Patents by Inventor Alfred Rieder

Alfred Rieder 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).

  • Patent number: 7353717
    Abstract: To conduct a fluid, the transducer has a flow tube which in operation is vibrated by an excitation assembly and whose inlet-side and outlet-side vibrations are sensed by means of a sensor arrangement. To produce shear forces in the fluid, the flow tube is at least intermittently excited into torsional vibrations about a longitudinal flow-tube axis. The transducer further comprises a torsional vibration absorber which is fixed to the flow tube and which in operation covibrates with the torsionally vibrating flow tube, thus producing reactive torques which at least partially balance torques developed in the vibrating flow tube. One of the advantages of the transducer disclosed is that it is dynamically balanced to a large extent even in the face of variations in fluid density or viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Publication number: 20080034887
    Abstract: In order to be able to couple as great a fraction as possible of ultrasonic measuring signals into a medium to be measured, an ultrasonic sensor is provided with a cup-shape and includes a housing and an oscillatable unit for producing the ultrasonic signals. The oscillatable unit is composed of a plurality of components and is so embodied that it has a node plane, which is oriented essentially perpendicularly to the radiating or receiving direction of the ultrasonic measuring signals. At least a portion of the outer surface of the oscillatable unit is connected with the housing in the region of the node plane of the oscillatable unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2004
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Achim Wiest, Torsten Strunz, Michal Bezdek
  • Patent number: 7325461
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes at least two oscillatably held transducer tubes vibrating, at least at times, during operation, of which at least one transducer tube serving to convey at least a volume portion of a medium to be measured, communicates with a pipeline; as well as at least one transducer element for converting electrical energy into mechanical and/or vice versa. The two transducer tubes are mechanically coupled together by means of at least one, inlet-side, coupling element and by means of at least one, outlet-side, coupling element in such a manner that both the inlet-side coupling element, as well as also the outlet-side coupling element, are subjected during operation repeatedly to deformations which correspond to vibrations of at least one of the two transducer tubes for converting electrical energy into mechanical, oscillatory energy and/or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Sergej Lopatin, Christian Matt, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alfred Rieder, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Martin Stucki
  • Publication number: 20070277624
    Abstract: A measurement pickup, or transducer, includes at least one measuring tube for the conveying of a fluid. The measuring tube has an inlet end and an outlet end and vibrates at least at times. For enabling the fluid to be measured to flow through the measuring tube, the measuring tube communicates, via a first tube segment opening into the inlet end and via a second tube segment opening into the outlet end, with a pipeline connected therewith. For the oscillatable holding of the measuring tube, the measurement pickup further includes a support element having a first end piece containing a passageway for the securement of the first tube segment and having a second end piece containing a passageway for the securement of the second tube segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7296484
    Abstract: An inline measuring device includes a vibration-type measurement pickup having at least one measuring tube, which has a medium to be measured flowing through it during operation. The measuring tube is made by means of an exciter arrangement to execute, at least at times and/or at least in part, lateral oscillations and, at least at times and/or at least in part, torsional oscillations about an imaginary measuring tube longitudinal axis. The torsional oscillations alternate with the lateral oscillations or are, at times, superimposed thereon. Also included is a sensor arrangement for producing oscillation measurement signals correspondingly representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Measuring device electronics controlling the exciter arrangement generates, by means of at least one of the oscillation measurement signals and/or by means of the exciter current, at least at times, at least one measured value, which represents the at least one physical quantity to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Fuchs, Hans-Jörg Sprich, Ibho Itin, Samuel Wyss
  • Patent number: 7284449
    Abstract: An inline measuring device includes a vibration-type measurement pickup having at least one measuring tube, which has a medium to be measured flowing through it during operation. The measuring tube is made by means of an exciter arrangement to execute, at least at times and/or at least in part, lateral oscillations and, at least at times and/or at least in part, torsional oscillations about an imaginary measuring tube longitudinal axis. The torsional oscillations alternate with the lateral oscillations or are, at times, superimposed thereon. Also included is a sensor arrangement for producing oscillation measurement signals correspondingly representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Measuring device electronics controlling the exciter arrangement generates, by means of at least one of the oscillation measurement signals and/or by means of the exciter current, at least at times, at least one measured value, which represents the at least one physical quantity to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Fuchs, Hans-Jörg Sprich, Ibho Itin, Samuel Wyss
