring device for determining at least one variable dependent on at least the chemical composition of a measured medium, wherein the measured medium has n components, wherein n is greater than or equal to two, wherein each mole fraction, volume fraction and/or mass fraction of m components of the medium is measured, wherein m is smaller than or equal to n minus one, wherein the mole fractions, volume fractions and/or mass fractions of the k components of the measured medium which are not measured, and wherein k is equal to n minus m, are established in such a manner, that the sum of the mole fractions, volume fractions and/or mass fractions of the n components amounts to one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventor: Michel Wagner
  • Publication number: 20140360249
    Abstract: An apparatus is mountable to a duct having a cross-section, for determining parameters of a flowable medium flowing through the duct. The apparatus includes a mounting attachment having a conduit member, and at least one combination of multiple sensing members configured to the conduit member. The conduit member may be disposed entirely within the duct such that the multiple sensing members are located within the duct establishing direct contact with the flowable medium. The multiple sensing members include oxygen and temperature sensing elements respectively, to determine parameter such as oxygen level in the flowable medium, and temperature of the flowable medium. Several such apparatus may be mounted in the duct across the cross-section to define a grid to determine said parameter at various locations across the cross-section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Allan Gunn FERRY
  • Patent number: 8899096
    Abstract: A cover, sample tray and base may form a hydrogen storage engineering properties analyzer. In at least one embodiment, the sample tray includes a plurality of cooling fins, each of which includes a sample well therein. A variety of hydrogen storage materials may be loaded into and unloaded from each sample well by way of a respective sample well opening. The combined cover and sample tray define at least one plenum which may be in fluid communication between a source of pressurized hydrogen gas and each sample well. The cooling fins may be received by a cooling chamber defined within the base and configured to receive a through-flow of heat-exchange fluid. Certain embodiments may include one or more pressure transducers in fluid communication between the plenum and hydrogen source, and thermal transducers connected to portions of the cooling fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Robert Del Zio, Jun Yang, Andrea Pulskamp, Shinichi Hirano, Donald J. Siegel
  • Patent number: 8851010
    Abstract: Systems and methods to determine ozone concentration in a gas mixture of ozone and oxygen, based on measurements of the total gas mixture properties, can enable the measurements of ozone concentration at low pressure settings. The ozone concentration determination can be applied to vacuum processing chamber, using either novel ozone sensor or existing mass flow meter or controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: ShouQian Shao, Jay DeDontney, Jason Wright
  • Publication number: 20140246117
    Abstract: Methods and systems and are presented for estimating the amount of natural gas provided to a vehicle at a natural gas time-fill filling station. The methods comprise measuring and wirelessly transmitting pre- and post-fill pressures measurements of compressed natural gas in a compressed natural gas storage tank on-board a natural gas vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: CLEAN ENERGY FUELS CORP.
    Inventor: Denis Ding
  • Patent number: 8815161
    Abstract: A gas-sensing element configured to measure a concentration of a specific component of a gas is mounted to a first circuit board which includes a driving circuit configured to drive the gas-sensing element. A moisture-proof material is disposed over at least one side of the first circuit board disposed in a tubular gas-sensing element case fixed to a sensor case. A gas-sensing chamber is defined by the first circuit board and an inner tubular surface of the gas-sensing element case, and opens at an open end of the gas-sensing element case to receive the gas to be monitored. A second circuit board which includes a control circuit configured to control the gas-sensing element via the driving circuit is fixed to a sensor case, and disposed in a position separate from the gas-sensing chamber such that the second circuit board is kept out of contact with the gas to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Oishi, Tsuyoshi Eguchi, Takashi Sasaki, Akihiro Suzuki, Shunji Tsukabayashi
  • Publication number: 20140196521
    Abstract: A method for detecting contamination in diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) used in a selective catalytic reduction process is disclosed. The method may include providing a plurality of temperature sensors arranged along a fluid column within a tank containing the DEF to be tested. The method may further include detecting a temperature of the fluid at each of the plurality of temperature sensors along the fluid column, determining temperature gradients along the fluid column from the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature sensors, and comparing the temperature gradients along the fluid column with a set of reference temperature gradients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventor: Amiyo Kumar BASU
