Other

Abb Schweiz Ag

Thyssenkrupp Elevator Corporation

Sang Joon Choi

Thomas A Fuhlbrigge

Carlos Martinez

Remus Boca

Daniel T Lasko

Biao Zhang

Jianjun Wang

Carlos Winsor Morato

Will J Eakins

Jan Nyqvist

Gregory A Cole

Gregory F Rossano

William John Eakins

Harald Josef Staab

Anthony Frank Hamlett

George Q Zhang

Harshang Shah

Martin Krucinski

Stefan Rakuff

Andrew Salm

Sang W Lee

Ernest Heath

Edward Zhang

Aaron Bailey

Chris B Jackson

Eduardo Botelho

Brian Chapman

Chet Willoughby

Jie Xu

Houston Patrick

Alex Riley

An unmanned rail vehicle for surveillance, inspection, and/or maintenance of an industrial site is provided. The rail vehicle includes at least two carry rollers adapted for engaging on an upper rail side of a rail, wherein the center of gravity of the rail vehicle is vertically below the upper rail side; and at least one support roller connected to the chassis and adapted for rolling against a lateral rail side of the rail to laterally displace the center of gravity of the rail vehicle with respect to the upper rail side.

Unmanned rail vehicle

A method and apparatus for automatic charging of electric vehicles in which a plug head of a charging unit is automatically received in a receiving compartment of a vehicle charger actuation device. A push wall of the vehicle charger actuation device is displaced into contact the plug head in a manner that facilitates rotation of the plug head into angular alignment with the plug head receptacle. The charging unit can align a position of the plug head with the plug head receptacle such that continued displacement of the push wall displaces the plug head to a position at which the plug head is electrically coupled to the plug head receptacle. After a charging event, the push wall moves away from the plug head receptacle and engages a pull rod that is coupled to a pin skirt such that the pin skirt is displaced in a direction that ejects the plug head from the plug head receptacle.

Method and apparatus for automatic charging of electric vehicles

In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a robot automated mining method. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot positioning a charging component for entry into a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot moving a charging component within a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot filling a drill hole with explosive material. In one embodiment, a method includes operating a robot within a mining environment.

Robot automated mining

A hydraulic elevator system includes a power unit and elevator controller where the elevator car is controlled within the hoistway when a portion of the hoistway might be flooded. The power unit includes a water tight tank having a ventilation tube or snorkel. A moisture sensor is connected with the elevator controller, and positioned within the pit of the hoistway. The moisture sensor detects the existence of a flooded pit condition and communicates such a condition to the elevator controller. The elevator controller initiates a safety sequence when the presence of a flooded pit condition is detected to prevent the elevator car from entering a flooded area of the hoistway.

Under car power unit for an elevator system

A method inspects a conveyor () having opposing sides () and a length. The conveyor includes an endless belt () and a plurality of roller structures () disposed in spaced relation along at least a portion of the length of the conveyor and under a top flight () of the belt for supporting the belt while material is being conveyed on the belt. Each roller structure includes at least one roller (') constructed and arranged to rotate about an axis as the belt is conveyed with the material. The method orients an unmanned vehicle (), having sensor structure () thereon, at one side of the conveyor, and causes the vehicle to travel along the portion of the length of the conveyor while the sensor structure obtains data regarding a state of at least a portion of the belt and of rollers of the plurality of roller structures while the conveyor is operating.

Conveyor inspection with unmanned vehicle carying sensor structure

An apparatus for use with an elevator car is operable to selectively lock an elevator car door. The apparatus verifies that the elevator car door is closed, locks the elevator car door, and verifies that a lock is engaged. Once conditions are met, the apparatus signals an elevator controller that the elevator car can move through a hoistway. The apparatus further ensures that passengers can safely disembark from the elevator car by detecting the position of the elevator car relative to a designated landing zone within the hoistway, and confirming the elevator car is stopped at a landing zone prior to disengaging the lock. The apparatus thus ensures that the elevator car door remains closed while the elevator car is in motion or between landing zones.

