# US 5,703,289 A · Microwave transmitter housing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,703,289 A - Document ID: US5703289A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/382,389 - Filed: 1995-02-01 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1995-02-01 - Assignees: Magnetrol International, Incorporated - Inventors: Michael J. Mulrooney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703289A ## CPC - G01F 23/284: Electromagnetic waves - G01S 7/027: {Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness} - G01S 13/88: Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) - G01S 13/08: Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract An improved housing assembly is used for a microwave level sensing instrument for sensing level of a process fluid in a vessel. The process vessel includes a vessel flange defining an opening into a storage space in the vessel. The housing assembly includes a flange assembly including a housing flange having a distal gasket face sealingly mateable with the vessel flange in use. The housing flange is connected to a window housing for housing a window spaced from the gasket face and providing a process seal. An electronics housing is mounted to the window housing. The electronics housing supports a microwave antenna proximate the window for focusing energy through the window to the process fluid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In a microwave level sensing instrument for sensing level of a process fluid in a process vessel, the process vessel including a vessel flange defining an opening into a storage space in the vessel, an improved housing assembly comprising: a flange assembly including a housing flange having a distal gasket face sealingly mateable with the vessel flange, in use, and connected to a window housing for housing a window spaced from the gasket face and providing a process seal; and an electronics housing mounted to said window housing, the electronics housing supporting a microwave antenna proximate the window for focusing energy through the window to the process fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The improved housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said window housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing having a through bore with an axial outer end mounted to the housing flange and an axial inner end mounted to the electronics housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The improved housing assembly of claim 2 wherein said window housing includes a counterbore at the inner end defining a shoulder and wherein said window is seated on the shoulder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The improved housing assembly of claim 3 wherein an inner wall of said counterbore is threaded and further comprising a threaded retaining ring securing said window in the counterbore seated on the shoulder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The improved housing assembly of claim 4 wherein said electronics housing includes a generally cylindrical neck having a threaded outer wall threadably received in the counterbore. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The improved housing assembly of claim 3 further comprising a gasket disposed between said window and said shoulder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The improved housing assembly of claim 3 further comprising an O-ring disposed between said window and said shoulder. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The improved housing assembly of claim 2 wherein said window housing comprises a two-piece housing and said two pieces are secured together as by welding. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The improved housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said electronics housing is removably mounted to the window housing. ### Claim 10 In a microwave level sensing instrument for sensing level of a process fluid in a process vessel, the process vessel including a vessel flange defining an opening into a storage space in the vessel, an improved housing assembly comprising: a flange assembly including a window housing having an inner end and an opposite outer end, a housing flange mateable with the vessel flange, in use, and connected to the window housing outer end, a window received in the window housing intermediate the opposite ends providing a process seal, and retaining means mountable to the window housing from the inner end for retaining the window in said window housing; and an electronics housing mounted to said window housing at the inner end, the electronics housing supporting a microwave antenna proximate the window for focusing energy through the window to the process fluid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The improved housing assembly of claim 10 wherein said window housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing having a through bore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The improved housing assembly of claim 11 wherein said window housing includes a counter bore at the inner end defining a shoulder and wherein said window is seated on the shoulder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The improved housing assembly of claim 12 wherein an inner wall of said counterbore is threaded and the retaining means comprises a threaded retaining ring securing said window in the counterbore seated on the shoulder. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The improved housing assembly of claim 13 wherein said electronics housing includes a generally cylindrical neck having a threaded outer wall threadably received in the counterbore. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The improved housing assembly of claim 12 further comprising a gasket disposed between said window and said shoulder. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The improved housing assembly of claim 12 further comprising an O-ring disposed between said window and said shoulder. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The improved housing assembly of claim 10 wherein said window housing comprises a two-pie housing and said two pieces are secured together as by welding. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The improved housing assembly of claim 10 wherein said electronics housing is removably mounted to the window housing. ### Claim 19 A microwave level sensing instrument for sensing level of a process fluid in a process vessel, the process vessel including a vessel flange defining an opening into a storage space in the vessel comprising: an electronics housing supporting a microwave antenna; a flange assembly including a housing flange having a distal gasket face sealingly mateable with the vessel flange, in use, the housing flange being connected to a window housing; a window housed in the window housing and spaced from the gasket face and providing a process seal; and means for mounting the electronics housing to the window housing so that the antenna extends into the window housing proximate the window to focus microwave energy through the window to the process fluid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The microwave level sensing instrument of claim 19 wherein said window housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing having a through bore with an axial outer end mounted to the housing flange and an axial inner end mounted to the electronics housing. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The microwave level sensing instrument of claim 20 wherein said window housing includes a counterbore at the inner end defining a shoulder and wherein said window is seated on the shoulder. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The microwave level sensing instrument of claim 21 wherein an inner wall of said counterbore is threaded and further comprising a threaded retaining ring securing said window in the counterbore seated on the shoulder. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The microwave level sensing instrument of claim 22 wherein said electronics housing includes a generally cylindrical neck having a threaded outer wall threadably received in the counterbore. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The microwave level sensing instrument of claim 22 further comprising a gasket disposed between said window and said shoulder. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The microwave level sensing instrument of claim 22 further comprising an O-ring disposed between said window and said shoulder.