Patent · US Expired

Device for monitoring a predetermined level in a container

US6205855A · kind A · utility

294Cited by
7References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 26, 1997
Grant dateMar 27, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 26, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01F23/2967
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A device for monitoring a predetermined level in a container contains a sensor formed by a mechanical vibratory system comprising two vibratory rods, of which at least one vibratory rod is tubular and surrounds the other vibratory rod coaxially. Each of the two vibratory rods is secured to a common support via a resilient holding member acting as a return spring so that each rod is able to execute vibrations transversely to its longitudinal direction. An excitation arrangement causes the two vibratory rods to vibrate transversely in opposite senses at the natural resonant frequency of the mechanical vibratory system. The sensor is fitted to the container so that the tubular outer vibratory rod comes into contact with the material in the container when the material attains the level to be monitored. An evaluation circuit serves to trigger display or switching actions as a function of the vibration amplitude of the mechanical vibratory system. To compensate changes in the resonant frequency of the vibratory assembly formed by the outer vibratory rod and its resilient holding member when a deposit materializes, the inner vibratory rod is provided with a compensating mass which is shif…

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