With Magnetic Property (e.g., Paramagnetic Gas) Patents (Class 73/25.02)
  • Patent number: 8847579
    Abstract: An apparatus for the measurement of the magnetic susceptibility of a gas mixture comprises: a gas sample chamber (8) adapted to receive the gas mixture; a test body (1) rotatably suspended within the gas sample chamber; magnets (10) within the gas sample chamber; a compact optical system for detecting rotation of the test body (1) including a light source (12), photodetectors (13) arranged to detect a light signal, and a mirror (5) attached to the test body (1). An actuation system is arranged to keep the test body (1) substantially at a null position. The optical system comprises at least one photodetector positioned on each side of the light source. The light source is arranged to emit a light beam towards the test body. The photo detectors are arranged to each detect an edge of a light beam reflected from the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Servomex Group Limited
    Inventors: Richard P. Kovacich, Colin G. Stocks, Christopher R. Edwards, James D. Hobby
  • Patent number: 8596109
    Abstract: A device for measuring the concentrations of paramagnetic gases in a gas sample has at least one modulatable magnetic flux source, which has an air gap, to which a gas sample can be fed. A controllable power source, for generating current and voltage signals, is coupled with the modulatable magnetic flux source in order to generate a modulatable magnetic flux within the air gap. Two measuring points are arranged at least partly within the air gap. Each measuring point has an electrically controllable heating device and a heat conduction-measuring unit or resistive measuring device. Each measuring point is coupled with a variable power source to heat the heating device to a working temperature. Each measuring point is coupled with a measuring circuit to measure heat conduction measured signals generated by the heat conduction-measuring unit, from which the concentrations of paramagnetic gases, which are contained in the gas sample, can be derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Dräger Medical GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Stark, Peter Dreyer, Alfred Kelm, Günter Steinert, Anja Künzel
  • Publication number: 20120266656
    Abstract: A device for generating a magnetic field, the device comprises a coil configured to respond to an electric current, a magnetic core comprising poles configured to generate a magnetic field close to the poles, wherein the magnetic field makes a paramagnetic gas component vibrate and emit an acoustic signal, wherein the magnetic core is surrounded at least partly by the coil, and a substrate at least partly covered by the magnetic core and the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventor: Pekka Tuomo MERILAINEN
  • Patent number: 8220311
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device for measuring concentration of a paramagnetic gas is provided. The device comprises a measuring cell having a closed cavity therein, a reference gas conduit extending into the cavity for supplying a reference gas to the measuring cell, the reference gas comprising a predetermined concentration of the paramagnetic gas, a measurable gas conduit extending into the cavity for supplying a measurable gas to the measuring cell, the measurable gas comprising a measurable concentration of the paramagnetic gas, a first microphone differentially coupled to the measurable gas conduit and the reference gas conduit, and a second microphone located at a predetermined distance from the reference gas conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mika Harri Juhani Hietala
  • Publication number: 20120131988
    Abstract: A gas sensor is described which incorporates a sensor stack comprising a first film layer of a ferromagnetic material, a spacer layer, and a second film layer of the ferromagnetic material. The first film layer is fabricated so that it exhibits a dependence of its magnetic anisotropy direction on the presence of a gas, That is, the orientation of the easy axis of magnetization will flip from out-of-plane to in-plane when the gas to be detected is present in sufficient concentration. By monitoring the change in resistance of the sensor stack when the orientation of the first layer's magnetization changes, and correlating that change with temperature one can determine both the identity and relative concentration of the detected gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Andreas K. Schmid, Arantzazu Mascaraque, Benito Santos, Juan de la Figuera
  • Publication number: 20110252868
    Abstract: A device for measuring the concentrations of paramagnetic gases in a gas sample has at least one modulatable magnetic flux source, which has an air gap, to which a gas sample can be fed. A controllable power source, for generating current and voltage signals, is coupled with the modulatable magnetic flux source in order to generate a modulatable magnetic flux within the air gap. Two measuring points are arranged at least partly within the air gap. Each measuring point has an electrically controllable heating device and a heat conduction-measuring unit or resistive measuring device. Each measuring point is coupled with a variable power source to heat the heating device to a working temperature. Each measuring point is coupled with a measuring circuit to measure heat conduction measured signals generated by the heat conduction-measuring unit, from which the concentrations of paramagnetic gases, which are contained in the gas sample, can be derived.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: DRAGER MEDICAL GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf DÖRING, Anja KÜNZEL, Peter DREYER, Alfred KELM, Hartmut STARK, Günter STEINERT
