A breast pump device (1) is equipped with or used in conjunction with an acoustic milk expression assessment system (6) for the purpose of obtaining an indication about a fat content of expressed milk. The acoustic milk expression assessment system (6) includes an acoustic sensor (61) and a processor (62) configured to process an acoustic signal received from the acoustic sensor (61) during operation of the breast pump device (1) when a milk receptacle (4) is used with the device (1). By recording sound during a pumping session, it is possible to determine a frequency shift in the sound of droplets falling down in the receptacle (4) and hitting a surface of the milk contained by the receptacle (4) with respect to a reference situation of a liquid having 0% fat content, which can be taken as a factor in estimating a value related to the fat content of the milk.

A water hardness mitigation or treatment evaluation system includes a first quartz crystal microbalance cell and a fluid coupling adapted to be fluidly coupled to a pre-treated water to be flowed over a first quartz crystal. A second quartz crystal microbalance cell and a fluid coupling are adapted to be fluidly coupled to a post-treated water to be flowed over a second quartz crystal. A computer processor receives a first frequency data from the first quartz crystal and a second frequency data from the second quartz crystal and based on a difference of frequency over time between the first frequency data and the second frequency data, provides an indication of an effectiveness of a water hardness mitigation or treatment component or system. A method to evaluate and effectiveness of a water hardness mitigation or treatment evaluation system is also described.

A housing assembly for a fluid sensor assembly includes a housing having a first and second sensing volumes. A fluid port attached to the housing has a porous membrane covering first and second fluid apertures. The first sensing volume included a vertically-oriented waveguide and is fluidly coupled to an exterior of the housing through the first fluid aperture, where the first aperture port has an area smaller than an area of a cross section of the waveguide. The second sensing volume is coupled to the exterior of the housing through the second fluid aperture, the second fluid aperture having an area larger than a cross section of the second sensing volume. While the first sensing volume and the second sensing volume are both in fluid communication with an exterior of the housing, the fluid port and porous membrane internally isolate the first sensing volume from the second sensing volume.

The present disclosure relates to vibration frequency sensors comprising a vibratable flow tube having an interior for receiving a fluid, a vibration detector coupled to the flow tube for detecting a frequency of the fluid received by the flow tube during vibration thereof; and measurement circuitry coupled to the vibration detector for determining a frequency shift over time of the detected frequency. At least a portion of a surface of the interior of the flow tube is functionalized with a reactant sensitive to the analyte, and the frequency shift corresponds to the presence of the analyte, the analyte having reacted with the reactant.

A sonic speed measurement device includes a reception array in which a plurality of reception elements which output reception signals in response to reception of an ultrasonic wave are disposed in one direction, a phase difference detection portion that detects a phase difference between the reception signals output from the reception elements adjacent to each other in a case where the plurality of reception elements receive the ultrasonic wave which propagates in a spherical wave shape from a target point, and a sonic speed calculation portion that calculates a sonic speed of the ultrasonic wave on the basis of the phase difference.

A fluid sensor including a sensing area configured to receive a fluid. The fluid sensor includes a transducer and a capacitive sensor. The transducer is configured to output an ultrasonic wave through the fluid. The capacitive sensor includes a capacitive plate configured to reflect the ultrasonic wave toward the transducer.

It is proposed a method for detecting a malfunction of a dual-sensing system for sensing a fluid mixture stored in a tank of a vehicle, the dual-sensing system being able to provide values of two physical quantities, i.e. one quantity indicative of a concentration of a constituent of the fluid mixture within the tank and one quantity indicative of a level of the fluid mixture within the tank, the dual-sensing system comprising: a first ultrasound subsystem for determining the value of the physical quantity indicative of the concentration of the constituent of the fluid mixture; and a second ultrasound subsystem for determining, based on the value provided by the first ultrasound subsystem, the value of the physical quantity indicative of the level of the fluid mixture within the tank, the method comprises the steps of: when key is off: memorizing the last known value of a first physical quantity out of the two physical quantities and the last known value of a second physical quantity out of the two physical quantities; when key is on, sequentially: having new values of the two physical quantities provided by the dual-sensing system; if the last known value of the first physical quantity is not the same as the new value of the first physical quantity, stop the carrying out of the method; if the last known value of the second physical quantity is not the same as the new value of the second physical quantity, emitting a signal indicative of malfunctioning.

A monitoring apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the monitoring apparatus includes a probe comprising a sensor to detect a condition within a water body, the sensor produces sensor data indicative of the condition within the water body. The probe includes a sound generator to propagates sound waves within the water body that communicate the sensor data from the probe, in various aspects. The monitoring apparatus includes an interface that is submersible within the water body, and the interface includes a receiver to receive the sound waves from the sound generator, in various aspects. A sleeve forms a portion of the interface and defines a sleeve passage, and a line passes slideably through the sleeve passage and is secured to the probe, in various aspects. The line cooperates with the interface and with the probe to orient the receiver and the sound generator with respect to one another to direct the sound waves from the sound generator to the receiver, in various aspects. This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

An assembly for determining a type of a fluid, the assembly configured to be mounted to a tank containing the fluid, comprises an ultrasound sending/receiving subassembly and a processor module. The ultrasound sending/receiving subassembly is configured to send a plurality of ultrasound signals into the fluid and receive the ultrasound signals reflected from the fluid. An ultrasound signal of the plurality of ultrasound signals has at least a first frequency and a second frequency different from the first frequency. The processor module is adapted to determine an attenuation of the ultrasound signal at the first frequency and at the second frequency.

The specification discloses a device for introducing a freezable liquid into the exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle. The device may include a tank for accommodating the freezable liquid, a sensor for determining the concentration and/or the filling level of the freezable liquid in the tank, and a dome-shaped ice protector. The sensor may be arranged at least partially in the tank, on the floor thereof. The dome-shaped ice protector may have rounded side faces which run together in the upward direction and have the purpose of protecting the part of the sensor which is located in the tank. The ice protector may be embodied in one piece with a floor plate of the sensor or with the tank floor and the dome of the ice protector has a completely open upper side.