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. 20, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 27, 1996
Eric J Shrader, Belmont, CA (US);
Hugh F Frohbach, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Joseph S Eckerle, Redwood City, CA (US);
Ronald E Pelrine, Silverthorne, CO (US);
John P Marlow, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Yukihisa Takeuchi, Nishikamo-gun, JP;
Kazuyoshi Shibata, Nagoya, JP;
NGK Insulators, Ltd., , JP;
Abstract
A sensor device adapted to detect at least one of a particle and a bubble in a fluid, includes a fluid nozzle defining a center of fluid flow; and a plurality of sensor elements for converting an impact of one of a particle and a bubble into an electrical signal, wherein a first sensor element is arranged closer to the center of fluid flow than a second sensor element. The sensor device includes a number of diaphragm sensor elements each having a sufficiently small mass for responding to a collision with the particle, and an apparatus for converting a vibration of the diaphragm portion into an electrical signal so as to detect the vibration. The multiple elements are arranged in the fluid flow stream such that different size particles will preferentially strike different elements.