By Mechanical Waves Patents (Class 73/584)
  • Patent number: 11747496
    Abstract: An assembly and method for detecting cross bores involving a sewer system and a gas pipe includes an acoustic generator placed within an interior of the sewer system and an acoustic receiver placed either within an interior of the gas pipe or in proximity to an end of the gas pipe. The acoustic generator generates an acoustic signal to transmit through the interior of a sewer pipe of the sewer system. A controller detects, in response to the acoustic receiver hearing the acoustic signal, a cross bore involving the sewer pipe and the gas pipe. A microphone may be placed within the interior of the sewer system at a location remote from the acoustic generator. In this case, the controller determines, in response to the acoustic receiver not hearing the acoustic signal and the microphone hearing the acoustic signal, that a cross bore involving the sewer pipe and the gas pipe is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: ULC TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan S. Goldband, Baiyang Ren
  • Patent number: 11654946
    Abstract: A system and method for minimizing safety hazards along a railroad track by optimizing visual railroad inspection frequency based on acquired data relating to railroad safety maintenance. The system and method can provide various rating systems for the railroad assets to optimize railroad inspections by focusing the inspections to railroad assets experiencing suboptimal conditions. The ratings of the railroad assets are based on various data collected from physical factors impacting the life of the railroad assets, such as an amount of rainfall, locomotive weight and frequency of passing, and manually detected defects. The system and method can focus the railroad inspection efforts to the railroad assets requiring increased attention in response to the suboptimal conditions. The focused inspections can result in longer lifespan of the railroad assets, efficient inspections, and safer railroads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventor: Adam L. Miller
  • Patent number: 11644444
    Abstract: A method for quantitatively evaluating the expected ultrasonic inspectability of a designed part using ray tracing. First, a model of a part imported. Materials having different indices of refraction are selected for the part and an acoustic coupling medium. Then the following structures and positional relationships are defined: an ultrasonic transducer array comprising a plurality of elements, a position of the acoustic coupling medium between the transducer array and the part, and a plurality of positions of a transmit aperture relative to the part. For each defined position of the transmit aperture, a path of a respective ray is traced from a center of the transmit aperture through the part and then to a respective receive location on the transducer array. Also, a respective value of an inspectability margin is calculated based at least in part on a respective distance between a center of the receive aperture and the respective receive location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Hong Hue Tat, Yuan-Jye Jason Wu, Anuj K. Adhikaram, Christopher R. Loesche
  • Patent number: 11576003
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for objectively assessing acoustical performance of an in-ear device having a passageway extending there through use a dual microphone probe that removably engages the passageway. The acoustical performance of the in-ear device is performed with the in-ear device inserted into the ear canal of the user and a reference sound source. A clip holding the probe in an acoustic near field of the sound source permits real time calibration thereof. The method and apparatus allow on-site and in-situ measurement of a predicted personal attenuation rating of the device, a subject-fit re-insertion test, an acoustic seal test, a rating test, a stability and reliability test, as well as a protection test of the device with an assessment of a filtered predicted exposure level at the ear for a specific noise exposure level. The apparatus may be simply housed along with the sound source for in-field evaluation tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeremie Voix, Frederic Laville
  • Patent number: 11546686
    Abstract: A headphone ear pad system may generate a custom ear pad from a three-dimensional data set of a user. The custom ear pad is attach to a headphone housing and is subsequently used to form an acoustic coupling with an ear of the user and an acoustic driver of the headphone housing. The custom ear pad can have a customized cross-sectional shape and sealing surface to create an optimized acoustic profile for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel William Clark, Robert Jason Egger
  • Patent number: 11540409
    Abstract: The triple sealing device for an electronics housing of smart instrumentation includes: an electronic board; a first housing which has the electronic board disposed therein and includes a first inlet port to allow a cable to pass therethrough; a second housing which is provided above the first inlet port of the first housing and coupled to the first housing, and includes a second inlet port to allow a cable to pass therethrough; an elastic block provided on an inner circumferential surface of the second inlet port; and a cable which is connected to the electronic board and extends outward after passing through the first inlet port and the second inlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KEPCO ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
    Inventor: Ji Wung Park
  • Patent number: 11467132
