US4589277A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and apparatus for determining the percentage of a liquid contained in a liquid mixture
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1983-11-11
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Granted: 1986-05-20
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Expires: 2003-11-11
Abstract
Abstract During a process for determining the percentage of a given liquid contained in a liquid mixture, the given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than the rest of the mixture, an observed spontaneous change in an electric resistance wire, which is immersible into the liquid mixture, while temporarily applying a predetermined energy quantity and thus heating the wire until the liquid mixture reaches or exceeds boiling temperature, is used for determining suitable measured quantities. When supplying a specific and defined energy quantity, having been determined in a representative sample, for heating the wire to the boiling point of the liquid mixture, either the energy conversion, which occurred during this time interval with a constant time interval for the energy supply, or the time interval for the energy conversion, which occurred with a given energy quantity, is measured and compared with the corresponding measured quantities determined in the sample.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans-Jurgen Collins
- 👤 Kurt Lhotzky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/26; G01N33/28; G01N33/2835; G01N33/2847; G01N27/00; G01N27/02; G01N27/04; G01N27/14; G01N27/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A process for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient in a sample of a known composition of said mixture; (b) temporarily rapidly heating said resistance wire by applying varying quantities of energy thereto in the form of electric current impulses; (c) measuring as a measured quantity the time intervals required for energy conversion to occur in said resistance wire and determining the region of the energy quantities within which the time intervals of the energy conversions change noticeably and suddenly; and (d) immersing said resistance wire into a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition and applying to the resistance wire in said test sample the quantities of energy determined with said sample of known composition, whereby when the measured time intervals change noticeably, said intervals are compared with the intervals determined with said sample of known composition to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A process for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient in a sample of a known composition of said mixture; (b) temporarily rapidly heating said resistance wire by applying varying quantities of energy thereto in the form of electric current impulses; (c) measuring as a measured quantity the time intervals required for energy conversion to occur in said resistance wire and determining the region of the energy quantities within which the time intervals of the energy conversions change noticeably and suddenly; and (d) immersing said resistance wire into a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition and applying to the resistance wire in said test sample the quantities of energy determined with said sample of known composition, whereby when the measured time intervals change noticeably, said intervals are compared with the intervals determined with said sample of known composition to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process defined in claim 1 wherein said resistance wire is supplied with electric energy quantities or current impulses in the form of a charging or discharging current from a capacitor or battery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process defined in claim 2 wherein when supplying electric energy quantities to said resistance wire by capacitor discharge, the time intervals measured are between approximate maximum voltage and 20% thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The process defined in claim 1 wherein deviations of the supplied energy quantities caused by changes in the output of the energy source are compensated for by feeding the energy quantities through a stablizing resistor and determining the compensated energy quantities produced thereby, said compensated energy quantities being compared with those determined in step (c) and corrected in relationship thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
126 words
The process defined in claim 1 comprising the further steps of: immersing a second resistance wire having electrical and mechanical characteristics identical to those of said first mentioned resistance wire into a reference liquid mixture at the same temperature as said liquid mixture and free of said given liquid; applying varying quantities of energy to said second resistance wire as in step (b); determining the region of energy conversion as in step (c); and immersing said first resistance wire into a test sample of said liquid mixture of unknown composition as in step (d) and comparing the values derived therefrom with the values derived using said reference liquid mixture, whereby the effects of temperature changes on said liquid mixture of unknown composition can be compensated for.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
190 words
A process for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient in a sample of a known composition of said liquid mixture; (b) heating said resistance wire by applying electric current impulses thereto for a constant and specific time intervale ranging between 1 millisecond to several seconds; (c) measuring as a measured quantity the energy quantity applied to said resistance wire and determining the region within which the energy conversions change noticeably and suddenly by changing the energy quantity applied to said resistance wire; and (d) immersing said resistance wire into a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition and applying to said resistance wire in said sample the same energy quantities for the same time intervals as with said sample of known composition, whereby when the energy conversion changes noticeably, the applied energy quantity is compared with the quantities determined with said sample of known composition to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
190 words
A process for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient in a sample of a known composition of said liquid mixture; (b) heating said resistance wire by applying electric current impulses thereto for a constant and specific time intervale ranging between 1 millisecond to several seconds; (c) measuring as a measured quantity the energy quantity applied to said resistance wire and determining the region within which the energy conversions change noticeably and suddenly by changing the energy quantity applied to said resistance wire; and (d) immersing said resistance wire into a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition and applying to said resistance wire in said sample the same energy quantities for the same time intervals as with said sample of known composition, whereby when the energy conversion changes noticeably, the applied energy quantity is compared with the quantities determined with said sample of known composition to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, said apparatus comprising: an energy source formed by a capacitor arranged in a discharge circuit; an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient arranged in said circuit and adapted to be immersible in a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition; switch means in said circuit for opening and closing same; and an electronic measuring device arranged in said circuit and provided with an indicator for displaying the discharge times, when said switch means is closed, of said capacitor at said resistance wire between the maximum voltage and approximately 20% thereof, said device comparing the discharge times with a nominal value and displaying the differences therewith on said indicator to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, said apparatus comprising: an energy source formed by a capacitor arranged in a discharge circuit; an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient arranged in said circuit and adapted to be immersible in a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition; switch means in said circuit for opening and closing same; and an electronic measuring device arranged in said circuit and provided with an indicator for displaying the discharge times, when said switch means is closed, of said capacitor at said resistance wire between the maximum voltage and approximately 20% thereof, said device comparing the discharge times with a nominal value and displaying the differences therewith on said indicator to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus defined in claim 7, further comprising a stabilizing resistor connectable in parallel with said resistance wire by a selector provided in said discharge circuit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
The apparatus defined in claim 7, further comprising a second resistance wire having electrical and mechanical characteristics identical to those of said first mentioned resistance wire, said second resistance wire being connectable in parallel with said first resistance wire by a selector provided in said discharge circuit, said second resistance wire being sealed in an ampul filled with a reference liquid mixture free of said given liquid and adapted to be immersible in said test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition, whereby said reference liquid mixture in said ampul is brought into temperature equilibrium with said test sample enabling the establishment of said nominal values when said first resistance wire is disconnected from said discharge circuit by said selector and current is passed through said second resistance wire.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, said apparatus comprising: an energy source arranged in a discharge circuit; an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient arranged in said circuit and adapted to be immersible in a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition; switch means in said circuit for opening and closing same; and an electronic measuring device arranged in said circuit and provided with an indicator for displaying the energy quantity supplied, when said switch means is closed, to said resistance wire within a predetermined time interval, said device comparing the energy quantity with a nominal value and displaying the difference therewith on said indicator to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus for determining the percentage of a given liquid in a liquid mixture, said given liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than said mixture, said apparatus comprising: an energy source arranged in a discharge circuit; an electric resistance wire having a positive temperature coefficient arranged in said circuit and adapted to be immersible in a test sample of a liquid mixture of unknown composition; switch means in said circuit for opening and closing same; and an electronic measuring device arranged in said circuit and provided with an indicator for displaying the energy quantity supplied, when said switch means is closed, to said resistance wire within a predetermined time interval, said device comparing the energy quantity with a nominal value and displaying the difference therewith on said indicator to establish the percentage of said given liquid in said test sample.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said energy source is a capacitor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said energy source is a battery.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-19 | 1989-11-18 | 1990-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-19 | 1993-11-18 | 1994-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-19 | 1997-11-18 | 1998-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |