Patent ID: 6595035
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A sealant stream anomaly detecting assembly for detecting anomalies such as gas bubbles in a high-pressure sealant stream, the assembly comprising:an ultrasonic transducer supported on a manifold defining a sensing chamber portion of a fluid channel, the transducer being configured to convert electrical input voltage pulses into ultrasonic acoustic energy pulses and to propagate the acoustic energy pulses through the manifold and into the sensing chamber, the transducer also being configured to receive resulting echo pulses from a back wall of the sensing chamber and to convert the echo pulses into electrical output impulses; a control module including drive electronics connected to the transducer, the module configured to receive the electrical output impulses from the transducer and to detect diminished and lost echo pulses by comparing the output impulse strength values for a given fluid passing through the sensing chamber to a known output impulse strength value for that same type of fluid having no anomalies; an anomaly indicator connected to the control module and configured to flag a user in response to a signal from the control module indicating that the assembly has detected an anomaly such as a bubble in a fluid stream passing through the fluid channel; and the transducer having a flat front active emitter surface that lies flat against a flat manifold outer surface to provide superior acoustic energy pulse coverage throughout the sensing chamber and to avoid having to machine a matching curvature.