...During the Civil War, the Confederacy established its own Patent Office which issued 266 patents, a third of which concerned implements of war.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| RE42650 | Fluid gauge proximity sensor and method of operating same using a modulated fluid flow A system and method that use a fluid gauge proximity sensor. A source of modulated unidirectional or alternating fluid flow travels along at least one path having a nozzle and a flow or pressure sensor. The fluid exists at a gap between the nozzle and a target. The ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7797985 | Method and system for operating an air gauge at programmable or constant standoff Provided are a methods and systems for determining a topography of an object. In an embodiment, a system includes a reference probe configured to measure a surface of a reference surface and to generate a reference signal, a measuring probe configured to measure a s... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7694549 | Pneumatic gauging system A.K.A. air gauging system A.K.A. air electric converter A single block pneumatic gauging system, with an appropriate passageway, receives compressed air to its inlet and its outlet is connected to an air probe. Parts to be gauged, are placed on a fixture which incorporates the air probe. The proximity of the part, to the... | 04/13/2010 |
| 7690243 | Method and apparatus for measurement of the thickness of thin layers by means of measurement probe The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measurement of the thickness of thin layers by means of a measurement probe (11) which has a housing (14) which holds at least one sensor element (17) whose longitudinal axis lies in particu... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7578168 | Increasing gas gauge pressure sensitivity using nozzle-face surface roughness A gas gauge for sensing distance to an object includes a gas supply system and a nozzle that supplies the gas from the gas supply system to a space between the nozzle and the object. For example, the gas supply system supplies the gas with a flow rate that correspon... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7549321 | Pressure sensor A choked-flow orifice gas gauge proximity sensor for sensing a difference between a reference surface standoff and a measurement surface standoff is disclosed. Unlike existing proximity sensors, the gas gauge proximity sensor of the present invention replaces the us... | 06/23/2009 |
| 7500380 | Measuring distance using gas gauge proximity sensor In a gas gauge, effects due to changes in the local environment are reduced by causing a measurement nozzle and a reference nozzle to react as if they were co-located, or located at approximately the same position. This is achieved by venting the reference nozzle in... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7472579 | Liquid flow proximity sensor for use in immersion lithography An apparatus and method for precisely detecting very small distances between a measurement probe and a surface, and more particularly to a proximity sensor using a constant liquid flow and sensing a liquid mass flow rate within a bridge to detect very small distance... | 01/06/2009 |
| 7472580 | Pressure sensor A vacuum-driven gas gauge proximity sensor for sensing a difference between a reference surface standoff and a measurement surface standoff is disclosed. Unlike existing proximity sensors, the vacuum-driven gas gauge proximity sensor uses a vacuum to reverse the tra... | 01/06/2009 |
| 7437911 | Method and system for operating an air gauge at programmable or constant standoff Provided are a method and system for measuring a distance to an object. The system includes an air gauge configured to sense a distance to a surface of the object and a sensor configured to measure at least one from the group including (i) a relative position of the... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7416902 | Method and apparatus for airborne particle sorting An apparatus for airborne particle sorting is provided comprising a charging system adapted for applying an electrostatic charge to the particles, such that particles of at least a first group are deflected to a greater extent than particles of a second group are de... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7371993 | Method for laser micromachining A method of laser micro-machining a work piece, with a laser, including the steps of: locating the workpiece on a carrier forming a part of a transport system, the carrier can be displaced along a path parallel to an X-axis of the workpiece, a Y-axis lying transvers... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7369255 | Apparatus and method for capacitive measurement of materials Method for measuring thicknesses of a film, a foil or a material layer with a measuring head which is spaced away from the film and with which a capacitive thickness measurement is performed, in which an optical distance measurement is performed with a distance meas... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7362111 | Device for evaluating at least one electrical conducting structure of an electronic component An apparatus and method for evaluating the integrity of each contact pin of an electronic component having multiple contact pins. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a test device and a measuring instrument. The test device comprises a component fixture config... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7325445 | Air test to determine surface roughness A surface roughness measuring apparatus (11) has a probe (27, 41) with a smooth surface region (31, 43) contoured to conform to a surface (33) the roughness of which is to be measured, and an aperture (25, 49) located generally cen... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7325440 | Hole inspection system for a pierced container A hole inspection system for a pierced container 1 for inspecting an outwardly opened hole 1a formed in a flexible container 1 for performing a proper inspection for the size of the hole 1a of the flexible pierced container 1 | 02/05/2008 |
| 7310994 | Method and device for obtaining a determined flow resistance of a flow channel by means of a measuring bridge The invention relates to a method and device for obtaining a determined flow resistance of a flow channel, especially an opening in a component. The method involves the following steps: a liquid flows through the flow channel; a characteristic depending on the flow ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7299683 | Metal particle sensor system A metal particle sensor system for detecting metal particles in an oil line. The metal particle sensor system may include a metal particle sensor positioned about the line, an orifice positioned within the line and downstream of the metal particle sensor, a first pr... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7272976 | Pressure sensor A pressure gauge includes a diaphragm having a substantially rigid outer portion and a displaceable inner portion that displaces in response to a pressure difference between first and second sides of the diaphragm. The pressure gauge further includes a sensor locate... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7236252 | System and apparatus for measuring displacements in electro-active materials A device designed to apply uniaxial pressure to the surface of an electro-active material while simultaneously applying a current to the material under controlled temperature conditions and then measuring the displacement of the material by means of a laser interfer... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7231277 | Surface shape determining device for a machining apparatus and surface shape determining method In a state of separating a front end face of an air injecting nozzle 23 from a worked work W by a predetermined interval h, the air injecting nozzle 23 is moved at a constant speed in an X axis direction, injects air from an injecting hole 27... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7209240 | System and apparatus for measuring displacements in electro-active materials A specialized containment cell with optically transparent apertures, in conjunction with a laser interferometer system provides the means for non-contact displacement measurements of electro-active (piezoelectric and electrostrictive) materials to be performed under... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7207208 | Blown installation of optical fibres and method and apparatus for determining the length of a passage along which an optical fibre is to be blown An apparatus (12) is provided for use in determining a length at least representative of the length of a tube that defines a passage in an optical fibre cable (10) along which an optical fibre unit can be installed by blowing. The apparatus (12)... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7204126 | Blown installation of optical fibres and method and apparatus for determining the length of a passage along which an optical fibre is to be blown A method of determining a length Ld at least representative of the length of a passage along which an optical unit or cable is to be installed by blowing, comprises the steps of flowing a pressurised gas into the passage at a substantially constant pressu... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7140233 | Immersion lithography proximity sensor having a nozzle shroud with flow curtain The present invention is directed to an immersion lithography proximity sensor having a nozzle shroud with a flow curtain. The immersion lithography proximity sensor includes a shroud that affixes to the nozzle. A plenum is located inside the shroud that holds a shr... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7134321 | Fluid gauge proximity sensor and method of operating same using a modulated fluid flow A system and method that use a fluid gauge proximity sensor. A source of modulated unidirectional or alternating fluid flow travels along at least one path having a nozzle and a flow or pressure sensor. The fluid exists at a gap between the nozzle and a target. The ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7128427 | Method and apparatus for fluid handling in immersion lithography Apparatus and method for a substantially distortion free immersion lithography is provided. The apparatus includes a lens element, an outlet for drawing immersion fluid towards the lens element, and a collector ring coupled to the central outlet for removing the imm... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7124624 | High-resolution gas gauge proximity sensor An apparatus and method for precisely detecting very small distances between a measurement probe and a surface, and more particularly to a proximity sensor using a constant gas flow and sensing a mass flow rate within a pneumatic bridge to detect very small distance... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7117719 | Hole shape measuring method and apparatus In a measuring apparatus 10, an arm 36 is lowered to insert a measuring sphere 30 into a hole 22A in a workpiece 22, and further the measuring sphere 30 is lowered in the depth direction of the hole 22A. Thereby, the ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7096730 | Measurement systems An assembly that can be used in conjunction with a resin moulding apparatus includes means defining a chamber containing a pressure sensor, and an entry passage leading upwardly into the chamber. The arrangement is such that, when the assembly is mounted in an upper... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7089784 | Device for evaluating the signal from a viscosity sensor A device is provided for evaluating the signal from a viscosity sensor having an amplifying circuit. The amplification of the amplifying circuit is controlled by a temperature signal from a temperature sensor. ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7076386 | Computer card for electro-pneumatic calibrators with system management The present computer card for electro-pneumatic calibrators with system management corresponds the an equipment for calibrating vehicle tires, automatically, made up by electronic, electric and mechanical components commanded by computer programs, of simple handling... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7057176 | System and method for multiple mode flexible excitation in sonic infrared imaging A defect detection system for thermally imaging a structure that has been energized by a sound energy. The system includes a transducer that couples a sound signal into the structure, where the sound signal causes defects in the structure to heat up. In one embodime... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7055373 | Method and device for measuring inner diameter dimension of works A method and a device for measuring the inner diameter dimension of a work capable of easily and accurately measuring the inner diameter dimension of the work with a simple structure; the method, comprising the steps of feeding compressed air to the inner peripheral... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7021121 | Gas gauge proximity sensor with a modulated gas flow A gas gauge proximity sensor modulates a gas stream that is used to feed reference and measurement air gauges, respectively, in a reference portion proximate a reference surface and a measurement portion proximate a measurement surface. The gas stream can be modulat... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7021120 | High resolution gas gauge proximity sensor In a gas gauge, effects due to changes in the local environment are reduced by causing a measurement nozzle and a reference nozzle to react as if they were co-located, or located at approximately the same position. This is achieved by venting the reference nozzle in... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7021119 | Liquid flow proximity sensor for use in immersion lithography An apparatus and method for precisely detecting very small distances between a measurement probe and a surface, and more particularly to a proximity sensor using a constant liquid flow and sensing a liquid mass flow rate within a bridge to detect very small distance... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7017390 | Proximity sensor nozzle shroud with flow curtain The present invention is directed to an apparatus for reducing the impact of cross winds on gas flow emitted from a nozzle. The apparatus includes a shroud that affixes to the nozzle. A plenum is located inside the shroud that holds a shroud gas, which is fed into t... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7010959 | Device and method for measuring mechanical path lengths by means of pneumatic pressure, in particular for sliding carbon contacts In a device and a method for measuring path lengths, particularly of brushes in sliding contacts, an air stream having a regularly fluctuating pressure is provided by a pump and conducted via an air supply line and a nozzle to an object to be measured. The object is... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7010958 | High-resolution gas gauge proximity sensor An apparatus and method for precisely detecting very small distances between a measurement probe and a surface, and more particularly to a proximity sensor using a constant gas flow and sensing a mass flow rate within a pneumatic bridge to detect very small distance... | 03/14/2006 |