Abstract: A grounding device for reducing EMI emissions generated from a processor module is herein disclosed. The processor module includes a printed circuit board (PCB), having electronic components generating unwanted electromagnetic emissions, and a thermal plate capacitively coupled to the PCB. The grounding device is coupled to a connector resident on a motherboard. The grounding device includes a number of spring contact fingers and mounting tabs. The mounting tabs are used to mount the grounding device to the motherboard in a desired position and to provide an electrical connection to the ground plane of the motherboard. The spring contact fingers enable the thermal plate to maintain physical and electrical contact with the grounding device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus providing an automated means for detecting unsoldered thru-hole connector leads is herein disclosed. This means consists of a thru-hole connection pad and a test pad positioned in close proximity to each lead of an electrical component. A thru-hole connection pad is formed about the periphery of each thru-hole. It serves to form a solder pad for securing the lead to the printed circuit board and establishes an electrical connection between the component and reverse sides of the printed circuit board. A test etch easily accessible by an automated testing device is positioned within close proximity of each thru-hole connection pad. As each lead is individually soldered to the printed circuit board, a solder bridge must also be formed across the thru-hole connection pad and the test etch thereby establishing an electrical connection between the lead and the test etch. This electrical connection is used by an automated testing device to detect any unsoldered leads.

Abstract: A dual sensor vortex flow meter providing fluid connections for two sensors and containing isolation valves providing the further capability of separate valve control of the fluid communication to each of the dual sensors is herein disclosed. The vortex flow meter is mounted onto a flow meter body having an existing sensor cavity for housing a single sensor. The vortex flow meter is fitted into the existing sensor cavity by means of a dummy-cast sensor. On either side of the dummy sensor are apertures coupled to flow passages that transmit the alternating differential pressure fluctuations caused by the vortices from each side of the dummy sensor to the corresponding sides of each of the dual sensors. The dual sensor vortex flow meter may also include valves for controlling the process flow transmission to each of the sensors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the resolution and accuracy of flow measurements made by vortex flowmeters through the use of an adaptive filter. A vortex sensor signal is conditioned by a bandpass filter whose corner frequencies are dynamically altered as a function of the measured frequency of the vortex sensor signal. When the change in frequency is relatively small, the filters' corner frequencies are set to track the frequency signal in accordance with a specified bandwidth thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio. For large frequency changes, a new frequency signal is searched for thereby avoiding tracking erroneous noise signals. Furthermore, compensation for additional or missed vortex pulses is made thereby generating a more accurate vortex frequency measurement.

Abstract: An analog isolation circuit for providing electrical isolation between interrelated electrical circuitry contained within a vortex flowmeter. The circuit provides a low power and low cost solution to the problem of ground isolation presented in flowmeters utilizing grounded sensors which generate low frequency sinusoidal signals. A pair of clock-controlled analog switches couples the voltage difference between two successive samples of an analog signal across an isolation barrier. The operation of the switches at a low frequency rate and with a short sampling interval while utilizing a low magnetizing current preserves the magnitude of the input waveform while consuming approximately 1 mW of power.

Abstract: A sensor for use in a vortex flow meter which is capable of measuring various physical characteristics of a flow in a single process penetration from a common source. A shedder bar in the vortex meter generates alternating vortices. The sensor is located in the shedder bar within the stream of the fluid flow. The shedder bar serves as a composite vortex-generating plate and sensing unit. The shedder bar is structured such that it is either removable from the flow pipe for calibration, replacement, cleaning and the like or is permanently welded into the flow pipe with smooth or rigid contact surfaces. The sensor comprises one or more sensing diaphragms containing piezoresistor elements arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. The sensor produces electric signals indicative of flow velocity, fluid pressure, and temperature. These signals are transmitted to a processing element which computes additional flow parameters.

Abstract: A sensor for use in a vortex flow meter capable of measuring various physical characteristics of a flow in a single process penetration from a common source. A shedder bar in the vortex meter generates alternating vortices. The sensor, which is fluidly connected to the vortex meter, comprises one or more pressure and temperature sensing diaphragms containing piezoresistor elements arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. The sensor produces electric signals indicative of flow velocity, fluid pressure, and temperature. These signals are transmitted to a processing element which computes additional flow parameters.

Abstract: A method of detecting a concentration of contaminants in an air sample. The method includes the steps of combining a first portion of the air sample with a fuel to produce a sample/fuel mixture, igniting the sample/fuel mixture in a combustion chamber to produce a flame, and supplying a second portion of the air sample to the combustion chamber so that at least some of the contaminants contained in the second portion are ionized by the flame.