Patents by Inventor Rainer Hocker

Rainer Hocker 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: 11747293
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a device for detecting a non-condensable portion of a medium, which has at least one condensable portion and is present at least partially in gaseous form, wherein in a first method step a temperature measuring device measures a temperature of the medium and a pressure measuring device measures a pressure of the medium, wherein in a second method step a ratio of the pressure to temperature is formed by means of an electronic measuring/operating circuit and this ratio is compared with a desired ratio of a desired pressure and a desired temperature, and wherein in a third method step the electronic measuring/operating circuit outputs a report in case of a minimum deviation of the ratio from the desired ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventor: Rainer Höcker
  • Patent number: 11598657
    Abstract: A measurement system includes: a tube; a bluff body, situated in the lumen of the tube, for generating vortices in a flowing fluid such that a Karman vortex street is formed downstream of the bluff body; a vortex sensor, having a mechanical resonant frequency, for providing a vortex sensor signal which changes over time and contains a first component representing the vortex shedding frequency and which contains a second component representing the mechanical resonant frequency of the vortex sensor; and transducer electronics for evaluating the at least one vortex sensor signal and configured to do the following: to determine vortex frequency measurement values representing the shedding frequency using the first component and, if the first component is not present, not to provide flow parameter measurement values and to generate a message indicating the current flow speed is not lower than the current acoustic velocity of the flowing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Marc Hollmach, Michel Wagner, Rainer Höcker
  • Patent number: 11550342
    Abstract: A gas separator for separating a multiphase medium containing a gas and a liquid includes a tubular basic unit having a longitudinal axis, an intake for a gaseous medium, a liquid outlet and a gas outlet. The tubular basic unit has an intake region and a discharge region. The gas separator includes, between the intake region and the discharge region, a weir having a guiding surface, over which the medium can flow to form a shallow water region. The gas contained in the medium can escape from the medium in the shallow water region and be led away from the gas separator through the gas outlet. The disclosure is also directed to an apparatus for registering flow of at least one component of a multiphase medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Guido Horoba, Helmut Zeislmeier, Wolfgang Drahm, Rainer Höcker
  • Patent number: 11326913
    Abstract: A transducer apparatus comprises a deformation body as well as, positioned on the deformation body and connected therewith by material bonding, a radio sensor having a surface facing away from the deformation body. The radio sensor is adapted to receive free-space electromagnetic waves and to convert them into acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface facing away from the deformation body, or to convert acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface into free-space electromagnetic waves. Additionally, the deformation body is adapted as a function of a mechanical force acting thereon, and/or as a function of a temperature change, to be at least partially deformed, in such a manner that at least the surface of the radio sensor facing away from the deformation body experiences a shape change influencing a propagation of acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER FLOWTEC AG
    Inventor: Rainer Hocker
  • Publication number: 20220057240
    Abstract: A measurement system includes: a tube; a bluff body, situated in the lumen of the tube, for generating vortices in a flowing fluid such that a Kármán vortex street is formed downstream of the bluff body; a vortex sensor, having a mechanical resonant frequency, for providing a vortex sensor signal which changes over time and contains a first component representing the vortex shedding frequency and which contains a second component representing the mechanical resonant frequency of the vortex sensor; and transducer electronics for evaluating the at least one vortex sensor signal and configured to do the following: to determine vortex frequency measurement values representing the shedding frequency using the first component and, if the first component is not present, not to provide such flow parameter measurement values and to generate a message indicating the current flow speed is not lower than the current acoustic velocity of the flowing fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Marc Hollmach, Michel Wagner, Rainer Höcker
  • Publication number: 20210381872
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an assembly comprising a pressure tapping line having a first end and a second end. A pressure measuring device registers a pressure within the pressure tapping line and the pressure tapping line is adapted to be connected using the first end to a vapor conveying pipe or tube. The pressure measuring device is adapted to be connected to the second end of the pressure tapping line and the pressure tapping line has a sectionally bent trap adapted to contain a condensate of the vapor. The assembly is adapted to be applied outside and includes a wind protector to lessen atmospherically related air movements at least in the region of the trap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Rainer Höcker, Daniel Kessler
  • Patent number: 11149893
