The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 14, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 21, 1997
David Paul Schweitzer, North Canton, OH (US);
James Arthur Grimes, Sr, Akron, OH (US);
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for monitoring the condition at or near the surface of objects is disclosed. The apparatus is a vehicle which includes a housing which is supported and translated across the object surface by three wheels. The front or first wheel is associated with an encoder and sensor which magnetically determines the physical condition of the object. The apparatus includes a starter block which includes a series of metallic wires embedded at certain depths and locations within the starter block. The vehicle passes over the starter block prior to passing over the object in order that the vehicle be recalibrated by the starter block prior to observing the physical condition of the object.