Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) received Patent No. 121,992 for "An Improvement in Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments." He later received two more patents: one for a self-pasting scrapbook and one for a game to help players remember important historical dates.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8161823 | Strain and displacement sensor and system and method for using the same A capacitively-coupled strain sensor and methods are presented in which the strain on a structure is measured by the varying capacitance created by the displacement of one or more boards attached to the structure. ... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8104358 | High sensitivity passive wireless strain sensor A high sensitivity strain sensor that utilizes a micro-scale cavity built in a multi-layer structure, with a pair of interdigitalized capacitor incorporated on one of the layers, is described in this document. The device's capacitance changes produced by unattended ... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8074524 | Piezoelectric measuring element with transverse effect and sensor comprising such a measuring element A piezoelectric measuring element comprises at least one bar with transverse effect which can be used with two conductor technology. Poles comprising the metallizations, electrodes and lines in the measuring element are embodied with one or more piezoelectric bars w... | 12/13/2011 |
| 8033182 | Capacitive sensor for morphological discrimination of a motor vehicle seat occupant A detection assembly for detecting a morphology of a person is provided. The assembly includes a sensor and a processing unit. The sensor includes (i) first and second main linear electrodes covering different zones of a plane, and (ii) a third auxiliary linear elec... | 10/11/2011 |
| 7984655 | Entrapment detection and prevention device for opening/closing mechanism An entrapment prevention and detection device for an opening/closing mechanism detects entrapment with a simple structure and does not occupy much space. When a foreign object, such as a human body part approaches a window glass, such as an automobile window, the ca... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7954385 | Method and system for using a sensor element for identifying an object A sensor element material web for selectively cutting an operable sensor from the web includes a sensor film. A first electrode film is disposed on a first side and includes metallic electrodes in a first repeating pattern. A second electrode film is disposed on a s... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7950288 | Physical quantity sensor A physical quantity sensor for detecting a physical quantity includes: a first substrate having a first physical quantity detection element; a second substrate having a second physical quantity detection element, wherein the second substrate contacts the first subst... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7938014 | Sealed capacitive sensor A sealed capacitive sensor includes a substrate having a diaphragm forming a first plate of a capacitor; a second fixed plate of the capacitor spaced from the diaphragm and defining a predetermined dielectric gap and a sealing medium connecting together the substrat... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7921728 | Flexible apparatus and method to enhance capacitive force sensing A flexible apparatus and method to enhance capacitive force sensing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a force measuring device includes a sensor capacitor having a fixed surface and a moveable surface substantially parallel to the fixed surface, at least one spring a... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7908927 | Anti-entrapment system An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device includes a sensor positionable adjacent to or on the translating device. The sensor has a non-conductive compressible jacket with a cavity, and first and second conductor... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7891253 | Capacitive force sensor A force sensor is provided which has a capacitive sensor circuit incorporating a sensor capacitor having variable capacitance Csen arranged so that an output of the capacitive sensor circuit is proportional to 1/Csen. ... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7854174 | MEMS capacitive bending and axial strain sensor A three-dimensional micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) capacitive bending and axial strain sensor capacitor is described. Two independent comb structures, incorporating suspended polysilicon interdigitated fingers, are fabricated simultaneously on a substrate t... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7836776 | Micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor A micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor. The micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor comprises a first bent beam, a second bent beam, and a straight center beam. The first bent beam, second bent beam, and straight center beam are aligned in the X... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7798011 | Actuatable capacitive transducer for quantitative nanoindentation combined with transmission electron microscopy An actuatable capacitive transducer including a transducer body, a first capacitor including a displaceable electrode and electrically configured as an electrostatic actuator, and a second capacitor including a displaceable electrode and electrically configured as a... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7743667 | Capacitive device and method with an enhanced measurement error correction capability A capacitive device and method with an enhanced measurement error correction capability is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor capacitor based on one or more pairs of parallel conductor surfaces, a housing to encompass the sensor capacitor, ... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7730789 | Device and method for measuring a gap between members of a structure for manufacture of a shim An apparatus for measuring a gap between a first mating surface of a first component and a second mating surface of a second component has a substrate. A plurality of capacitive sensors is coupled to the substrate. A controller is coupled to the plurality of capacit... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7726199 | Dielectrostrictive sensor for measuring deformation An apparatus and method directed to a solid-state capacitance sensor for measuring a strain force on a dielectric including at least one pair of electrostriction sensors each sensor having at least two electrodes and each having a central axis. The central axes are ... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7726198 | Strain sensor A strain sensor comprises a capacitor formed on a substrate, the capacitor having a layered structure in which a lower electrode, a metal oxide film of perovskite structure and an upper electrode are laminated consecutively on the substrate, the capacitor being adap... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7698952 | Pressure sensing device At least one pair of capacitively coupled electrodes contained in a structure is used to sense the deflection of a diaphragm in a pressure or force sensor for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the diaphragm. Preferably the structure has properties (such as ... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7644628 | Resistive force sensing device and method with an advanced communication interface Several methods and a system of a resistive force sensing device and method with an advanced communication interface are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment provides a force measuring device. The force measuring device includes a resistive sensor having a fixed surfa... