Patents Assigned to Kamstrup A/S
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Patent number: 9335192Abstract: An ultrasound flow meter unit, e.g. a unit forming part of a flow meter for ultrasonic measurement of a fluid flow. The unit comprises two ultra-sound transducers 206, a circuit board 202 with an electronic circuit 204 arranged for operating the ultrasound transducers 206, and a common protection membrane 132, such as a sheet of metal, for protecting the transducers 206. The common protection membrane 132 forms part of a water-tight casing, such as an IP68 class casing. The two ultrasound transducers 206 and the circuit board 202 with the electronic circuit 204 are positioned within the water-tight casing and thus protected against damaging humidity. A glass sealed feed-through 128 can be used to provide external electrical contact to the electronic circuit 204, i.e. for outputting an electric flow rate signal. Such flow meter unit is highly versatile within many applications since it provides a compact and robust unit. The unit can be used with or integrated in many types of devices, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2010Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventor: Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Patent number: 9182260Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter arranged to measure a flow rate of a liquid, the flow meter comprises a flow tube 2, optionally a measurement insert, and two or more ultrasonic transducers 8 which are arranged in transducer inserts 20 to be inserted into the flow tube through openings in the flow tube. The transducer inserts are formed monolithically with the housing as a part of the bottom of the housing. The transducer inserts are in a mount position inserted through the openings in the flow tube to extend into the flow passage so that the surface 15 of the transducer inserts protrude into the flow passage. In this manner, gas bubbles, such as air bubbles, released from the flowing liquid will not rest in front of the transducer insert irrespectively of the orientation of the flow meter in the pipe installation.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2012Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: KAMSTRUP A/SInventors: Søren Tønnes Nielsen, Peter Schmidt Laursen, Jens Lykke Sørensen
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Patent number: 9080906Abstract: The present invention discloses an ultrasonic flow meter comprising a generator circuit and a receiver circuit electrically separated from the generator circuit. The flow meter further comprises transducer switching means for controlled connection of ultrasonic transducers to either the generator circuit or to the receiver circuit. The output impedance of the generator circuit and the input impedance of the receiver circuit are controlled to be substantially zero.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Jens Lykke Sørensen, Janus Honoré
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Patent number: 8928137Abstract: An ultrasound flow meter unit arranged to measure a fluid flow rate is provided, where the unit comprises a circuit board 502 which comprises an electronic circuit, a first ultrasound transducer 506 and a first conducting path 564 electrically connected to first ultrasound transducer and the electronic circuit, wherein the circuit board is a multi-layer circuit board and the first conducting path 564 is arranged at least partially between a first layer 581 and a second layer 582. In a further embodiment, there is provided an upper electrically conducting layer 586 and/or a lower electrically conducting layer 588 which substantially covers, respectively, the upper surface of the first layer 581 and the lower surface of the second layer 582.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Anders Skallebæk, Peter Schmidt Laursen, Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Publication number: 20140338465Abstract: An ultrasound flow meter unit arranged to measure a fluid flow rate is provided, where the unit comprises a circuit board 502 which comprises an electronic circuit, a first ultrasound transducer 506 and a first conducting path 564 electrically connected to first ultrasound transducer and the electronic circuit, wherein the circuit board is a multi-layer circuit board and the first conducting path 564 is arranged at least partially between a first layer 581 and a second layer 582. In a further embodiment, there is provided an upper electrically conducting layer 586 and/or a lower electrically conducting layer 588 which substantially covers, respectively, the upper surface of the first layer 581 and the lower surface of the second layer 582.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2013Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Anders Skallebaek, Peter Schmidt Laursen, Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Patent number: 8806957Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter housing and to an ultrasonic flow meter comprising a housing. The housing is a monolithic polymer structure being cast in one piece. The monolithic structure includes a straight flow tube and a cavity separated from the flow tube, where a shared wall part forms part of the wall of the flow tube and of an inside surface of the cavity. The cavity is arranged for housing at least one ultrasonic transducer at the shared wall part, and a measurement circuit operationally connected to the at least one ultrasonic transducer. In an embodiment, the cavity only has a single opening which can be sealed off by a cover.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2010Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Peter Schmidt Laursen, Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Publication number: 20140216167Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter arranged to measure a flow rate of a liquid, the flow meter comprises a flow tube 2, optionally a measurement insert, and two or more ultrasonic transducers 8 which are arranged in transducer inserts 20 to be inserted into the flow tube through openings in the flow tube. The transducer inserts are formed monolithically with the housing as a part of the bottom of the housing. The transducer inserts are in a mount position inserted through the openings in the flow tube to extend into the flow passage so that the surface 15 of the transducer inserts protrude into the flow passage. In this manner, gas bubbles, such as air bubbles, released from the flowing liquid will not rest in front of the transducer insert irrespectively of the orientation of the flow meter in the pipe installation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2012Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Søren Tønnes Nielsen, Peter Schmidt Laursen, Jens Lykke Sørensen
