Electronic Instrumentation & Technology, Inc.

E.i.t., Inc.

Colight, Inc.

Joe T May

Matthew J McConnell

James M Raymont

Edward A Casacia

Steven D Hale

David C Snyder

Christopher S Rogers

Michael Scott Cain

Kyle L Bostian

Christopher S Shorter

Mark Lawrence

Robert D Radcliff

David P Chickanosky, Jr

Matthew McConnell

Christopher Murdock

Malcolm G Ross

An improved instrument for measuring low indicated air speed greatly reduces variation with one or more of time, temperature, and ambient pressure change. This is accomplished by periodically re-zeroing the transducer using only a single electronically controlled valve. Re-zeroing may be initiated in response to a change in the internal temperature of the transducer.

Instrument and method for measuring low indicated air speed

Instruments and methods are disclosed which measure absolute energy and irradiance of UV light sources. The response curves of exemplary optical stacks of the radiometry instruments are substantially rectangular with steep transitions at the cutoff frequencies. Angle of incidence (AOI) control in combination with one or more interference filters in the optical stack enable the full optical stack to produce repeatable and accurate measurements. Inverse response filters are disclosed for leveling optical stack response.

UV radiometry instruments and methods

A warning system alerts a helicopter pilot that a low-G condition is imminent or occurring. The low-G alert employs an accelerometer to detect a vertical acceleration of the aircraft. Higher frequency vibrations in the output of the accelerometer are removed by a filter to provide a clean signal representing vertical acceleration of the aircraft. This signal is processed by a central processing unit (CPU) to perform a threshold detector function. The CPU is configured to detect the possibility of the onset or occurrence of a low-G event. Upon detection, the CPU triggers an audible alert to announce 'Low-G. Pull aft.' or the like until the low-G event has been corrected or avoided.

Low-G alert

A blower urges an airflow, at a rate according to a user-controlled flow rate command, through an electric heater and the electrical heater heats the airflow at a heater power based on a user-input temperature command, the user-input flow rate command, and a measured mass flow rate of the airflow. The heater power is calculated based on the heat energy required to heat air to the given reference temperature, at a flow rate corresponding to the measured mass flow rate. Optionally, the temperature of the air entering the electric heater is measured, and the heater power is calculated based on the heat energy required to heat air from the measured temperature to the given reference temperature, at a flow rate corresponding to the measured mass flow rate.

Method and apparatus for forced air heater measurement and control

A detector receives energy pulses and a lossy integration circuit generates a lossy integration that, for each pulse, increases over the pulse duration to a maximum value and then decays. The lossy integration is sampled, with a sampling rate and decay rate such that the sample is within a given acceptable error of the maximum value. The sample represents the pulse total energy, within the given acceptable error. An optional circuit and processing function calculates a total accumulated energy over a plurality of pulses.

Method and apparatus for pulsed UV measurement

A radiometer that incorporates multiple UV bandwidth sensors, defined in nanometers, and includes connectors for inserting a cable that is used to connect to another sensor, or to a data collection module (DCM) in a multidrop, or daisy-chain arrangement. Each sensor can be positioned at any point on a three-dimensional work piece, and will receive UV energy at the aperture having an optical component. The collected energy is directed to a detector in the sensor. A processor in the body of the sensor then computes the amount of UV radiation based on signals from the detector. This information is transferred to and stored in a data collection module to which the sensor string is connected. Data stored in the DCM can then be transferred to a computer for display purposes. The sensors and DCM can be tethered to the computer for real-time measurement readings when adjusting the UV lamps.

Distributed UV sensor system and method

A probe style radiometer includes a generally rectangular cross-sectional body and a probe having a square cross-section. The probe is preferably a hollow rod having a tip equipped with a UV-collecting aperture and a mirror. The mirror reflects UV light entering the aperture down the length of the rod to a detector in the body. A processor in the body then computes the amount of UV radiation based on signals from the detector. The amount may then be provided on a display integrated into the body. A ground quartz or glass window may be provided at the tip to seal the rod from exterior contamination and to diffuse the incoming UV radiation in a manner that will give the probe a near-cosine angular response. Filters within the radiometer body then filter this diffused radiation to the spectral region of interest. Preferably, the radiometer is battery powered and includes switches on the body to allow a user to control the mode of operation. To prevent electrical shock, the metal rod of the probe may contain an electrically non-conductive outer coating.