  • Patent number: 8776578
    Abstract: A gas sensor having high detection sensitivity and a low output signal noise includes a laminate of thermistor ceramic, a catalytic electrode, an internal electrode, and external electrodes. When coming into contact with a detection target gas, the catalytic electrode generates heat, and the resistance of a thermistor layer of a sensing portion is decreased. Since the heat generated by the catalytic electrode is directly transferred to the thermistor layer without passing through an insulating layer or the like, high detection sensitivity is obtained. In addition, the structure can be formed in which heat of the sensing portion is insulated by a hollow portion and heat diffusion is prevented, so that the heat capacity of the sensing portion is further decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadamasa Miura
  • Patent number: 8776577
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a generated gas collecting method collects a generated gas after exposing the interior of a chamber to an organic gas having a boiling point higher than that of the generated gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akihiro Komatsu, Takahiro Imamura
  • Publication number: 20140174152
    Abstract: A measuring system for the charged amounts in a pressure container using pressure and volume comprising: an information acquisition device that can collect information on volume and maximum charging pressure of the pressure container; first and second automatic valves, a reference container, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor that are connected to a gas line between a storage tank and a charging nozzle; a control part that calculates the charged amounts through engineering calculations with pressure detected by the pressure sensor, temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and basic information on the pressure container and that calculates changes in temperature and volume of the pressure container to calibrate for the charged amounts, determine safety of the pressure container, and convert the calibrated charged amount to a sum of money; and a display part that receives the calculated information from the control part and inform it to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: GASROAD CO., LTD
    Inventors: Young Man Gil, Gwang Yun Kim
  • Publication number: 20140165704
    Abstract: A system, comprising at least one source for irradiating electromagnetic radiation into a sample fluid and a reference fluid resulting in a change in a temperature of the sample fluid and a change in a temperature of the reference fluid, and a processing subsystem that monitors and determines a concentration of a gas of interest dissolved in the sample fluid based upon a difference between the change in the temperature of the sample fluid and the change in the temperature of the reference fluid, wherein the reference fluid does not contain the gas of interest, and the electromagnetic radiation has a wavelength range corresponding to a spectral absorption range of the gas of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sandip Maity, Nagapriya Kavoori Sethumadhavan, Samhitha Palanganda Poonacha, Prashanth Raghavendra Prasad
  • Publication number: 20140154140
    Abstract: A temperature measurement system for a gasifier may employ a first stage gasifier with a refractory wall that defines a first stage gasifier volume. A protruding refractory brick may protrude from the first stage refractory wall and into a gaseous flow path of the first stage gasifier volume. The temperature sensor may reside completely through the refractory wall, which may be a plurality of brick layers, except for a tip end of a temperature sensor that may reside in a blind or non-through hole within the protruding refractory brick. The protruding refractory brick protrudes beyond a normal wall surface of the plurality of brick layers that defines the first stage gasifier volume. The protruding refractory brick may have a face that forms an angle that is not 90 degrees, such as 45 degrees, relative to the gaseous flow path of the fluid stream through the first stage gasifier volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Steven Elmer Chichester, Michael James Hickey
  • Publication number: 20140076024
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal flow sensor comprising: a support, at least one element intended to be vibrated relative to the support, suspension means for said vibrating element relative to the vibrating element, means for heating the vibrating element, means for electrostatic excitation of the vibrating element so as to vibrate it at its resonance frequency, piezoelectric gauges for detecting the resonance frequency variation of the vibrating element, the gauges forming means for heating the vibrating element by Joule effect and the suspension means comprising two beams formed by nanowires so as to reduce the heat losses from the vibrating element toward the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENE ALT
    Inventors: Laurent DURAFFOURG, Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Guillaume Jourdan
  • Patent number: 8646310
