Patents Assigned to Rheonics GmbH
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Patent number: 11781961Abstract: A method for measuring the fluid properties of a sequence of fluids, including at least a first fluid and a second fluid. The methods utilize a monitoring assembly, having a fluid-properties measurement device that includes a resonator, and a set of resonator extensions, each one adapted to attach to the resonator in a manner such that the resonator's response to excitation is affected by immersion of the resonator extension. In the method a first one of the resonator extensions is attached to the resonator and the fluid-properties measurement device is used to measure at least one fluid property of the first fluid. Then he first one of the resonator extensions is removed from the resonator and a second one of the resonator extensions is attached to the resonator. Finally, the fluid-properties measurement device is used to measure at least one fluid property of the second fluid.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Joseph H. Goodbread, Sunil Kumar, Klaus Haeusler
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Patent number: 11391657Abstract: An inline fluid properties measurement device that includes a tube defining an interior space that includes at least one non-cylindrical volume, and having a fluid entrance and exit, and capable of conducting fluid from the fluid entrance to the fluid exit, through the at least one non-cylindrical volume. An excitation and sensing transducer assembly is positioned to torsionally drive the tube and to sense torsional movement of the tube and a controller is programmed to drive the excitation and sensing transducer to drive the tube in torsion, thereby translating the fluid in the at least one non-cylindrical volume, and to sense torsional movement of the tube, thereby producing a sense signal. Finally, a signal analysis assembly responsive to the sense signal to form a measurement of at least one property of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Klaus Haeusler, Joseph Goodbread, Sunil Kumar
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Patent number: 11125668Abstract: A resonant sensor 1908 is used to determine fluid properties, the resonant sensor 1908 comprising a resonator 108 defining a lengthwise axis and having a central vibrational node (140), and a pair of opposed lengthwise end-portions (125); a support structure including a frame (115) and a set of flexible supports (110) extending from the frame to the central vibrational node and thereby supporting the resonator at the lengthwise midpoint; a driving and sensing assembly, adapted to drive the resonator to resonant motion and to sense resultant motion of the resonator and producing a motion sensed signal, responsive thereto; and a control and signal processing network adapted to control the driving and sensing assembly to drive the lengthwise end-portions in rotation about the lengthwise axis, in opposed rotational directions, and responsive to the motion sensed signal to determine at least one fluid property of a fluid under test in response to the motion sensed signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Joseph H. Goodbread, Sunil Kumar, Klaus Haeusler, Bernhard Zybach
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Publication number: 20210096050Abstract: An inline fluid properties measurement device that includes a tube defining an interior space that includes at least one non-cylindrical volume, and having a fluid entrance and exit, and capable of conducting fluid from the fluid entrance to the fluid exit, through the at least one non-cylindrical volume. An excitation and sensing transducer assembly is positioned to torsionally drive the tube and to sense torsional movement of the tube and a controller is programmed to drive the excitation and sensing transducer to drive the tube in torsion, thereby translating the fluid in the at least one non-cylindrical volume, and to sense torsional movement of the tube, thereby producing a sense signal. Finally, a signal analysis assembly responsive to the sense signal to form a measurement of at least one property of the fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Applicant: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: KLAUS HAEUSLER, JOSEPH GOODBREAD, SUNIL KUMAR
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Patent number: 10871432Abstract: An inline fluid properties measurement device that includes a tube defining an interior space that includes at least one non-cylindrical volume, and having a fluid entrance and exit, and capable of conducting fluid from the fluid entrance to the fluid exit, through the at least one non-cylindrical volume. An excitation and sensing transducer assembly is positioned to torsionally drive the tube and to sense torsional movement of the tube and a controller is programmed to drive the excitation and sensing transducer to drive the tube in torsion, thereby translating the fluid in the at least one non-cylindrical volume, and to sense torsional movement of the tube, thereby producing a sense signal. Finally, a signal analysis assembly responsive to the sense signal to form a measurement of at least one property of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Klaus Haeusler, Joseph Goodbread, Sunil Kumar
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Publication number: 20200088619Abstract: A resonant sensor 1908 is used to determine fluid properties, the resonant sensor 1908 comprising a resonator 108 defining a lengthwise axis and having a central vibrational node (140), and a pair of opposed lengthwise end-portions (125); a support structure including a frame (115) and a set of flexible supports (110) extending from the frame to the central vibrational node and thereby supporting the resonator at the lengthwise midpoint; a driving and sensing assembly, adapted to drive the resonator to resonant motion and to sense resultant motion of the resonator and producing a motion sensed signal, responsive thereto; and a control and signal processing network adapted to control the driving and sensing assembly to drive the lengthwise end-portions in rotation about the lengthwise axis, in opposed rotational directions, and responsive to the motion sensed signal to determine at least one fluid property of a fluid under test in response to the motion sensed signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2016Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Joseph H. Goodbread, Sunil Kumar, Klaus Haeusler, Bernhard Zybach
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Patent number: 10502670Abstract: A fluid density measurement device that includes a housing, defining a chamber and an aperture; a resonator having length that is at least 5 times greater than its smallest diameter and having a longitudinal axis and a nodal plane, transverse to the longitudinal axis. The resonator further includes a tube having a first end and a second end; a second-end closure, closing the second end; and a drive rod centrally attached to the second-end closure and extending to the tube first end. Further, the device includes a resonator transducer assembly and the resonator is sealingly joined to the aperture at the nodal plane, so that an enclosed portion extends into the chamber and an exposed portion extends outside of the chamber, and wherein the chamber tends to assume the temperature of the exposed resonator portion, causing the resonator to be isothermal.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: RHEONICS, GMBHInventors: Joseph H. Goodbread, Sunil Kumar, Klaus Haeusler, Bernhard Zybach