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7603910 | Micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor A micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor. The micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor comprises a first bent beam, a second bent beam, and a straight center beam. The first bent beam, second bent beam, and straight center beam are aligned in the X... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7540199 | Physical quantity sensor A physical quantity sensor for detecting a physical quantity includes: a first substrate having a first physical quantity detection element; a second substrate having a second physical quantity detection element, wherein the second substrate contacts the first subst... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7513166 | Anti-entrapment system An anti-entrapment system for preventing objects from being entrapped by a translating device includes a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to the translating device and a controller. The sensor has first and second conductors separated by a separation distance ... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7509870 | MEMS capacitive bending and axial strain sensor A three-dimensional micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) capacitive bending and axial strain sensor capacitor is described. Two independent comb structures, incorporating suspended polysilicon interdigitated fingers, are fabricated simultaneously on a substrate t... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7478562 | High temperature LC pressure transducer and methods for making the same A high temperature pressure capacitor is fabricated utilizing two high temperature substrate wafers. The substrates may be silicon carbide (SiC) or aluminum nitride (AIN). The first substrate has a metal conductive plate positioned on a top surface thereof. The top ... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7451659 | Gap-change sensing through capacitive techniques A gap-change sensing through capacitive techniques is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface substantially parallel to the first conductive surface, and a sensor to generate a measurement based ... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7434481 | Capacitive sensor apparatus for passenger presence detection A capacitive sensor apparatus is disposed between the bottom cushion and frame of a seat. The sensor apparatus includes first and second mutually parallel rigid force translation plates biased apart by a set of springs, first and second conductor plates centrally af... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7398587 | Method for manufacturing a capacitance type sensor with a movable electrode Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a capacitance type sensor comprising an insert molding process for insert-molding, with an insulating material, a part of a lead wire of a leadframe and a range of the leadframe including the capacitance element electrode, the... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7400153 | Detector with capacitance sensor for detecting object being caught by door A detector for detecting an object that may be feared to or about to be caught by a closing door such as a slide door of a vehicle incorporates a capacitance sensor with a directionality characteristic in the direction of its detection surface. The detector has a ma... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7395721 | Force sensor, force detection system and force detection program A force sensor converts a force into capacitance and makes it possible to generate a plurality of outputs with different output characteristics, force detection system, and a digital force detection program for it. The force sensor 20 has a displacement unit ... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7391223 | Insulation barrier for unshielded wire A sensor assembly has a plurality of sensing elements configured to be positioned within a seat of a vehicle. Each of the sensing elements include an output signal indicating the presence or absence of an occupant. The sensor assembly includes a cable with a plurali... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7380461 | Micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor A micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor. The micro-electromechanical capacitive strain sensor comprises a first bent beam, a second bent beam, and a straight center beam. The first bent beam, second bent beam, and straight center beam are aligned in the X... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7372281 | Capacitance type sensor A displacement electrode cooperates with four switch electrodes on a substrate to form respective switches SW1 to SW4. When all of the switches SW1 to SW4 are on, no X- and Y-axial outputs are activated and only a Z-axial output is activa... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7363814 | Multi-axial angular velocity sensor An angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity about a Z-axis in an XYZ coordinate system has a substrate oscillator, a flexible member for connecting the oscillator to a casing, a device for oscillating the oscillator in an X-axis direction, and a detect... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7360455 | Force detector and acceleration detector and method of manufacturing the same An electrode layer is formed on the upper surface of a first substrate, and a processing for partially removing the substrate is carried out in order to allow the substrate to have flexibility. To the lower surface of the first substrate, a second substrate is conne... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7359783 | Method of detecting obstructions caused by motor-driven power windows and similar devices using fuzzy logic algorithms The mobile element is a vehicle window pane, panel, movable seat or similar, conveniently guided, and driven by a DC electric motor with a permanent magnet, and the method comprises a step of detecting an entrapment or collision situation of the mobile element by me... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7353713 | Flexible apparatus and method to enhance capacitive force sensing A flexible apparatus and method to enhance capacitive force sensing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a force measuring device includes a sensor capacitor having a fixed surface and a movable surface substantially parallel to the fixed surface, at least one spring as... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7347102 | Contact-type electric capacitive displacement sensor A contact-type electric capacitive displacement sensor includes a stationary element having a stationary plate, a stationary conductive pattern formed on the stationary plate and an insulation film coated on the stationary plate and a displaceable element having a d... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7343814 | Multi-zone capacitive force sensing device and methods A multi-zone capacitive force sensing apparatus/method is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more capacitors each having an upper conductive surface and a lower conductive surface substantially parallel to the upper conductive surface, a hous... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7343813 | Multicapacitor sensor array A new capacitive sensor array comprises a first plurality of conductors separated by a compressible insulator from a second plurality of conductors lying in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The second plurality of conductors are paired to partially overla... | 03/18/2008 |