US 12,392,750 B2
System, method, and apparatus for bubble detection in a fluid line
David Blumberg, Jr., Deerfield, NH (US)
Assigned to DEKA Products Limited Partnership, Manchester, NH (US)
Filed by DEKA Products Limited Partnership, Manchester, NH (US)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/213,605.
Application 15/629,933 is a division of application No. 14/341,207, filed on Jul. 25, 2014, granted, now 9,719,964, issued on Aug. 1, 2017.
Application 18/213,605 is a continuation of application No. 16/157,285, filed on Oct. 11, 2018, granted, now 11,726,063.
Application 16/157,285 is a continuation of application No. 15/629,933, filed on Jun. 22, 2017, granted, now 10,126,267, issued on Nov. 13, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/860,398, filed on Jul. 31, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2024/0426769 A1, Dec. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 29/02 (2006.01); G01N 22/00 (2006.01); G01N 33/49 (2006.01); H01Q 9/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/02 (2013.01) [G01N 22/00 (2013.01); G01N 33/49 (2013.01); H01Q 9/0464 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a raceway configured to receive a fluid conduit;
a shield configured to at least partially shield the raceway;
at least one split-ring resonator disposed within the shield and adjacent the raceway, wherein the at least one split-ring resonator is configured to vary at least one property in accordance with a condition of interest being present in a main fluid flowing through the fluid conduit;
a pair of antennas within the shield;
a microwave generating circuit configured to generate microwave energy for transmission from the one of the antennas;
a receiver circuit coupled to the second antenna and configured to receive the microwave energy; and
a condition of interest detecting circuit operatively coupled to the microwave generating circuit and the receiver circuit to compare the microwave energy from the microwave generating circuit to the microwave energy received from the receiver circuit to detect the condition of interest within the fluid conduit, wherein the condition of interest detecting circuit detects the condition of interest in accordance with the affect of the variation of the at least one property on the microwave energy.