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Patent number: 10184881Abstract: A method of measuring the amount of corrosion of a target material caused exposure to a fluid, over a period of time, utilizing a corrosion measuring device, including a resonator having a first surface area made of a material having a corrosion profile like that of the target material and having a second surface area made of material having a corrosion profile unlike that of the target material; and a transducer assembly, positioned to drive the resonator and sense resultant resonator motion, thereby producing a sense signal. In the method, the resonator is exposed to the target fluid over the period of time and the sense signal is analyzed over the period of time to determine changes in how the resonator responds to being driven by the transducer assembly, over time.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Joseph H. Goodbread, Sunil Kumar, Klaus Haeusler
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Publication number: 20190003947Abstract: A fluid density measurement device (8) that includes a housing (54), defining a chamber (18) and an aperture; a resonator (10?) having length that is at least 5 times greater than its smallest diameter and having a longitudinal axis and a nodal plane, transverse to the longitudinal axis. The resonator further includes tube (44) having a first end and a second end; a second-end closure (52), closing the second end; and a drive rod (48) centrally attached to the second-end closure and extending to the tube first end. Further, the device includes a resonator transducer assembly (22) and the resonator is sealingly joined to the aperture at the nodal plane, so that an enclosed portion (10A?) extends into the chamber and an exposed portion (10B?) extends outside of the chamber, and wherein the chamber tends to assume the temperature of the exposed resonator portion, causing the resonator to be isothermal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: JOSEPH H. GOODBREAD, SUNIL KUMAR, KLAUS HAEUSLER, BERNHARD ZYBACH
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Patent number: 9995715Abstract: A fluid properties measurement device, including a magnetically excited and sensed resonator and a resonator electromagnetic excitation assembly, including an excitation coil driven by an electrical network, electrically connected to the excitation coil. The excitation coil is positioned so that a varying magnetic field produced by the excitation coil will drive the resonator in a pattern of resonating movement that has predetermined characteristics. Also, an electromagnetic sensing assembly, including a gradiometric sense coil is positioned so that an electromagnetic field originating due to movement of the resonator in a pattern having the predetermined characteristics, will create a time-varying gradient across the sense coil. Finally, a signal sensing electrical network is electrically connected to the sense coil.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventor: Joseph H. Goodbread
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Patent number: 9995666Abstract: A resonator that includes an elastic tube defining an interior surface and a conductor threaded through the elastic tube. Solid material fills space between the conductor and the elastic tube interior surface, such that motion of the conductor is directly transferred to the elastic tube. In a preferred embodiment, the elastic tube is electrically conductive and said solid material insulates said conductor from said elastic tube.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2014Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventor: Joseph H. Goodbread
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Publication number: 20180120217Abstract: A method of measuring the amount of corrosion of a target material caused exposure to a fluid, over a period of time, utilizing a corrosion measuring device, including a resonator having a first surface area made of a material having a corrosion profile like that of the target material and having a second surface area made of material having a corrosion profile unlike that of the target material; and a transducer assembly, positioned to drive the resonator and sense resultant resonator motion, thereby producing a sense signal. In the method, the resonator is exposed to the target fluid over the period of time and the sense signal is analyzed over the period of time to determine changes in how the resonator responds to being driven by the transducer assembly, over time.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2016Publication date: May 3, 2018Applicant: Rheonics GmbHInventors: JOSEPH H. GOODBREAD, SUNIL KUMAR, KLAUS HAEUSLER
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Patent number: 9267872Abstract: A fluid properties measurement device includes a symmetric resonant element having a first mass and a second mass, balanced to the first mass and coupled to the first mass by a torsional spring, having a nodal support between the first mass and the second mass. Also, a chamber having at least one opening accommodates the first mass, free of mechanical constraint and a driving and sensing assembly, is adapted to drive the first mass in torsion and sense resulting torsional movement of the first mass. The torsional spring passes through the opening which is sealed about the torsional spring at the nodal support and the second mass is free to be placed into a fluid, for fluid property measurements.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2011Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: RHEONICS GMBHInventors: Klaus Haeusler, Joseph H. Goodbread
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Publication number: 20160011012Abstract: A fluid properties measurement device, including a magnetically excited and sensed resonator and a resonator electromagnetic excitation assembly, including an excitation coil driven by an electrical network, electrically connected to the excitation coil. The excitation coil is positioned so that a varying magnetic field produced by the excitation coil will drive the resonator in a pattern of resonating movement that has predetermined characteristics. Also, an electromagnetic sensing assembly, including a gradiometric sense coil is positioned so that an electromagnetic field originating due to movement of the resonator in a pattern having the predetermined characteristics, will create a time-varying gradient across the sense coil. Finally, a signal sensing electrical network is electrically connected to the sense coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Applicant: Rheonics GmbHInventor: Joseph H. Goodbread