| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20100065587 | AUGER-DRIVEN POWDER DISPENSER - An apparatus for dispensing granulated powder, such as a fine sugar or sweetener, which uses an auger driven by a gear motor. The gear motor is controlled by a control unit on the front of the dispenser, allowing a user to select the quantity of powder to be dispensed. The apparatus comprises at least one, preferably two dispensing assemblies within the chassis, each comprising a storage bin for the powder, an inclined base, an auger member abutting the base of the storage bin and a dispensing chute. The base of the storage bin is inclined positively toward to the orifice of the dispensing chute, thereby ensuring that the powder is dispensed at a constant rate with minimized dribbling. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20110276519 | SINGLE SPACE WIRELESS PARKING WITH IMPROVED ANTENNA PLACEMENTS - A wireless parking meter with an improved antenna location is described. The antenna may be located within a covering protruding from the top of the parking meter, allowing radio frequency (RF) signals to be transmitted through a portion of the parking meter with high permittivity to the RF signals. Additionally or alternatively, the antenna may be located within the parking meter housing above a lower parking meter mechanism housing so that RF signals can be transmitted through the dome covering of the parking meter, which may have a high permittivity to the RF signals. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110316716 | LOW POWER WIRELESS PARKING METER AND PARKING METER NETWORK - A parking meter and parking meter network is described as well as a method of operating the parking meter and parking meter network. The parking meter network includes a gateway that transmits a first beacon message that is received at the parking meter. The parking meter synchronizes an internal timer based on the receiving of the first beacon message, and then goes to sleep for a period of time. The gateway transmits a second beacon message and the parking meter wakes up at the expiration of the sleep period using the synchronized internal time and receives the second beacon message. | 12-29-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090299654 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF DOWNHOLE TOOLS - A system for assessing the health of a mechanism includes a processor for receiving observation data from at least one sensor, the processor including: a detector receptive to the observation data and capable of identifying whether the mechanism is operating in a normal or degraded mode; a diagnoser to identify a type of fault from at least one symptom pattern; and a prognoser capable of calculating a remaining useful life (RUL) of the mechanism, wherein the prognoser includes a population prognoser for calculating the RUL based on a duration of use of the mechanism, a cause prognoser for calculating the RUL based on causal data, and an effect prognoser for calculating the RUL based on effect data generated from the fault. A method and computer program product for assessing the health of a downhole tool is also disclosed. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100038135 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF STRUCTURE-BORN SOUND - A system for evaluation of conditions in a borehole in an earth formation includes: a downhole tool configured to be disposed in the borehole, the downhole tool forming a portion of a drillstring; at least one sensor associated with the downhole tool for recording sound generated in the borehole by the downhole tool and generating data representative of the recorded sound, the recorded sound having a frequency selected from at least one of an audible frequency, a near audible frequency and an ultrasonic frequency; and a processor in operable communication with the at least one sensor, the processor configured to receive the sound data and identify at least one downhole condition selected from at least one of i) a drilling condition, ii) a characteristic of the earth formation and iii) an integrity of the downhole tool, by comparing the recorded sound data to exemplary data patterns. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100042327 | BOTTOM HOLE ASSEMBLY CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT - A method for configuring a bottom hole assembly from a plurality of formation evaluation tools, includes: creating a health history for each tool of the plurality of formation evaluation tools; ranking the resulting plurality of health histories according to health; and selecting at least one tool for the bottom hole assembly according to a ranking for the at least one tool. A system and a computer program product are also provided. | 02-18-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20110033176 | LIQUID HEATING DEVICES - An apparatus for heating a measured amount of water comprises a heating chamber, a dispensing chamber and a conduit for conveying water from the heating chamber to an inlet of the dispensing chamber. The apparatus is arranged such that an increase in pressure associated with boiling forces heated water into the conduit and then into the dispensing chamber. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110058798 | LIQUID HEATING APPARATUS - A liquid heating apparatus has a first mode of operation in which a first volume of water can be heated and a second mode of operation in which a second, smaller volume of water can be heated and automatically dispensed. The first mode may be provided by a removable liquid heating vessel. The second mode may be provided by a second heating chamber comprising a heater arranged to heat liquid and dispense it through an outlet. The second heating chamber is filled with water from the removable liquid heating vessel. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110215085 | LIQUID HEATING DEVICES - An apparatus for heating liquid comprises a heating chamber, a dispensing chamber and a conduit. The conduit conveys heated liquid from the heating chamber to the dispensing chamber for automatic dispensing. The dispensing chamber has valve means through which the heated liquid is dispensed, which are operable to interrupt the automatic dispensing. An apparatus for heating liquid comprises a heating chamber, a dispensing chamber and a conduit. The conduit conveys heated liquid from the heating chamber to the dispensing chamber for automatic dispensing. The apparatus comprises means for determining a volume of heated liquid to be dispensed automatically. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110271842 | ELECTRIC INFUSION BEVERAGE MAKERS - An electric infusion beverage maker comprises a liquid heating chamber having electric heating means associated therewith for heating liquid in the chamber. An infusion chamber receives in use a beverage to be infused. A pump transfers heated liquid from the liquid heating chamber to the infusion chamber at a transfer rate. The infusion chamber has outlet means arranged such that beverage-infused liquid drains out of the infusion chamber and into the liquid heating chamber at a drainage rate which is lower than the transfer rate. This means that liquid cannot pass straight through the infusion chamber. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20120039586 | ELECTRIC STEAM GENERATION - A steam generator e.g. for a hand-held portable appliance such as a domestic iron or steam cleaner comprises a water inlet, a boiler, a valve for controlling the entry of water into the boiler and means for delivering a surge of water to the boiler when the valve is opened. Also disclosed is an adaptor for supplying electrical power to a mobile electrical appliance. The adaptor is operable in a corded mode when secured to the appliance for supplying electrical power and water while the appliance is being used; or a cordless mode when secured to a base unit such that electrical and water connection can be made by placing the appliance on or against the base unit; and broken by lifting or moving the appliance away from the base unit. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120060396 | HAND-HELD STEAM APPLIANCES - A steam generating appliance such as an electric iron comprises a base unit and a hand-held mobile unit which can be releasably coupled to the base unit. The base unit comprises a reservoir for water and a pump for pumping water from the reservoir into the mobile unit when the mobile unit is coupled to the base unit. The mobile unit comprises a boiler and an on-board reservoir for water, wherein the on-board reservoir is adapted to store water received from the base unit under pressure and to deliver the water to the boiler under the control of a user-operable valve. | 03-15-2012 |