Patents by Inventor Helmut Pfeiffer
Helmut Pfeiffer 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).
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Patent number: 7444245Abstract: Field device for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container. The field device includes: at least one mechanically oscillatable unit connected with the container via a process connection; and at least one driver/receiver unit, which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to oscillate, or detects the oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit, as the case may be.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventors: Helmut Pfeiffer, Sergej Lopatin
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Publication number: 20080257035Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium and includes: A mechanically oscillatable unit, which executes mechanical oscillations in a direction and which is secured at a seating. Included is an exciting/receiving unit, which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to mechanical oscillations and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit; and a control/evaluation unit, which controls the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and which determines and/or monitors the process variable. At least one compensating mass is also provided, which is mechanically coupled with the mechanically oscillatable unit and which is embodied and/or secured in such a manner that it executes mechanical oscillations in a direction, wherein the direction of the oscillations of the compensating mass are essentially perpendicular to the direction of the oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2005Publication date: October 23, 2008Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 7403127Abstract: A device for establishing and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level in a container is provided, to indicate the fill level in a container and exhibiting a best possible, optimum fit for an application, which device includes: a mechanical oscillatory structure placed at the height of the predetermined fill level, which structure exhibits a membrane and two mutually separated oscillation bars formed thereon, an electromechanical transducer, which in operation excites the oscillatory structure to oscillate with oscillations, such that the oscillation bars execute oscillations perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, a receiver- and evaluation-unit, which uses the oscillations to establish and/or monitor whether the predetermined fill level has been reached, or not, in which the oscillation bars exhibit a shape in which a mass moment of inertia of a liquid quantity, which the oscillation bars move with them in the immersed state in the liquid, is as large as possible and greater than 0.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 7325461Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 6, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Sergej Lopatin, Christian Matt, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alfred Rieder, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Martin Stucki
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Publication number: 20070277608Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one physical or chemical, process variable of medium having at least one oscillatable unit, which produces, and/or receives, mechanical oscillations. Included is at least one tuning unit, whose stiffness is changeable and which is embodied in such a manner and connected in such a manner with the oscillatable unit, or is a part of the oscillatable unit in such a manner, that at least the resonance frequency of the oscillatable unit is changeable via the tuning unit. A corresponding method is also noted.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2005Publication date: December 6, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co., KGInventors: Sergej Lopatin, Helmut Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20070151369Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2006Publication date: July 5, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Sergej Lopatin, Christian Matt, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alfred Rieder, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Martin Stucki
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Patent number: 7190105Abstract: A sound or ultrasound sensor having a radiation characteristic with a preferably small beam angle and producing very little interference signals, including a pot-shaped housing closed at its bottom end by a floor, a piezoelectric element for producing and/or receiving sound or ultrasound through the floor, a matching layer between the piezoelectric element and the floor, and a metal ring gripping around the matching layer with an interlocking fit.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2003Date of Patent: March 13, 2007Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventors: Rolf Deserno, Helmut Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20070028691Abstract: Apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one physical or chemical, process variable of a medium and includes at least one mechanically oscillatable unit and at least one driving/receiving unit. The mechanically oscillatable unit includes a tube and an internal oscillator. The tube is connected to a securement unit with an end turned away from the process and the end of the tube turned toward the process is embodied as a free end. The tube surrounds the internal oscillator and the internal oscillator is secured to the end of the tube turned toward the process with an end turned toward the process. The driving/receiving unit excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to oscillate, respectively it receives the oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit. The internal oscillator has at least one groove/neck, which determines at least the oscillation frequency of the mechanically oscillatable unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2004Publication date: February 8, 2007Applicant: Endress & Hauser GmbH & Co., KGInventors: Sergej Lopatin, Helmut Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20070021931Abstract: The invention relates to a field device for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container. The field device includes: at least one mechanically oscillatable unit (1) connected with the container via a process connection (2); and at least one driver/receiver unit (5), which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit (1) to oscillate, or detects the oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit (1), as the case may be. The invention includes that the mechanically oscillatable unit (1) has at least three oscillatory members (10, 11, 12), that at least one oscillatory member (10) is connected with the process connection (2) at an attachment region (10.3), that the three oscillatory members (10, 11, 12) can execute oscillations, which the driver/receiver unit (5) produces, or detects, as the case may be, and that the three oscillatory members (10, 11, 12) are embodied and interconnected in such a manner and the attachment region (10.