    Abstract: Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure relate to devices, systems and methods of manufacture for an exemplary waveguide usable for acoustic signal transmission for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of a wooden specimen. An exemplary waveguide comprises a mating portion for interfacing with a transducer horn of an ultrasonic transducer. The mating portion comprises an impact surface and a contact well that is fabricated within the impact surface so that the contact well is not contacted during an impact that drives the waveguide into wood. The contact well is utilized to connect the waveguide to a transducer horn. The waveguide further comprises a body portion that comprises a radiating component optimized for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of wood and transmission of ultrasonic signal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: VOLT HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Yishi Lee, Wayne Hall
  • Patent number: 11363384
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a sensitive diaphragm comprising a diaphragm body, an edge region of the diaphragm body being provided with a rim structure, wherein the rim structure is in a non-closed annular shape, a non-closed region is located at a part not closed by the rim structure, and the non-closed region are integral and continuous with parts of the diaphragm body adjacent to the rim structure. According to the sensitive diaphragm of the present disclosure, the annular rim structure is separated by the non-closed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Weifang Goertek Microelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Maoqiang Dang, Guanxun Qiu, Mengjin Cai
  • Patent number: 11209397
    Abstract: A method for determining a quality of a friction stir welded seam is described. The method involves applying an impact to a welded plate and comparing its damping capacity with the damping capacity of a geometrically equivalent defect-free plate. Damping capacities that differ by a small percent difference indicate that the welded plate is also defect-free. This method is particularly advantageous when dealing with small defects, which produce miniscule changes in natural frequency which may not be measureable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz University
    Inventors: Waheed Sami Abushanab, Essam B. Moustafa
  • Patent number: 11181507
    Abstract: A method includes exciting a vibration of a solid material preferably in cylindrical shape, detecting the vibration by a pair of transducers attached at opposing positions on the solid material and preferably orthogonally aligned to the excitation force, adding the pair of sensor signals to mostly cancel bending mode signal components, and processing the added output signal to obtain a frequency spectrum. A method may also include identifying a resonance peak of an extensional mode diametrically symmetric, measuring a characteristic of the resonance peak, comparing the characteristic with a series of measured values for standard samples, and determining a defect status such as decay in a wooden pole solid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventor: Djamel Ouis
  • Patent number: 11183070
    Abstract: Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Also disclosed are various techniques to utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Carter, Stephen E. Hannah, Jesse M. James, Narayanan V. Ramanathan
  • Patent number: 11079358
    Abstract: Methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems for wooden pole integrity assessment. One computer-implemented method includes emitting, by one or more acoustic sources mounted onto a wooden pole, one or more sound waves through the wooden pole. Further, the method includes measuring, by one or more acoustic receivers mounted on the wooden pole, a respective amplitude and time of arrival of at least a portion of each of the one or more sound waves. Additionally, the method includes calculating, using the respective amplitude, the respective time of arrival, and a predetermined function, the real-time integrity level of the wooden pole. The method also includes in response to determining that the real-time integrity level of the wooden pole is less than a threshold level, outputting an alert indicating that the integrity level of the wooden pole is less than the threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Khaled A. Al-Buraik
  • Patent number: 10934886
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method (200) for managing a breakdown of a starter valve of a starting circuit of an aircraft turbine engine, comprising the following steps: —starting (203) the turbine engine, a state-change command being sent to the starter valve in order for it to open; —increasing (204) the engine speed of the turbine engine to a predefined first threshold, —during said increase (204) in engine speed, —if a difference in position has been detected (201) between the position sensors before the step of starting the turbine engine or if a difference in position is detected (205) between said position sensors, determining (207) the position sensor that has switched between the closed position and the open position, the other position sensor having remained in the open or closed position; —when the first threshold is reached, storing (209) the position sensor that has switched between the closed position and the open position as healthy and the position sensor that has remained in the open or
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Adel Cedric Abir Widemann, David Julien Boyer
  • Patent number: 10801995
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of a method of detecting hydrocarbons in Systems and methods for sensing analytes in an aqueous solution, include pretreating a water sample to provide a test sample. A flow cell includes at least one sensor with a polymer coating having at least partial selectivity for at least one analyte. The flow cell receives a test sample and a reference sample. At least one output signal from the at least one sensor is processed with a microcontroller using a model of the sensor response and a bank of Kalman filters to estimate a concentration of at least one analyte in the aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignees: Marquette University, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien J. Josse, Florian Bender, Antonio J. Ricco, Rachel Ellen Mohler, Ravindra Vasant Kolhatkar
