Environmental Products Corp.

Arthur P. Little, Inc.

Michael A Reed

Robert Farra

Douglas J Ely

Richard F Topping

An ice level sensor includes three capacitive plates for sensing the level of ice cubes in an ice tray or ice bucket. The ice level sensor preferably includes a relay for turning off the ice maker when a particular ice level is reached. The three capacitive plates provide immunity to frost collection because frost will collect on all plates equally. Preferably, the capacitive sensor is positioned with one plate next to the ice bucket and two plates positioned above the ice bucket. Preferably, the ice sensor may be retrofitted to existing refrigerators by mounting the capacitor plates to the rear freezer wall, and connecting AC input wires to the ice maker through a relay in the capacitor sensor.

Ice level sensor for an ice maker

An acoustic device and related method for measuring the shape of an object. The device includes a plurality of transmitters for transmitting acoustic waves at an object to be measured and a plurality receivers for receiving the acoustic waves reflected by the object. A phase detector measures phase data of the reflected acoustic waves, the phase data being processed to calculate a value representing a shape of the object as a function of the phase data. This value is then compared with known reference value to accurately identify the shape of the object.

Acoustic holographic array measurement device and related material

A device for discriminating metal in an object is provided including a sense coil and related circuitry, with variations in the self inductance of the sense coil being measured as the object is passed substantially through the center of the coil.

Sensor system method and apparatus for discrimination of metallic

An apparatus and process permit the material of construction and the color of transparent and partly transparent containers to be determined rapidly and accurately. To determine the material of construction, polarized light is passed through the container, portions of the transmitted beam are analyzed by parallel and cross polarizers, the intensities of the analyzed beams are measured, and the sum and difference of the analyzed beams are determined. Preferably, the determination is made with at least two wavelengths of polarized light, and the sums and differences of the intensities of the different wavelengths are determined. Glass containers do not alter the polarization of the transmitted light, while many types of plastic containers do alter the polarization, and this difference serves as the basis for the differentiation. The color of the container, whether it be glass or plastic, is determined by calculating a color index as the difference in the transmitted intensity for light of different wavelengths, and this difference, particularly when normalized by the sum of the transmitted intensities, serves as a color index for characterizing the color of the container. An automated apparatus for performing this determination is provided.

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Portsmouth, NH, United States of America

Michael A Reed