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process connection for connecting a flow measuring device, to a pipeline, the process connection including a base body having an opening for conducting a medium and a flow rectifier, wherein the flow rectifier is inserted into a first recess of the base body and fixed in place by plastic deformation of an edge region of the base body surrounding the first recess, for example, by press fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Stephan Gaberthüel, Rainer Höcker, Lars Neyerlin, Hanno Schultheis
  • Publication number: 20200355438
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a device for detecting a non-condensable portion of a medium, which has at least one condensable portion and is present at least partially in gaseous form, wherein in a first method step a temperature measuring device measures a temperature of the medium and a pressure measuring device measures a pressure of the medium, wherein in a second method step a ratio of the pressure to temperature is formed by means of an electronic measuring/operating circuit and this ratio is compared with a desired ratio of a desired pressure and a desired temperature, and wherein in a third method step the electronic measuring/operating circuit outputs a report in case of a minimum deviation of the ratio from the desired ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Rainer Höcker
  • Publication number: 20200319002
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process connection for connecting a flow measuring device, to a pipeline, the process connection including a base body having an opening for conducting a medium and a flow rectifier, wherein the flow rectifier is inserted into a first recess of the base body and fixed in place by plastic deformation of an edge region of the base body surrounding the first recess, for example, by press fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Stephan Gaberthüel, Rainer Höcker, Lars Neyerlin, Hanno Schultheis
  • Publication number: 20200271489
    Abstract: A transducer apparatus comprises a deformation body as well as, positioned on the deformation body and connected therewith by material bonding, a radio sensor having a surface facing away from the deformation body. The radio sensor is adapted to receive free-space electromagnetic waves and to convert them into acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface facing away from the deformation body, or to convert acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface into free-space electromagnetic waves. Additionally, the deformation body is adapted as a function of a mechanical force acting thereon, and/or as a function of a temperature change, to be at least partially deformed, in such a manner that at least the surface of the radio sensor facing away from the deformation body experiences a shape change influencing a propagation of acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventor: Rainer Hocker
  • Patent number: 10641635
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement for determining flow velocity of at least one liquid phase and/or a gas phase of a vapor or a fluid composed of a liquid and a gaseous phase or a supercritical fluid, comprising a measuring tube, on or in which at least one sensor element of at least a first flow measuring device is arranged for measuring the liquid phase or the gas phase, wherein the measuring tube has at least an inflow region and an outflow region, wherein between these two regions a central region is arranged, whose measuring tube cross section has a greater area than the area of the measuring tube cross section of the outflow region or of the inflow region, and method for ascertaining flow of phases of a vapor or of a fluid composed of a liquid and a gaseous phase, or a supercritical fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER FLOWTEC AG
    Inventors: Rainer Hocker, Oliver Popp
  • Patent number: 10591361
    Abstract: An apparatus for early warning against condensation induced hydraulic shock in a pipe, conveying a fluid present at least in a first part in the vapor phase and, in the case of condensate formation, in a second part in the form of a condensate, comprising at least two temperature sensors, which are arranged in the pipe and, thus, are fluid contacting, and at least one electronics unit, wherein the first temperature sensor is so arranged that it measures the temperature of the vapor, wherein the second temperature sensor is so arranged that it measures the temperature of the condensate, wherein the at least one electronics unit is so embodied that it ascertains the temperature difference between the temperature of the vapor and the temperature of the condensate, and, upon reaching a predetermined limit value for the temperature difference, generates a report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER FLOWTEC AG
    Inventors: Rainer Hocker, Oliver Popp
  • Publication number: 20190196518
    Abstract: A gas separator for separating a multiphase medium containing a gas and a liquid includes a tubular basic unit having a longitudinal axis, an intake for a gaseous medium, a liquid outlet and a gas outlet. The tubular basic unit has an intake region and a discharge region. The gas separator includes, between the intake region and the discharge region, a weir having a guiding surface, over which the medium can flow to form a shallow water region. The gas contained in the medium can escape from the medium in the shallow water region and be led away from the gas separator through the gas outlet. The disclosure is also directed to an apparatus for registering flow of at least one component of a multiphase medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Guido Horoba, Helmut Zeislmeier, Wolfgang Drahm, Rainer Höcker
  • Publication number: 20170307429
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement for determining flow velocity of at least one liquid phase and/or a gas phase of a vapor or a fluid composed of a liquid and a gaseous phase or a supercritical fluid, comprising a measuring tube, on or in which at least one sensor element of at least a first flow measuring device is arranged for measuring the liquid phase or the gas phase, wherein the measuring tube has at least an inflow region and an outflow region, wherein between these two regions a central region is arranged, whose measuring tube cross section has a greater area than the area of the measuring tube cross section of the outflow region or of the inflow region, and method for ascertaining flow of phases of a vapor or of a fluid composed of a liquid and a gaseous phase, or a supercritical fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Rainer Hocker, Oliver Popp
  • Publication number: 20170219438
    Abstract: An apparatus for early warning against condensation induced hydraulic shock in a pipe, conveying a fluid present at least in a first part in the vapor phase and, in the case of condensate formation, in a second part in the form of a condensate, comprising at least two temperature sensors, which are arranged in the pipe and, thus, are fluid contacting, and at least one electronics unit, wherein the first temperature sensor is so arranged that it measures the temperature of the vapor, wherein the second temperature sensor is so arranged that it measures the temperature of the condensate, wherein the at least one electronics unit is so embodied that it ascertains the temperature difference between the temperature of the vapor and the temperature of the condensate, and, upon reaching a predetermined limit value for the temperature difference, generates a report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Rainer Hocker, Oliver Popp
  • Publication number: 20160305800
    Abstract: A vortex flow measuring device of process automation for ascertaining a process variable, a property of a medium and/or a composition of a medium, comprising at least one sensor unit and one display unit. The sensor unit and the display unit are arranged spatially separated from one another, wherein the display unit and the sensor unit are provided with one or more communication means, which are designed for establishing a wireless data transfer route between the display unit and the sensor unit. At least the communication means of the sensor unit is operated by means of an energy harvester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Rainer Hocker, Michael Carr
  • Publication number: 20160041016
    Abstract: A vortex flow measuring device as well as a method for determining by means of a vortex, flow measuring a device, which has a bluff body protruding into the flowing medium and a vortex sensor, the mass flow ratio (x) of an at least at times two- or multiphase medium flowing in a measuring tube and having a gaseous first phase flowing with a first mass flow rate {dot over (m)}G and a liquid second phase flowing with a second mass flow rate {dot over (m)}L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Christoph Gossweiler, Rainer Hocker, Marc Hollmach, Christian Kahr, Silvio Krauss, Dirk Sutterlin, Daniel Wymann
  • Patent number: 8844371
    Abstract: A method for monitoring and/or measuring an, at least at times, two-phase medium flowing in a pipeline, and having a first phase, especially a gaseous first phase, with a first density and a second phase, especially a liquid second phase, having a second density different from the first density. The method is performed with a vortex flow measuring device, which has at least one measuring tube inserted into the pipeline, a bluff body and a vortex sensor. In such case, the vortex sensor includes a sensitive section that responds to pressure fluctuations, and that is arranged at least partially adjoining the wall of the measuring tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Peter Limacher, Dirk Sutterlin, Rainer Hocker, Christoph Gossweiler
  • Patent number: 8683874
    Abstract: A vortex flow measuring device for monitoring and/or measuring an, at least at times, two phase medium flowing in a pipeline; wherein the medium has a first phase, especially a gaseous, first phase, with a first density and a second phase, especially a particle or droplet shaped, second phase, having a second density different from the first density; and wherein the vortex flow measuring device has at least a measuring tube, which can be inserted in a pipeline, a bluff body, and a vortex sensor, which responds to pressure fluctuations. The vortex flow measuring device additionally includes an acoustic transducer, which is formed integrally in a component, especially the bluff body, which protrudes into a flow path within the measuring tube, or is acoustically coupled to such component in such a manner that acoustic signals produced by impact of particles and/or droplets of the second phase on the component are transducible to electrical signals by the acoustic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Peter Limacher, Dirk Sutterlin, Rainer Hocker, Christoph Gossweiler
  • Patent number: 8578786
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement for determining a chemical and/or physical, measured variable-especially a volume flow and/or mass flow-of a measured material flowing through a pipeline, wherein the measuring arrangement comprises a measuring transducer, wherein the measuring transducer includes at least one optical waveguide, which serves for producing, registering and/or transmitting measurement signals, and wherein the registering of the measuring signals in the optical waveguide occurs by means of a Fabry-Pérot sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Martin Hertel, Rainer Hocker