Patent · US Expired

Viscometer for in situ monitoring

US5203203A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 10, 1990
Grant dateApr 20, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 10, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N11/12
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring in situ the viscosity of a fluid in a sealed container which includes a spherical ball forming an integral package before any fluid is placed within the container. The apparatus further includes a composite ball consisting of a spherical core of one material surrounded by one or more layers of different materials distributed spherically about the core. The container may also be supported by an angular support member which angularly positions the container such that the ball will move within the container through the fluid at a specific speed. A sensing device is provided along the wall of the container to measure the speed of the ball wherein the sensing device includes a pair of sensors spaced apart by a known distance to sense when the ball passes by each of the sensors providing a speed which is useful for calculating the viscosity of the fluid.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.