Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Drahm

Wolfgang Drahm 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).

  • Publication number: 20100281999
    Abstract: A method for determining tube wall thickness of at least one measuring tube of a Coriolis, flow measuring device, wherein the Coriolis, flow measuring device has an oscillatory system, which includes at least one measuring tube, and at least one exciter, by which the oscillatory system is excitable to execute mechanical oscillations. In the method, at least one excitation input variable of the at least one exciter and at least one response variable of oscillations of the oscillatory system caused thereby are registered. Additionally, a tube wall thickness of the at least one measuring tube is ascertained by inserting the excitation input variable and the response variable into a transfer equation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec
    Inventors: Marcel Braum, Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder, Hao Zhu
  • Publication number: 20100281998
    Abstract: A method for detecting blockage of a measuring tube of a Coriolis flow measuring device, which has at least two measuring tubes. For this, the at least two measuring tubes are excited by at least one exciter to execute mechanical oscillations, mechanical oscillations of the measuring tubes are registered by at least one sensor and at least one measurement signal representing the mechanical oscillations is produced. At least one produced measurement signal is analyzed for the occurrence of a deviation of a resonance frequency of one measuring tube relative to a resonance frequency of the at least one other measuring tube. In case such a deviation occurs, blockage of a measuring tube is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec
    Inventors: Marcel Braun, Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder, Hao Zhu
  • Patent number: 7788046
    Abstract: A medium to be measured is allowed to flow through a measuring tube of a flow meter and a magnetic field passing at least sectionally with a time-varying intensity through the medium in the measuring tube is produced in such a manner that a measurement voltage is induced at least at times, especially in a clocked manner, in the medium. The measurement voltage induced in the medium is tapped, at least at times, by means of an electrode pair formed by first and second measuring electrodes for producing an analog measurement signal corresponding with the measurement voltage, and a flow-type of the medium located in the measuring tube, as determined by an instantaneous flow profile and/or an instantaneous composition of the flowing medium, is ascertained with application of a digital signal representing the at least one measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Frank Schmalzried, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7698957
    Abstract: A measurement transducer includes: At least one interconnected system formed by means of at least two components, especially components of metal. At least the first component of the interconnected system is, in such case, embodied as a composite, formed part composed of at least two materials, which differ from one another with respect to at least one physical and/or chemical property, especially a material density, melting temperature, coefficient of thermal expansion and/or modulus of elasticity, etc. As a result of using at least one composite component, the at least two components of the interconnected system can be bonded together lastingly and reliably, especially by means of welding, such being true especially also for the case in which the interconnected system is a bi-, or poly-, metal, interconnected system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Wolfgang Drahm, Rainer Lorenz
  • Patent number: 7665369
    Abstract: The measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, and serving for conveying medium to be measured; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on an inlet-side, to form a first coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on an outlet-side, to form a second coupling zone; at least one oscillation exciter for driving at least the measuring tube; as well as at least one oscillation sensor for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube. During operation, the measuring tube executes, at least at times and/or at least in part, bending oscillations about an imaginary bending oscillation axis, which imaginarily connects the two coupling zones with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Enio Bitto, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schütze, Michael Fuchs, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Wiesmann
  • Patent number: 7658115
    Abstract: A measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating at least at times and serving for conveying medium to be measured; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on an inlet-side, to form a first coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on an outlet-side, to form a second coupling zone; an exciter mechanism for driving at least the measuring tube; as well as a sensor arrangement for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube. During operation, the measuring tube executes, at least at times and/or at least in part, bending oscillations about an imaginary bending oscillation axis, which imaginarily connects the two coupling zones with one another. Additionally, at least a first spring element and a second spring element are included, with each of the at least two spring elements being affixed to the measuring tube and the counteroscillator spaced both from each of the two coupling zones as well as also from the exciter mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Patent number: 7654153
    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: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7634939
    Abstract: The viscometer comprises a vibratory transducer with at least one flow tube for conducting a fluid to be measured and for producing friction forces acting in the fluid. To vibrate the at least one flow tube, an excitation assembly is provided, which in operation is traversed by an excitation current. To generate the excitation current and a viscosity value representing the viscosity of the fluid, the viscometer includes meter electronics which are connected to, and supplied with electric power from, a two-wire process control loop. The meter electronics feed a viscosity signal corresponding to the measured viscosity value into the two-wire process control loop. The viscometer is suitable for measuring a fluid flowing in a pipe, particularly in potentially explosive atmospheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder, Christian Matt
  • Publication number: 20090241646
    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: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowter AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7562586
