Patent US2972657A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4886370A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for detecting a state of substance existing in pipe
Assignee: JFE Engineering Corp
•
Filing: 1988-08-08
•
Granted: 1989-12-12
•
Expires: 2008-08-08
Abstract
Abstract A method for detecting a state of a substance existing in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, which comprises: heating or cooling a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of the pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a solid or liquid substance existing in the pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of the pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with the substance; then shooting the outer surface of the pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while the above-mentioned difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of the pipe to obtain a thermal image of the difference in temperature; and detecting a state of the substance existing in the pipe by means of the thus obtained thermal image.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshio Koshihara
- 👤 Rokurou Misawa
- 👤 Yuzo Sagawa
- 👤 Kimio Takehara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N25/00; G01N25/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A method for detecting a position of occurrence of a cavity at a neck portion of a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: heating a pipe having a neck portion where the cross-sectional area of said pipe is sharply reduced, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid flowing through said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof at said neck portion, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid under the effect of intervention of a cavity caused by a sudden increase in flow velocity of said liquid passing through said neck portion; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a higher temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid; and detecting a position of occurrence of said cavity at said neck portion of said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
243 words
A method for detecting a position of occurrence of a cavity at a neck portion of a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: heating a pipe having a neck portion where the cross-sectional area of said pipe is sharply reduced, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid flowing through said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof at said neck portion, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid under the effect of intervention of a cavity caused by a sudden increase in flow velocity of said liquid passing through said neck portion; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a higher temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid; and detecting a position of occurrence of said cavity at said neck portion of said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
243 words
A method for detecting a position of occurrence of a cavity at a neck portion of a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: cooling a pipe having a neck portion where the cross-sectional area of said pipe is sharply reduced, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid flowing through said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof at said neck portion, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid under the effect of intervention of a cavity caused by a sudden increase in flow velocity of said liquid passing through said neck portion; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a lower temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid; and detecting a position of occurrence of said cavity at said neck portion of said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
243 words
A method for detecting a position of occurrence of a cavity at a neck portion of a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: cooling a pipe having a neck portion where the cross-sectional area of said pipe is sharply reduced, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid flowing through said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof at said neck portion, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid under the effect of intervention of a cavity caused by a sudden increase in flow velocity of said liquid passing through said neck portion; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a lower temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said flowing liquid; and detecting a position of occurrence of said cavity at said neck portion of said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for detecting a state of charging of concrete in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: heating a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with concrete charged in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a higher temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; and detecting a state of charging of said concrete in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for detecting a state of charging of concrete in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: heating a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with concrete charged in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a higher temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; and detecting a state of charging of said concrete in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for detecting a state of charging of concrete in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: cooling a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with concrete charged in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a lower temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; and detecting a state of charging of said concrete in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for detecting a state of charging of concrete in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: cooling a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with concrete charged in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a lower temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said charged concrete; and detecting a state of charging of said concrete in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for detecting a level of the surface of a liquid existing in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: heating a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid existing in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a higher temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; and detecting a level of the surface of said existing liquid in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for detecting a level of the surface of a liquid existing in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: heating a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid existing in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a higher temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; and detecting a level of the surface of said existing liquid in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for detecting a level of the surface of a liquid existing in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: cooling a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid existing in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a lower temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; and detecting a level of the surface of said existing liquid in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for detecting a level of the surface of a liquid existing in a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, comprising: cooling a pipe, the outer surface of which is exposed, from the side of the outer surface thereof so that a difference in temperature is produced between a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is in contact with a liquid existing in said pipe, and a portion of the outer surface of said pipe corresponding to a portion of the inner surface thereof, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; then shooting the outer surface of said pipe by means of a thermal imaging system while said difference in temperature still remains on the outer surface of said pipe to obtain a thermal image of said difference in temperature, which has a portion showing a lower temperature, corresponding to the portion of the inner surface of said pipe, which is not in contact with said existing liquid; and detecting a level of the surface of said existing liquid in said pipe by means of said thermal image thus obtained.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-12-11 | 1993-06-12 | 1993-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-12-11 | 1997-06-12 | 1997-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-12-11 | 2001-06-12 | 2001-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |