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:
Jul. 10, 1990
Filed:
Nov. 14, 1988
Leonard G Ewing, New Braunfels, TX (US);
Milton L Chesnut, San Antonio, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for adjustably controlling the growth of the solid phase of a substance from around a cooling mechanism, such as the growth of an ice bank around cooling coils, while also minimizing chances of inaccurate control by referencing the apparent resistance of the liquid that is actually in the system rather than a standard value for the same. The invention uses four springs as probes that are positioned relative to one another and are linked with a detachable control circuit in a manner which provides a dead-band in the unit's operation by monitoring the resistance of the liquid at two different distances from the cooling mechanism while the reference resistance is monitored at an even greater distance. A mounting means for the probes advantageously positions the probes relative to cooling coils but allows for adjustment of the size of an ice bank formed around those coils while also protecting the probes and their electrical connections, and a detachable housing for a printed control circuit board is also provided with other advantageous features such as environmental protection.