Elevator car door interlock

An alarm apparatus attached to an electronic device, activated by unplugging AC power cord of the apparatus device from a power outlet, irrespective to the states of the main switch and the device switch. If the power cord is unplugged from the outlet, it disconnects DC continuity component from the alarm circuit, breaks a voltage divider circuit, changes the voltage level high, and activates the alarm system. The DC continuity component could be either an external component, the power transformer winding, or a device power input DC impedance. Which element is utilized is determined by the position of the main switch and the device switch. The alarm system can be turned on either by remote control or by a local switch. The alarm system is battery powered for its own circuit operation and can be charged by a battery charger.

Burglar alarm

To measure a resistance value in a circuit by conventional method, one side of the resistor should be disconnected from the circuit, then an Ohmmeter is connected across the resistor. To measure a current through a component, one side of the component should be disconnected and an ammeter is connected between the 2 open terminals. As such mentioned above, measuring a resistance value or a milliamp current value is very inconvenient with a conventional multimeter. With the present invention, a voltage, a current, and a resistance can be measured altogether at the same time automatically without manually disconnecting a component in a circuit with 2 or more resistors connected in series.

Automatic multimeter

This invention provides a sleepy alarm apparatus for a vehicle driver, which is activated by a heart pulse meter, of which the measured heart pulse rate is lower than the preset threshold sleepy pulse rate. When a driver is sleepy while driving, the pulse rate is gradually decreasing. This invention continuously monitors the time interval for the predetermined number of the driver's pulses and converts the time interval into a pulse rate. If the measured pulse rate is lower than the preset threshold pulse rate, the system will trigger an alarm unit, which is a part of the present invention. The preset threshold pulse rate can be adjusted by the increase or decrease switch. The apparatus may be made to be wearable on a wrist or made to be attachable on the steering wheel of the vehicle being driven. In which case, the device includes a cuff for placing a finger in it in order to monitor the heart pulses.

Sleepy alarm system activated by heart pulse meter

A dual function solid state relay for a motor control includes four solid state switches and 6 terminals, wherein a set of 2 switches are for up operation allowing a current flow through a load in one direction and the other set of 2 switches are for down operation allowing the current flow through the load in the opposite direction. Out of 2 switches during up operation, one switch connects V&plus; to one end of the load and the other switch connects a Ground to the other end of the load. During down operation mode, the operation is similar to the up operation except that the voltage polarities connected to the each end of the load is reversed. Out of 6 terminals, 2 are for up and down inputs and 2 are for the outputs to the load and the remaining 2 are for V&plus; connection and Ground connection. In another embodiment, with the addition of a input signal control circuit to the dual function solid state relay, only one input signal from a push button switch is required for the both, up and down, operations.

Dual function solid state relay

Centralized automatic energy control system

This invention is pertaining to multi purpose shock sensor comprising three conductive plates arranged in 3 layers in parallel which make 2 variable capacitors connected in series. Two outer plates are firmly attached to a supporting insulating material and the center plate is located between the 2 outer plates and arranged as movable by resilient element toward either side of the outer plate depending on the direction of the impact felt on the shock sensor causing changes of the capacitance values of the both capacitors. If the 2 capacitors are connected across a voltage source through a resistor, the voltage is charged across the 2 capacitors and their charged values are inversely proportional to their capacitance values. Moving the center plate due to a shock causes changes on both capacitance values, which change voltages across the capacitors, and the changed voltage can be used to activate an object. The shock sensor can be used for door alarm, auto alarm, hard disk drive sensor, automobile impact sensor and other applications.

Shock sensor by variable capacitor

With added circuits and the computer's existing internal circuits and devices, a PC can function as a multimeter for those users who are testing, designing or analyzing an electronic device, which requires the features of a computer and a multimeter. This invention provides much convenience to the user and will reduce or eliminate the cumbersome handling of two pieces of equipment on the same workbench. The PC multimeter utilizes some of computer's existing devices, such as output devices, input devices, microprocessor and memory, also includes additional multimeter specific circuits assembled on a PCI or ISA I/O board which is installed in the PCI or ISA expansion slot inside the computer. Two test leads are the only elements connected to the I/O board and extruding outside of the computer.

Growing community of inventors

Homewood, IL, United States of America

Sang Joon Choi