ENGINEERING & RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130206317 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RF ENERGY APPLIED TO MOLDS - Each platform mounted mold assembly for plastic tubing includes a circuit board containing parameters defining elements of the forming, molding, tipping or welding operation to be undertaken on the tubing. A control unit includes an RF generator for providing the RF energy to effect the forming, molding, tipping or welding process, a source of air under pressure to operate the mechanical elements attendant each mold assembly, various sensors and a multiplex unit. In operation, the control unit serially addresses each of the mold assemblies, senses the parameters attendant the mold and applies the appropriate power level of RF energy for a specific duration and temperature while activating the mechanical aspects of the mold assembly. The mold assemblies may be serially activated through a multiplex unit or in a particular sequence that may be operator controlled. | 08-15-2013 |
20120038315 | MONITOR FOR CHARGING SERIES CONNECTED BATTERIES - A plurality of serially connectable lithium based batteries provide power to a load upon actuation of a user operated switch. Upon actuation of the user operated switch, additional switches intermediate adjacent batteries close to serially connect the batteries to one another and a load. A signal from the load maintains these additional switches closed. A charging circuit is associated with each battery to charge the batteries in parallel upon opening the additional switches. Sensors for temperature, current and various other parameters provide signals to one or more controllers to prevent damage upon the presence of a fault indication signal. | 02-16-2012 |
20110192527 | RF GENERATOR WITH MULTIPLEXED PROGRAMMED MOLDS - Each platform mounted mold assembly for plastic tubing includes a circuit board containing parameters defining elements of the forming, molding, tipping or welding operation to be undertaken on the tubing. A control unit includes an RF generator for providing the RF energy to effect the forming, molding, tipping or welding process, a source of air under pressure to operate the mechanical elements attendant each mold assembly, various sensors and a multiplex unit. In operation, the control unit serially addresses each of the mold assemblies, senses the parameters attendant the mold and applies the appropriate power level of RF energy for a specific duration and temperature while activating the mechanical aspects of the mold assembly. The mold assemblies may be serially activated through a multiplex unit or in a particular sequence that may be operator controlled. | 08-11-2011 |
20110045116 | APPARATUS FOR SEVERING AND COLLECTING IV TUBING TIPS - Mandrel supported IV tubing is inserted within a mold of a mold assembly to heat the IV tubing and form a tapered end of the tubing. The tip of the tubing extending beyond the tapered end of the tubing is severed by the mandrel bearing against the mold to lodge the tip in an outlet of the mold. Cooling air is introduced to the mold assembly to cool the mold and to create a flow of turbulent air about the outlet of the mold to extract the severed tips. The turbulent air is exhausted through a channel, pipe and fitting into a collection chamber and causes translation of the severed tip to and into the collection chamber. Sensors may be incorporated to sense the translation of the severed tips. | 02-24-2011 |
20100316839 | CHIPBOARD - An oriented strand board for structural applications and a method of its production comprising elongated strands having aspect ratios greater than 2, the strands being derived from the outer shells of oil palm tree fronds formed as a bi-product of the harvest of oil palm fruit, such that the strand length is limited to about a meter, the strands being cut from the outer shell area of the fronds and at least the outer regions of the major faces of the board being substantially free of core material, the shell strands being combined with a heat settable binder material, the strands being formed by elongated blades moving relative to a frond length in planes generally aligned with a longitudinal direction of the frond length, the strands of the frond shells being arranged and being permanently bonded together such that they are predominately generally aligned with the structural direction of the board at least at the outer regions of the major faces of the board. | 12-16-2010 |
20100007041 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING IV TUBING TIPS - Mandrel supported IV tubing is inserted within a mold of a mold assembly to heat the IV tubing and form a tapered end of the tubing. The tip of the tubing extending beyond the tapered end of the tubing is severed by the mandrel bearing against the mold to lodge the tip in an outlet of the mold. Cooling air is introduced to the mold assembly to cool the mold and to create a flow of turbulent air about the outlet of the mold to extract the severed tips. The turbulent air is exhausted through a channel, pipe and fitting into a collection chamber and causes translation of the severed tip to and into the collection chamber. Sensors may be incorporated to sense the translation of the severed tips. | 01-14-2010 |
20090302033 | AUTOMATED HAND HELD SEALER - A body of an automated hand held tubing sealer encloses an electric motor, a drive train responsive to the electric motor, a source of RF energy, a switch for initiating operation of the electric motor and limit switches for controlling operation of the source of RF energy as a function of the drive train and a programmable microprocessor for controlling and varying any of numerous parameters. A sealing head assembly is formed by a fixed jaw and a movable jaw to compress tubing placed therebetween in response to operation of the drive train and to melt the compressed tubing as a function of operation of the source of RF energy. A fitting permits selectively detachably attaching the sealing head assembly with the body at any of more than one angularly displaced positions. | 12-10-2009 |