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3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8049607 | Oil level detecting device To determine a failure of a float switch for detecting whether or not the oil level is less than or equal to a predetermined oil level. A predetermined oil level OLth is set between a normal oil level and a minimum oil level in view of the fact that when the oil lev... | 11/01/2011 |
| 7990258 | Oil exchange timing indicating apparatus for vehicles An oil exchange timing indicating apparatus for vehicles capable of informing a user of an exchange timing of oil on the basis of the degree of degradation of oil as quickly as possible. An oil exchange timing indicating apparatus includes an odometer for integratin... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7688193 | Oil level detection device for internal combustion engine An oil level detection device for an internal combustion engine, which comprises: a housing permitting entry therein of oil; a float provided within the housing and vertically movable with the oil entered in the housing; a switch for performing switching operation i... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7649446 | Multipurpose engine controller A multipurpose engine controller comprises a control unit for switching between supplying and stopping power supplied from an ignition circuit to a spark plug on the basis of two states, i.e., the operating state of the multipurpose engine determined based on a dete... | 01/19/2010 |
| 7498932 | Oil level monitoring system for an internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine in a working device comprises an oil reservoir near a crankcase to hold oil. An oil measurement device is used to recognize the existence of oil in the oil reservoir and to produce a corresponding signal that is evaluated in an evaluati... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7486179 | Low-level oil sensor A low fluid sensor for an internal combustion engine. The sensor includes a base with helically threaded post and a float slidably mounted on the post. The float rotates about the post as it moves longitudinally along it. In the preferred embodiment, eccentric mount... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7387101 | Oil pan for engine having a shield member covering an air hole of an oil sensor An oil level sensor for detecting an oil level is arranged in an engine oil pan. The oil level sensor includes a mounting section and a sensing section. An air hole is formed at an upper end of a cover member of the sensing section. The air hole is surrounded by a t... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7313956 | Lubrication system The present invention is directed to lubrication system having a reservoir having a body. A follower is moveably disposed in the body. The system further comprises an alarm system having an electrical switch operably associated with the follower. The alarm generates... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7287616 | Transmission case and dipstick assembly The present invention provides a motorcycle including a front wheel, a rear wheel, a frame supported by the front and rear wheels, a crankcase, a transmission case coupled to the crankcase, a transmission access door coupled to a side of the transmission case, and a... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7281414 | Apparatus, a method, and measuring sensors for scanning states of engine oil The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method, and a sensor for scanning engine oil of a vehicle. An apparatus for scanning engine oil according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an oil property measuring part for measuring physi... | 10/16/2007 |
| RE39845 | Maintenance alert system for heavy-duty trucks A real-time maintenance alert system and method for use in a heavy-duty truck having an engine controller with memory are provided. The system includes a sensor operative to indicate an engine condition from the group consisting of: oil filter restriction, air filte... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7263964 | Oil sensor mounting structure Of a sensing part and a mounting part of an oil level sensor mounted to a sensor mounting opening at a bottom portion of an oil pan of an engine, an undersurface of the mounting part exposed to the outside of the oil pan is located above the lowest part of the oil p... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7266472 | Method for determinating of an oil condition A method for determining an oil condition, namely, an oil condition corresponding to the oil age or oil damage, with the following steps: a) measuring a temperature of the oil or of the part through which the oil flows, coordinating each temperature measured with on... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7259664 | Sensorless fuel level and oil change indicators Sensorless fuel level and oil change indicators are provided in a range extender for an electric vehicle. The range extender includes an engine, and an electric generating device driven by the engine to generate electric power supplied to the vehicle. The fuel level... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7109729 | Method for analysis of a working fluid using impedance spectroscopy An on-line method for determining the condition of low conductivity working fluids using alternating current, electro-impedance spectroscopy is provided by making measurements over a range of frequencies at temperatures at or above 50° C. ... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7050893 | Method of detection of actual operating time of machinery deployed at construction sites, data collection and management system, and base station The present invention is applied to a system comprised of large number of hydraulic excavators 1 deployed at construction sites and a base station 16. Each hydraulic excavator 1 is provided with a storage unit (memory 402), a control unit... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7043983 | Horizontal liquid level measuring device A system for actuating an indicator in response to a depth change in a liquid that is confined to a container comprises a housing, a float constrained to vertical movement in response to changes in liquid depth in the container and a drive rod arranged to move in re... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7036480 | Engine lubrication system A lubrication system for an engine includes a sump for lubricant, a pump to pump lubricant along a lubricant feed line to lubrication positions within the engine, and a lubricant conditioner, and wherein the pump is an electrically driven pump which is controlled by... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7019654 | Contact potential difference sensor to monitor oil properties A method and system for contact potential sensing of dielectric properties of a fluid. The method and system include a contact potential sensor, an open or closed loop for passing a fluid past the sensor, measuring a contact potential to characterize dielectric prop... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6977583 | Automatic reset of lubricating fluid life monitoring system The fluid life monitoring system of the present invention includes a pressure monitor coupled to an engine. The pressure monitor is configured to detect a change in the amount of time it takes the engine's lubricating fluid to reach a pre-determined fluid pressure a... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6975216 | System and method for indicating fluid condition A fluid condition indicating system and method using visual and audible devices. The system includes a circuit having visual and audible indicators, a power supply, and a plurality of switches or sensors. A start switch is coupled to the power supply, the visual ind... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6927687 | Method and apparatus for determining average environmental conditions A system for monitoring an environmental condition and determining the average environmental condition using an RFID tag and reader, the tag configured to have at least one module with known characteristics that are dependent on the environmental condition and to be... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6922616 | Technique for effectively maintaining components of a vehicle A multimedia information and control system in a vehicle enables a user to access information concerning the vehicle and to control vehicle functions in an efficient manner. In addition, the system monitors usage of vehicle components, and alerts a user when it is t... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6917865 | Engine oil, degradation-determining system and method, and engine control unit There is provided an engine oil degradation-determining system which is capable of accurately detecting whether or not engine oil has been replenished, to thereby enhance accuracy of determination as to a degradation level of engine oil in use, at a low cost. A cran... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6914524 | Apparatus and method for detecting ignition and engine conditions A sensor system is provided configured to communicate data to a processing module of a vehicle, the processing module configured to perform computational analysis based on the data received from the sensor system, the sensor system including a means for determining ... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6750763 | System and method for measuring oil condition in large engines A system for measuring oil condition in large engines includes a bypass valve that is installed in a lubrication system along a fluid line between an oil pan and an engine. The bypass valve communicates with a measurement chamber and when energized by a control modu... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6642841 | Engine protecting apparatus for vehicle A vehicle having a power assist device and an engine protecting apparatus is capable of steering and braking after any abnormality of the engine is detected. The engine protecting apparatus includes a battery, a key switch, a condition switch, a timer and... | 11/04/2003 |
| 6617968 | Capacitive oil level sensor for vehicular drive axles A novel arrangement of a capacitive oil level and temperature sensor specifically provided to be mounted to a drive axle housing of a motor vehicle, is disclosed. The sensor comprises an L-shaped hollow body allowing for a simple fit in current production... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6614345 | Oil pressure warning system for outboard motor An oil pressure warning system for an outboard motor for detecting and alarming an abnormal oil pressure of an internal combustion engine, the system including a first oil pressure switch which generates an ON signal when the oil pressure is less than or ... | 09/02/2003 |
| 6580366 | System and method for evaluating automotive vehicle oil deterioration A method and system is provided for evaluating the chemical deterioration of automotive engine oil over time. A change in oil quantity is detected and measured by an oil quantity sensor. Based on the change in quantity of oil, the level of chemical deteri... | 06/17/2003 |
| 6578415 | Limit-level sensor and method of determining the undershooting or overshooting of an intended level of liquid in a container A limit-level sensor for measuring level of a liquid has a resistance element which has an electric resistance which suddenly varies a transition temperature which lies above the maximum liquid temperature. The resistance element is first of all heated by... | 06/17/2003 |
| 6573829 | Oil proper amount informing apparatus for engine An oil proper amount informing apparatus for engines capable of simply checking whether or not a remaining amount or level of oil is proper even if the period of time of warming-up varies. An oil level gauge mounted to an oil reservoir unit, a temperature... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6543283 | Sensor for determining the level and temperature of a liquid A sensor for determining the level and temperature of a liquid, in particular in a motor vehicle, has an elongate housing (1), in which all the components required for temperature measurement and level measurement are accommodated. This housing (1) consis... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6542074 | Monitoring system for an internal combustion engine The invention provides a monitoring system for monitoring an internal combustion engine. The monitoring system includes a power source having a winding and a magnet that magnetically interacts with the winding to generate a winding signal. The monitoring ... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6496109 | Alternator-charging system fault detector A method and system is provided for detecting a charging system fault in a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle includes an existing warning indicator driven by a first signal for indicating when one aspect of the motor vehicle performance is faulty. The meth... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6421588 | Self-diagnostic system for conditioned maintenance of machines operating under intermittent load A system and method for determining the condition of lubricating oil in an oil-utilizing mechanism, said system comprising: sensor means for sensing the chemical composition of oil vapor in the head space of the oil reservoir, or a holding reservoir; temp... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6297733 | Stable, reliable capacitive oil deterioration and level sensor A reliable capacitive oil deterioration and level sensor has a conductive housing member that includes a conductive shielding member defining a ground electrode, and a conductive inner member defining a measuring electrode. The shielding member protects t... | 10/02/2001 |
| 6239709 | Liquid level sensor for internal combustion engine The inexpensive sensor detects a low oil or no oil condition in an internal combustion engine and shuts down the engine. The sensor includes two inductors having different resistances disposed in a sensing bridge. The inductors are heated by a steady low ... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6237411 | Limit-level sensor and method of determining the undershooting or overshooting of an intended level of liquid in a container A limit-level sensor for measuring level of a liquid has a resistance element which has an electric resistance which suddenly varies a transition temperature which lies above the maximum liquid temperature. The resistance element is first heated by electr... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6208245 | Engine oil change indicator system In a preferred embodiment, an engine oil change indicator system, including: a combination engine oil pressure sensor and engine oil temperature sensor connected to a port on the engine to which port is normally connected an oil pressure switch; and a mic... | 03/27/2001 |