  • Patent number: 10788455
    Abstract: An extended reach inspection apparatus may include a scanner device and a robotic manipulator arm. The robotic manipulator arm may include a plurality of arm segments including a distal end arm segment and a proximal end arm segment. A movable joint may couple the distal end arm segment to the robotic manipulator arm. A telescoping extension mechanism may be coupled to the distal end arm segment. The scanner device is mounted to the telescoping extension mechanism for moving the scanner device between a retracted position proximate the robotic manipulator arm and an extended position at a distance from the robotic manipulator arm. A control handle may be coupled to the proximal end arm segment of the plurality of arm segments for manipulating the robotic manipulator arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Nathan R. Smith, Gary E. Georgeson, Paul S. Rutherford, Jeffrey R. Kollgaard
  • Patent number: 10684111
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for non-destructive testing of an effective anchorage depth of a fully grouted anchor bolt, which are applicable in geotechnical engineering. The method provided by the invention is for non-destructive testing of an effective anchorage depth of a fully grouted anchor bolt; the method is convenient to operate, non-destructive to an anchor bolt, and capable of testing an anchorage length of the anchor bolt. The present invention further provides an apparatus for non-destructive testing of an effective anchorage depth of a fully grouted anchor bolt. The apparatus has a simple structure, is convenient to install, and is capable of measuring an anchorage length of an anchor bolt without damaging the anchor bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: POWERCHINA HUADONG ENGINEERING CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Ning Liu, Chunsheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 10605781
    Abstract: Methods for measuring out-of-plane wrinkles in composite laminates are described. An example method includes scanning a first side of a composite laminate with an ultrasonic transducer. The method further includes locating an out-of-plane wrinkle of the composite laminate on a B-scan ultrasound image generated in response to the scanning of the first side of the composite laminate. The method further includes associating a first marker with the B-scan ultrasound image, the first marker determined based on a location of a crest of the out-of-plane wrinkle on the B-scan ultrasound image. The method further includes associating a second marker with the B-scan ultrasound image, the second marker determined based on a location of a trough focal point of the out-of-plane wrinkle on the B-scan ultrasound image. The method further includes determining an amplitude of the out-of-plane wrinkle based on a distance between the first marker and the second marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Navpreet S. Grewal, Gary E. Georgeson, Jill P. Bingham, John D. Morris, Sabyasachi Basu
  • Patent number: 10458954
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a structure evaluation system has a plurality of sensors, a signal processor, and an evaluator. The sensors detect an elastic wave generated from a structure. The signal processor acquires a reliability from a source of the elastic wave to the plurality of sensors by performing signal processing on the elastic wave detected by the plurality of sensors. The evaluator evaluates the soundness of the structure on the basis of the acquired reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Sanae Iida, Takashi Usui
  • Patent number: 10317372
    Abstract: The present apparatus is configured to carry an instrument or probe and optionally deploy it against a surface, such as a metal pipeline or storage tank. The apparatus can include a sensor probe for inspecting the integrity of the surface and a first linkage that is operatively coupled to the sensor probe and configured to move the sensor probe according to a first path (in a first direction/first degree of freedom). An actuator can be operatively connected to the first linkage for moving the first linkage so as to move the sensor probe along the first path. A second linkage is operatively connected to the sensor probe and configured to passively move the sensor probe according to a second degree of freedom to cause the sensor probe to become normal to the surface when at least a portion of the apparatus contacts the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: HIBOT CORPORATION, SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Pablo Carrasco Zanini, Fadl Abdellatif, Sahejad Patel, Shigeo Hirose, Michele Guarnieri, Paulo Debenest
  • Patent number: 10295434
    Abstract: A direct field acoustic testing system includes at least one control microphone, a controller operatively coupled to the control microphone such that the controller receives at least one input signal from the control microphone, and at least four acoustic transducer groups operatively coupled to the controller such that each transducer is separately controllable by the controller such that a separate output signal is received by each transducer from the controller. A setup signal is applied to each of the acoustical transducers. The acoustic output of each of the acoustical transducers is monitored using the at least one control microphone. Assumptions regarding the relationship between the acoustic fields measured by the control microphones are made to enable the controller to reduce the number of calculations needed to compute error functions and corrected drive signals to be applied to the acoustic transducer groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Marcos Underwood
    Inventors: Marcos A. Underwood, Robert Turk Goldstein, Paul Alan Larkin
  • Patent number: 10236019
