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. 17, 1990
Filed:
Aug. 12, 1988
David E Flinchbaugh, Orlando, FL (US);
Murray Corporation, Cockeysville, MD (US);
Abstract
A system for and method of measuring refrigerant-to-lubricant ratio of liquid within a conduit having a wall and forming part of an enclosed air conditioning refrigerating apparatus which includes a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser. The system involves a first transducer for generating at least one pulse of ultrasonic energy which is coupled via the wall into a path of substantially predetermined length within the liquid. The least one pulse of ultrasonic energy is coupled from the end of the path via the wall and received by a second transducer. Circuitry responsive to the at least one ultrasonic pulse as transmitted and received determines velocity of the ultrasonic pulse within the liquid as a measure of the refrigerant-to-lubricant ratio. The method includes the steps of generating a pulse of ultrasonic energy, coupling the pulse of ultrasonic energy into the path of predetermined length within the liquid, and coupling the pulse of ultrasonic energy from the end of the path of predetermined length within the liquid. The ratio is derived from determining the velocity of the ultrasonic pulse within the liquid from its transit time along the path of predetermined length.