Did You Know...
...that Robert Adler has the dubious distinction of being the Father of the Couch Potato? Back in 1955 Adler was employed by what was then Zenith Radio Corp., where he was charged to invent something that would allow viewers to turn down the TV volume without leaving their chairs. After a series of flops (such as a wired contraption that people tripped over), Adler hit on the idea of using sound waves. Thus the Remote Control was born...
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7417561 | Acoustic or pneumatic pulse transfer system for event counting An event sensing component includes a housing, wherein the housing includes a first tube that is provided along an entire length of the housing, and a second tube that is provided along the entire length of the housing. The housing also includes a first connector pr... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7022925 | Acoustic pulse transfer system for event counting An acoustic pulse transfer device according to the invention has one or more carrier segments that can be connected together to transport acoustic pulses through them. Acoustic pulses generated by events in a first segment are transported through a second segment, w... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6917308 | Surface-mount traffic sensors Surface-mounted traffic monitoring sensors that do not require substantial disruption to traffic flow to install or maintain, and that do not substantially degrade the physical integrity of the road. Pneumatic road-tube wedges and surface-mount inductive blades dete... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6858811 | Binary switch apparatus and method for manufacturing same The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for the manufacture of binary switches for use in the medical monitoring field and membrane switches for use in a variety of contexts. More particularly, the instant invention involves the construction... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6744378 | Roadway sensor with improved insulated signal carrying wires A vehicular roadway sensor comprising a conductive elastomeric housing having a sensor wire groove and one or more signal wire in the sensor wire groove, the sensor wire groove comprised of an airgap portion and a sensing wire portion for receiving and maintaining o... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6492604 | Device for detecting pressure and passage of a vehicle wheel on a pavement using a conductive rubber and method for installing same A system for detecting the pressure and passage of a vehicle wheel on a surface includes an element made of a deformable conductive rubber component which is urged into contact with an opposing conductive metal component by the passage of a wheel over the... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6469266 | Road vehicle axle sensor An improved vehicle road sensor is provided for signalling the passage of a vehicle over a predetermined location on a roadway. The vehicle road sensor includes a membrane switch which includes a first member and a second member. The first member includes... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6396010 | Safety edge switch for a movable door A safety edge switch for a motorized door includes a longitudinally extending base, a resiliently deformable material, an electrode array of a plurality of spaced apart conductive segments, and an array of bridging members. The switch is normally in the c... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6326902 | Residual charge-effect traffic sensor A vehicular roadway sensor comprising a conductive elastomeric housing having a sensor wire groove and one or more signal wire in the sensor wire groove, the sensor wire groove comprised of an airgap portion and a sensing wire portion for receiving and ma... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6288651 | Portable roadway perimeter alarm The portable roadway perimeter alarm has an impact sensor which may be a shock or pressure sensor that is connected to a transmitter. The impact sensor and transmitter unit is located around the perimeter of a roadway work area to detect vehicles penetrat... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6130627 | Residual charge effect sensor A residual charge traffic sensor for monitoring the number and speed of vehicles traveling in multiple lanes of a roadway includes a housing containing a cavity, a conductive mounting bar adapted to fit within the cavity, at least two sensing elements mou... | 10/10/2000 |
| 5883585 | On-road object detecting system A system for detecting an object located on a travelling path even in bad weather or during nighttime in which conducting wires having a predetermined impedance value are laid along a travelling path, and a signal is supplied to the conducting wires from ... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5850192 | Apparatus for sensing vehicles An underground vehicle sensing system extends below a vehicle travel surface to detect the presence of a vehicle. A conduit extends substantially horizontally underground from an access hole placed at the side of the vehicle travel surface. A plurality of... | 12/15/1998 |
| 5835027 | Residual charge effect traffic sensor The naturally occurring residual charge of a dielectric is utilized to establish a static electric field adapted to be disturbed by a conductive member upon occurrence of an event, such as, for example, the passage of a vehicle tire over the conductive me... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5748108 | Method and apparatus for analyzing traffic and a sensor therefor A detector for detecting a characteristic and a speed of a vehicle includes a first magnetic field sensor for generating a first analog signal indicative of changes in magnetic field strength adjacent the first sensor in response to the vehicle passing. A... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5710558 | Traffic sensor for roadway placement A traffic sensor for dispostion across a lane or lanes of a roadway includes a pliable strip within which is housed a flexible carrier which in turn supports electrical sensors and coaxial cables. The components are in circuit with a roadside located reco... | 01/20/1998 |