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a catalyst layer and a pipe-shaped thermoelectric power generation device. The pipe-shaped thermoelectric power generation device includes an internal through-hole along the axial direction of the pipe-shaped thermoelectric power generation device, a plurality of first cup-shaped components each made of metal, a plurality of second cup-shaped components each made of thermoelectric material, and first and second electrodes disposed at the ends of the pipe-shaped power generation device. The plurality of the first cup-shaped components and the plurality of the plurality of second cup-shaped components are arranged alternately and repeatedly along the axial direction. The catalyst layer is arranged on the internal surface of the internal through-hole. A method for detecting or measuring gas by using the gas sensor includes supplying a fluid containing the gas into the internal through-hole of the gas sensor, and detecting voltage between the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Takahashi, Tsutomu Kanno, Akihiro Sakai, Atsushi Omote, Yuka Yamada
  • Patent number: 8635900
    Abstract: A method for performing on-board functional diagnostics on a soot sensor of a vehicle and/or for detecting further components in the soot in a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine. The soot sensor is electrically connected to an evaluation circuit with is permanently installed in the motor vehicle. In order to specify a method for performing functional diagnostics on a soot sensor and/or for detecting further components in the soot, with which method it is possible to detect a faulty soot sensor and/or further components in the soot in a cost-effective way, the evaluation circuit measures the temperature coefficient of the soot sensor and detects the defectiveness of the soot sensor and/or the presence of further components in the soot on the basis of the temperature coefficient of the soot sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Ante, Rudolf Bierl, Markus Herrmann, Andreas Ott, Torsten Reitmeier, Willibald Reitmeier, Denny Schädlich, Manfred Weigl, Andreas Wildgen
  • Publication number: 20140020448
    Abstract: A flammable gas concentration detection apparatus (1) including an energization control unit (50) that switches the energization state of heating resistor (34) at regular time periods TW, and a gas concentration computation unit (7). The heating resistor has first and second set temperatures CH and CL. The voltage detected across the heating resistor at the first and second set temperatures corresponds to a high and low temperature voltage, respectively. The gas concentration computation unit computes the concentration of a flammable gas based on a first information group including an average high temperature voltage averaging the values of two temporally successive high temperature voltages, the low temperature voltage in a period of time between two high temperature voltages, and an environment temperature in the period of time in which the low temperature voltage is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke MATSUKURA, Shoji KITANOYA, Masaya WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8608375
    Abstract: A method of measuring a temperature of a noble gas in a chamber includes providing the noble gas in the chamber. The noble gas is characterized by a pressure and a temperature. The method also includes directing a first laser beam into the chamber and directing a second laser beam into the chamber. The first laser beam is characterized by a first frequency and the second laser beam is characterized by a second frequency. The method further includes converting at least a portion of the first laser beam and the second laser beam into a coherent anti-Stokes beam, measuring a Doppler broadening of the coherent anti-Stokes beam, and computing the temperature using the Doppler broadening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20130327124
    Abstract: A method for setting a temperature of a sensor element, which is heatable with the aid of a heating device, for detecting at least one property of a gas in a measuring gas chamber includes at least one regulation of the heating device, the regulation including: (a) detecting at least one actual value of at least one controlled variable of the sensor element, (b) ascertaining a setpoint value of the at least one controlled variable, (c) generating at least one manipulated variable of the heating device with the aid of a comparison of the setpoint value and the actual value, and (d) in a monitoring step, checking at least one parameter used to set the temperature, and the at least one manipulated variable being influenced as a function of the check.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Jens Schneider, Michael Fey, Ingmar Burak, Markus Riemann, Reinhard Hamann
  • Patent number: 8596108
    Abstract: A gas measuring device for measuring a presence of a target gas in a fluid medium includes a sensor having a sensing element and a heating element being configured to heat the sensing element to a predetermined operating temperature. The sensing element is responsive to the target gas such that at least one electrical property of the sensing element varies based on a presence of the target gas, and the electrical property of the sensing element is measured by the gas measuring device. The gas measuring device also includes a control circuit having a heating element controller connected to, and measuring an electrical property of, the heating element. The control circuit also includes a heater power supply supplying power to the heating element, wherein the heating element controller is connected to, and controls the operation of, the heater power supply based on the measurement of the electrical property of the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Scott Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Rodney Bristol
