Piezoelectric transducer assemblies and methods for their use

• US 6,484,589 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sena Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SenX Technology LLC
• Inventors: Brock, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARBER, CHARLES D
• Application Number:
  US09/870,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 738/611.8, 738/665, 737/54, 737/21, 737/06, 737/07, 737/15, 737/27
• US Class Current: 73/861.18
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/05 Pressure after the pump outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/06 Pressure in a (hydraulic) circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/06 Pumps having fluid drive
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/106 using pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors

Abstract

Piezoelectric transducer assemblies that are useful for the monitoring of the gas output from a gas driven pump, wherein the assembly is not an integral part of the input or output flow stream of the material being pumped, but is used to monitor the exhaust gas flow of the gas driven pump.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric transducer assembly comprising:

an insertable transducer retainer assembly comprising a housing having an outside surface, a front and a back, said back having centered therein, a hub, said centered hub having a centered opening therethrough and said centered hub being integrally connected to said retainer assembly, said outside surface having a fastening means thereon and a tapered front outside circumferential edge;

said insertable transducer retainer assembly having a first circular opening in the front, said first circular opening having a circular piezoelectric transducer disposed therein;

said piezoelectric transducer having a bottom surface and a top surface, said piezoelectric transducer having electrical leads connected to the bottom surface thereof;

a second opening in the front, deeper than the first circular opening and having a lesser diameter than the diameter of the first circular opening;

the centered opening in the centered hub continuing on through the transducer retainer assembly housing and opening into the second opening to provide a continuous channel through the transducer retainer assembly that exits at the hub;

a receiving transducer retainer assembly comprising a housing, said receiving transducer retainer assembly housing having a front and a back, the back having centered therein a hub integrally mounted thereon, said receiving transducer retainer hub having a back and a front and being lesser in diameter than the diameter of the receiving transducer retainer assembly housing, the front of said receiving transducer retainer assembly having located therein an opening, said receiving transducer retainer assembly opening having an interior surface and a bottom;

the interior surface having disposed thereon, fastening means compatible with the fastening means of the insertable transducer retainer assembly, said opening having a tapered circumferential edge at the bottom;

a saucer-like depression below the bottom of the opening in the receiving transducer retainer assembly, said saucer-like depression having a bottom, the surface area of the top of the saucer-like depression being relative to the surface area of the top of the piezoelectric transducer, said surface area relationship having a ratio in the range of from zero to 1;

1;

a channeled opening from the bottom of the saucer-like depression through the center of the receiving transducer retainer hub, the interior of the receiving transducer retainer hub having an adapting means for adapting the receiving transducer retainer assembly to a pump, said pump being a gas pump.

2. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is also present, at least one protective disk surmounting the piezoelectric transducer.

3. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

4. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the compressible material is selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) silicone polymer,

(ii) urethane polymer,

(iii) epoxy polymer,

(iv) acrylic polymer,

(v) fluoropolymers,

(vi) polyvinyl alcohol polymer, and

(vii) polyvinyl acetate polymer.

5. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is also present at least one stiffener disk surmounting the piezoelectric transducer.

6. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the stiffener disk is surmounted by a protective disk.

7. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

8. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the compressible material is selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) silicone polymer,

(ii) urethane polymer,

(iii) epoxy polymer,

(iv) acrylic polymer,

(v) fluoropolymers,

(vi) polyvinyl alcohol polymer, and

(vii) polyvinyl acetate polymer.

9. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is also present an adhesive tape surmounting the piezoelectric transducer.

10. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein the adhesive tape is surmounted by a protective disk.

11. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 9 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

12. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the compressible material is selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) silicone polymer,

(ii) urethane polymer,

(iii) epoxy polymer,

(iv) acrylic polymer,

(v) fluoropolymers,

(vi) polyvinyl alcohol polymer, and

(vii) polyvinyl acetate polymer.

13. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 9 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

14. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein the compressible material is selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) silicone polymer,

(ii) urethane polymer,

(iii) epoxy polymer,

(iv) acrylic polymer,

(v) fluoropolymers,

(vi) polyvinyl alcohol polymer, and

(vii) polyvinyl acetate polymer.

15. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

16. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein the compressible material is selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) silicone polymer,

(ii) urethane polymer,

(iii) epoxy polymer,

(iv) acrylic polymer,

(v) fluoropolymers,

(vi) polyvinyl alcohol polymer, and

(vii) polyvinyl acetate polymer.

17. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening, a stiffener disk surmounting the piezoelectric transducer, a protective cover surmounting the stiffener disk.

18. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening, an adhesive tape surmounting the piezoelectric transducer, a stiffener disk surmounting the adhesive.

19. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening, an adhesive tape surmounting the piezoelectric transducer, a stiffener disk surmounting the adhesive tape, a protective cover surmounting the stiffener disk.

20. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric transducer is manufactured from a material selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) stainless steel,

(ii) ceramic,

(iii) brass, and

(iv) plastic film.

21. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insertable transducer retainer assembly and the receiving transducer retainer assembly are manufactured from a solid material.

22. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein the solid material is selected from the group consisting essentially of:

i. polyethylene

ii. polypropylene,

iii. fluorinated polymers selected from;

a polytetrafluoroethylene,

b. fluorinated ethylenepropylene,

c. perfluoroalkoxys copolymers,

d. polychlorotrifluoroethylene,

e. ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, and,

f. polyvinylidene fluoride,

iv. silicone polymers,

v. nylon,

vi. synthetic resins,

vii. metals selected from;

a. aluminum,

b. copper, and,

c. alloys of aluminum and copper.

23. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein the solid material is a regulatory agency approved or compliant material, wherein the regulatory agency is selected from the group consisting essentially of:

A. United States Food and Drug Administration,

B. United States Department of Agriculture,

C. Canada AG,

D. National Sanitation Foundation, and

E. 3A Dairy.

24. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein the solid material is polytetrafluoroethylene.

25. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insertable transducer retainer assembly and the receiving transducer retainer assembly are manufactured from solid polypropylene.

26. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 that is configured as a gas diffuser for a gas pump.

27. In combination, a gas pump and a piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas pump and the piezoelectric transducer assembly are operably connected to allow the monitoring of the gas pump.

28. A system for monitoring a gas pump, the system comprising in combination:

(i) a gas pump,

(ii) a piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1, and

(iii) a control system for the combination.

29. A manufacturing operation in which at least one system as claimed in claim 28 is used.

30. A manufacturing operation as claimed in claim 29 in which sulfuric acid is used.

31. A manufacturing operation as claimed in claim 29 in which hydrochloric acid is used.

32. A manufacturing operation as claimed in claim 29 in which nitric acid is used.

33. A manufacturing operation as claimed in claim 29 in which caustic is used.

34. A manufacturing operation as claimed in claim 29 in which food is processed.

35. A manufacturing operation as claimed in claim 29 in which food is manufactured.

36. A piezoelectric transducer assembly comprising:

an insertable transducer retainer assembly comprising a housing having an outside surface, a front and a back, said back having centered therein, a hub, said centered hub having a centered opening therethrough and said centered hub being integrally connected to said retainer assembly, said outside surface having a fastening means thereon and a tapered front outside circumferential edge;

said insertable transducer retainer assembly having a first circular opening in the front, said first circular opening having a circular piezoelectric transducer disposed therein;

said piezoelectric transducer having a bottom surface and a top surface;

a second opening in the front, deeper than the first circular opening, having a lesser diameter than the diameter of the first circular opening, said second opening having a bottom, the centered opening in the centered hub continuing on through the transducer retainer assembly housing and opening into the second opening to provide a continuous channel through the transducer retainer assembly that exits at the hub, said second opening having an electronic configuration disposed therein, said piezoelectric transducer having first electrical leads with distal and near ends, said first electrical leads being connected to the bottom surface of the piezoelectric transducer at the distal ends thereof, said first electrical leads being electrically connected at the near ends to the electronic configuration;

a second set of electrical leads electrically connected to the electronic configuration and passing through said continuous channel;

a receiving transducer retainer assembly comprising a housing, said receiving transducer retainer assembly housing having a front and a back, the back having centered therein a hub integrally mounted thereon, said receiving transducer retainer hub having a back and a front and being lesser in diameter than the diameter of the receiving transducer retainer assembly housing, the front of said receiving transducer retainer assembly having located therein an opening, said receiving transducer retainer assembly opening having an interior surface and a bottom;

the interior surface having disposed thereon, fastening means compatible with the fastening means of the insertable transducer retainer assembly, said opening having a tapered circumferential edge at the bottom;

a saucer-like depression below the bottom of the opening in the receiving transducer retainer assembly, said saucer-like depression having a bottom, the surface area of the top of the saucer-like depression being relative to the surface area of the top of the piezoelectric transducer, said surface area relationship having a ratio in the range of from zero to 1;

1;

a channeled opening from the bottom of the saucer-like depression through the center of the receiving transducer retainer hub, the interior of the receiving transducer retainer hub having an adapting means for adapting the receiving transducer retainer assembly to a pump, said pump being a gas pump.

37. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36 in which there is also present, at least one protective disk surmounting the piezoelectric transducer.

38. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 37 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

39. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36 in which there is also present at least one stiffener disk surmounting the piezoelectric transducer.

40. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 39 wherein the stiffener disk is surmounted by a protective disk.

41. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 40 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

42. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 39 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

43. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36 in which there is additionally present a compressible material in the second opening.

44. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36 wherein the piezoelectric transducer is manufactured from a material selected from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) stainless steel,

(ii) ceramic,

(iii) brass, and

(iv) plastic film.

45. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36 wherein the insertable transducer retainer assembly and the receiving transducer retainer assembly are manufactured from solid polytetrafluroethylene.

46. The piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36 wherein the insertable transducer retainer assembly and the receiving transducer retainer assembly are manufactured from solid polypropylene.

47. In combination, a gas pump and a piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the gas pump and the piezoelectric transducer assembly are operably connected to allow the monitoring of the gas pump.

48. A system for monitoring a gas pump, the system comprising in combination:

(i) a gas pump,

(ii) a piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 36, and

(iii) a control system for the combination.

49. A manufacturing operation in which at least one system as claimed in claim 48 is used.