  • Publication number: 20110132070
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device for measuring concentration of a paramagnetic gas is provided. The device comprises a measuring cell having a closed cavity therein, a reference gas conduit extending into the cavity for supplying a reference gas to the measuring cell, the reference gas comprising a predetermined concentration of the paramagnetic gas, a measurable gas conduit extending into the cavity for supplying a measurable gas to the measuring cell, the measurable gas comprising a measurable concentration of the paramagnetic gas, a first microphone differentially coupled to the measurable gas conduit and the reference gas conduit, and a second microphone located at a predetermined distance from the reference gas conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Mika Harri Juhani Hietala
  • Patent number: 7931716
    Abstract: A cleaning appliance includes a main body, a filter and an interlock. The main body includes an airflow generator, a separating apparatus separating dirt and dust from an airflow, and a flowpath between the separating apparatus and the airflow generator delimited by a wall. The interlock has a first part located on the filter and a second part located on the main body outside the flowpath, arranged to communicate remotely when the filter is correctly located in the pre-determined position. The interlock is arranged selectively to allow or prevent operation of the airflow generator depending upon the relative separation between the first and second parts. By providing an interlock which has first and second parts which communicate remotely, the second part located on the main body can be isolated from the airflow path so that the second part is not subject to dirt and dust carried by the airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: George Francis Paul Oakham
  • Publication number: 20110011159
    Abstract: The device for measuring the oxygen content in a gas mixture comprises three flow channels, a main channel, a measuring channel and a reference channel, over which the gas stream is distributed. By using a non-homogeneous magnetic field produced by a magnet, the gas flow is deflected into the measuring channel as a function of oxygen content; at the same time, the flow in the reference channel is reduced. The oxygen content of the gas is determined by means of a flow measurement of the volume flow of gas in the measuring or reference channel by means of resistance thermometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Jörg Müller, Stefan Vonderschmidt
  • Patent number: 7752886
    Abstract: The invention concerns a gas analyzer, which comprises: an electromagnet that has an air gap; a power source for supplying cyclically variable electrical current/voltage to said electromagnet; a sample gas conduit and a reference gas conduit opening into said air gap; an exit conduit communicating with said air gap for removing the intermixed sample and reference gases; pressure detecting microphone or microphones connected to said sample gas conduit and to said reference gas conduit for sensing gas pressures at a first acoustic measuring frequency in the respective conduits giving at least one acoustic pressure signal component; and electronics connected to said microphone(s) to receive said acoustic pressure signal component or components to form at least a first intermediate output signal describing content of a paramagnetic gas component in the sample gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Heikki Haveri, Kurt Weckström
  • Patent number: 7726176
    Abstract: The invention relates to paramagnetic gas analyzer with a housing, comprising: an electromagnet with an air gap; power source for said electromagnet; a sample gas conduit and a reference gas conduit into said air gap; an exit conduit communicating with said air gap for removing the intermixed gases; pressure detecting microphones connected to said sample gas conduit and to said reference gas conduit for sensing the gas pressures; as well as electronics. The pressure detecting microphones comprise two independent microphonic membranes that are parallel to each other, their pressure surfaces being to the same direction, or to the opposite directions. The electrical outputs of the microphones provide signals that are proportional to gas pressures in the sample gas and reference gas conduits, and that are further processed in the electronics to eliminate effects of mechanical shocks or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Heikki Haveri
  • Patent number: 7102346
    Abstract: A measuring cell for use in apparatus for the measurement of the magnetic characteristics of a gas comprises means (5) defining a chamber (3) in which a test element (11) is suspended such as to be able to rotate about an axis, and means de inlet (1) and outlet port (4) means by which gas may flow through said chamber (3). The inlet port means is configured to cause the gas to flow in a substantially laminar flow regime. The chamber comprises a first portion (2) configured to cause the laminar gas flow to break up into a turbulent flow regime, and a second portion arranged to contain said test element. The gas flow enters from the first portion and enters the chamber in a flow pattern symmetrical in relation to the suspension position of the test element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Servomex Group Ltd.