    Abstract: An inline measuring device comprising a measurement pickup of vibration-type and measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the measurement pickup. The measurement pickup includes at least one, essentially straight measuring tube, an exciter mechanism acting on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate, during operation, with torsional oscillations about a torsional oscillation axis, and 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. The measuring device electronics delivers, at least at times, an exciter signal driving the exciter mechanism and generates, by means of at least one of: the at least one oscillation measurement signal and the exciter signal, at least one measured value, which represents at least one physical, measured variable of the medium to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Publication number: 20090173169
    Abstract: The measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, and serving for conveying medium to be measured; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on an inlet-side, to form a first coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on an outlet-side, to form a second coupling zone; at least one oscillation exciter for driving at least the measuring tube; as well as at least one oscillation sensor for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube. During operation, the measuring tube executes, at least at times and/or at least in part, bending oscillations about an imaginary bending oscillation axis, which imaginarily connects the two coupling zones with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Endrees + Hasuer Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Enio Bitto, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schutze, Michael Fuchs, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Wiesmann
  • Publication number: 20090145244
    Abstract: A measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating at least at times and serving for conveying medium to be measured; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on an inlet-side, to form a first coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on an outlet-side, to form a second coupling zone; an exciter mechanism for driving at least the measuring tube; as well as a sensor arrangement for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube. During operation, the measuring tube executes, at least at times and/or at least in part, bending oscillations about an imaginary bending oscillation axis, which imaginarily connects the two coupling zones with one another. Additionally, at least a first spring element and a second spring element are included, with each of the at least two spring elements being affixed to the measuring tube and the counteroscillator spaced both from each of the two coupling zones as well as also from the exciter mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20090139349
    Abstract: A measurement transducer includes: At least one interconnected system formed by means of at least two components, especially components of metal. At least the first component of the interconnected system is, in such case, embodied as a composite, formed part composed of at least two materials, which differ from one another with respect to at least one physical and/or chemical property, especially a material density, melting temperature, coefficient of thermal expansion and/or modulus of elasticity, etc. As a result of using at least one composite component, the at least two components of the interconnected system can be bonded together lastingly and reliably, especially by means of welding, such being true especially also for the case in which the interconnected system is a bi-, or poly-, metal, interconnected system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Ennio Bitto, Rainer Lorenz
  • Patent number: 7523662
    Abstract: The process meter comprises a sensor that can be mounted in a wall of a vessel for holding or conveying a process medium, and a meter-electronics case mechanically coupled to the sensor. In operation, the electronics case is at least intermittently subjected to vibrations either generated in the sensor itself or transmitted via the sensor. To reduce amplitudes of such vibrations of the electronics case, at least one vibration absorber is affixed to a wall of the electronics case. This vibration absorber is vibrated at least intermittently in order to dissipate vibrational energy taken into the electronic case. By the suppression of such case vibrations, spurious components in the measurement signal can be reduced to the point that a significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Helmut Zeislmeier, Alfred Rieder, Gabriele Fröhlich
  • Patent number: 7520162
    Abstract: A vibration meter and a method of measuring a viscosity of a fluid flowing through a pipe are disclosed. The vibration meter comprises meter electronics and a transducer assembly with an electromechanical excitation arrangement and with a flow tube which oscillates in operation. A sensor arrangement produces sensor signals representative of inlet-side and outlet-side deflections of the flow tube. An evaluation circuit derives from said sensor signals and from an excitation current generated by an excitation circuit for the excitation arrangement a viscosity value representative of the viscosity of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Wenger, Michael Fuchs, Christian Matt, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7509879
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7490521
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: 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: 7475603
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: 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: 7472607
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michal Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20080288933
    Abstract: An installed hardware of a measuring field device includes at least one transducer reacting during operation to a chemical and/or physical, measured variable of a pourable and/or flowable medium, especially a pourable or flowable bulk good, liquid, gas or the like, as well as a microcomputer communicating during operation with the transducer. The field device is first installed by means of the transducer on, and/or in a process vessel serving for conveying and/or holding pourable and/or flowable media for forming a process measuring point. Thereafter, the microcomputer is booted and a basic software held in a memory provided within the field device for providing, at least in part, basic functionalities of the field device is activated in such a manner that the basic software is executable by means of the microcomputer so that, in the interaction of basic software and hardware installed in the field device, the basic functionalities of the field device are available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Thomas Budmiger, Michael Kirst, Wolfgang Drahm, Simon Stingelin