Carl E Strandberg

US Patent:

61671134, Dec 26, 2000

Filed:

May 12, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/310278

Inventors:

Charles J. Armentrout - Ann Arbor MI
Thomas Basinger - Ypsilanti MI
James H. Beyer - Ann Arbor MI
Brian D. Colesa - Chelsea MI
Paul Olsztyn - Ann Arbor MI
Karen G. Smith - Brighton MI
Carl Strandberg - Troy MI
David Sullivan - Brighton MI

Assignee:

Pilot Industries, Inc. - Dexter MI

International Classification:

G01B 1502

US Classification:

378 54

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are disclosed for measuring the area density of a low density material sample. The system includes an x-ray emitter which emits x-rays in the range of 3 kilovolts to 20 kilovolts and the x-rays pass through the sample. An imaging device converts the x-rays which pass through the sample to visible light to produce a visible image corresponding to the sample and in which the visible image has an intensity which varies as a function of the area density across the sample. A camera produces an output signal representative of the intensity of the visible image across the sample while a computer processor processes the signal from the camera after digitization to produce an analysis of the area density of the sample.

US Patent:

55534830, Sep 10, 1996

Filed:

Aug 15, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/515270

Inventors:

Charles J. Armentrout - Ann Arbor MI
Carl E. Strandberg - Troy MI

Assignee:

Pilot Industries, Inc. - Dexter MI

International Classification:

G01M 304

US Classification:

73 40

Abstract:

A system for detecting a leak in a part having an interior cavity and at least one opening open to the interior cavity in which the interior cavity is pressurized with a preselected gas. The part is positioned within the test chamber while a carrier gas flows across the pan so that the carrier gas becomes intermixed with the preselected gas, if any, escaping through leaks in the pan. The gas flows directly through a turbulator which ensures homogenous mixing of the carrier gas and preselected gas, if present, and a baffle then converts the turbulent gas flow to a laminar gas flow. A gas sensor then detects the presence of the preselected gas in the laminar gas flow, indicative of the leak in the pan, and generates an appropriate output signal indicative of the presence of a leak in the pan.