Flexible position probe assembly

• US 4,052,686 A
• Filed: 10/16/1975
• Issued: 10/04/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schmitz, Johannes J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kozma, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US05/622,918
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 340/282, 340/201 R, 340/244 A, 340/244 C, 340/196, 340/421, 324/34, 324/37, 73/432 R, 250/358 P, 250/497, 250/321, 336/173, 336/174, 336/199, 336/208, 336/65, 336/185, 336/233
• US Class Current: 336/65
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2258 by a movable ferromagnetic element, e.g. core
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/72 using magnetically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/12 Sensitive element forming part of control element
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 29/10 having movable part of magnetic circuit high leakage transformers H01F38/08; dynamo-electric machines with movable part of magnetic circuit H02K23/44, H02K23/48
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

The combination of a plurality of tubular transducer sections, and a flexible supporting member extending through the tubular transducer sections forms a flexible elongated probe of a design suitable for monitoring the level of an element, such as a nuclear magnetically permeable control rod or liquid.

Claims

1. A flexible probe assembly comprising a plurality of tubular transducer sections, an elongated flexible support member extending through said tubular transducer sections, said elongated flexible support member being a flat strip element which supports bending in two directions, the tubular passage through said tubular sections including grooves to accommodate said flat strip element such that said flat strip element divides the tubular passage formed by said adjacent tubular transducer sections into two internal passages extending the length of said probe assembly, and means for maintaining adjacent tubular transducer sections in mechanical contact, said means in combination with said elongated flexible support member permitting mechanical flexing of said probe assembly.

2. A flexible probe assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said tubular transducer sections includes electrical leads which extend through said internal passages for connection to electrical circuitry.

3. A flexible probe assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tubular transducer sections are transformers having a primary and secondary winding, the electrical leads associated with said primary windings extending through one of said internal passages, and the electrical leads associated with the secondary windings extending through the other of said internal passages.