    Abstract: This invention enables to effectively detect an abrupt change in a signal. The signal processing apparatus includes a converter that converts an input signal into a phase component signal in a frequency domain, a first calculator that calculates a first phase gradient as a gradient of the phase of the phase component signal, a second calculator that calculates a second phase gradient using the first phase gradients at a plurality of frequencies, and a determiner that determines existability concerning an abrupt change in the input signal based on the first phase gradients and the second phase gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10126285
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for predicting slab quality including a plurality of meniscus height detecting units prepared in a plurality of region on a top side of a mold receiving molten steel, and detecting a meniscus height of the molten steel, a meniscus flow detecting unit creating a meniscus flow pattern using meniscus heights at the plurality of regions, which are detected by the plurality of meniscus height detecting units, a data storage unit storing the meniscus flow pattern and quality data of a slab produced accordingly and a slab quality predicting unit extracting the meniscus flow pattern detected by the meniscus flow detecting unit and consequent slab quality from the data storage unit to predict slab quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: POSCO
    Inventors: Sang Woo Han, Yong Jin Kim, Joong Kil Park, Sung Kwang Kim
  • Patent number: 10118635
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for evaluating shopping cart wheels using a sensor module or one or more microphones engaged with the shopping cart. The microphones can be used to detect sounds generated by the wheels of the shopping cart. A sound signature can be determined from the detected sound and compared to sound signatures in a database. If the detected sound indicates that a wheel of the shopping cart is failing, an alert can be generated using an associate alert system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholaus Adam Jones, Matthew Dwain Biermann, Steven Jackson Lewis
  • Patent number: 10094806
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring battery state are provided. A method of monitoring battery state involves collecting vibration information based on a signal from an acceleration sensor, calculating a cumulative impact based on the vibration information, and estimating a degree of damage to a battery based on the cumulative impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaemo Sung, Jeonghyun Park, Taejung Yeo
  • Patent number: 9746449
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising an ultrasonic sensor (2), which comprises a pot-shaped membrane (21) for emitting and/or receiving ultrasonic signals, comprising a decoupling ring (6), which is arranged to fit around the membrane (21) in contact with an outer circumference (34) of the membrane (21), and comprising a stiffening element (13), which is arranged around the decoupling ring (6), wherein the decoupling ring (6) comprises a circumferential first radial decoupling region (32) which is in contact with the outer circumference (34) of the membrane (21) as well as a second radial decoupling region (33) with an axial face (37) which is in contact with an axial face (38) of the stiffening element (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Schatter Und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Eidel, Stefan Triebl, Hans Wilhelm Wehling, Thomas Jung, Hubert Neft, Stephan Max
  • Patent number: 9657588
    Abstract: A system for monitoring health of a rotor is presented. The system includes a processing subsystem that generates a measurement matrix based upon a plurality of resonant-frequency first delta times of arrival vectors corresponding to a blade and a first sensing device, and a plurality of resonant-frequency second delta times of arrival vectors corresponding to the blade and a second sensing device, generates a resonant matrix based upon the measurement matrix such that entries in the resonant matrix are substantially linearly uncorrelated and linearly independent, and generates a resonance signal using a first subset of the entries of the resonant matrix, wherein the resonance signal substantially comprises common observations and components of the plurality of resonant-frequency first delta times of arrival vectors and the plurality of resonant-frequency second delta times of arrival vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mahesh Raveendranatha Panicker, Ajay Kumar Behera, Venkatesh Rajagopalan, Venkatarao Ryali, Vivek Venugopal Badami, Budhaditya Hazra
  • Patent number: 9267925
    Abstract: The present invention provides a non-intrusive method and device for determining the integrity of a support structure, such as a wooden utility pole. The determination of the structure's integrity is based on the relationship between the structures natural frequency and one or more mechanical and geometrical characteristics. The method includes the steps of generating an acoustic signal, converting the signal into digital signal that can be analyzed, and calculating the structure's strength and mechanical characteristics of the pole over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: PoleXpert, LLC
    Inventors: Alexej Bartuli, Dmitrii Popov, Alexandr Matyash, Limanov Igor, Belalami Salim
  • Patent number: 9128034
    Abstract: A rail scanning system and certified method of use thereof are described. The rail scanning system comprises a control unit, a probe carriage, and an encoder. The probe carriage comprises two or more phased array probes. The control unit is communicatively coupled with the encoder and phased array probes of the probe carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: NATIONAL RAILROD PASSENGER CORPORATION
    Inventors: John A. Pielli, Kenneth Gaglione
  • Patent number: 9109972
    Abstract: A direct field acoustic testing system includes at least one control microphone, a controller operatively coupled to the control microphone such that the controller receives at least one input signal from the control microphone, and at least four acoustic transducers operatively coupled to the controller such that each transducer is separately controllable by the controller such that a separate output signal is received by each transducer from the controller. A setup is applied to each of the acoustical transducers. The acoustic output of each of the acoustical transducers is monitored using the at least one control microphone. The output signal of each control microphone with respect to each acoustical transducer is compared to a reference spectrum to create a matrix of error functions, and a corrected drive signal computed for each acoustical transducer is applied to the respective acoustical transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventors: Paul Alan Larkin, Robert Turk Goldstein, Marcos A. Underwood
  • Patent number: 9038475
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a system for identifying an anomalous movement of a reciprocating element in a reciprocating device, the system comprising: at least one sensing device for sensing a vibration signal of the reciprocating element; a processing apparatus for separating the vibration signal into a first component having a first frequency range and a second component having a second frequency range different than the first frequency range; and a device for at least one of analyzing or displaying at least one of the first or the second components of the vibration signal, wherein the vibration signal includes positional data of the reciprocating element along at least one axis of the reciprocating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian F. Howard, Roger A. Hala, L John Kitchens, Jr., Stephen Edward Plaisance
  • Publication number: 20150128707
    Abstract: The present invention related to a new passive wireless sensor platform which is based on the intermodulation communication principle. The platform may utilize a quartz crystal or other mechanical resonator. Additionally, the platform allows for a narrow bandwidth and/or ID-code of a sensor. Certain embodiments enable high frequencies and large read-out distances. It facilitates a generic sensor element and can thus be used to monitor virtually any quantity. Additionally, it offers a means to realize a wireless passive sensor using MEMS sensor technology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT
    Inventors: Ville Viikari, Heikki Seppä
  • Publication number: 20150114122
    Abstract: A damage detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine damage criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the damage criteria to determine, for example, a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Alexander M. Soles, Matthew R. Walsh, Eric B. Scott
  • Patent number: 8997571
    Abstract: Provided are an ultrasonic probe capable of forming an image without degradation even when the frequency band of a photoacoustic wave and the frequency band of an ultrasonic wave used in ultrasonography are separated from each other, and an inspection object imaging apparatus including the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe includes a first array device capable of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave; and a second array device capable of receiving a photoacoustic wave. The first array device includes plural electromechanical transducers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, the second array device includes plural electromechanical transducers arranged in a two-dimensional manner, and the first array device and the second array device are provided on the same plane and in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Someda, Keishi Saito, Yasufumi Asao, Katsumi Nakagawa, Shigeru Ichihara
  • Publication number: 20150032392
    Abstract: Monitoring the condition of an anti-vibration mount, e.g. a sandwich mount in which a plurality of elastomeric layers are interleaved with rigid plates. A set of effectiveness data is determined using input and output data measured or derived over a period of time. The effectiveness data is indicative of the effectiveness of the anti-vibration mount, in particular is dynamic stiffness. The input data is indicative of the amplitude of input vibrations that are applied to the anti-vibration mount and the output data is indicative of the amplitude of corresponding output vibrations of the anti-vibration mount (e.g. the vibrations that are transferred into an external support frame of the associated apparatus or equipment). The operating condition of the anti-vibration mount is monitored using the set of effectiveness data, e.g. by comparing successive sets of effectiveness data determined using input and output data collected over different time periods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Stuart Ian Bradley
  • Patent number: 8939006
    Abstract: A photoacoustic detector wherein control circuits compensate for long term variations of components therein including a light source and sensing microphones. The control circuits intermittently energize the source to evaluate changes in at least source resistance. The control circuits intermittently energize an acoustic generator to evaluate changes in one or more generator responsive microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Rezachek, Gary P. Shubinsky, Michael Freeman
  • Patent number: 8939030
    Abstract: A sensor system uses positive closed-loop feedback to provide energy waves into a medium. The medium can be coupled to the muscular-skeletal system or be part of the muscular-skeletal system. A sensor comprises one or more transducers, an edge detect circuit or a reflecting surface. A parameter is applied to the medium and the parameter affects the medium. A transducer receives an energy wave that has traversed the medium and generates an energy wave signal. The edge-detect receiver receives the energy wave signal signal from the transducer and generates a pulse upon sensing a leading edge corresponding to a wave front of the energy wave. The edge-detect receiver comprises a preamplifier, a differentiator, a digital pulse circuit, and a deblank circuit. The transit time, phase, or frequency is measured of the propagating energy waves and correlated to the parameter being measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Orthosensor Inc
