Patents
US 12722163 B2: Interface detection and control using a photodetector array
- Granted
- 2026-09-01
- Filed
- 2023-04-14 application 18134629
- Type
- Utility · 17 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for determining and controlling the location of an interface between separated fluid components within a channel of a centrifugal separation chamber being rotated about a rotational axis. Light from a light source is received by a collimator, which directs collimated light through the channel in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis. At least a portion of the collimated light exiting the channel is received by a light detector configured as a photodetector array. A signal emitted by the light detector is received by a controller, which determines the location of an interface between separated fluid components within the channel based at least in part on the signal. When the controller determines that the interface is not at a target location within the channel, the controller controls a centrifugal separator and/or a pump system to move the interface to the target location.
Source: PTBLXML, file of 2026-09-01 (ipgb20260901.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenwal, Inc. 423 patents | US company or organization | Lake Zurich, IL | PTBLXML, file of 2026-09-01 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin E. Kusters | Pleasant Prairie, WI | 65 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-09-01 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| B04B | Centrifuges | B04B13/00 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-09-01 |
| G01N | Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | G01N21/31 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-09-01 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
No recorded assignments or security interests on file for this patent.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.