    Inventors: James Hobby, Danny Holman
  • Patent number: 7040140
    Abstract: A device for suspension of a sample body which rotates in space about a rotation axis which is in a fixed position or is related to a fixed position, as a function of the intensity of a measurement effect. In order to ensure that a sample mass is mounted in the device securely and such that it can rotate very largely without any lateral movement, the suspension, which has at least two springs, for the sample body is designed to be planar in a rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas L. Bauer, Albrecht Vogel, Peter Krippner, Manfred Wetzko, Christian J. Schmidt, Antonio Ruzzu, Rolf Merte
  • Patent number: 6952947
    Abstract: A measuring head for the determination of the concentration of a paramagnetic gas in a gas sample has first and second housing parts (21, 2) made of a steel alloy for accommodating a magnet coil body (4, 5) each. The magnet coil bodies extend concentrically around the central axis of each housing part (21, 2). Metallic bars (31, 3), which are used as magnet poles for the measuring head, are located at spaced locations with a defined air gap in the assembled state of the measuring head. The bars are arranged in the center of the measuring head in the area of the central axis of the housing parts (21, 2). A sample gas cuvette support (6) is provided in the air gap between the housing parts (21, 2) for positioning a sample gas cuvette holder (1). The sample gas cuvette support (6) is provided with a gas inlet and gas outlet (8, 81).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Dräger Medical AG & Co., KGaA
    Inventors: Günter Steinert, Alfred Kelm, Hans-Ulrich Hansmann, Hartmut Stark, Peter Dreyer
  • Patent number: 6918283
    Abstract: An apparatus for demonstrating, investigating and observing Brownian motion and temperature of a medium, such as gas or liquid, uses a small particle which is diamagnetically suspended in the medium. The tiny magnetized particle having a known mass is levitated using a diamagnetic technique, and the displacement of the particle over time is observable, which can be used to determine a temperature of the medium. Optionally, a second particle is suspended in a vacuum but mechanically connected to the same apparatus as the first enclosure with the first particle, thereby allowing observation and measurement of non-Brownian movement of the structure, and allowing more precise observation of Brownian movement effects on the first suspended particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Viktors Berstis
  • Patent number: 6895802
    Abstract: A highly compact measuring gas cell for a device for measuring the concentration of a paramagnetic gas on the basis of the change in the thermal conductivity of the paramagnetic gas, which is brought about by a change in the magnetic field. The measuring gas cell has a bottom plate (1) that carries a measuring element (1.4) for the detection of the thermal conductivity of the measured gas, electric leads, an electric measuring gas cell heater (1.2) and a temperature-dependent electric sensor element (1.3) for the detection of the temperature of the measuring gas cell. A channel plate (2) is cut out for the gas guide in the area of the measuring element (1.4) and around the measuring element (1.4). A cover plate (3), seals the measuring gas cell in the upward direction and has at least two holes for the inlet and outlet of the gas into and out of the gas guide of the channel plate (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Dräger Medical AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Hartmut Stark, Alfred Kelm, Günter Steinert, Hans Hansmann, Peter Dreyer
  • Patent number: 6739179
    Abstract: A measuring device for determining the oxygen content in gases is described. The measuring device is disposed between two magnets that are positioned at a distance from one another. The measuring device is equipped with a sensor that is held rotatably within a frame. The sensor has two parallelepipedic bodies that are both made hollow or solid and are connected to one another via a web-shaped structural element. The web-shaped structural element is fastened to the frame via at least one holding element, so that the sensor can be rotated about its center of gravity. The amount of rotation is dependent on the quantity of oxygen that is concentrated between the two magnets. A current can be conducted through a conductor track led on the surface of the sensor and generates a correspondingly high restoring force by which the sensor is brought into the position of rest again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Albrecht Vogel, Dieter Binz, Manfred Wetzko, Peter Krippner