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2004Publication date: January 25, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser + GmbH + Co. KGInventors: Helmut Pfeiffer, Sergej Lopatin
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Publication number: 20060290524Abstract: A device for establishing and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level in a container is provided, to indicate the fill level in a container and exhibiting a best possible, optimum fit for an application, which device includes: a mechanical oscillatory structure placed at the height of the predetermined fill level, which structure exhibits a membrane and two mutually separated oscillation bars formed thereon, an electromechanical transducer, which in operation excites the oscillatory structure to oscillate with oscillations, such that the oscillation bars execute oscillations perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, a receiver- and evaluation-unit, which uses the oscillations to establish and/or monitor whether the predetermined fill level has been reached, or not, in which the oscillation bars exhibit a shape in which a mass moment of inertia of a liquid quantity, which the oscillation bars move with them in the immersed state in the liquid, is as large as possible and greater than 0.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2006Publication date: December 28, 2006Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 7102528Abstract: A device for establishing and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level in a container is provided, to indicate the fill level in a container and exhibiting a best possible, optimum fit for an application, which device includes: a mechanical oscillatory structure placed at the height of the predetermined fill level, which structure exhibits a membrane and two mutually separated oscillation bars formed thereon, an electromechanical transducer, which in operation excites the oscillatory structure to oscillate with oscillations, such that the oscillation bars execute oscillations perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, a receiver- and evaluation-unit, which uses the oscillations to establish and/or monitor whether the predetermined fill level has been reached, or not, in which the oscillation bars exhibit a shape in which a mass moment of inertia of a liquid quantity, which the oscillation bars move with them in the immersed state in the liquid, is as large as possible and greater than 0.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 5, 2006Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20060156835Abstract: A measuring device is provided, which is usable at high temperatures. The device includes: a housing, which has a first section, on which a means is provided for securement of the housing to a measurement location; a second section, which borders on the first section; and a third section, which borders on the second section and which contains electronic components. The second section is constructed such that, in the case of a temperature difference between an environment of the first section and an environment of the third section, a small heat flow flows through the second section parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2003Publication date: July 20, 2006Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co., KGInventors: Alexander Mueller, Gottfried Hintner, Helmut Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20060076854Abstract: A sound or ultrasound sensor having a radiation characteristic with a preferably small beam angle and producing very little interference signals, including a pot-shaped housing closed at its bottom end by a floor, a piezoelectric element for producing and/or receiving sound or ultrasound through the floor, a matching layer between the piezoelectric element and the floor, and a metal ring gripping around the matching layer with an interlocking fit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2003Publication date: April 13, 2006Inventors: Rolf Deserno, Helmut Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20040085212Abstract: A device for establishing and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level in a container is provided, to indicate the fill level in a container and exhibiting a best possible, optimum fit for an application, which device includes: a mechanical oscillatory structure placed at the height of the predetermined fill level, which structure exhibits a membrane (3) and two mutually separated oscillation bars (7) formed thereon, an electromechanical transducer, which in operation excites the oscillatory structure to oscillate with oscillations, such that the oscillation bars (7) execute oscillations perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, a receiver- and evaluation-unit (13), which uses the oscillations to establish and/or monitor whether the predetermined fill level has been reached, or not, in which the oscillation bars (7) exhibit a shape in which a mass moment of inertia of a liquid quantity, which the oscillation bars (7) move with them in the immersed state in the liquid, is as large as possible and greater thanType: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2003Publication date: May 6, 2004Inventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 6236322Abstract: An apparatus for establishing and/or monitoring a predetermined filling level in a container is described, which apparatus can be used in a wide range of applications, that is to say in many different media, which apparatus comprises: a housing (1), an oscillating element for projecting into the container, a diaphragm (5), which is fixedly clamped into the housing (1) at its edge and to which the oscillating element is fastened, and an electromechanical transducer for exciting the diaphragm (5) to produce oscillations in dependence on a transmission signal (S) present at the transducer and for receiving and converting oscillations thereof into an electrical reception signal (E), in which a percentage interval between a resonant frequency fr and an antiresonant frequency far divided by the resonant frequency fr exceeds 20% when the oscillating element oscillates in air.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 1999Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co.Inventors: Sergej Lopatin, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alexander Müller, Volker Dreyer, Wolfgang Brutschin