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Patent number: 8596140Abstract: An ultrasound flow meter unit arranged to measure a fluid flow rate with one or more ultrasound transducers (606), and a circuit board (602) with an electronic circuit arranged to operate the ultrasound transducer(s) (106, 306). The ultrasound transducer (606), e.g. in the form of a piezo-electric element, is mechanically fixed to the circuit board (602) by a first electrically conducting fixing means which additionally serve(s) to provide an electrical connection between an electrical terminal of the transducer (606) and the electronic circuit. Hereby a functional flow measurement unit (600) is provided which can be tested prior to assembly with a flow meter housing etc. Preferably, a set of ultrasound transducers (106, 306) are soldered directly onto electrically conducting paths (631) on a surface of the circuit board (602) being in electrical connection with the electronic circuit, e.g. in a single SMT mounting process together with mounting of all other electronic components on the circuit board (602).Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2010Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Anders Skallebæk, Peter Schmidt Laursen, Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Publication number: 20130205913Abstract: The present invention discloses an ultrasonic flow meter comprising a generator circuit and a receiver circuit electrically separated from the generator circuit. The flow meter further comprises transducer switching means for controlled connection of ultrasonic transducers to either the generator circuit or to the receiver circuit. The output impedance of the generator circuit and the input impedance of the receiver circuit are controlled to be substantially zero.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2011Publication date: August 15, 2013Applicant: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Jens Lykke Sørensen, Janus Honoré
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Publication number: 20130139610Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter housing and to an ultrasonic flow meter comprising a housing. The housing is a monolithic polymer structure being cast in one piece. The monolithic structure includes a straight flow tube and a cavity separated from the flow tube, where a shared wall part forms part of the wall of the flow tube and of an inside surface of the cavity. The cavity is arranged for housing at least one ultrasonic transducer at the shared wall part, and a measurement circuit operationally connected to the at least one ultrasonic transducer. In an embodiment, the cavity only has a single opening which can be sealed off by a cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2010Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: KAMSTRUP A/SInventors: Peter Schmidt Laursen, Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Publication number: 20120031198Abstract: An ultrasound flow meter unit arranged to measure a fluid flow rate with one or more ultrasound transducers (606), and a circuit board (602) with an electronic circuit arranged to operate the ultrasound transducer(s) (106, 306). The ultrasound transducer (606), e.g. in the form of a piezo-electric element, is mechanically fixed to the circuit board (602) by a first electrically conducting fixing means which additionally serve(s) to provide an electrical connection between an electrical terminal of the transducer (606) and the electronic circuit. Hereby a functional flow measurement unit (600) is provided which can be tested prior to assembly with a flow meter housing etc. Preferably, a set of ultrasound transducers (106, 306) are soldered directly onto electrically conducting paths (631) on a surface of the circuit board (602) being in electrical connection with the electronic circuit, e.g. in a single SMT mounting process together with mounting of all other electronic components on the circuit board (602).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicant: KAMSTRUP A/SInventors: Anders Skallebaek, Peter Schmidt Laursen, Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Publication number: 20120006127Abstract: An ultrasound flow meter unit, e.g. a unit forming part of a flow meter for ultrasonic measurement of a fluid flow. The unit comprises two ultra-sound transducers 206, a circuit board 202 with an electronic circuit 204 arranged for operating the ultrasound transducers 206, and a common protection membrane 132, such as a sheet of metal, for protecting the transducers 206. The common protection membrane 132 forms part of a water-tight casing, such as an IP68 class casing. The two ultrasound transducers 206 and the circuit board 202 with the electronic circuit 204 are positioned within the water-tight casing and thus protected against damaging humidity. A glass sealed feed-through 128 can be used to provide external electrical contact to the electronic circuit 204, i.e. for outputting an electric flow rate signal. Such flow meter unit is highly versatile within many applications since it provides a compact and robust unit. The unit can be used with or integrated in many types of devices, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: January 12, 2012Applicant: KAMSTRUP A/SInventor: Søren Tønnes Nielsen
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Patent number: 6859267Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in the determination of a condition or state of an object based on quasi-elastic interaction between the object and light transmitted to the object, the apparatus comprising a beam splitter arrangement for splitting an incoming light beam of wavelength, ?, into a diffracted light beam and an undiffracted light beam, the beam splitter arrangement comprising a first and a second diffractive member, the first diffractive member transforming the light beam emitted by the light source into the diffracted and the undiffracted light beams, the second diffractive member receiving the diffracted light beam and diffracting the received light beam in a direction substantially parallel to the undiffracted light beam from the first diffractive member, wherein the diffracted light beam, after being diffracted by the second diffractive member, and the undiffracted light beam from the first diffractive member are separated by a distance, d, said distance, d, being dependeType: GrantFiled: July 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventors: Carsten Dam-Hansen, Steven Richard Kitchen, Michael Linde Jakobsen
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Patent number: 6850325Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the determination of a condition or state of an object based on quasi-elastic interaction between the object and light transmitted to the object, the apparatus comprising a diffractive optical element having a diffracting region comprising a first diffracting structure for diffraction and focussing of a first light beam to the object, and a second diffracting structure that is laterally displaced relative to the first diffracting structure for diffraction and focussing of a second light beam to the object. The first and second diffracting structures focus the first and second light beams in the same focussing plane, the focussing plane being substantially perpendicular to propagation directions of the first and second light beams. The diffracting region further comprises a receiving diffracting structure for diffraction of light from the light beams that has interacted with the object. The diffracted light is diffracted in a diffraction angle.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Kamstrup A/SInventor: Carsten Dam-Hansen