Patent · US Expired

Level detector for solids

US5748562A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
4References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 8, 1997
Grant dateMay 5, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 8, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S367/908
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A vibrating probe for detecting a threshold level of solids within a vessel consists of an ultrasonic acoustic transducer assembly having a resonant frequency, the assembly being supported within the vessel and including a coupling member to couple the transducer acoustically to the solids at the threshold level, a transmitter for generating repeated bursts of high-frequency electrical energy and applying them to the transducer, the bursts being of sufficient amplitude to render the assembly self cleaning of adherent solids, a circuit for measuring the amplitude of ringing of the transducer after cessation of each burst, and a circuit for comparing the amplitude of such ringing at a predetermined interval after a burst with predetermined threshold level. Both the predetermined interval and the threshold level may be selectable.

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