| 5668540 | Detection device for data relating to the passage of vehicles on a road A detection device for data relating to the passage of vehicles over a road. The detection device is to be placed in a groove provided in the upper portion of the road and comprises a first profiled strip provided with an upper cavity in a U-shape, and a ... | 09/16/1997 |
| 5661474 | Highway work zone intrusion alarm system A work zone intrusion alarm system which sounds a siren to warn highway workers in the event a vehicle enters a work zone. Workers may thus react to errant vehicles in time to avoid injury. The work zone intrusion alarm system is composed of a series of p... | 08/26/1997 |
| 5602428 | Switch mat with active threshold A pressure sensitive switch mat capable of interconnection with other such switch mats on all sides to eliminate non-activation zones as disclosed. The switch mat has a main switch mat portion and an activation edge on all sides of the switch mat. The act... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5477217 | Bidirectional road traffic sensor A bidirectional road traffic sensor include several respective lengths of coaxial piezoelectric cable each having a conductive core, a conductive polymer surrounding the core, a conductive sheath therearound and an electrically non-conductive jacket there... | 12/19/1995 |
| 5463385 | Roadway sensor systems A linear roadway vehicle sensor for sensing vehicular traffic thereover includes a flexible carrier comprising an elongated flat elastomeric member having upper and lower surfaces and at least one groove in one of the surfaces. An elongated pressure senso... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5450077 | Roadway sensor systems A linear roadway vehicle sensor for sensing vehicular traffic thereover includes a flexible carrier member comprising an elongated flat elastomeric member having upper and lower surfaces, a recess formed in the lower surface. The recess has a first top su... | 09/12/1995 |
| 5448232 | Roadway sensors and method of installing same A linear roadway sensor in which a distributed weight member has a weight per unit length which is sufficient to maintain the sensor on the roadway and substantially immune to air effects generated by vehicular traffic on the roadway. A method of safely i... | 09/05/1995 |
| 5373128 | Wheel sensing treadle matrix switch assembly for roadways A wheel sensing treadle of high sensitivity includes a thin membrane strip having a top non-conductive membrane and a bottom non-conductive membrane, the membranes being generally parallel, spaced apart, and of extended length. A large number of switches ... | 12/13/1994 |
| 5360953 | Lane discriminating traffic counting device A traffic counting cord has a plurality of sections designed to be identical in physical characteristics, set-up procedures, durability and performance as a road tube. Each section has a portion with conductive upper and lower members and a portion with n... | 11/01/1994 |
| 5239148 | Lane discriminating traffic counting device A traffic counting cord has a plurality of sections designed to be identical in physical characteristics, set-up procedures, durability and performance as a road tube. Each section has a portion with conductive upper and lower members and a portion with n... | 08/24/1993 |
| 5115109 | Speed detector for traffic control A system used for monitoring the flow and speed of traffic has a strip member (1) comprising electrical contacts (3, 7) on distinct layers (2, 6) separated by a dielectric spacer layer (4), such that, when a vehicle drives over the strip, the weight of th... | 05/19/1992 |
| 5096329 | Drunk driver detection system Disclosed is an improved system for quick detection of driver impairment as evidenced by the driver's inability to keep a vehicle on an assigned course, utilizes parallel strips defining a relatively narrow lane through which the driver is to operate the ... | 03/17/1992 |
| 4839480 | Vehicle sensing device A vehicle sensing device comprises an electrically insulating elongate carrier (1) with two electrical conductors (2,3) extending longitudinally of the carrier and spaced apart transversely of the carrier so that there is no direct contact between the con... | 06/13/1989 |
| 4787243 | Device for detecting a dimension, in particular a tread width on a path The device comprises: an elongate support part (4) suitable for being embedded in the path and having a low upstanding wall (17) running along the edge thereof; a plate (30) cantilevered out from the low wall (17) with its cantilevered portion being subdi... | 11/29/1988 |
| 4716413 | Drunk driver detection system A system for quick detection of driver impairment as evidenced by the driver's inability to keep a vehicle on an assigned course, utilizes parallel strips defining a relatively narrow lane through which the driver is to operate the vehicle. The strips, an... | 12/29/1987 |
| 4483076 | Ground contact area measurement device Measurement of the area and shape of contact between a vehicle's wheels or racks and the surface over which it moves is automated by having the vehicle drive over an array of switches connected in a matrix including X and Y conductors. The matrix is system... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4250434 | Pressure-responsive electric switch A pressure-responsive electric switch assembly provided with an elongated pneumatic tube of elastomeric foam material impermeable to air, one end of the tube being plugged and the other having a sleeve therein whose inner end is covered by a membrane to t... | 02/10/1981 |
| 4192394 | Alarm system for platform scale To prevent inaccurate weighing on a platform scale in the event that a driver of a motor vehicle has purposefully or inadvertently positioned his vehicle with one or more of the vehicle wheels located off of the weighing platform, the platform scale is pr... | 03/11/1980 |
| 4178948 | Apparatus for use in cleaning vehicle tires A treadleplate for use in an automatic carwash system for regulating the length of time a cleaning solution is sprayed on the tires of a passing vehicle in direct relationship to the size of the vehicle tire. A horizontal base plate is mounted on the carw... | 12/18/1979 |
| 3968339 | Apertured diaphragm end valve A valve which produces an electrical signal upon pressure changes in which a diaphragm having an aperture contacts a leaf spring having a projection thereon. The valve provides for both controlled leakage of air, and intake of air in semi-closed static ai... | 07/06/1976 |
