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:
May. 25, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 03, 2008
Henry Alan Wolf, Morristown, NJ (US);
Manuel S. Alvarez, Warrenton, VA (US);
James E. Feather, Burke, VA (US);
George P. Akehurst, Belvidere, NJ (US);
Henry Alan Wolf, Morristown, NJ (US);
Manuel S. Alvarez, Warrenton, VA (US);
James E. Feather, Burke, VA (US);
George P. Akehurst, Belvidere, NJ (US);
Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a mechanical oscillator for detection and measurement of corrosive foreign materials. The elements include a mechanical oscillator that is mechanically excited, wherein the mechanical oscillator has a resonant frequency, f, and a quality factor, Q. A fuse fixed to the oscillator to change oscillator amplitude to and from essentially zero to resonance amplitude. In a preferred embodiment, the mechanical oscillator has the shape of a tuning fork where one region is compatible with the service fluid and the other region is incompatible with the service fluid or other contaminant. The sensor alarms when a measured amount of the incompatible material has been removed or the physical strength of the material has been compromised.