Method and apparatus for monitoring a flowable material in a transportable vessel
First Claim
1. A method of successively monitoring selected ones of the level and quantity of flowable material contained in a plurality of transportable vessels located at a loading/unloading facility, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of like microwave lens/seal assemblies, each being permanently affixed to one of the vessels in sealing relationship with an opening provided therein and in facing relationship with the surface of the material contained therein;
(b) successively transporting each of the vessels to the loading/unloading facility;
(c) releasably attaching to each of the vessels a microwave transceiver assembly that emits microwave signals through the lens/seal assembly affixed to that vessel toward the surface of the material and that receives reflected microwave signals from the surface of the material through the lens/seal assembly;
(d) providing a controller/processor assembly operatively connected to the transceiver assembly for controlling the emission of the microwave signals and for determining from the reflected microwave signals the distance between the transceiver assembly and the surface of the material in the vessel to which the transceiver assembly is releasably attached;
(f) disconnecting the microwave transceiver assembly from each of the vessels; and
(g) transporting each of the vessels away from the loading/unloading facility.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for monitoring the level of flowable material contained in a transportable vessel that utilizes microwave gauging technology. The system includes a microwave lens/seal assembly, a microwave transceiver assembly, a controller/processor assembly and a computer. The lens/seal assembly is permanently secured to the vessel. The microwave transceiver assembly is adapted to be releasably attached to the vessel. The controller/processor assembly and the computer may be located at a loading/unloading facility.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of successively monitoring selected ones of the level and quantity of flowable material contained in a plurality of transportable vessels located at a loading/unloading facility, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a plurality of like microwave lens/seal assemblies, each being permanently affixed to one of the vessels in sealing relationship with an opening provided therein and in facing relationship with the surface of the material contained therein; (b) successively transporting each of the vessels to the loading/unloading facility; (c) releasably attaching to each of the vessels a microwave transceiver assembly that emits microwave signals through the lens/seal assembly affixed to that vessel toward the surface of the material and that receives reflected microwave signals from the surface of the material through the lens/seal assembly; (d) providing a controller/processor assembly operatively connected to the transceiver assembly for controlling the emission of the microwave signals and for determining from the reflected microwave signals the distance between the transceiver assembly and the surface of the material in the vessel to which the transceiver assembly is releasably attached; (f) disconnecting the microwave transceiver assembly from each of the vessels; and (g) transporting each of the vessels away from the loading/unloading facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for successively monitoring the selected ones of the level and quantity of flowable material contained in a plurality of transportable vessels located at a loading/unloading facility, said system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of microwave lens/seal means each being adapted to be permanently affixed to a different one of a plurality of transportable vessels in sealing relationship with an opening provided therein and in facing relationship with the surface of the material contained therein; (b) a microwave transceiver means adapted to be releasably attached to successive ones of the plurality of vessels for emitting microwave signals through the lens/seal means permanently affixed to that vessel toward the surface of the material therewithin and for receiving reflected microwave signals from the surface of the material through the lens/seal assembly; and (c) a controller/processor assembly means operatively connected to said transceiver assembly means for controlling the emission of the microwave signals and for determining from the reflected microwave signals the distance between the transceiver assembly and the surface of the material in the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A separable microwave assembly for use in monitoring selected ones of the level and quantity of flowable material contained in each of a plurality of transportable vessels, said assembly comprising:
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(a) a microwave lens/seal support means adapted to be permanently mounted to each of a plurality of vessels, each of said support means including a lens/seal means in sealing relationship with an opening in one said vessel in facing relationship with the surface of the material contained in said vessel; and (b) a microwave transceiver means adapted to be releasably connected and disconnected to said support means of each of a plurality of vessels for emitting microwave signals through said lens/seal means toward the surface of the material and for receiving reflected microwave signals from the surface of the materials through said lens/seal assembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification