University of Kentucky Research Foundation

Lexmark International, Inc.

Echlin, Inc.

Bruce Lanier Walcott

James E Lumpp

Michael Anthony Marra, Iii

Jack B Meister

Daniel Wermeling

John Alan Main

Robert Ryan Vallance

Ryan Vallance

Osamah A Rawashdeh

Aravind Balasubramaniam

Ted Richard Massa

Christopher Alan Adkins

Thomas Jon Eade

M Pinar Menguc

Sanjiv Tewani

Keith E Rouch

Robert W Stephenson

Aravind Balasubramanian

L Scott Stephens

Stephen R Swabb

Sumanth Chikkamaranahalli

Eric Wolsing

An apparatus and method for the self-administration of a plurality of doses of an intranasal liquid pharmaceutical composition, including opioid analgesics, that includes a drug delivery device containing a plurality of sealed vials, each vial containing a predetermined volume of the pharmaceutical composition, a pump assembly for conveying the liquid pharmaceutical composition from the interior of the vial and discharging it as a nasal spray in response to manual activation by the patient, and programmable means for sequentially advancing a vial to the ready position after passage of a prescribed time interval following the last activation of the delivery device.

Programmable multi-dose intranasal drug delivery device

A linear actuator is provided, comprising a housing defining an interior channel, a stop extending from the housing and displaceable relative to the housing, and at least one wire formed of a shape-memory alloy, the wire being attached at a first end to the stop and at a second end to the housing. When heated to a predetermined temperature, the wire applies a pulling force to the stop to cause the stop to slide in a first direction into the housing interior channel. A spring located in the housing interior channel applies a biasing force to the stop in a second direction counter to the first direction when the wire cools, thereby returning the stop to the unactuated position. A wire heater is provided, which may be an electrical source for resistive heating of the wire. Multiple actuators of the present invention may be configured in parallel to increase the force generated by the wires. In yet another embodiment the actuators of the invention may be arranged in a serial configuration for controlling a rotary or carousel dispenser.

Linear actuator using shape memory wire with controller

A method of regulating a target system generates a plurality of digital signals which define a reference pulse train with a frequency dependent upon a reference signal. A target system to be regulated (such as a transport speed of a paper transport assembly in a printer) has an output in the form of a plurality of digital signals defining a feedback pulse train having a frequency. The frequency of the reference pulse train is compared with the frequency of the feedback pulse train. A control signal is generated dependent upon the frequency comparison, and is provided as an input to the target system.

Method of regulating a target system using a frequency comparison of feedback and reference pulse trains

Instruments and methods for measuring a property of a shape memory alloy are provided. The instrument includes a base plate, a non-contact movable mass, a force gauge, an actuator, a biasing spring, a heater for heating the shape memory alloy, and a non-contact displacement detector. The biasing spring and the shape memory alloy are disposed whereby a force applied thereby is applied substantially through a center of stiffness of the movable mass. The displacement detector measures a displacement of the movable mass in a colinear direction with a direction of movement of the movable mass and with a direction of the force applied by the biasing spring and the shape memory alloy. The linear motion stage comprises a housing and at least one guide bar, and wherein a calculated axial expansion of the guide bar is substantially equal to a calculated axial expansion of the base plate.

System and device for characterizing shape memory alloy wires

A control system in the form of an all-digital phase-locked loop controls movement of a DC motor. The control system includes a movement detector in the form of an optical encoder to detect movement of a DC motor. A digital phase detector compares output of a feedback signal from the movement detector and a reference signal. The digital phase detector is phase frequency detector that follows a describing function to model non-linear components of the reference signal. A digital loop filter then filters noise from the comparison signal and the filtered signal is amplified to control the DC motor. The phase frequency detector includes a state machine to track a time varying reference signal and selectively output a response to provide for system damping.

Apparatus and method for electronic control of DC motor using an all-digital phase-locked loop

A radiation modulator system and related method for actively controlling a flame in a combustion system are provided. The system includes a plurality of radiation modulators positioned adjacent the flame. A sensor arrangement is provided for sensing combustion characteristics of the flame and generating a sensor signal representative of the combustion characteristics. The sensor signal is received in a computer which then generates a control signal for transmission to a linkage arrangement which provides for the repositioning of the radiation modulators. Thus, the flame is actively controlled by continually repositioning the modulators in response to the sensor signal and the control signal. The related method broadly includes the steps of: (1) positioning the radiation modulators adjacent the flame; (2) sensing combustion characteristics of the flame; and (3) repositioning the radiation modulators responsive to the combustion characteristics.

Radiation modulator system

An automotive vehicle supplemental restraint system that includes an air bag positioned within the vehicle opposite the passenger side of the front seat, and electronics coupled to one or more impact sensors for activating the air bag in the event of a vehicle impact. Occupancy sensors are provided at the passenger seat for sensing seat occupancy and inhibiting activation of the air bag when the seat is either unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat. System status is displayed to a vehicle operator, and the operator is provided with an opportunity to override the occupancy sensors and enable activation of the air bag.

Occupant and infant seat detection in a vehicle supplemental restraint

An active vibration control device for controlling vibration in a cantilevered member and a method for the same are disclosed. The device is comprised of a cantilevered member having a longitudinal axis comprising a sensor mounted near the free end of the member to measure motion of the member in a transverse direction and to produce a corresponding signal. A force generating assembly is mounted to the member near the free end to oppose the measured motion with a force thereby minimizing subsequent motion along the transverse axis caused by vibration.

Active vibration control device

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Bruce Lanier Walcott