  • Publication number: 20070186685
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michael Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20070186686
    Abstract: The measuring device comprises, for measuring multi phase mixture, a vibratory-type transducer and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the vibratory-type transducer. The transducer includes at least one measuring tube inserted into the course of the pipeline. An exciter arrangement acts on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate. A sensor arrangement senses vibrations of the at least one measuring tube and delivers at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Further, the measuring device electronics delivers an excitation current driving the exciter arrangement. The measuring device is adapted to compensating measurement errors, induced due to the presence of multi phase mixture, based on a movin resonator model (MRM).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder
  • Publication number: 20070180929
    Abstract: The measuring device comprises, for measuring multi phase mixture, a vibratory-type transducer and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the vibratory-type transducer. The transducer includes at least one measuring tube inserted into the course of the pipeline. An exciter arrangement acts on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate. A sensor arrangement senses vibrations of the at least one measuring tube and delivers at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Further, the measuring device electronics delivers an excitation current driving the exciter arrangement. The measuring device is adapted to compensating measurement errors, induced due to the presence of multi phase mixture, based on a movin resonator model (MRM).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Publication number: 20070151369
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes at least two oscillatably held transducer tubes vibrating, at least at times, during operation, of which at least one transducer tube serving to convey at least a volume portion of a medium to be measured, communicates with a pipeline; as well as at least one transducer element for converting electrical energy into mechanical and/or vice versa. The two transducer tubes are mechanically coupled together by means of at least one, inlet-side, coupling element and by means of at least one, outlet-side, coupling element in such a manner that both the inlet-side coupling element, as well as also the outlet-side coupling element, are subjected during operation repeatedly to deformations which correspond to vibrations of at least one of the two transducer tubes for converting electrical energy into mechanical, oscillatory energy and/or vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Sergej Lopatin, Christian Matt, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alfred Rieder, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Martin Stucki
  • Publication number: 20070137313
    Abstract: An inline measuring device includes a vibration-type measurement pickup having at least one measuring tube, which has a medium to be measured flowing through it during operation. The measuring tube is made by means of an exciter arrangement to execute, at least at times and/or at least in part, lateral oscillations and, at least at times and/or at least in part, torsional oscillations about an imaginary measuring tube longitudinal axis. The torsional oscillations alternate with the lateral oscillations or are, at times, superimposed thereon. Also included is a sensor arrangement for producing oscillation measurement signals correspondingly representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Measuring device electronics controlling the exciter arrangement generates, by means of at least one of the oscillation measurement signals and/or by means of the exciter current, at least at times, at least one measured value, which represents the at least one physical quantity to be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Fuchs, Hans-Jorg Sprich, Ibho Itin, Samuel Wyss
  • Publication number: 20070131024
    Abstract: The viscometer provides a viscosity value (X?) which represents the viscosity of a fluid flowing in a pipe connected thereto. It comprises a vibratory transducer with at least one flow tube for conducting the fluid, which communicates with the pipe. Driven by an excitation assembly, the flow tube is vibrated so that friction forces are produced in the fluid. The viscometer further includes meter electronics which feed an excitation current (iexc) into the excitation assembly. By means of the meter electronics, a first internal intermediate value (X1) is formed, which corresponds with the excitation current (iexc) and thus represents the friction forces acting in the fluid. According to the invention, a second internal intermediate value (X2), representing inhomogeneities in the fluid, is generated in the meter electronics, which then determine the viscosity value (X?) using the two intermediate values (X1, X2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder
  • Publication number: 20070119264
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michael Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20070119265
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michal Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Patent number: 7216549
