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:
Aug. 20, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 20, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Lorenzo Guadalupe Rodriguez, El Paso, TX (US);
Warren Baxter Nicholson, El Paso, TX (US);
Assignee:
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 1/100 ; G01N 2/900 ; G01N 1/506 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 1/100 ; G01N 2/900 ; G01N 1/506 ;
Abstract
A ferromagnetic particle sensor includes a housing having a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet attached to the interior surface thereof. A mass sensitive surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor is disposed between the electromagnets. The sensor is submerged in lubricating fluid and as the electromagnets are energized they produce magnetic forces that draw fluid-borne ferromagnetic particles past the SAW sensor. The SAW sensor is used measure the mass of the ferromagnetic particles and determine when the volume of particles in the lubricating fluid increases.