# US 10,480,672 B2 · Flow rate adjusting device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,672 B2 - Document ID: US10480672B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/638,673 - Filed: 2017-06-30 - Published: 2018-01-11 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-05 - Assignees: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Atsushi Inoue - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480672B2 ## CPC - F16K 31/046: {with electric means, e.g. electric switches, to control the motor or to control a clutch between the valve and the motor (F16K31/041 takes precedence)} - F16K 11/22: with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves - G01F 1/66: by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters - G01F 15/002: {for gases} - G01F 15/005: {Valves (valves in general F16K)} - G01F 15/02: Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature - G01F 15/06: Indicating or recording devices - G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)} - F24F 2110/40: Pressure, e.g. wind pressure - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract Provided is a flow rate adjusting device including: an ultrasonic flow metering portion; a flow rate adjusting portion; a control portion configured to control the flow rate adjusting portion so that the flow rate of the fluid measured by the ultrasonic flow metering portion matches a set value; a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the fluid flowing into an upstream side of a measurement flow channel from an inflow port; and a storage portion configured to store information that associates the flow rate of the fluid obtained from the propagation time difference measured by the ultrasonic flow metering portion, the set value of the target flow rate, and the pressure measured by the pressure sensor with each other when the control portion controls the flow rate adjusting portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flow rate adjusting device comprising: an ultrasonic flow metering portion configured to measure a propagation time difference between ultrasonic waves transmitted by a pair of oscillators disposed at an upstream side and a downstream side of a straight tube-shaped measurement flow channel to obtain a flow rate of a fluid, the fluid flowing from an inflow port and being circulated through the measurement flow channel; a flow rate adjusting portion configured to adjust the flow rate of the fluid flowing out to an outflow port from the downstream side of the measurement flow channel; a control portion configured to control the flow rate adjusting portion in such a manner that the flow rate of the fluid measured by the ultrasonic flow metering portion matches a set value preliminarily set; a pressure measuring portion configured to measure a pressure of the fluid flowing into the upstream side of the measurement flow channel from the inflow port; and a storage portion configured to store information that associates the flow rate of the fluid obtained from the propagation time difference measured by the ultrasonic flow metering portion, the set value, and the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion with each other when the control portion controls the flow rate adjusting portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate adjusting portion includes: a valve body portion inserted into a valve hole formed in an outflow-side flow channel portion configured to guide the fluid to the outflow port; and a drive portion configured to cause the valve body portion to advance or recede along a central axis of the valve hole, and when the control portion controls the flow rate adjusting portion, the storage portion stores information that associates the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion and an opening degree of the valve body portion obtained from a position of the valve body portion caused to advance or recede by the drive portion with each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 2, wherein when the control portion controls the flow rate adjusting portion, the control portion determines whether or not the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion is in a predetermined abnormal state, and notifies an operator of the flow rate adjusting device of the predetermined abnormal state when it is determined that the pressure is in the predetermined abnormal state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined abnormal state is one of a state where the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion is maintained at a first predetermined pressure or lower, a state where the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion is maintained at a second predetermined pressure or higher, and a state where a variation per unit time of the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion exceeds a predetermined amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein when the control portion controls the flow rate adjusting portion, the control portion determines whether or not the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion is in a predetermined abnormal state, and notifies an operator of the flow rate adjusting device of the predetermined abnormal state when it is determined that the pressure is in the predetermined abnormal state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined abnormal state is one of a state where the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion is maintained at a first predetermined pressure or lower, a state where the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion is maintained at a second predetermined pressure or higher, and a state where a variation per unit time of the pressure measured by the pressure measuring portion exceeds a predetermined amount. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication portion to be connected to an external device via a communication line, wherein when the communication portion receives a transmission request for transmitting the information from the external device, the control portion controls the communication portion to transmit the information stored in the storage portion to the external device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The flow rate adjusting device according to claim 7, wherein when the communication portion receives a deletion instruction from the external device after transmitting the information to the external device, the control portion controls the storage portion to delete the transmitted information stored in the storage portion.