    Abstract: A measurement transducer includes a transducer housing, which exhibits a multiplicity of natural oscillation modes and at least a first measuring tube for conveying at least a volume fraction of the medium to be measured. The measuring tube is held to oscillation in the transducer housing and vibrator, at least at times. Also included is an electromechanical, exciter mechanism acting on the at least one measuring tube and a sensor arrangement reacting to movements, i.e. bending oscillations, of the measuring tube. Also included is a first support element fixed, i.e. directly, to the transducer housing and serving for the formation of essentially locationally fixed oscillation nodes in the transducer housing for suppressing or erasing at least one natural oscillation mode of the transducer housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Martin Anklin-Imhof
  • Publication number: 20070095153
    Abstract: An inline measuring device which serves for measuring at least one physical, measured variable of a medium conveyed in a pipeline, includes a measurement pickup of vibration-type, as well as a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the measurement pickup. The measurement pickup includes at least one, essentially straight measuring tube serving to convey the medium to be measured and communicating with the connected pipeline, an exciter mechanism acting on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate, during operation, at least at times and/or at least in part, with torsional oscillations about a torsional oscillation axis imaginarily connecting an inlet end of the measuring tube and an outlet end of the measuring tube, as well as a sensor arrangement for registering vibrations of the at least one measuring tube and delivering at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Publication number: 20070084298
    Abstract: For measuring a medium, the medium flows through at least one inline measuring device measuring tube joined into the course of a pipeline, especially a measuring tube which vibrates, at least at times. Using an inline measuring device sensor arrangement arranged on the measuring tube and/or in its vicinity and reacting, at least mediately, to changes of the at least one physical parameter of the medium, at least one measurement signal is produced, which is influenced by at least one physical parameter of the medium in the measuring tube. Additionally, pressures effective in the medium are registered, in order to determine repeatedly a pressure difference existing in the flowing medium at least in part along the at least one measuring tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7171859
    Abstract: A process meter for measuring at least one physical process variable of a medium stored in a container or flowing in a line, comprising: a transducer including a sensor arrangement providing measurement signals (s1, s2), the sensor arrangement having: at least a first sensor providing at least a first measurement signal (s1) in response to the physical process variable being measured, particularly to changes in the process variable, and at least a first temperature sensor mounted in the transducer for locally sensing a first temperature, T1, in the transducer, and by means of the at least one temperature sensor, at least a first temperature measurement signal (?1) representing the first temperature, T1, in the transducer; and meter electronics which, using at least the first measurement signal (s1) and a first correction value (K1) for the at least first measurement signal (s1), derive at least one measured value (X) currently representing the physical variable, wherein: during operation, the meter electronic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder
  • Patent number: 7162915
    Abstract: The viscometer provides a viscosity value (X?) which represents the viscosity of a fluid flowing in a pipe connected thereto. It comprises a vibratory transducer with at least one flow tube for conducting the fluid, which communicates with the pipe. Driven by an excitation assembly, the flow tube is vibrated so that friction forces are produced in the fluid. The viscometer further includes meter electronics which feed an excitation current (iexc) into the excitation assembly. By means of the meter electronics, a first internal intermediate value (X1) is formed, which corresponds with the excitation current (iexc) and thus represents the friction forces acting in the fluid. According to the invention, a second internal intermediate value (X2), representing inhomogeneities in the fluid, is generated in the meter electronics, which then determine the viscosity value (X?) using the two intermediate values (X1, X2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder
  • Publication number: 20060272428
    Abstract: An inline measuring device comprises a vibratory-type transducer and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the vibratory-type transducer. The vibratory-type transducer includes at least one measuring tube being inserted into the course of a pipeline and serving for conducting a mixture to be measured. An exciter arrangement acting on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate and a sensor arrangement sensing vibrations of the at least one measuring tube and delivering at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube. The measuring device electronics delivers an excitation current driving the exciter arrangement. Further, the inline measuring device electronics is adapted to produce a measured value representing the physical, measured quantity of the mixture to be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Hao Zhu