...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7356163 | Postal image augmented bio-warfare aerosolized agent trigger A method and apparatus for reliably detecting bio-warfare agents in the mail stream that may be released from posted items. The agents are detected as the mail pieces are being processed using typical postal automation machines equipped with image scanning capabilit... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7353132 | Data acquisition system An induced polarization (IP) data acquisition system includes a plurality of linearly spaced apart measurement nodes or obtaining synchronized measurement signals indicative of the electric field strength at a corresponding plurality of spaced apart locations at or ... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7352449 | Method and apparatus for detecting materials An apparatus for detecting materials includes a database for storing detecting spectra of detecting materials, and a tera-hertz wave applying unit for applying tera-hertz waves having a plurality of different frequencies around a boundary between a light wave freque... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7351245 | Apparatus and method for dislodging object from throat An apparatus for sucking out an object stuck in a person's throat, comprising hollow first and second bellows elements each having an orifice with a one-way valve and an exit valve, a tube structure comprising first and second legs having free distal ends outside th... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7351929 | Method of and apparatus for high speed, high quality, contaminant removal and color sorting of glass cullet A system for sorting a mixed stream of different colored cullet into separate groups of same colored cullet comprises a light emitting source for transmitting light, such as white light, through a cullet, and a camera having a plurality of pixels for receiving light... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7350400 | Test method to measure lubricant mobility on a hard drive disk A method for measuring the mobility of a lubricant located on the top surface of a disk used in hard disk drives. The method includes forming one or more scribe lines in a lubricant layer of the disk. The disk is then spun by a spin stand where lubricant moves in re... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7352459 | Scanning Spectrophotometer for high throughput fluorescence detection and fluorescence polarization A fluorescence spectrophotometer system may be implemented in scanning fluorescence polarization detection applications. A wavelength and area scanning fluorescence spectrophotometer system may include a light source, an excitation double monochromator, an excitatio... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7349092 | System for reducing stress induced effects during determination of fluid optical constants A system for determination of optical constants of liquids, including provision for reducing stress induced effects while obtaining data. ... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7349077 | Method and apparatus for measuring the polarization mode dispersion of an optical fiber The present invention relates to a new model for interpreting interferometric measurements, able to lead to a new method, system (10) and device (27) for measuring the PMD (Polarisation Mode Dispersion) of an optical fibre (11). The model, which... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7349090 | Methods and systems for determining a property of a specimen prior to, during, or subsequent to lithography Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. ... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7341450 | Tooth shade scan system and method A tooth shade scan system is provided that identifies tooth shades for a patient's tooth. An electronic database of tooth shade information for a shade guide may be stored. The database may include shade information based on tooth regions (e.g., the incisal, central... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7339675 | Apparatus for stacking sheet members, apparatus for measuring dimensions of sheet members, and apparatus for and method of marking sheet members An apparatus for stacking a predetermined number of X-ray films has a sheet member holding device disposed above a stacking position for temporarily holding at least a first X-ray film, and an actuating device for displacing the sheet member holding device from the ... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7340118 | Fuel injectors with integral fiber optic pressure sensors and associated compensation and status monitoring devices Fuel injectors (10) for internal combustion engines are modified and equipped with fiber optic fuel pressure sensors (12) and fiber optic combustion pressure sensors (14). The combustion pressure sensors (14) are located in separate chann... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7338641 | Fine channel device, desksize chemical plant and fine particle producing apparatus employing them A fine channel device for performing a chemical treatment or for producing fine particles, capable of supplying a liquid to the fine channels evenly and producing products in a large quantity is provided. The fine channel device includes a storage space having a cir... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7340749 | Method and apparatus to detect presence of or a size of a data cartridge A media-detection system for a cartridge-receiving device may comprise, according to one embodiment, a cartridge-referencing member mounted to the cartridge-receiving device. The cartridge-referencing member is resiliently displaceable by a data cartridge received i... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7339673 | Miniature optical readhead for optical diagnostic device A miniature readhead for a photometric diagnostic instrument includes a housing of hand-held form factor, configured for receiving reagent sample media therein. The sample media has a plurality of test areas configured to react with, and change color, according to a... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7339657 | Low-cost on-line and in-line spectral sensors based on solid-state source and detectors combinations for monitoring lubricants and functional fluids A series of optical spectral sensors is based on a combination of solid-state sources (illumination) and detectors housed within an integrated package that includes the interfacing optics and acquisition and processing electronics. The focus is on low cost and the f... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7339658 | Device and method for measuring surface topography and wave aberration of a lens system, in particular an eye A device and a method are used for measuring the surface topography and a wave aberration of a lens system. The device is fitted with a first measuring system containing a light source radiating a first light beam of a first wavelength, and a detector which captures... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7339669 | Device for the analysis of the qualitative composition of gases A device for the analysis of the qualitative, optionally also the quantitative composition of gases, uses measuring light of known spectral composition that can pass through the gas to be analyzed and the gas can be caused to interact. A detector arrangement is pres... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7335898 | Method and apparatus for fluorescent confocal microscopy A new and improved confocal fluorescence microscope is presented. The new microscope has significant advantages relative to existing implementations of microscope confocal imagers. In common with previous confocal imagers the instant invention has the advantages rel... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7336361 | Spectroscopic ellipsometer and polarimeter systems A spectroscopic ellipsometer or polarimeter system having a source of a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation, a polarizer, a stage for supporting a material system, an analyzer, a dispersive optics and a detector system which comprises a multiplicity of d... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7336366 | Methods and systems for reducing complex conjugate ambiguity in interferometric data A complex conjugate ambiguity can be resolved in an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) interferogram. A reference light signal is propagated along a reference path. A sample light signal is impinged on a sample reflector. The reference light signal is frequency shif... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7333204 | Method and device for analysing a gas likely to contain particles or suspended aerosols The present method uses a spectrophotometric and/or ionisation detection device in which the gas to be analyzed and illuminated by a light source emitting in a range of wavelengths distinct from the one used for spectrophotometry so as to carry out a nephelometric a... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7333190 | Raman interrogation of threat aerosols A system and method are provided for detecting non-fluorescing aerosol particles of biological origin within ambient background aerosol particles using Raman spectroscopy. ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7333189 | Spectroscopic diagnostic methods and system The present invention provides systems and methods for the determination of the physical characteristics of a structured superficial layer of material using light scattering spectroscopy. The light scattering spectroscopy system comprises optical probes that can be ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7333196 | Evaluation apparatus and evaluation method An evaluation apparatus which evaluates a sample having a porous layer. The apparatus includes a light source which irradiates the sample with light, an imaging spectrometer which spectroscopically measures light reflected by the sample and senses an image, a first ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7329079 | Semiconductor wafer processing machine A semiconductor wafer processing machine comprising a cassette-placing mechanism having a cassette-placing table for placing a cassette storing a semiconductor wafer, a workpiece take-in/take-out mechanism for taking out the semiconductor wafer stored in the cassett... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7330243 | Method for monitoring the production of biomolecule crystals The invention relates to a method for monitoring the production of macromolecule crystals containing at least one fluorescence emitter, comprising the following steps: a) a solution volume with dissolved macromolecules of a molecule species containing at least one f... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7326871 | Sorting system using narrow-band electromagnetic radiation A system for sorting articles includes a detector system having a plurality of narrow bandwidth sources of electromagnetic energy sequentially illuminating articles passing through the detector system, the detector system further including a collector for collecting... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7327444 | Substrate inspection apparatus and method The present invention provides a method and substrate examining device that sequentially and automatically measures at least the thickness and the internal stress of the thin film at a predetermined measurement point on the surface of every manufactured semiconducto... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7328060 | Cancer detection and adaptive dose optimization treatment system The present invention utilizes a series of optical and electronic elements to detect and image cancerous and/or pre-cancerous cells in living tissue. The invention further uses the images thus obtained to adaptively and dynamically shape a treatment light beam so as... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7327447 | Inspection system for limited access spaces A limited access space inspection system comprising: a sensing device for carrying out sensing over a region in the limited access space, a mounting for mounting the sensing device to scan about the limited access space and a scanning control unit, associated with t... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7322574 | Separator sheet handling assembly The present invention is embodied in a separator sheet handling assembly 10 that includes a lifting assembly 20 adapted to receive a pallet 12 containing a stack of separator sheets 14. The lifting assembly 20 positions the stack o... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7320685 | Method and device for identifying an eye that is to be treated in operations A method for identifying the site of an operation during an operation, in particular using a laser system, with the help of unique data about the operation site. A first copy of the unique data is stored in a laser system, the unique data being located in the vicini... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7321425 | Sensor and methods for measuring select components in sheetmaking systems A sensor for measuring at least selected component in a composition can include: (a) a broadband light source, (b) an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF), (c) means for generating a beam of light from the light source and directing the beam of light at the AOTF wher... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7321427 | Multiple beam ellipsometer An ellipsometric apparatus provides two impinging focused probe beams directed to reflect off the sample along two mutually distinct and preferably substantially perpendicular directions. A rotating stage rotates sections of the wafer into the travel area defined by... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7321428 | Process photometer A process photometer which includes an insulated and a non-insulated compartment. The insulated compartment is maintained at a relatively constant, elevated temperature. The radiation source, a rotatable filter wheel, a radiation detector, and a means for converting... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7319520 | Method for separating fluorescence spectra of dyes present in a sample A system and a method for setting a fluorescence spectrum measurement system for microscopy is disclosed. Using illuminating light (3) from at least one laser that emits light of one wavelength, a continuous wavelength region is generated. Dyes are stored, wi... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7316899 | Portable sensor array system A system for the rapid characterization of multi-analyte fluids, in one embodiment, includes a light source, a sensor array, and a detector. The sensor array is formed from a supporting member into which a plurality of cavities may be formed. A series of chemically ... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7316322 | Quality evaluation apparatus for fruits and vegetables In order to provide a quality evaluation apparatus having excellent measurement accuracy in obtaining quality evaluation values of fruits and vegetables, transmitted light from one or more measured objects is received by a photo-detective sensor of the charge storag... | 01/08/2008 |