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Patent number: 6205855Abstract: A device for monitoring a predetermined level in a container contains a sensor formed by a mechanical vibratory system comprising two vibratory rods, of which at least one vibratory rod is tubular and surrounds the other vibratory rod coaxially. Each of the two vibratory rods is secured to a common support via a resilient holding member acting as a return spring so that each rod is able to execute vibrations transversely to its longitudinal direction. An excitation arrangement causes the two vibratory rods to vibrate transversely in opposite senses at the natural resonant frequency of the mechanical vibratory system. The sensor is fitted to the container so that the tubular outer vibratory rod comes into contact with the material in the container when the material attains the level to be monitored. An evaluation circuit serves to trigger display or switching actions as a function of the vibration amplitude of the mechanical vibratory system.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 1997Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co.Inventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 6081064Abstract: The acoustic transducer system includes a flexural vibrating plate coupled to an electromechanical transducer and so configured that it is stimulated to higher order flexural vibrations at the system operating frequency, at which nodal lines form on the flexural vibrating plate between which first and second antinodal zones are located oscillating alternatingly opposite in phase. For influencing the sound radiation, in the second antinodal zones oscillating in phase with respect to each other and opposite in phase in relation to the first antinodal zones one mass ring each is arranged on the rear side of the flexural vibrating plate facing away from the transmission medium concentrically to the centerpoint of the flexural vibrating plate.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: June 27, 2000Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co.Inventors: Helmut Pfeiffer, Gerold Klotz-Engmann, Karl Flogel
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Patent number: 5966983Abstract: An assembly for sensing and/or monitoring the level of a material in a vessel includes a level sensor mounted in the vessel so that it comes into contact with the material when the material has attained a predetermined level. The level sensor contains a low-frequency sensing system and a high-frequency sensing system. The low-frequency sensing system is formed by a mechanical vibrator system induced to vibrate at its natural resonant frequency, and establishing whether the mechanical vibrator system is in contact with the material or not is achieved by evaluating the frequency and/or amplitude of the mechanical vibrations. For forming the high-frequency sensing system high-frequency elastic vibration is induced in a component of the level sensor, and establishing whether this component is in contact with the material or not is achieved by evaluating an electric signal generated as a function of the high-frequency elastic vibration.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1998Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co.Inventors: Helmut Pfeiffer, Igor Getman, Sergej Lopatin
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Patent number: 5264831Abstract: To determine and/or monitor a predetermined contents level in a container, at the height of the level to be monitored a region of the container wall is defined by a ring or frame which is attached to the outer side of the container wall in such a manner that it is in oscillatory mechanical connection with said container wall. The region of the container wall enclosed by the ring or frame forms the diaphragm of a sensor which also comprises an electromechanical excitation transducer which when fed with an electrical voltage sets the defined diaphragm region into oscillations, and an electromechanical receiving transducer which converts the oscillations of the defined diaphragm region to an electrical AC voltage. An evaluating circuit connected to the receiving transducer serves to initiate display and/or switching operations in dependence upon the frequency, the phase or the amplitude of the AC voltage emitted by the receiving transducer.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1991Date of Patent: November 23, 1993Assignee: Endress u. Hauser GmbH u. Co.Inventor: Helmut Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 4718284Abstract: A bulk flow meter having an inclined baffle plate disposed within a conveying space in the path of a bulk material to be measured is provided. The meter includes a measuring chamber that is separated from the conveying space by a partition. The baffle plate is carried by a baffle plate support which is horizontally movable under the impact of the bulk material and which includes a rod-shaped connecting member that extends through an opening in the partition. A dust protector is provided for preventing dirt and dust from entering the measuring chamber from the conveying space. The dust protector includes a rigid tube that surrounds a portion of the length of the rod-shaped connecting member on the baffle-side of the partition. Flexible diaphragms are provided for connecting the rigid tube to the partition and to the rod-shaped connecting member.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1986Date of Patent: January 12, 1988Assignee: Endress u. Hauser GmbH u. Co.Inventor: Helmut Pfeiffer