Assemblies adapted to be affixed to containers containing fluid and methods of affixing such assemblies to containers

• US 6,854,345 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smar Research Corp.
• Original Assignee: Smar Research Corp.
• Inventors: Alves, Evaristo Orellana, Júnior, Clóvis Catananti
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/252,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20040055379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 734/37, 734/39, 73/32.R, 73/32.A, 734/34, 738/638.5, 702/137, 702/138
• US Class Current: 73/863.85
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/26 by measuring pressure differences

Abstract

An assembly adapted to be affixed to a container which contains a sample fluid, and a method of affixing the assembly to the container, are provided. In particular, a contact pressure can be applied to a surface of the container, such that a particular arrangement, which has a portion situated within an opening of the container, is affixed to the container without piercing the surface of the container. For example, the container can be a tank, the particular arrangement can be a sensor arrangement, and a further arrangement can be used to affix the particular arrangement to the container. Moreover, the contact pressure preferably can be applied to an exterior surface of the container so that the further arrangement may be more accessible to a user of the assembly.

Claims

1. An assembly adapted to be affixed to a container which contains a sample fluid, comprising:

a first arrangement positioned in a vicinity of an opening in the container; and

a second sensor arrangement which includes at least one portion situated within the opening, wherein the first arrangement is adapted to affix the second sensor arrangement to the container without piercing a surface of the container by applying a contact pressure to the surface of the container.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the surface of the container is an exterior surface of the container.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second sensor arrangement comprising a housing arrangement which contains a first sensor fluid and a second sensor fluid, wherein the housing arrangement maintains the first sensor fluid and the second sensor fluid separate from the sample fluid, and wherein at least one portion of the housing arrangement is positioned within the container.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the second arrangement further comprises a first sensor positioned one of within the container and outside the container at a first fluid level of the sample fluid, wherein the first sensor is one of coupled to the housing arrangement and positioned inside the housing arrangement, and wherein the first sensor is adapted to detect a first fluid pressure at the first fluid level by acting on the first sensor fluid.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the second arrangement comprises a second sensor positioned one of within the container and outside the container at a second fluid level of the sample fluid, wherein the second sensor is at least one of coupled to the housing arrangement and positioned inside the housing arrangement, wherein the second sensor is adapted to detect a second fluid pressure at the second fluid level by acting on the second sensor fluid, and wherein the second sensor is positioned a predetermined distance from the first sensor.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the second arrangement further comprises a transmitter positioned outside the container, wherein the transmitter is at least one of coupled to the housing arrangement and positioned inside the housing arrangement, and wherein the transmitter is adapted to communicate with the first sensor via the first sensor fluid and with the second sensor via the second sensor fluid.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the transmitter further is adapted to generate at least one signal corresponding to the density of the sample fluid.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the second arrangement further comprises a calculating device coupled to the transmitter, wherein the calculating device is adapted to calculate the density of the sample fluid based on the at least one signal.

9. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the first arrangement comprises at least one securing element positioned outside the container, wherein the at least one securing element is one of directly and indirectly connected to the housing arrangement, and wherein the at least one securing element is adapted to apply the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container without piercing the exterior surface of the container.

10. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising at least one sealing element which is one of directly and indirectly connected to the housing arrangement, wherein, when the at least one securing element applies the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container, the sealing element moves in a direction towards an interior surface of the container.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one securing element is at least one threaded element, wherein the first arrangement further comprises at least one contact member positioned between the at least one securing element and the container, and wherein the at least one threaded element is adapted to apply the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container via the at least one contact member when rotated in a predetermined direction.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one threaded element is at least one of a bolt and a screw.

13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the first arrangement further comprises a plate having at least one hole formed therethrough, wherein the plate is connected to the housing arrangement, and wherein the at least one hole is adapted to receive the at least one securing element.

14. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the first arrangement comprises a plurality of securing elements positioned outside of the container, wherein each of the securing elements is one of directly and indirectly connected to the housing arrangement, and wherein each of the securing elements is adapted to apply the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container without piercing the exterior surface of the container.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the first arrangement further comprises a plate having a plurality of holes formed therethrough, wherein the plate is connected to the housing arrangement, and each of the holes are adapted to receive one of the securing elements.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the holes formed in the plate are positioned about 180 degrees apart from each other.

17. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening is formed in one of a top portion covering the container and a side wall of the container.

18. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the container is a tank.

19. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the contact pressure is applied to a particular portion of the surface of the container without piercing the particular portion.

20. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one sealing element and the container form a seal therebetween.

21. A method of affixing an assembly to a container which contains a sample fluid, comprising the steps of:

providing the assembly in or at an opening of the container; and

affixing a particular sensor arrangement to the container without piercing a surface of the container by applying a contact pressure by the assembly to the surface of the container in a vicinity of the opening, wherein at least one portion of the particular sensor arrangement is situated within the opening of the container.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the surface of the container is an exterior surface of the container.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the particular sensor arrangement comprising a housing arrangement which contains a first sensor fluid and a second sensor fluid, wherein the housing arrangement maintains the first sensor fluid and the second sensor fluid separate from the sample fluid, and wherein at least one portion of the housing arrangement is positioned within the container.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the particular arrangement comprises a first sensor positioned one of within the container and outside the container at a first fluid level of the sample fluid, wherein the first sensor is at least one of coupled to the housing arrangement and positioned inside the housing arrangement, and wherein the first sensor is adapted to detect a first fluid pressure at the first fluid level by acting on the first sensor fluid.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the particular arrangement further comprises a second sensor positioned one of within the container and outside the container at a second fluid level of the sample fluid, wherein the second sensor is at least one of coupled to the housing arrangement and positioned inside the housing arrangement, wherein the second sensor is adapted to detect a second fluid pressure at the second fluid level by acting on the second sensor fluid, and wherein the second sensor is positioned a predetermined distance from the first sensor.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the particular arrangement further comprises a transmitter positioned outside the container, wherein the transmitter is at least one of coupled to the housing arrangement and positioned inside the housing arrangement, and wherein the transmitter is adapted to communicate with the first sensor via the first sensor fluid and with the second sensor via the second sensor fluid.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the transmitter further is adapted to generate at least one signal corresponding to the density of the sample fluid.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the particular arrangement further comprises a calculating device coupled to the transmitter, wherein the calculating device is adapted to calculate the density of the sample fluid based on the at least one signal.

29. The method of claim 23, the step of affixing the particular arrangement to the container comprising the substep of applying the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container using a further arrangement, the further arrangement comprising at least one securing element which is positioned outside the container, wherein the at least one securing element is one of directly and indirectly connected to the housing arrangement, and wherein the at least one securing element is adapted to apply the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container without piercing the exterior surface of the container.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising at least one sealing element which is one of directly and indirectly connected to the housing arrangement, wherein the step of applying the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container comprises the sub step of moving the at least one sealing element in a direction towards an interior surface of the container.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one securing element is at least one threaded element, wherein the further arrangement further comprises at least one contact member positioned between the at least one securing element and the container, and wherein the step of applying the contact pressure to the exterior surface of the container further comprises the sub step of rotating the at least one threaded element in a predetermined direction, such that the at least one threaded element applies the contact pressure via the at least one contact member.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one threaded element is at least one of a bolt and a screw.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the further arrangement further comprises a plate having at least one hole formed therethrough, wherein the plate is connected to the housing arrangement, and wherein the at least one hole is adapted to receive the at least one securing element.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the opening is formed in one of a top portion covering the container and a side wall of the container.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the container is a tank.

36. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the contact pressure is applied to a particular portion of the surface of the container without piercing the particular portion.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein the sub step of moving the at least one sealing element in the direction towards the container comprises the step of forming a seal between the at least one sealing element and the container.

38. An assembly adapted to be affixed to a container which contains a sample fluid, comprising:

a first arrangement positioned in a vicinity of an opening in the container; and

a second arrangement which includes at least one portion situated within the opening, wherein the first arrangement is adapted to affix the second arrangement to the container without piercing an internal surface of the container by applying a contact pressure to the internal surface of the container.

39. A method of affixing an assembly to a container which contains a sample fluid, comprising the steps of:

providing the assembly in or at an opening of the container; and

affixing a particular arrangement to the container without piercing an internal surface of the container by applying a contact pressure by the assembly to the internal surface of the container in a vicinity of the opening, wherein at least one portion of the particular arrangement is situated within the opening of the container.