    Inventors: Marc Stein, Andrew Kelly
  • Patent number: 8913006
    Abstract: A non-destructive inspection and testing instrument includes a housing and a first panel with a first type input to be assembled onto the housing and a second panel with a different, second type input to be assembled onto the housing. A first GUI module for the first panel implements a function upon an actuation of the first type input. A second GUI module for the second panel implements the same function upon an actuation of the second type input. A controller is configured to select the first GUI module when the first panel is associated with the instrument and to select the second GUI module when the second panel is associated with the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus NDT, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Joseph DeAngelo, Coleman McCourt Flanagan
  • Patent number: 8904869
    Abstract: In a method for alerting to the wear of a tire that includes a tread strip equipped with at least one circumferential groove, the running noise made by the tire running along a ground is measured, from the measured running noise, a noise emitted in a predetermined range of frequencies close to a predetermined resonant frequency of a portion of the circumferential groove during running is isolated, the amplitude of the isolated noise is measured, and the measured amplitude is compared against a predetermined alert threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Establissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Antoine Paturle
  • Publication number: 20140352439
    Abstract: This disclosure describes embodiments of a probe assembly and an inspection system for ultrasonic inspection. Designs for the probe assembly package components to fit into a bore of a hollow target. These designs may incorporate electronics to generate waves and to detect a wide selection of anomalies (e.g., transversal crack, longitudinal crack, and volumetric flaws) that can form in the hollow target. The probe assembly provides support structure to manipulate and operate these electronics in the bore. This support structure facilitates communication of signals, e.g., from transducer elements that operate as a phased array. The probe assembly also includes a fluid circulating system and coupling system that permits the probe device to detach and reattach to match the probe device (and other parts of the probe assembly) to the size of the bore. These systems allow for fluid and electrical signals to circulate through the probe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Luca Scaccabarozzi
  • Publication number: 20140283607
    Abstract: The adjustable voltage regulator under control of a microcontroller applies controlled amplitude voltage in the range of 5 to 9 VDC to the sensor transmitter to adjust the output amplitude of the transmitter. The adjustable amplitude transmitter allows an occupancy sensor to have its total output energy adjusted to reduce environmental noise-induced false triggering and to conform to the area to be covered. Lowering the total ultrasonic energy in the monitored space lowers the sensitivity of the receiver to inappropriate activations. Lowering the input power to the transmitter also lowers the total internal system noise and provides an improved signal to noise ratio in the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: The Watt Stopper, Inc.
    Inventors: Louia WEIDMAN, Aizhong CHEN, Chenghao FAN
  • Publication number: 20140288860
    Abstract: A system for measuring a length of an electrode plate includes a body on which an electrode plate roll formed by spirally winding the electrode plate is provided; a control device to which the body is combined; and a measuring device including a thickness measurement unit combined with the body and electrically connected to the control device to measure a spirally wound thickness of the electrode plate that is spirally wound on the electrode plate roll, and a diameter measurement unit to measure a diameter of a hollow portion of the electrode plate roll, wherein the control device receives a moving distance of the thickness measurement unit and a moving distance of the diameter measurement unit and calculates the length of the electrode plate of the electrode plate roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicants: Robert Bosch Gmbh, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In KIM, Eun-Jung KIM, Yong-Shik HWANG, Duk-Jung KIM, Hyung-Sik KIM, Soo-Seok CHOI
  • Patent number: 8840559
    Abstract: Provided is an organic piezoelectric material which has excellent piezoelectric property, heat resistance property in particular. An ultrasonic oscillator, which is to be used for an ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging device which can receive high frequencies at high sensitivity and is suitable for harmonic imaging techniques, a method for manufacturing such oscillator, and an ultrasonic probe are also provided. The ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging device is provided by sing such oscillator, method and probe. The organic piezoelectric material is characterized by containing empty particles having an average particle diameter of 10 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyokazu Morita
  • Publication number: 20140277911