  • Publication number: 20040083789
    Abstract: A highly compact measuring gas cell for a device for measuring the concentration of a paramagnetic gas on the basis of the change in the thermal conductivity of the paramagnetic gas, which is brought about by a change in the magnetic field. The measuring gas cell has a bottom plate (1) that carries a measuring element (1.4) for the detection of the thermal conductivity of the measured gas, electric leads, an electric measuring gas cell heater (1.2) and a temperature-dependent electric sensor element (1.3) for the detection of the temperature of the measuring gas cell. A channel plate (2) is cut out for the gas guide in the area of the measuring element (1.4) and around the measuring element (1.4). A cover plate (3), seals the measuring gas cell in the upward direction and has at least two holes for the inlet and outlet of the gas into and out of the gas guide of the channel plate (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Hartmut Stark, Alfred Kelm, Gunter Steinert, Hans Hansmann, Peter Dreyer
  • Publication number: 20040045340
    Abstract: A measuring head for the determination of the concentration of a paramagnetic gas in a gas sample has first and second housing parts (21, 2) made of a steel alloy for accommodating a magnet coil body (4, 5) each. The magnet coil bodies extend concentrically around the central axis of each housing part (21, 2). Metallic bars (31, 3), which are used as magnet poles for the measuring head, are located at spaced locations with a defined air gap in the assembled state of the measuring head. The bars are arranged in the center of the measuring head in the area of the central axis of the housing parts (21, 2). A sample gas cuvette support (6) is provided in the air gap between the housing parts (21, 2) for positioning a sample gas cuvette holder (1). The sample gas cuvette support (6) is provided with a gas inlet and gas outlet (8, 81).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Gunter Steinert, Alfred Kelm, Hans-Ulrich Hansmann, Hartmut Stark, Peter Dreyer
  • Patent number: 6520001
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of determining the relative proportions of gases in a mixture, such that the relative proportions of N gases are determined using N-1 sensors, not all of which are specific to a particular gas. In the preferred embodiment, oxygen and carbon dioxide are measured in the presence of nitrogen by measuring magnetic susceptibility and speed of sound. The described method of gas analysis leads to very fast response times and exceptional stability, making the technology suitable for breath-by-breath analysis of respired air. Notably, the method does not require high-temperature components, electrochemical cells, or consumable components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Life Measurement, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Dempster, John Payne
  • Patent number: 6430987
    Abstract: The object is to improve an apparatus for measuring the concentration of a paramagnetic gas in a gas sample, in such a way a measurement signal with a low noise ratio is obtained. The apparatus proposed according to the invention is characterized by a modulatable magnetic field source 4, 5, 6, 7 with an air gap 3 as a measuring chamber for receiving the gas sample; a modulation source 26 for outputting a modulation signal to the magnetic field source 4, 5, 6, 7; a measuring element 8, disposed inside the air gap 3 and heated to an operating temperature, for outputting a heat flow measurement signal; a filter device 28, 29, for filtering periodic fluctuations out, caused by the modulation of the magnetic field source, from the heat flow measurement signal caused by the modulation of the magnetic field source, the amplitude of the periodic fluctuations, being a measure for the proportion of the gas in the gas sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Drager Medizintechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Hartmut Stark
  • Patent number: 6414093
    Abstract: A protecting tube 51 is disposed inside the mixed phase container 1 with one end fixed to the inside of the mixed phase container 1 and the other end projecting freely into the mixed phase container 1. A detecting rod 60 is inserted into the free end of said protecting tube 51 and fixed to the protecting tube 51 with a part of the detecting rod 60. Magnets 61 are mounted in a uniform magnetic flux on the free end of the detecting rod 60 and is movable about a point F1 of the detecting rod 60 as a fulcrum. Agglomerates 20 in the mixed phase container 1 are detected by measuring magnetic flux fluctuations produced by movement of the magnets 61.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Koji Takimiya, Tsutomu Konaka, Mitsuru Tamura
