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:
Nov. 09, 1993
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1991
Jack Goldberg, San Diego, CA (US);
Kurt E Zublin, Poway, CA (US);
Marl J Bell, Valley Center, CA (US);
IVAC Corporation, San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A non-invasive, in-line fluid monitor includes a segment of fluid line disposed such that it and the fluid within become a part of the dielectric loading on an energized electromagnetic sensor device. Perturbations of the dielectric loading on the sensor device are monitored to determine certain fluid properties, such as pressure, composition, and the presence of air. The fluid line segment disposed through the electromagnetic sensor may be compliant and thus changes size in response to fluid pressure, altering the volume of the fluid line segment tin the cavity and altering the dielectric loading on the cavity. In one embodiment, a resonant cavity is used to encompass the segment of fluid line and a processor is used to compare changes in the resonant characteristics of the cavity to predetermined data to determine the properties of the fluid. In an alternative embodiment, a transmission device such as a delay line is utilized as the sensor element, and in another embodiment, a microstrip resonator is utilized as the sensor element. In yet another embodiment incorporating a means of determining the volumetric fluid flow rate, the size of air bubbles in the fluid is assessed.