Probe style radiometer

A UV sensor design which virtually eliminates solarization effects on optical components and photodetector and is effective for both broad area and collimated light sources. The sensor design reduces the number of photons striking a unit area of any of the materials in the light path sensitive to UV light to a level which does not produce appreciable solarization over very long periods of time. The UV sensor has as the first optical element in the viewing path a UV transmitting, extremely low solarization window. The back surface of this window is frosted to produce some diffusion of the UV rays. A small metal disc with a very small aperture is the next optical element and reduces the total amount of energy admitted to the optical measurement system. A second frosted UV transmitting, extremely low solarization window further diffuses the light beam passing through the aperture. The UV light from this second window travels toward to two UV filters and is further dispersed to produce low intensity level UV light which impinges on a silicon photodetector.

UV sensor

An ultraviolet (UV) radiometer includes as one component a data collection unit which is sufficiently small that it can be placed in UV curing applications which have normally been inaccessible as another component a data reader into which the data collection unit is inserted for displaying and/or processing the actual data collected by the data collection unit during a process run. Because of its small size, the data collection unit makes it possible to obtain true process control in applications that could not previously be monitored. After making a dosage measurement, the data collection unit is inserted into the data reader to display the actual data collected during a UV curing run. After reading the data in the data collection unit, the data reader clears the previously stored data and resets the unit to take a new dosage reading.

Ultraviolet radiometer

A self-contained, electro-optic instrument measures and displays the intensity emitted by an ultraviolet (UV) light source. The instrument is a portable, battery-operated device which has the size and shape of a flashlight. The measurement head receives various light guide adapters to provide a proper fit for a light guide of the UV spot curing system being used. Alternatively, the measurement head may be fitted with a wide angle lens to receive UV light for environment safety testing. In operation with a spot curing system, the instrument is gripped in one hand while the light guide is inserted in the adapter in the measurement head with the other hand. Once the spot curing system's light guide is inserted, a start switch on the body of the instrument is depressed and a measurement is taken. When the start switch is released, the measurement temporarily stored and displayed on a display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD). Operation is similar for environmental safety testing except the instrument is simply pointed in a direction where the UV light is to be measured.

Ultraviolet intensity meter

A Peltier cooling system for solid-state operational amplifiers reduces the bias current and allows the amplifier to perform at a level previously attained only by vacuum tube operational amplifiers. The amplifier is cooled with a Peltier junction substantially below the ambient to control the temperature very closely to a fixed value. A solid-state temperature detector is placed in thermal contact with the operational amplifier substrate. The sensor output, which is proportional to he absolute temperature of the operational amplifier, is fed to the temperature control circuitry. The control circuitry compares the sensor current with a temperature set point current, and the difference is used to control the cooler current.

Bias current control for operational amplifier current/voltage converters

Instrumentation for measuring the amount of material dissolved in a liquid solution which utilizes electro-optic technology based on the Beer-Lambert Law is implemented either as a portable, battery powered model or integrated in an automated process monitoring system. In the portable, battery powered model, a sample probe (14) is inserted into a solution to be measured. The results of the measurement are displayed on a display (22). The displayed results are frozen for a predetermined period of time at the expiration of which, the power is turned off to conserve battery power. In the automated process monitoring model, a solution loading analyzer (100) is supplied with a sample of solution to be analyzed. A probe (14) positioned in a measurement well (200) is used to determine the ratio of incident light to light transmitted through the sample. A spray nozzle (212) is used for cleaning the probe head (16).

Automated process monitoring

An ultraviolet source (14) directs selected ultraviolet radiation onto a thin film (10) to excite it. The thin film fluoresces, either naturally or as a result of adding fluorescing material. The amount of light fluoresced is proportional to the film thickness. An optical filter (16) selectively transmits fluoresced wavelengths, excluding exciting wavelengths. A photodetector (18) converts the light to an electrical signal which is processed by signal processing circuits (20) and displayed on a readout (26). The output is compensated for variations in the intensity of the exciting ultraviolet radiation by generating a second electrical signal (13', 18') proportional to the intensity of the exciting radiation and dividing the first electrical signal by a function of said second electrical signal. The compensated output is then calibrated to assure precision and accurate measurements. Various materials may be selectively measured, individually in the presence of others by choosing appropriate excitation and emission wavelengths. The amount of fluoresced light is linear with respect to the amount of material present as long as the layer is quite thin. As the layer thickness increases, the amount of light to thickness relationship becomes non-linear.

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Leesburg, VA, United States of America

Joe T May