  • Patent number: 6405578
    Abstract: A magnetic oxygen analyzer which employes a detector comprising a magnetic pole, heat generator arranged in a non-uniform magnetic field where the intensity of a magnetic field produced by the magnetic pole varies, and a magnetic wind sensor disposed to not be affected by heat produced by the heat generator. A change in electrical resistance of the sensor, caused by change in magnetic wind strength, is detected as the oxygen concentration of a mixed gas. The magnetic wind is caused by the magnetic field produced by the magnetic pole and by heat produced by the heater and is related to the oxygen concentration of the mixed gas exposed to the analyzer. Advantageously, the analyzer of the invention provides improved signal to noise ratio, is immune to ambient temperature, and eliminates the need for precise temperature control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuuji Chiba, Hideaki Yamagishi, Masayuki Sato
  • Patent number: 6389880
    Abstract: A magnetic wind oxygen sensing device provides a local magnetic field defined by magnetic pole pieces, and employs a plurality of thermal elements in a bridge in the local magnetic field to measure oxygen concentration in a surrounding gas mixture, creating a magnetic wind and determining the thermal effects induced in sensing elements as a result of the wind. A pair of sensing elements are positioned such that one lies upstream and one downstream of each wind generator, and both are substantially in thermal equilibrium with adjacent gas so they are unaffected by changes in thermal capacity of background gas components. When oxygen is present, the two sensing elements are passively cooled below, and heated above the temperature set by a local heater, respectively. In the absence of oxygen, the sensors reside at the same temperature, so they are self zero-ing, and this zero point does not shift when background gases with differing thermal characteristics are present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Panametrics, Inc.
    Inventor: Emilio Meyer
  • Publication number: 20010045121
    Abstract: A magnetic oxygen analyzer which employes a detector comprising a magnetic pole, heat generator arranged in a non-uniform magnetic field where the intensity of a magnetic field produced by the magnetic pole varies, and a magnetic wind sensor disposed to not be affected by heat produced by the heat genera-to. A change in resistance of the sensor, caused by change in magnetic wind strength, is detected as the oxygen concentration of a mixed gas. The magnetic wind is caused by the magnetic field produced by the magnetic pole and by heat produced by the heater and is related to the oxygen concentration of the mixed gas exposed to the analyzer. Advantageously, the analyzer of the invention provides improved signal to noise ratio, is immune to ambient temperature, and eliminates the need for precise temperature control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Ryuuji Chiba, Hideaki Yamagishi, Masayuki Sato
  • Patent number: 6263722
    Abstract: A magnetomechanical gas analyzer such a paramagnetic oxygen analyzer which has a dumbbell which is rotatably suspended in the region of action of an inhomogeneous magnetic field and around which a gas to be measured flows. The dumbbell is connected, fixed in rotation, to a mirror for deflecting a light beam. In order to damp in the analyzer all kinds of oscillations which have a negative effect on stability in the balance point, and to increase the detectability and the speed of the measurement, there are least two electrically conductive surface segments which are essentially perpendicular to one another are arranged for eddy-current damping on the dumbbell or in the mechanical gearing on the dumbbell and in the region of action of the inhomogeneous magnetic field. One of the surface segments may be the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Hartmann & Braun GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Fabinski, Thomas Bauer
  • Patent number: 6246227
    Abstract: A gas measurement cell has a measurement element suspended to oscillate about a suspension axis in a magnetic field. A coil which oscillates with the element may have electrical signals applied to it to initiate oscillation and also provides an output whereby the frequency of oscillation can be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventors: James Hobby, Danny Holman, Riad Mouhamed Adel Kocache