Lawrence Welk, the bandleader who entertained millions of Americans over a generation of broadcasting his TV show, once received a patent: for a music-themed design of an ashtray.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7224762 | Counting device A counting device that can be employed in calculating the number of objects, such as cigarette packs. In particular, the counting device can include a handle portion and a counting portion. The handle portion includes a display for showing the number of objects coun... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7095763 | Semiconductor wafer carrier mapping sensor An improved laser-based wafer carrier mapping sensor is provided. The sensor includes a number of improvements including laser source improvements; optical improvements; and detector improvements. Laser source improvements include the type of laser sources used as w... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7027637 | Adaptive threshold determination for ball grid array component modeling A method for determining a number of balls in a projection space comprises determining a projection of a portion of a ball grid array, determining at least one local maximum of the projection space for a given threshold, and determining at least a distance between a... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6934028 | Certification and verification management system and method for a web inspection apparatus A certification system and method for inspecting of a roll of web material through a web inspection system which includes the inspection of the roll of web material to determine the number, type and location of one or more detectable flaws along the web material. Th... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6683321 | Disc counter The present invention provides a portable counter and corresponding method for counting articles arranged in a stack, like compact discs and dvds. The portable nature of the counter enables the counter to be brought and placed adjacent to the stack of dis... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6346986 | Non-intrusive pellicle height measurement system A method to monitor a dimension of a pellicle includes projecting a first light signal against a surface of the pellicle. A second light signal reflected from the surface of the pellicle is detected, with the second light signal being a representation of ... | 02/12/2002 |
| 6130437 | Sensor and detection system having wide diverging beam optics A sensor and detection system is included. The sensor includes at least one transmitter which has associated optical elements for emitting at least one light beam toward the object to be detected. At least one receiver is positioned adjacent the transmitt... | 10/10/2000 |
| 6049075 | Method for detecting origin point of position sensor A method for detecting the point of origin of a position sensor such as an optical linear scale by first displacing an object member whose position is to be determined until it butts against a mechanical stopper, then determining the position of the objec... | 04/11/2000 |
| 6033503 | Adhesive sensing assembly for end jointed beam Methods and apparatus for detecting imperfections in adhesive coatings formed on fingers of beams are disclosed. The present invention relates, in one aspect, to a method for preparing a first work piece for joining with a second work piece. The method in... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5955728 | Method for detecting origin point of position sensor A method for detecting the point of origin of a position sensor such as an optical linear scale by first displacing an object member whose position is to be determined until it butts against a mechanical stopper, then determining the position of the objec... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5900639 | Apparatus for detecting the presence and speed of a record medium The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the presence of a record medium (31) in a feed path (22) and for sensing the speed of the record medium (31) as it passes along the feed path (22). The invention includes roller means (28) movabl... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5672863 | Anti-dither optical container sensor with sensors separation measurement Apparatus for detecting containers of predetermined diameter that includes a pair of optical proximity sensors positioned adjacent to a container conveyor such that light energy from the sensors is incident sequentially on the containers as the containers... | 09/30/1997 |
| 5614709 | Method for accurately counting conveyed workpieces regardless of variations in conveyor speed A method for counting conveyed workpieces, such as on a variable speed conveyor belt, includes sensing interruptions via an object sensor such as an optical sensor with a light beam, and with a computer, applying a mathematical comparison between duration... | 03/25/1997 |
| 5283623 | Method and system for the detection of faults in a length of textile In a method and system for the detection of faults in a length of textile fabric, the length of fabric is continuously scanned by an electro-optical sensor head. Light detectors located in a strip-form sensing zone of the sensor head are assembled in grou... | 02/01/1994 |
| 5220178 | Apparatus and process for detecting the presence of defects on a moving sheet of material A defect detection system for the optical inspection of defects in transparent and translucent sheets of materials. The system utilizes the differing optical properties of different defects to distinguish between such defects as fisheye defects, speck def... | 06/15/1993 |
| 5033095 | Scanning image analyzer for accumulating quantifiable contaminants of webs A microcomputer based digital analysis system is disclosed which includes a microcomputer and a flatbed optical scanner to analyze test sheets of paper fabricated from a batch of pulp to be tested. A keyboard is utilized by an operator to select one of a ... | 07/16/1991 |
| 5006722 | Flaw annunciator with a controllable display means for an automatic inspection system An annunciator system and method for indicating when the number of detected flaws in a moving web is greater than a preselected threshold. The method and system includes a controllable display comprising a matrix of areas each corresponding to one type of... | 04/09/1991 |
| 4916629 | Method for determination of pith location relative to lumber surfaces The invention is a method of assisting lumber grading using an electro-optical scanning system. A first critical determination is determination of pith position of the log from which the lumber was cut, relative to the scanned faces. This then indicates k... | 04/10/1990 |
| 4831545 | Method for determination of pith location relative to lumber surfaces The invention is a method of assisting lumber grading using an electro-optical scanning system. A first critical determination is determination of pith position of the log from which the lumber was cut, relative to the scanned faces. This then indicates k... | 05/16/1989 |
| 4743749 | Self compensating circuit for measuring rapidly occurring optoelectronically detectable events A circuit is described which can be used to record rapidly occurring faults in a slowly reacting circuit which is self compensating so that the photoelectric light emitters used in the circuit have their flux maintained constant.... | 05/10/1988 |
| 4655349 | System for automatically inspecting transparent containers for sidewall and dimensional defects A system for automatically detecting sidewall and dimensional defects in a transparent container includes a laser scanning system positioned astride a conveyor in a production line. In an upstream inspection zone a laser beam vertically scans a portion of... | 04/07/1987 |
| 4581632 | Optical inspection apparatus for moving articles An optical inspection system for articles moved by a conveyor, in which photo-electric transducers of one or more cameras are directed onto a transverse viewing area to detect light variations in individual articles. A threshold system permits correction ... | 04/08/1986 |
| 4508450 | System for checking defects on a flat surface of an object A checking system for checking defects on an optically flat surface of an object to be checked is adapted to spirally scan the surface of the object with a laser beam which is projected from an optical head. The laser beam is reflected from the surface of... | 04/02/1985 |
| 4467214 | Method of and apparatus for detecting external defects of a circular sealing member A method and apparatus for detecting external defects of a circular sealing member by means of irradiation of detecting rays. A laser detecting ray for scanning is irradiated to a surface of the circular member which is rotated at the detecting section, a... | 08/21/1984 |
| 4467350 | Method and apparatus for rapidly extracting significant data from a sparse object A control circuit for an apparatus for inspecting objects, such as glass bottles and the like, for defects includes an interface circuit connected between a source of data signals and means for processing information obtained from the object. The interfac... | 08/21/1984 |
| 4446481 | Automatic product inspection system An automatic system for inspecting products having an edge or edges which, for an acceptable product, are straight (within predetermined tolerances) without accurate orientation of such products which includes a raster-scanned television camera (or its eq... | 05/01/1984 |
| 4389575 | Fabric inspection system A system for electronically inspecting fabric for defects wherein a moving fabric is scanned by light sensing apparatus for variations in light reflecting characteristics due to the presence of a defect. The sensitivity of the system is monitored by an au... | 06/21/1983 |
| 4376583 | Surface inspection scanning system A system for laser scanning a relatively movable reflective surface element and inspecting that surface by monitoring the reflected energy in both light and dark channel receivers. Flaws occurring on the surface of the element, depending on the types of f... | 03/15/1983 |
| 4268172 | Method of and system for automatically adjusting a threshold level of a pulse generating circuit to inspect a web A laminate (32), having holes of different sizes and shapes formed therein, is moved above successive scans of light from a light source (48). A light sensor (58), responsive to light passing through each of the holes, develops a light pulse for each hole... | 05/19/1981 |
| 4253113 | Method and apparatus for detecting surface defects on a band travelling at high speed This apparatus comprises a device for illuminating in a permanent manner a zone in which the band travels, a television camera having a high luminous sensitivity and a low remanence controlled for exposure during constant periods of time which are short r... | 02/24/1981 |
| 4249081 | Defect detection system The invention pertains to a defect detection system for inspecting fabric wherein fabric is scanned by electronic light-sensing apparatus for inconsistencies in light reflecting capability and defects produce electronic signals which are counted, and pref... | 02/03/1981 |
| 4205769 | Methods of and system for counting holes and for detecting missing holes in a web A continuous web or laminate (32) of flexible material is indexed through a punch press (44) whereat holes of different shapes and sizes are punched in repetitive patterns through successive sections of the laminate. The laminate (32) is then moved beneat... | 06/03/1980 |
| 4194127 | Process and device for checking substrate wafers Polished single crystal wafers are checked for defects by means of a method employing a optical microscope. The image is blurred by a translucent material and the transmitted light is then sensed by a light sensitive instrument which records the increased... | 03/18/1980 |
| 4166029 | Apparatus for sorting objects Disclosed apparatus sort unequally dimensioned veneer sections or other objects which are successively conveyed in a transit direction by a conveyor in parallel to their planes. A series of sensors are mounted at equal mutual distances across the conveyor... | 08/28/1979 |
| 4093866 | Diffraction pattern amplitude analysis for use in fabric inspection A technique is provided for analyzing the shape of the amplitude envelope of a diffraction pattern's first order side lobe resulting from passing coherent light through a fabric material. The light intensity of the lobe is scanned from one side of the lob... | 06/06/1978 |
| 4075498 | Non-woven fabric defect detecting device Disclosed is a non-woven fabric defect detecting device in which light is applied to a travelling non-woven fabric to optically or electrically scan the non-woven fabric in its widthwise direction and the light from each point on the non-woven fabric is c... | 02/21/1978 |
| 4060907 | Media skew compensator A pair of detectors provide signals coincident with the circumferential and axial edges of a print medium mounted on a rotating media support drum. These signals are used to control counters which respond to an emitter circumferentially disposed with resp... | 12/06/1977 |
| 4057350 | Apparatus for counting crimp in fibers An apparatus is provided for counting crimp in fibers or filaments by moving a cell containing a specimen through a laser beam and detecting changes in radiation scattered by the crimped fiber. The radiation is observed by means of suitable electronic cir... | 11/08/1977 |
| 4014615 | Detection of faults in a predetermined area of a surface A circuit arrangement for use with a scanned-beam moving-surface blemish detector uses the detection of leading-and trailing-edges of the surface in each scan to provide in the following scan a margin or margins, the separation of which provides a measure... | 03/29/1977 |