Trimble Navigation Limited

Mh Solar Co., Ltd.

Ge Aviation Systems Limited

Hyde Park Electronics LLC

Spectra-physics Gmbh

Apache Technologies, Inc.

Echo Zulu, LLC

James Thomas Zalusky

Terry L Zahuranec

Kent W Kahle

Francisco Roberto Green

Gary Lynn Cain

Richard Piekutowski

Mark D Sobottke

Marc David Zinger

Robert G Conner

Vincent Lasher

Eric James Zalusky

Gary Lee Hemmelgarn

David William Harris

Eric Sidney Roslund

James Andrew Lilie

Gerald H Church

Dean C Mouradian

Jim A Michaud

A method for slow starting a reciprocating engine having a crankshaft, piston, and piston chamber is disclosed. The method includes applying a force to the crankshaft, sensing an engine characteristic, and determining if an error or fault is present in the engine.

Method for slow starting a reciprocating engine

A control valve and an air starting system for an engine having a pressurized air source, an air starter, and a control valve. The control valve having a housing defining a flow passage with an inlet port fluidly coupled to the pressurized air source and an outlet port fluidly coupled to the air starter, a valve body movable between an opened and closed positions to selectively open and close one of the inlet and outlet ports, resulting in a corresponding opening and closing of the control valve, and a linear motor operably coupled to the valve body to move the valve body between the opened and closed positions.

Control valve and air starting system

A locking firearm holder that can be mounted in a vehicle; the holder employs a capture lever to lock or grip against the trigger guard of a firearm, such as a hand gun. The holder exhibits two stable states: a capture lever lock state or a capture lever unlock state. The method of switching between these two stable states is the same in either case: the user pushes against the firearm, along the axis of the firearm. This initial action by the user either locks the firearm in place, or unlocks the holder to allow the user to withdraw the firearm from the holder. The holder includes a withdrawal limiter to prevent premature re-locking as the firearm is being released. The holder includes a lock tab positioned near the locked firearm; the lock tab must be actuated to unlock the holder, thus preventing an accidental unlocking due solely to vibration.

Locking firearm holder

A system (and corresponding methodology) for testing, evaluating and diagnosing quality of solar concentrator optics is provided. The innovation discloses mechanisms for evaluating the performance and quality of a solar collector via emission of modulated laser radiation upon (or near) a position of photovoltaic (PV) cells. The innovation discloses positioning two receivers at two distances from the source (e.g., solar collector or dish). These receivers are employed to collect modulated light which can be compared to standards or other thresholds thereby diagnosing quality of the collectors.

Solar concentrator testing

A laser receiver detects a thin beam of laser light and distinguishes between the beam of laser light and an omni-directional pulse of light from a strobe by the use of an additional photo-detector. The device takes into account the possibility that the additional photo-detector could be illuminated simultaneously with the main photo-detectors at the end of the main photo-detectors closest to the additional photo-detector.

Strobe light and laser beam detection for laser receiver

A solar collector can be rotated and tilted about a polar mount. The solar collector can be designed such that the center of gravity of the collector is aligned with the axis of the polar mount facilitating the use of smaller positioning devices. The collector can be placed in a position to prevent damage by inclement weather and allow easy access for maintenance and installation.

Polar mounting arrangement for a solar concentrator

When using a solar concentrator to obtain energy collected from the sun, it can be beneficial to place the concentrator accurately. As the concentrator moves, a position of the concentrator with respect to gravity can be determined, such as through the use of an inclinometer. A comparison can be made of the determined position against a desired position. The comparison can be made to determine if the concentrator should move. If a positive determination is made, then the concentrator can be moved accordingly.

Placement of a solar collector

An operator controllable machine is retrofitted to be operator controlled or to be automatically controlled. An electrical joystick output is provided by a manually actuated joystick control, including a joystick, to a machine control in the manually controlled machine. An interface is added between the joystick control and the machine control to permit an external source, such as a GPS receiver or a laser receiver, to apply an electrical automatic control output to the machine control, as well. The interface includes a number of optical isolation circuits and a microprocessor. The isolated microprocessor output is supplied to the machine control, which produces valve control signals to control the hydraulic valves of the machine. The application of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders of the machine is then controlled by either the joystick control output or the automatic control output. In an intermediate range of joystick movement, the hydraulic cylinders of the machine are controlled by both outputs, resulting in a smooth transition between manual and automatic operation.

Interface for retrofitting a manually controlled machine for automatic control

A laser light receiver is provided with an integral laser distance measurement (LDM) device for measuring the distance from a laser plane of a desired elevation to a desired physical target point to be measured on a jobsite. The laser receiver can be combined with a gravity reference device, so that the laser receiver does not necessarily have to be held plumb to a desired target point, when determining the relative elevation of the laser receiver between a rotating beam of laser light and the target point; it can also acquire multiple samples of positions and automatically take a vertical measurement and store that result for later readout. The laser receiver can be further combined with a GPS receiver, to acquire latitude and longitude data, and then in combination act as a three-dimensional transducer that is more accurate in the vertical direction than a GPS receiver alone is capable of.

Handheld laser light detector with height correction, using a GPS receiver to provide two-dimensional position data

A laser reference system orients a reference plane of laser light generated by a transmitter so compensation is made for a rake angle between the first and second axes of the transmitter and an alignment axis and an axis perpendicular thereto. The transmitter includes an optical system arranged to generate a laser beam, the optical system projecting said laser beam radially along a rotational arc defined about a central rotational axis, thereby substantially defining a reference plane of laser light, and a positioning arrangement, coupled to said optical system, for adjusting the angular orientation of the optical system with respect to a first transmitter axis and with respect to a second transmitter axis. A detector is arranged to detect reception of the laser beam. The detector includes a generally vertically arranged row of detector elements. The detector further includes a transmitter for transmitting information regarding the location of said laser beam, as detected by said detector elements. The system further includes a processor adapted to receive said transmitted information from said detector regarding the location of the laser beam. The processor calculates the rake angle between the first transmitter axis and the alignment direction.

Laser reference system and method of determining grade rake

A system for counting a series of progressively moving articles using one or more sidewardly positioned and angularly oriented ultrasonic transducers which bathe the articles with ultrasonic waves and receive echoes reflected backwardly therefrom. Distances to the articles are determined by measuring round-trip sonic travel times. Count adjustment signals are generated when articles pass through the fields of view of the transducers and are replaced by other articles at measurably different distances.

Apparatus and method for counting a series of progressively moving

A ply break detector for a laminate web uses a short time constant low pass filter and a long time constant low pass filter for filtering output signals from a sonic web scanner. A difference circuit compares output signals from the two filters to create a difference signal. A ply discontinuity indication is generated when the difference signal exceeds a predetermined threshhold with a predetermined persistence. Analog and digital versions are disclosed.

Method and apparatus for ply discontinuity detection

Apparatus operable in accordance with the method of the present invention for measuring the angle of incidence of a light beam or plane relative to level comprises a photodetector array for sensing the light and a level mirror preferably comprising a pool of mercury. Optics are provided for transmitting the light to the photodetector array in alignment with the angle of incidence of the light (aligned light) and also after the light has been reflected from the mercury pool (reflected light). A shutter is provided for separating aligned light from reflected light such that distinct signals representative of the two are generated by the photodetector array. The distinct signals are processed by up-counting and down-counting a counter circuit to determine the average centers of light spots representative of the aligned light and the reflected light and the distance between those average centers which is representative of the deviation of the light beam or plane from level.

Growing community of inventors

Beavercreek, OH, United States of America

James Thomas Zalusky