Patents by Inventor Keith E. Fadgen

Keith E. Fadgen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20020129664
    Abstract: A flow meter enables a time-of-flight method for non-invasively measuring liquid flow in a fluid conduit. The flow meter comprises a perturbing element in the form of a phase changing device, a heat transfer device, an electrochemical perturbing device or a photochemical perturbing device, and a conductivity detection device spaced downstream from the perturbing element. The perturbing element is applied to a small section of the conduit to cause a perturbation in a portion of the liquid flowing therethrough. This perturbation causes a change in conductivity a liquid plug, and the affected liquid plug continuous to flow in the fluid conduit toward the conductivity detection device. The conductivity detection device then senses the change in conductivity resulting from the perturbation, and flow rate or velocity is determined from the time of detection and the distance between the point of perturbation and the point of conductivity change detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventors: James W. Jorgenson, Keith E. Fadgen, Luke T. Tolley
  • Publication number: 20020092363
    Abstract: A contactless, resistive heating device applies heat energy non-invasively to a target zone of liquid contained by a non-conductive substrate or capillary. The heating device supplies an AC signal to two spaced-apart electrodes, which are disposed externally of the substrate. A circuit is established in which the source of the AC signal is capacitively coupled with the liquid through each electrode. The zone of liquid between the electrodes is heated due to the resulting flow of electrical current across the zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: James W. Jorgenson, Keith E. Fadgen, Luke T. Tolley
  • Publication number: 20020094580
    Abstract: A photothermal absorbance detection apparatus for performing absorbance measurements of analytes in capillaries having non-conductive walls comprises a light source and a conductivity detection device. The conductivity detection device includes an applied voltage source and at least two electrodes disposed adjacent to the walls of a section of capillary. By using the light source to heat the analytes, the resulting change in conductivity of the liquid containing the analytes can be detected in the liquid. A measurement of absorbance can then be obtained as a function of the change in conductivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: James W. Jorgenson, Keith E. Fadgen, Luke T. Tolley