| Coupling device -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Coupling deviceCoupling device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060207345, Coupling device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(e) of U.S. Patent Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/662,665 filed on Mar. 17, 2005, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] The use of weight scales to meter consumable media is known and widely employed. For example, applications employing industrial inkjet printers to print billboard displays or other large printouts need to monitor the consumption of ink during printing. Being able to effectively monitor ink consumption enables print production to determine whether there is enough of a particular ink to create the next billboard or printout. [0003] Weight scales, in the form of strain gauges linked with a controller, have been used to determine a remaining amount of ink or consumable. Other systems have required manually removing a container with a particular consumable such as ink, weighing the consumable separately, cleaning the container housing the consumable, and then reconnecting it to the dispensing device (e.g., the printer). Still other systems have employed off-the-shelf flow sensors to monitor consumption. [0004] These systems, however, have their shortcomings and improvements may be made. In the example systems described, an excess of parts may exist that can require different fittings, resulting in a less uniform system. Further, previous systems may not provide effective automated and integrated mechanisms for metering use of consumable media. Safety of end users can be jeopardized, as additional handling of the consumables and their containers may be required. Furthermore, previous systems do not provide a mechanism to help regulate warranty-repair in the event end users or customers inadvertently or purposely refill consumable containers to continue dispensing. For fluid dispensing applications that dispense at low flows (e.g., inkjet printing), the systems cannot cost-effectively employ off-the-shelf flow sensors. SUMMARY [0005] According to one aspect, an assembly for estimating consumption of a fluid includes a coupling device enabling fluid flow, a carrier assembly slidingly coupled to the coupling device, a biasing mechanism positioned between the coupling device and the carrier assembly, and a displacement sensing mechanism including a sensor coupled to one of the coupling device and the carrier assembly, and a magnet coupled to the other of the coupling device and the carrier assembly. The displacement sensing mechanism is configured to sense a displacement of the magnet relative to the sensor due to coupling of a fluid source to the coupling device. [0006] According to another aspect, a system for estimating consumption of a fluid includes a coupling device, a carrier assembly slidingly coupled to the coupling device, a biasing mechanism positioned between the coupling device and the carrier assembly, and a displacement sensing mechanism coupled to the carrier assembly. The system also includes a data communications module coupled to the carrier assembly. Subsequent to connecting a mating insert to the coupling device, a fluid from a fluid source is delivered through the coupling device, and the fluid source applies a load to the coupling device, and the displacement sensing mechanism is configured to sense a displacement of the coupling device relative to the carrier assembly due to the load associated with the fluid source. The data communications module is programmed to estimate a volume of fluid in the fluid source based on the displacement. [0007] According to yet another aspect, a coupling device includes a magnet coupled to the coupling device, and a magnetic position sensor coupled to the coupling device and configured to sense an angle of magnetic flux of the magnet. The coupling device is programmed to estimate a connected or disconnected state of the coupling device relative to a mating coupling device based on the angle of the magnetic flux of the magnet measured by the magnetic position sensor. [0008] According to another aspect, a method for estimating consumption of a fluid in a fluid source includes: coupling a carrier assembly and biasing mechanism to a coupling device; coupling an insert of the fluid source to the coupling device; sensing a displacement of the coupling device relative to the carrier assembly when the fluid source is coupled to the coupling device; and estimating a volume of a fluid in the fluid source based on the displacement. [0009] These and other various advantages and features of novelty are pointed out in the following detailed description. Reference should also be made to the drawings in which there are illustrated and described specific embodiments. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] Like reference numbers generally indicate corresponding elements in the Figures. [0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example embodiment of a system for metering consumption of fluid transfer material. [0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a data communication module. [0013] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of a weight sensing coupling assembly including one embodiment for a coupling device and a carrier assembly. [0014] FIG. 4 illustrates an example magnetic flux angle of the magnet of FIG. 3 as measured by the magnetic position sensor of FIG. 3. [0015] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment for a weight sensing coupling assembly including one embodiment of a coupling device and carrier assembly. [0016] FIG. 6 is a graph showing the results of a sample experiment of recording magnetic position sensor output against a load applied to the carrier assembly. [0017] FIG. 7a is a side view of the housing for the carrier assembly shown in FIG. 5. [0018] FIG. 7b is a partial cross-sectional view of the housing for the carrier assembly shown in FIG. 5. [0019] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a carrier tail for the carrier assembly shown in FIG. 5. [0020] FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the housing for the carrier assembly shown in FIG. 3. Continue reading about Coupling device... Full patent description for Coupling device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Coupling device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Coupling device or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Sensor probe and pipeline construction and method Next Patent Application: Arrangement for measuring the torque of rotating machine parts Industry Class: Measuring and testing ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Coupling device patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.52623 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
