Patents Examined by Jewel V. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9671269
    Abstract: Particle traps and meters fitted with particle traps are described for removing particles from a gas flowing through a gas meter, for example, removing particles from a gas flowing through an ultrasonic gas meter serving a domestic property. In one example, the particle trap has a body which defines a space defined by first and second portions of the body and housing a filter, an inlet through which gas can enter the space, and an outlet through which the gas can exit the space. The inlet and outlet are defined in the first portion and second portion is spaced away from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: ITRON GMBH
    Inventor: Sabrina Berger
  • Patent number: 9669254
    Abstract: An integrated exercise mat system can include: a user device having a display for displaying an application, providing a metric, and enabling user inputs; an exercise mat coupled to the user device, the exercise mat having a sensor to detect an article on the exercise mat and to obtain a force measurement exerted by the article through a movement, and the exercise mat having a communication module to communicatively connect the exercise mat with a processor and provide the force measurement to the processor; and wherein the processor performs a plurality of calculations based on the force measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventor: Andrew Arredondo
  • Patent number: 9664547
    Abstract: A flow measurement assembly includes a coupler and a flow channel. The coupler maintains a magnet and a sensor spaced from the magnet. The flow channel is positionable between the magnet and the sensor. The flow channel includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet spaced from the inlet, and a flow conduit fluidly open to the inlet and the outlet. A ferrous body is movably disposed in the conduit. The sensor is configured to detect a frequency of a change within a magnetic field as the ferrous body travels within the flow conduit between the magnet and the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Lee Koltz, Jr., Mansur Ibne Omar
  • Patent number: 9664542
    Abstract: Systems and methods for additive manufacturing for air data probes are provided. In at least one embodiment a probe comprises a support structure comprising one or more ports for receiving one or more fluids, the support structure comprising an endoskeleton mandrel having an opening for receiving a fluid; and a heating cable encircling an external surface of the endoskeleton mandrel. The probe also comprises an additive coating fused to the external surface of the endoskeleton mandrel and an external surface of the heating cable; and an internal assembly inside the support structure for carrying pressures from the one or more ports to one or more instruments that respond to the one or more fluids to provide a measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Grant A. Gordon, Yates Wong, Richard Bonvouloir, Patrick Flynn, Morris Anderson, Allen Brown
  • Patent number: 9651410
    Abstract: A differential pressure fluid flow meter element for insertion between the connecting flanges of conduit sections of a fluid carrying conduit includes a flat orifice plate having a fluid contacting region for positioning in a flow of fluid through the conduit and a handle extending outward from an outer portion of the fluid contacting region. The flat orifice plate includes at least one pressure port formed in the fluid contacting region of the plate, and at least one impulse line channel formed in the flat orifice plate and extending from one of the at least one pressure port through the handle to a corresponding transmitter interface port. A plurality of apertures formed in the handle and disposed and arranged relative to the at least one transmitter interface port allow mounting of the process variable transmitter directly to the paddle style orifice plate handle, with the transmitter substantially perpendicular to a plane of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Dieterich Standard, Inc.
    Inventors: John Henry Stehle, Paul Timothy Deegan, Stephen Arthur Ifft
  • Patent number: 9638559
    Abstract: Featured are systems and methods for measuring differential and absolute pressure of a flowing fluid/gas in a fluid system. In such a method the fluid system is configured with first and second pressure taps that are spaced from each so the second pressure tap is downstream of the first pressure tap in a direction of flow. An absolute pressure sense element and a differential pressure sense element are provided, where the absolute pressure sense element is first fluidly coupled to one of the first or second pressure tap to measure an absolute pressure representative of the flowing fluid/gas. The differential pressure sense element is second fluidly coupled to each of the first and second pressure taps so as to measure a differential pressure of the flowing fluid/gas between the first and second pressure taps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sensata Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Zummo, Victor Bender
  • Patent number: 9638556
    Abstract: Methods and devices for measuring fluid properties include an electromagnetic sensor. The electromagnetic sensor includes a coaxial probe body having a first integral pressure barrier and a second integral pressure barrier formed from coaxial-feedthrough connector. The first integral pressure barrier and the second integral pressure barrier have a desired characteristic impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng-Gang Xie, Guillaume Jolivet, Renke Tang, Alexander Tuborg Vilstrup, Yngve Boee, Rolf Rustad
  • Patent number: 9631959
    Abstract: A dam-shaped throttling block for use in a pipe, for the measurement of the flow rates of fluids. The shapes of four successive flat surfaces on the throttling block angularly-displaced relative one another in the flow direction, together with an aperture in the one of the flat surfaces extending parallel to the pipe longitudinal axis, create reduction of a cross-sectional area in one step from one that is unthrottled to one that is throttled, extending for a limited distance in the pipe, and then expansion of the cross-sectional area in two steps from the throttled one back to the unthrottled one so to provide for accurate measurements and an improved lifetime. Flow rates of highly viscous fluids and fluids that contain solid particles can be measured. Other benefits include reduced head loss, wide measurement range and reduced installation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Skyline Flow Controls Inc.
    Inventor: ZiPing Wang
  • Patent number: 9631960
    Abstract: A pitot tube includes a substantially cylindrical body portion having an interior defining a flow passage, and a tip portion extending along a pitot tube axis from the body portion. The tip portion includes an inlet opening, a radially tapered outer surface extending from the body portion toward the inlet opening, one or more bulkheads disposed at the interior to limit travel of particles ingested into the interior, at least one drain opening disposed directly adjacent to one of the one or more bulkheads, and one or more electrical coils comprising one or more coil wraps disposed at an interior of the pitot tube. The one or more coil wraps establish a variable watt density along the interior of the pitot tube. The one or more coil wraps also establish a variable watt density downstream of one or more of the one or more bulkheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE INC.
    Inventors: Greg Seidel, Timothy Thomas Golly, Paul Robert Johnson
  • Patent number: 9631961
    Abstract: A magnetic flow meter includes a magnetic flow transducer positioned to sense the flow of water through the flow meter. The magnetic flow transducer includes first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of a measuring channel. First and second magnetic pole pieces are positioned on opposite sides of the measuring channel and orthogonal to the first and second electrodes. The magnetic pole piece includes extending tab portions that are located adjacent to the first and second electrodes on opposite sides of the first and second electrodes. The extended tabs formed on each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces reduce the induced voltage within the electrodes to increase the accuracy of the measurement taken by the magnetic flow transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Sensus Spectrum LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Anthony Profeta, Jr., Trampas Stern
  • Patent number: 9625294
    Abstract: In a flow measuring device having a measuring tube with a sensor arrangement and an evaluation unit for ascertaining a flow, a sensor arranged on or in a measuring tube having a tube wall of a metal support material and a first ply of a corrosion resistant material that protects the metal support material from corrosive measured media and is placed on an inner surface of the tube wall; or a tube wall of a corrosion resistant material, wherein in the measuring tube on the side of the first ply facing the medium or on the side of the measuring tube wall of the corrosion resistant, synthetic material facing the medium a ply or second ply is arranged for reducing mechanical loading, of the synthetic material by the measured medium, wherein the ply or second ply has a greater hardness than the first ply or the tube wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventor: Michael Schoohf
  • Patent number: 9625301
    Abstract: A flowmeter for flow measurement of a flowing medium having a measuring tube and a measuring device housing that can be also used in fields in which magnetic-inductive flowmeters have not previously been used or used only on a small scale—primarily due to costs is achieved by the provision a reinforcement structure is assigned to the measuring tube and/or the measuring device housing, wherein the reinforcement structure is formed of at least one reinforcement unit—preferably of several reinforcement units. The reinforcement units are preferably bolt and tube arrangements received in through-passages or external recesses formed in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Krohne AG
    Inventors: Freek Beerling, Alexander Marnix Heijnsdijk, Josef Neven, Christian Nicolas
  • Patent number: 9622701
    Abstract: An orthopedic implant having a three-axis accelerometer is disclosed. The three-axis accelerometer is used to detect micro-motion in the implant. The micro-motion can be due to loosening of the implant. The implant is configured to couple to the muscular-skeletal system. In one embodiment, the implant is configured to couple to bone. An impact force is imparted to the bone or implant. The impact force can be provided via a transducer coupled to the implant. In the example, the impact force is imparted along a single axis. The three-axis accelerometer measures the impact force along each axis. Resultant peaks of the quantitative measurement and the frequencies at which they occur are measured. The peaks and frequencies of the measurements correspond to micro-motion. Typically, the frequency of interest is less than 1 KHz to determine if micro-motion is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: ORTHOSENSOR INC
    Inventors: Marc Stein, Yoong-Joong Kim, Matthew J. Cohen, Chelsea A. Liddell
  • Patent number: 9625293
    Abstract: A flow conditioner includes a plate having a hole pattern and a flange surrounding the plate; and at least one pressure tap that is integral with the flow conditioner. The at least one pressure tap is on at least one of a first face of the flow conditioner, a second face of the flow conditioner, within a hole, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel Sawchuk
  • Patent number: 9618371
    Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter includes a main body that calculates components parallel to a pipe axis regarding the velocity of fluid on the basis of a first propagation time difference, which is the difference in time between the time that ultrasonic waves transmitted from a second ultrasonic transceiver and the time that ultrasonic waves transmitted from a first ultrasonic transceiver propagate through a first flow propagation path traversing inside the pipe in the radial direction for 2n?1 times (n is a positive integer), and a second propagation time difference, which is the difference in time between the time that ultrasonic waves transmitted from the second ultrasonic transceiver and the time that ultrasonic waves transmitted from the first ultrasonic transceiver propagate through the second flow propagation path traversing inside the pipe in the radial direction for 2m?1 times (m is a positive integer other than n).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Muraki
  • Patent number: 9612145
    Abstract: The present invention includes a device and method for determining the flow of one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture comprising: a tube, a pipe, a main body or any combinations thereof comprising an interior and an exterior, wherein the interior receives a multiphase fluid mixture for the determination of the fractions in the multiphase; a first ultrasound field detector ring comprising: two or more pairs of transversal paired dual frequency ultrasound transmitter/receivers are on the same normal plane and are positioned in a transversal direction to a flow of the multiphase fluid mixture on the exterior of the tube, pipe, or main body, wherein the sampled volume covers a part of or the whole cross-section of the flow volume; and a computer connected to the ultrasound transmitter/receivers that determines the one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventors: Yildirim Hurmuzlu, Edmond Richer
  • Patent number: 9606137
    Abstract: A pitot tube includes a wall that extends longitudinally along an axis. The wall defines an inlet aperture at a longitudinal end of the wall, an outlet aperture opposite the inlet aperture, an interior cavity extending from the inlet aperture to an outlet aperture, a passage extending through and perpendicular to the wall having an outlet along an exterior surface of the wall, and an augmenting feature configured to reduce a static pressure at the outlet of the passage. In another embodiment, a wall defines a passage and an augmenting feature that modifies a flow direction of fluid flowing across an outlet of the passage such that a static pressure of the fluid at the outlet is reduced relative to the wall without the augmenting feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Jacob, Guru Prasad Mahapatra, Paul Robert Johnson
  • Patent number: 9597476
    Abstract: A fluid flow sensor for use in measuring flow parameters in gas and other fluid applications, including patient ventilators and the like. The sensor is characterized by a lower pressure drop at higher flow rates in order to minimize patient effort in breathing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Event Medical Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Inoue, Teunis Van Den Berg, Bich Nguyen, Bonnievon Castillo
  • Patent number: 9593972
    Abstract: The present invention provides an acoustic flow meter assembly (2) for pipes or open channels, said assembly including a frame (24) with a predetermined geometry. The frame has at least one user accessible port (36-42) with the at least one user accessible port (36-42) adapted to receive an interchangeable cartridge (44) which contains at least one acoustic transducer (46) to measure fluid velocity through said frame (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Rubicon Research Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: David John Aughton, Damien Vernon Pearson
  • Patent number: 9593973
    Abstract: The measuring transducer comprises a measuring tube having an inlet-side tube end and an outlet-side tube end, a tube wall having a predetermined wall thickness and a lumen surrounded by the tube wall and extending between the first and second tube end, a support element, which with a support end is mechanically connected with the tube end and with a support end is mechanically connected with the tube end, as well as, laterally spaced from the measuring tube, a support element, which with a support end is mechanically connected with the support end and with a support end is mechanically connected with the support end. The measuring tube of the measuring transducer is adapted to guide a flowing medium in its lumen and during that to be caused to oscillate about a static resting position for producing Coriolis forces. The measuring transducer comprises an oscillation exciter as well as at least one oscillation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Christof Huber, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schutze, Ennio Bitto, Martin Josef Anklin