  • Publication number: 20130298639
    Abstract: A thermoanalysis device, including a controllable temperature regulating device for the controlled change in the temperature of a sample to be investigated, a detection device for the continuous detection of at least one signal characteristic of a property of the sample during the change in the temperature, and a gas analysis device for investigating gases which are liberated from the sample. In order to enable an improved time- and temperature-resolved investigation of volatile components and decomposition products, provision is made according to the invention such that, during the change in the temperature of the sample, the temperature regulating device is controlled according to a control algorithm taking account of the detected signal and/or the gas analysis device is constituted so as to be controllable and is controlled according to a control algorithm taking account of the detected signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Juergen Blumm
  • Patent number: 8567233
    Abstract: A gas charge container includes a sample holder which holds a needle-shaped material, a deutrium gas supply portion which charges a deutrium gas into the needle-shaped material held by the sample holder, and a heating portion which heats the needle-shaped material held by the sample holder. The needle-shaped material is cooled by blocking the heat generated by the heating portion after the needle-shaped material is heated by the heating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Takahashi, Kazuto Kawakami, Haruo Ohmori
  • Patent number: 8561484
    Abstract: Certain aspects and examples are directed to sorbent devices and methods of using them. In certain embodiments, a sorbent device comprising a body comprising a sampling inlet, a base and a longitudinal diffusion path between the inlet and the base is provided. In some embodiments, the sorbent device can include at least two sorbent materials fluidically coupled to the longitudinal diffusion path, in which the sorbent materials are arranged from a material with a weakest sorbent strength to a material with a strongest sorbent strength with the weakest sorbent strength material adjacent to the sampling inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Tipler, Avinash Dalmia
  • Patent number: 8542955
    Abstract: A gas detection system is provided for identifying a gas. The gas detection system includes a sensing module with a hollow chamber enclosed by a chamber housing. Additionally, the sensing module includes an optical sensing fiber positioned within the hollow chamber. The optical sensing fiber includes a gas sensor including a fiber Bragg grating positioned at a grating location along the optical sensing fiber, and a sensing layer affixed to an exterior surface of the optical sensing fiber at the grating location. After the gas is directed into the hollow chamber, the sensing layer and the gas exchange heat energy, based in part on a heat transfer coefficient of the gas. The exchange of the heat energy induces a shift in a Bragg resonant wavelength of the fiber Bragg grating which exceeds a threshold shift required for detection, where the shift is used to identify the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Xia, Renato Guida, Juntao Wu, Axel Busboom, Aniceto Bantug, Pramod Chamarthy
  • Publication number: 20130219993
    Abstract: A cover, sample tray and base may form a hydrogen storage engineering properties analyzer. In at least one embodiment, the sample tray includes a plurality of cooling fins, each of which includes a sample well therein. A variety of hydrogen storage materials may be loaded into and unloaded from each sample well by way of a respective sample well opening. The combined cover and sample tray define at least one plenum which may be in fluid communication between a source of pressurized hydrogen gas and each sample well. The cooling fins may be received by a cooling chamber defined within the base and configured to receive a through-flow of heat-exchange fluid. Certain embodiments may include one or more pressure transducers in fluid communication between the plenum and hydrogen source, and thermal transducers connected to portions of the cooling fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Robert Del Zio, Jun Yang, Andrea Pulskamp, Shinichi Hirano, Donald J. Siegel
  • Publication number: 20130186174
    Abstract: A passive and reusable preconcentrator/injector device for measuring gas-phase analytes and methods of use. The device includes an upper plate defining an array of micro-scale diffusion channels and a lower plate secured to the upper plate. The lower plate defines a cavity for a reusable collection material in fluid communication with the micro-scale diffusion channels. An integral heating unit is provided adjacent the lower plate and configured for heating the cavity. A loading port may be included for introducing the reusable collection material into the cavity. An inlet port and an outlet port are provided, both in fluid communication with the cavity. The device may include a fluidic manifold system comprising a plurality of conduits disposed between the adsorbent cavity and the outlet port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventor: The Regents of the University of Michigan