Did You Know...
...that the Slinky toy was the result of a failed attempt by engineer Richard James to produce an antivibration device for ship instruments? His goal was to develop a spring that would instantaneously counterbalance the wave motion that rocks a ship at sea. Instead, he developed the Slinky.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8109134 | Nondestructive methods for testing the degree of hardening or drying of inks and coatings In a method for determining the degree of hardening or drying of one or more printed ink and/or coating film(s) on a substrate, for instance, paper, cardboard, plastic film or composite materials, a faster and more efficient measuring method can be found that furthe... | 02/07/2012 |
| 7681438 | Apparatus and method for measurement of hardenable material characteristics A probe for measuring the hardness of concrete includes a body adapted to receive a retainer such that the combined body and retainer can be held in an aperture extending through a wall of a mould for the hardenable material, with the body extending from the inside ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7428455 | Compaction indication by effective rolling radius Accurately determining the compaction state of a base material during the compaction process is a recognized problem in the construction industry. The present invention recognizes that the compaction state of the base material can be determined by ascertaining the e... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7373802 | Testing fixture and method for determining toughness of molded plastic components A method and testing fixture for toughness-testing corrugated high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. The method includes the steps of preparing a test sample, attaching the test sample in the testing fixture, and providing an impact load to the test sample. The test... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7354617 | Fixing belt and method for evaluating it A method for evaluating a fixing belt includes forming a fixing belt which includes a substrate, an elastic layer laminated on the substrate, and a mold releasing layer laminated on the elastic layer. A universal hardness test for the fixing belt is performed. The f... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7315007 | Method and apparatus for stiffness and thickness detection in mail sorting systems A method is provided for preventing flat mail pieces having excessive thickness or stiffness from entering a mail processing machine wherein flat mail pieces are held on opposite sides and conveyed by paired conveyor belts around one or more curves, including one cu... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7302831 | Scratch testing device A device and method for scratch and/or mar testing the surface of a material specimen. In an embodiment, the scratch testing device comprises a scratching member. In addition, the scratch testing device comprises a carriage operable to move the scratching member. Fu... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7295940 | Process control system to manage materials used in construction Systems and methods are disclosed for designing and tracking construction material usage by estimating volumetric properties for one or more mix designs; determining an optimum mix based on laboratory data; and field testing a sample of the optimum mix; and tracking... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7285963 | Method and system for measurement of dielectric constant of thin films using a near field microwave probe A measurement technique based on a microwave near-field scanning probe is developed for non-contact measurement of dielectric constant of low-k films. The technique is non-destructive, non-invasive and can be used on both porous and non-porous dielectrics. The techn... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7275423 | Automatic speed calculation for scratch machine An improved surface testing apparatus, such as a scratch test apparatus, allows accurate determination of the test speed, for example using one or more magnetic sensors. An example scratch test apparatus comprises an arm assembly, and an attached blade moving over t... | 10/02/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7226239 | System for measuring material properties from a moving construction vehicle A system is for sensing a property of a material mat from a construction vehicle. The system includes a sensor for sensing the material property and a positioning mechanism connected with the vehicle and with the sensor. The mechanism displaces the sensor between fi... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7191657 | Currency processing system with fitness detection A currency handling system has a limpness detector. The limpness detector has a single driven crackle roller with an elongated central bulge and two outer bulges, wherein the central bulge is in conforming relation to a flexible belt. Sheet metal guides further faci... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7162919 | Blast pressure gauge Blast pressure gauges and methods for detecting blast pressure during a blast test. The gauges operate independently of power sources, are portable, and are used in harsh environments including test ranges. Each embodiment is constructed to detect blast pressures as... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7137285 | Method and instrument for characterizing treading surfaces, for instance for realizing synthetic turf surfaces An instrument (“artificial athlete”) for characterizing, from the biomechanical standpoint, a treading surface, such as natural grass cover or synthetic grass flooring, is configured for: dropping a weight from a given height on the surface, producing the conver... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7121136 | Hardness testing apparatus A hardness testing apparatus has an indenter shaft having an indenter at a top thereof, a force motor for moving the indenter shaft in its axial direction and applying a predetermined test force to a sample through the indenter, an external force detection section f... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7111742 | Device for separating postal items according to thickness classes The invention relates to a device for separating flat postal items according to thickness classes. A rigid system of overlapping lamellae (5) on two continuous traction mechanisms (3) revolving on two deflection rollers (4) provides a lamella-ty... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7110884 | Methods in the engineering design and construction of earthen fills The invention is a composite of interdependent engineering methods for earthen fill engineering and construction. The invention includes the development, utilization, and correlation of actual, cumulative field compaction energies, unique to and based on field combi... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7096720 | Hardness tester A hardness tester for measuring hardness of a sample by applying a predetermined test load to the sample with an indenter attached to an indenter attaching member so as to form an indentation on the sample, comprises: the indenter attaching member to which the inden... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7096743 | Device for measuring the bending strength of flat consignments An apparatus for measuring the flexural rigidity in the longitudinal direction of flat items of mail transported one after another on a conveying path includes a control device, a sensor for detecting the edges of the items of mail and signaling the control device w... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7089823 | Vibratory mechanism controller A controller for use in a vibratory mechanism includes an amplitude control circuit that generates an amplitude control signal that varies from a minimum value to a maximum value. The vibratory mechanism is adapted to vibrate at an amplitude based on an amplitude co... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7073374 | Soil compaction measurement on moving platform An apparatus and method are provided for the in-situ measurement of the stiffness of a surface. The apparatus includes a platform, which is movable relative to the surface. A stiffness measurement device is supported by the platform in a stationary position relative... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7066013 | Hardness tester A hardness tester includes a supporting frame having a guiding channel, a driving axle slidably disposed in the supporting frame, and a penetrating pin, having a pin head, coaxially disposed in the guiding channel in a slidably movable manner to coaxially align with... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7024942 | Method and apparatus for non-destructive detection of pits and seed fragments in fruit An apparatus and method for the non-destructive detection of pits and pit fragments found in dried fruit has been developed. It utilizes a force transducer and a signal processor to determine whether or not pit or pit fragments are present in a fruit specimen, and i... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6973821 | Compaction quality assurance based upon quantifying compactor interaction with base material In most construction processes, some quality assurance compaction test must be performed on a base material before further construction can take place on or relative to the compacted base material. In order to avoid costly downtime associated with waiting for a qual... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6945097 | Characteristic strain and fracture resistance for scratch independently of indenter geometry The invention involves an apparatus and method for calculating characteristics of materials, such as equivalent strain, using an indenter where the method used is independent of indenter geometry. The method includes performing a scratch test to calculate the strain... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6929716 | Method for the manufacture or treatment of a material web A method for the manufacture or treatment of a material web, in particular of a paper or a cardboard web, while using a respective machine, in particular a paper machine, including the step of measuring the hardness and/or the compactness of at least one clothing, i... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6901807 | Positive and negative pressure sensor A device for sensing pressure using two perforated rigid films in which a diaphragm is mounted between the first two films. The device senses positive and negative pressure through a port or opening to the region for which pressure data is desired. The device commun... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6883367 | Method for measuring elastic properties This invention relates to a method for measuring elastic modulus of a sample object. This invention also relates to a method for correcting creep effects in the modulus measurement. The error due to creep in the apparent contact compliance is equal to the ratio of t... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6868718 | Wireless tire pressure alarming system as directly powered from car cigarette-lighter receptacle A wireless tire pressure alarming system includes a tire pressure sensor & transmitter attached to each car wheel for sensing the tire pressure in each car wheel and for remotely sending the tire pressure signal from each car wheel; and a receiver having a plug plug... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6786083 | Apparatus and method for assessment of mattresses Apparatus is described for objectively testing the condition of a support surface such as mattress. The apparatus comprises a frame (8, 21, 22) for extending over the support surface, an indenter (5) mounted on said frame and a load sensor (4) d... | 09/07/2004 |
| 6681622 | Device for and method of determining cut resistance of a material A device implements a method of determining a cut resistance of a sample. The device includes a blade wherein the blade and the sample are relatively movable and a first apparatus that transfers energy to at least one of the sample and the blade to cause ... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6668637 | Tire air pressure estimating apparatus Tire air pressure during high speed travel is estimated without a sensor for detecting the tire air pressure directly. An apparatus is constituted by a wheel speed sensor, road surface friction state estimator for estimating a friction state estimation va... | 12/30/2003 |
| 6654685 | Apparatus and method for navigation of an aircraft In accordance with this invention, an apparatus and method for aircraft navigation are provided that utilize a blended architecture consisting of a global positioning system (GPS) and micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) for the primary navigation syste... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6643599 | Automated machine and method for fruit testing A fruit tester provides a motor driven intrusive plunger with associated sensors to determine digital data indicative of plunger position, force resisting plunger intrusion and constant pressure creep. Sensor data is presented to a computer for storage, a... | 11/04/2003 |
| 6551019 | Device for checking the compaction for vibration compaction devices A device for checking the compaction, in particular, of black top pavement in street and roadway construction, using a vibration roller drum that is provided with a compaction checking device is provided. In the compaction of black top pavement, the measu... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6536263 | Gauges for testing sand in or for golf course sand bunkers A sand penetrability gauge for golf course bunker sand, having a probe shaft for penetrating into bulk sand, a weight or spring for reproducibly applying force to advance the probe shaft into bulk sand, the probe shaft being movably connected to the weigh... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6513370 | Wear indicator for sports balls A wear indicator is provided for use on sports balls and other articles of manufacture, the wear indicator consisting of one or more dots imprinted upon the surface of the article, each dot manifesting a different degree of resistance to wear due to artic... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6457349 | Method of testing hardness of micro region A testing method is provided for determining the hardness of a micro region, using indentation curves indicating relations between observed penetration depths and indenting forces when an arbitrary shaped indenter is pushed into standard samples of plural... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6425686 | Glass transition temperature measurement system A glass transition temperature Tg measurement system includes a probe point penetrating into a sample under test that has been heated by a heater to a temperature where the sample undergoes a phase change from a solid to a semisolid. A thermocouple is use... | 07/30/2002 |
