التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
NON-INVASIVE REAL-TIME LEVEL SENSING AND FEEDBACK SYSTEM FOR THE PRECISION SAND CASTING PROCESS |
| Document Number: |
20090090482 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
April 9, 2009 |
| Appl. No: |
11/869020 |
| Application Filed: |
October 09, 2007 |
| مستخلص: |
A level sensing system and method for determining the level of a conductive material in a casting mold are disclosed, wherein the level sensing system a drive circuit and an inductive component disposed adjacent to the casting mold, and a position of the conductive material in the casting mold may be determined by a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit. |
| Inventors: |
Foley, Brian M. (Worcester, MA, US); Biederman, Scott W. (New Boston, NH, US); Ludwig, Reinhold (Paxton, MA, US); Makarov, Sergey (Holden, MA, US) |
| Claim: |
1. A level sensing system comprising: a drive circuit; and an inductive component coupled to the drive circuit, wherein a magnetic field generated by the inductive component causes a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit when a conductive material is caused to flow through the magnetic field. |
| Claim: |
2. A level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the inductive component is an electromagnetic coil. |
| Claim: |
3. A level sensing system according to claim 2, wherein a desired electrical characteristic of the drive circuit is obtained by varying at least one of an aperture size formed in the inductive component, a magnetic permeability of the inductive component, a number of turns of magnetic wire forming the inductive component, and a shape of the inductive component. |
| Claim: |
4. A level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material is a molten metal. |
| Claim: |
5. A level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is an LC oscillator circuit. |
| Claim: |
6. A level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is an automatic gain control circuit including an LC tank. |
| Claim: |
7. A level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is a tuner circuit including an LC tank. |
| Claim: |
8. The level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the change in the electrical characteristic is a voltage change across the inductive component. |
| Claim: |
9. The level sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the change in the electrical characteristic is a frequency shift in magnetic field generated by the drive circuit. |
| Claim: |
10. A level sensing system for a casting mold comprising: a casting mold forming a mold cavity for receiving a conductive material therein; a drive circuit; and an inductive component coupled to the drive circuit, wherein a magnetic field generated by the inductive component causes a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit when a conductive material is caused to flow through the magnetic field. |
| Claim: |
11. A level sensing system according to claim 10, wherein the inductive component is an electromagnetic coil. |
| Claim: |
12. A level sensing system according to claim 11, wherein a desired electrical characteristic of the drive circuit is obtained by varying at least one of an aperture size formed in the inductive component, a magnetic permeability of the inductive component, a number of turns of magnetic wire forming the inductive component, and a shape of the inductive component. |
| Claim: |
13. A level sensing system according to claim 10, wherein the conductive material is a molten metal. |
| Claim: |
14. A level sensing system according to claim 10, wherein the drive circuit is one of an LC oscillator circuit, an automatic gain circuit, including an LC tank, and a tuner circuit, including an LC tank. |
| Claim: |
15. The level sensing system according to claim 10, wherein the change in the electrical characteristic is a voltage change across the inductive component. |
| Claim: |
16. The level sensing system according to claim 10, wherein the change in the electrical characteristic is a frequency shift in magnetic field generated by the drive circuit. |
| Claim: |
17. The level sensing system according to claim 10, further comprising a controller for regulating the flow of the conductive material, wherein the controller is adapted to respond to changes in the electrical characteristics of the drive circuit. |
| Claim: |
18. A method of determining the position of a conductive material in a casting mold, the method comprising the steps of: providing a casting mold forming a mold cavity for receiving a conductive material therein; providing a drive circuit adapted to generate a magnetic field in the mold cavity disposed adjacent to said casting mold, wherein a flow of the conductive material through the magnetic field causes a change to an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit; introducing a conductive material into the mold cavity of the casting mold; and measuring a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit as the conductive material fills the mold cavity, the change in the electrical characteristic indicating a position of the conductive material within the mold cavity. |
| Claim: |
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the change in the electrical characteristic is a voltage change across the inductive component. |
| Claim: |
20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the change in the electrical characteristic is a frequency shift in the drive circuit. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
164/457 |
| Current International Class: |
22; 22 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20090090482 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |