Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7759947 | Method and apparatus for determining the moisture of a running material web In a method for determining the moisture of a running material web, in particular a paper web or paperboard web, the material web is scanned by way of a sensor including a microwave resonator, the resonance response of the microwave resonator is investigated, and th... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7525321 | Sensor and assembly for hydrometric measurements A device for taking ultra-high frequency hydrometric measurements by generating sine wave trains of incident wave(s) at frequencies assuming several values in arithmetic progression between a few MHz and a few GHz, and has at least one ultra-high frequency cable. Th... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7439722 | Method and device for graphically illustrating the filling of a cigarette A method for analyzing the filling of a cigarette by using a sinusoidal mathematical model representing the density of tobacco along the longitudinal axis of the cigarette and by conducting experimental measurements of density and of moisture at a plurality of point... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7423435 | Method and apparatus for measuring grammage A grammage measuring apparatus including a dielectric resonator which is arranged only at one side surface of a sample; a shielding container with which the dielectric resonator is substantially covered except for a sample measuring surface; a microwave excitation d... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7337079 | Time-frequency domain reflectometry apparatus and method An apparatus and method for high-resolution reflectometry that operates simultaneously in both the time and frequency domains, utilizing time-frequency signal analysis and a chirp signal multiplied by a Gaussian time envelope. The Gaussian envelope provides time loc... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7321233 | System for evaluating probing networks An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connectin... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7292049 | System and method for detecting the dielectric constant of conductive material An improved system and method for providing a dielectric monitor which allows the measurement of the dielectric constant of a conductive material. The capability to accurately and efficiently measure the dielectric constant in soil allows the moisture content of the... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7278186 | Ultra low frequency moisture sensor An apparatus for measuring a moisture content value within a volume. A frequency generator generates at least one source signal at frequencies of no more than about one kilohertz. Probes are disposed with surfaces in physical contact with the volume, where no direct... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7265558 | Radar level gauge using elliptically or circularly polarized waves A radar level gauge (RLG) is provided for determining a filling level of a filling material contained in a container by transmitting and receiving elliptically or circularly polarized waves. The RLG comprises: a feeding circuitry for feeding and receiving two essent... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7262607 | Characterizing substances with multistatic probes The disclosed technology can be used in the development and operation of multistatic probes that can characterize substances and relationships between substances. A multistatic probe can include transmitting and receiving conductive elements that are electrically di... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7255002 | Tank seal for guided wave radar level measurement A microwave level gauge for measuring a level of a process material in a tank includes a ceramic seal and a microwave conductor. The ceramic seal is disposed adjacent to an opening in the tank and adapted to isolate circuitry from the process material. The microwave... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7239150 | Pavement material microwave density measurement methods and apparatuses A method of obtaining a material property of a pavement material from a microwave field generally includes generating a microwave frequency electromagnetic field of a first mode about the pavement material. The frequency response of the pavement material in the elec... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7228900 | System and method for determining downhole conditions The present invention provides a system for determining downhole conditions including a time domain reflectometer (172) that is operable to generate a transmission signal and receive a reflected signal. A tubular (192) is positioned downhole in a downh... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7201050 | Device for determining the filling level of a filling material in a container The present invention relates to a device for determining the filling level of a filling material in a container, having a signal-generating unit which generates measuring signals, having an input coupling unit and having an antenna. The input coupling unit couples ... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7197062 | Method and apparatus to detect and decode information Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus to detect and decode information is provided, wherein the method includes sampling a radio frequency (RF) impulse signal to generate a sample signal and storing the sample signal for ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7187183 | Apparatus and method for microwave determination of at least one physical parameter of a substance A method and an apparatus is described to measure at least one physical parameter of a substance such as moisture and salt content. This is done by transmitting a microwave beam through the material to be measured and detect only a reflection of a predetermined pola... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7184824 | Method and system for examining tissue according to the dielectric properties thereof A probe, method and system for examining tissue in order to differentiate it from other tissue according to the dielectric properties of the examined tissue are provided. The probe includes an inner conductor, having a plurality of sharp, thin, conductive spikes, at... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7183779 | Soil probe device and method of making same A device for measuring one or more different properties of soil or a soil-related substance is provided. The device includes a probe that is inserted into the soil or soil-related substance. The probe includes a tip. The tip is electrically insulative and defines ap... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7176696 | Method of detecting and eliminating foreign bodies in a flow of tobacco In a method of detecting and eliminating foreign bodies in tobacco, a flow of tobacco advances first through a preparation zone where it is gathered into a continuous ribbon of tobacco filler, then through a forming station at which the filler is used to fashion a c... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7176697 | Flexible probe for measuring moisture content in soil The embodiments of the invention are directed to a new apparatus and method of measuring the water content using time domain reflectometry (TDR), or electrical conductivity in deep soil levels. to. The method uses flat, flexible, waveguides attached to a flexible sl... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7154282 | System and method for calibrating moisture meters with associated settable slurry products for determining relative dryness A method is provided for calibrating a moisture meter to a particular settable slurry product for determining the relative dryness of the product. The steps of the method include determining the appropriate relative dryness of the particular slurry product, associat... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7151380 | Microwave water weight sensor and process Sensor and process for measuring mass of water on a sheet forming fabric. The sensor includes a microwave element positionable to couple an electromagnetic field into a stock layer to be measured, and a microwave signal generator coupled to the microwave element to ... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7150184 | Density independent moisture analyzer Systems and methods for the on-site determination of water content in crude oil. The water content of crude oil is determined by mixing a sample of the crude oil with a fixed amount of molecular sieves. The electromagnetic characteristics of the molecular sieves upo... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7135870 | Device for determining the composition of a fluid mixture A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the concentration of individual components within a fluid mixture by determining the permittivity of the individual components. The method and apparatus use a reference sensor and at least one measurement sensor p... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7112971 | Method and apparatus for determining the moisture content of a material In a method and apparatus for determining the moisture content of a material with a measuring line extending through the material and having a proximal end connected to a signal generator for supplying a pulse signal to the measuring line, which pulse signal is refl... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7106247 | Radar level gauge with antenna arrangement for improved radar level gauging The present invention relates to a radar level gauge (1) comprising an antenna (2), a tank sealing (3), an electronics unit (4) and a waveguide feed (5) between the electronics unit (4) and the antenna (2). The wavegu... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7092840 | High temperature resonant transmission line sensor and methods A position sensing system uses a resonant transmission line having a moveable dielectric as a position sensor. The system includes circuitry that supplies a drive signal to the resonant transmission line, which reflects the drive signal. Based on a standing wave sig... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7040145 | Method and apparatus for measuring dry density and water content of soil A method and apparatus for measuring dry density and gravimetric water content of soil includes the steps of providing a plurality of spikes adapted to be driven into the soil and driving the spikes into the soil in spaced relationship. An electrical signal is appli... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7042234 | Soil matric potential and salinity measurement apparatus and method of use A soil parameter measurement arrangement includes a capacitive based soil moisture and salinity sensor, a predetermined moisture migration medium located in a volume adjacent said sensor so that the medium substantially occupies the field of influence of said sensor... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7031856 | Automatic wire dielectric analyzer A system and method for automatically determining a dielectric constant for a cable of known length for use in a Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) are disclosed. The TDR mode is set to time mode. A waveform for the cable is acquired from the TDR. The waveform indicate... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7003404 | Control method for moisture meter, control program for moisture meter, record medium recording control program for moisture meter and moisture meter According to the invention, the heating temperature is sequentially raised gradually to detect a parameter of a time function indicating the change of moisture percentage, and according to the parameter, the optimum heating temperature is calculated. Further, the re... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6995572 | Sensor and method for detecting a superstrate Method and apparatus are provided for determining a superstrate on or near a sensor, e.g., for detecting the presence of an ice superstrate on an airplane wing or a road. In one preferred embodiment, multiple measurement cells are disposed along a transmission line.... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6989676 | Apparatus and method for sensing particle and water concentrations in a medium A method and apparatus for detecting soot and/or water concentrations in diesel engine oil having a dielectric constant may include a device for measuring a change in the dielectric constant at a first frequency, a device for measuring a change in the dielectric con... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6965795 | Impedance spectroscopy method for monitoring ischemic mucosal damage in hollow viscous organs Alternate embodiments of an impedance spectroscopy method are disclosed for monitoring ischemic mucosal damage in hollow viscous organs. In each embodiment, a sensor catheter is placed inside a patient's hollow viscous organ. Afterwards, the catheter is electrically... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6956381 | Flexible probe for measuring moisture content in soil The embodiments of the invention are directed to a new apparatus and method of measuring the water content using time domain reflectometry (TDR), or electrical conductivity in deep soil levels to. The method uses flat, flexible, waveguides attached to a flexible sle... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6935166 | Measurement of moisture of potting soil The invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the moisture content of bulk material, in particular potting soil, wherein the volume of a quantity of bulk material is determined, the weight of the quantity of bulk material is determined, the specifi... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6930492 | Using surface microwaves for measuring and determining density and/or moisture content of a material Using surface microwaves for measuring and determining density and/or moisture content of a material. Positioning material within a proximate free space region spanning immediately above surface of a surface microwave waveguide, the surface microwave waveguide inclu... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6922636 | Detection of road conditions using a beam from an external system i.e. GPS, DBS A device for determining ground surface condition, especially for roads includes receivers for receiving at least one scanning radiation component that is reflected from the scanned earth surface region, and contains surface condition information. Evaluation resourc... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6909669 | Scour detection and monitoring apparatus adapted for use in lossy soils and method of employment thereof A sensor for detecting and monitoring scour in sediment positioned beneath a body of water, which includes a probe at least partially embedded in the sediment. Sensor electronics are superimposed on the probe. Such electronics include a reflectometer, a battery supp... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6904789 | Moisture detection apparatus and method A sensor to detect the presence of water or moisture in bulk materials includes a standard circuit board and a three element transmission line. The sensor electronics include an oscillator responsive to a direct current voltage supply which provides a square wave vo... | 06/14/2005 |