    Abstract: A vibration analyzer with an integrated sensor and method are provided to sense a vibration in a component of a vehicle. The vibration analyzer includes a three-axis accelerometer, a controller, a connector, a wireless interface and a battery. The vibration analyzer receives vibration data and vehicle data and packages them together and transmits the packaged data to a remove device such as a scan tool. The vibration analyzer can be networked with the remote device or with another vibration analyzer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SERVICE SOLUTIONS U.S. LLC
    Inventor: Manokar Chinnadurai
  • Publication number: 20140260623
    Abstract: According to aspects of the present disclosure, features of interest in materials are analyzed. The method comprises capturing a morphology of the feature of interest on a surface or an interior of a material under evaluation. The method also comprises selecting targeted spatial locations on the surface or the interior of the material under evaluation based upon the captured morphology. Also, the method comprises capturing information about the local state (e.g., crystallographic orientation) of the surface or the interior of the sample at the selected targeted spatial locations. Still further, the method comprises using the captured local state information to fill in the non-targeted spatial locations in the material corresponding to the captured morphology and or topology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: MRL Materials Resources LLC
    Inventors: Ayman A. Salem, Daniel P. Satko, Joshua B. Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20140256055
    Abstract: A method for detecting hydrocarbons is described. The method includes performing a remote sensing survey of a survey location to identify a target location. Then, an underwater vehicle (UV) is deployed into a body of water and directed to the target location. The UV collects measurement data within the body of water at the target location, which is then analyzed to determine whether hydrocarbons are present at the target location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Robert J. Pottorf, Leonard J. Srnka, William Bond, Sebastien L. Dreyfus, Michael Lawson, William P. Meurer, Daniel P. Cherney, Steven R. May, William G. Powell, Christoper J. Vandewater, Mehmet D. Ertas, Sumathy Raman, Aaron B. Regberg, A. Lucie N'Guessan, Amelia C. Robinson, Kurt W. Rudolph
  • Patent number: 8830116
    Abstract: A radar wave sensing apparatus including a rotation element, a nanosecond pulse near-field sensor and a control unit is provided. The nanosecond pulse near-field sensor emits an incident radar wave and receives a reflection radar wave of the incident radar wave hitting on a surface of the rotation element to obtain a repetition frequency variation of the reflection radar wave corresponding to the incident radar wave. The control unit calculates a vibration of the rotation element according to the repetition frequency variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuang-I Chang, Sheng-Hang Wang, Yu-Jen Su, Mu-Yu Tsai, Jyun-Long Chen
  • Publication number: 20140245834
    Abstract: A vibronic measuring device for determining at least one process variable of a medium. Included are: an oscillatable unit; a transmitting/receiving unit, which, by means of a transmission signal, excites the oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations and receives the mechanical oscillations and converts such into an analog, electrical, received signal; and a control/evaluation unit (MC), which receives the analog, received signal, digitizes such and determines the process variable therefrom and which produces the transmission signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Endress +Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Urban, Tobias Brengartner, Alexander Muller
  • Patent number: 8822922
    Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a portable inspection system is disclosed to wirelessly capture inspection data, such as for example an infrared image, sound information, and/or electrical measurement information. The inspection data may be securely recorded (e.g., with an encryption algorithm) along with associated information, which may include for example date, time, system settings, operator identification, and location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Scanlon, James T. Woolaway, Robert P. Madding
  • Patent number: 8820162
    Abstract: Provided is a pressed workpiece inspection apparatus. A main body of a finger mounted on a palletizer robot that transports a finished workpiece W to a palette includes the following components: two vacuum cups configured to attract the finished workpiece W, a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate the finished workpiece W, a vibration detection sensor configured to detect a vibrational state of the finished workpiece W caused by the vibrating mechanism, a data logger configured to store and retain a detected signal from the vibration detection sensor, a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the detected signal stored and retained in the data logger to an analyzer, and a rechargeable battery configured to drive the vibration detection sensor, the data logger, and the transmitter. The analyzer determines whether or not the finished workpiece W is non-defective, based on the detected signal from the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kuniaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20140238134
    Abstract: In a method for testing a box blank formed from flat material, the said box blank is guided along a blade (12). At least one of the layers (10) is folded onto the blade (12), so that it is located between the layers (10, 14). A component (16) is located opposite the blade (12), which component is located outside the box blank (2). Waves (17, 21) which are affected by the layer (10) are propagated between the blade (12) and the component (16). In order to achieve a high contrast, the blade has at least one physical property which differs from the corresponding physical property of the box blank. (FIG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: TEXMAG GMBH VERTRIEBSGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Reiter, Lars Zwerger