# US 10,502,598 B2 · Sensor assembly

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- Number: US 10,502,598 B2
- Document ID: US10502598B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/924,347
- Filed: 2018-03-19
- Published: 2018-07-26
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-10
- Assignees: Forum US, Inc.
- Applicants: Forum US, Inc.
- Inventors: Randy Vanberg; Hamid Reza Zareie Rajani; Seyed Reza Larimi; Morteza Abbasi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502598B2

## CPC

- G01F 1/115: with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
- F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F 11/52: Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
- F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
- F24F 11/89: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
- F28F 19/00: Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters {or scrapers}
- F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05)
- F24F 11/63: Electronic processing
- F24F 11/64: using pre-stored data
- F24F 2110/00: Control inputs relating to air properties
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- 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)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)

## Abstract

A sensor assembly having a mounting frame with a central segment, and support platform coupled with the central segment. The support platform also has a platform hollow; and a top platform surface. There is a shaft disposed in the platform hollow. There is a circuit board positioned onto the support platform. The sensor assembly has a rotating member having a plurality of blades, the rotating member being disposed around the shaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor assembly comprising:
a casing comprising a casing outer surface, a casing inner surface, a casing topside, a casing bottom side, and a casing opening;
a mounting frame disposed proximate to the casing bottom side, the mounting frame comprising a central segment;
a guard disposed proximate to the casing topside;
a support platform coupled with the central segment, the support platform comprising: a platform hollow; and a top platform surface;
a shaft centrally positioned within the casing opening and disposed in the platform hollow;
a plurality of assembly screws disposed through the casing, the mounting frame, and the guard;
a plurality of fasteners configured for connecting with the plurality of assembly screws; and
a first bearing disposed around the shaft and proximate the support platform.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a circuit board positioned onto the top platform surface;
an inner sensor housing disposed around the shaft, the inner sensor housing configured to extend out and around the circuit board and the support platform; and
a rotating member comprising a plurality of blades, and the rotating member being disposed around the shaft.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sensor assembly of claim 2, the sensor assembly further comprising:
at least one magnet coupled with the inner sensor housing, wherein the circuit board is configured with an operable logic circuit further comprising a microcontroller, a Hall effect sensor, and a transceiver.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor assembly of claim 3, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a second bearing disposed around the shaft and on top of the first bearing, and proximate the support platform;
a first lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft in an amount sufficient to engage the second bearing; and
a second lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft sufficiently enough to engage the rotating member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein in operation as the shaft rotates the at least one magnet periodically comes into close proximity with the Hall effect sensor, and wherein a digital signal is generated based on a change in a magnetic field of the Hall effect sensor caused by the at least one magnet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a second bearing disposed around the shaft and on top of the first bearing, and proximate the support platform;
a first lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft in an amount sufficient to engage the second bearing; and
a second lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft sufficiently enough to engage a rotating member disposed around the shaft.

### Claim 7

A sensor assembly comprising:
a mounting frame comprising a central segment;
a support platform coupled with the central segment, the support platform comprising:
a platform hollow, and a top platform surface;
a shaft disposed in the platform hollow;
a first bearing disposed around the shaft and proximate the support platform;
a circuit board positioned onto the top platform surface, the circuit board being configured with a microcontroller and a Hall effect sensor;
a rotating member comprising a plurality of blades, the rotating member being disposed around the shaft; and
a lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft sufficiently enough to engage a rotating member mounting ring.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The sensor assembly of claim 7, wherein in operation as the shaft rotates at least one magnet periodically comes into proximity with the Hall effect sensor, and wherein a digital signal is generated based on a change in a magnetic field of the Hall effect sensor caused by the at least one magnet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The sensor assembly of claim 7, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a second bearing disposed around the shaft and on top of the first bearing, and proximate the support platform;
a first lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft in an amount sufficient to engage the second bearing; and
a second lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft sufficiently enough to engage the rotating member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sensor assembly of claim 9, the sensor assembly further comprising:
an inner sensor housing disposed around the shaft, the inner sensor housing configured to extend out and around the circuit board and the support platform;
at least one magnet coupled with the inner sensor housing;
a casing comprising:
a casing outer surface, a casing inner surface, a casing topside, a casing bottom side, and a casing opening;
a guard disposed proximate to the casing topside;
a plurality of assembly screws disposed through the casing, the mounting frame, and the guard; and
a plurality of fasteners configured for connecting with the plurality of assembly screws.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The sensor assembly of claim 10, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a shim disposed around the shaft and between the first bearing and the second bearing;
a tri-wing shaped support plate disposed on top of the second bearing; and
at least one binding screw mated with a respective binding post coupled together, whereby the tri-wing shaped support plate, the circuit board, the support platform, and the central segment are resultantly coupled together.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The sensor assembly of claim 10, the sensor assembly further comprising a second magnet coupled to an underside of the inner sensor housing, wherein the at least one magnet is oriented in a N/S pole orientation, and wherein the second magnet is oriented in a S/N pole orientation.

### Claim 13

A sensor assembly comprising:
a mounting frame comprising a central segment;
a support platform coupled with the central segment, the support platform comprising:
a platform hollow, and a top platform surface;
a shaft disposed in the platform hollow;
a first bearing disposed around the shaft, and also disposed at least partially in the platform hollow;
a circuit board positioned onto the top platform surface, the circuit board being configured with a microcontroller and a Hall effect sensor;
a first lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft sufficiently enough to exert a holding pressure against the first bearing;
an inner sensor housing disposed around the shaft, the inner sensor housing configured to extend out and around the circuit board and the support platform; and
a rotating member comprising a plurality of blades and a rotating member mounting ring, the rotating member being disposed around the shaft and on top of the inner sensor housing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The sensor assembly of claim 13, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a second lock nut threadingly engaged around the shaft sufficiently enough to engage the rotating member mounting ring.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sensor assembly of claim 14, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a casing comprising a casing outer surface, a casing inner surface, a casing topside, a casing bottom side, and a casing opening;
a guard disposed proximate to the casing topside; and
a plurality of assembly screws disposed through the casing, the mounting frame, and the guard.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The sensor assembly of claim 15, the sensor assembly further comprising:
at least one magnet coupled with the inner sensor housing;
a plurality of fasteners configured for connecting with the plurality of assembly screws; and
a second bearing disposed around the shaft and on top of the first bearing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The sensor assembly of claim 16, the sensor assembly further comprising:
a shim disposed around the shaft and between the first bearing and the second bearing;
a tri-wing shaped support plate disposed on top of the second bearing; and
at least one binding screw mated with a respective binding post coupled together, whereby the tri-wing shaped support plate, the circuit board, the support platform, and the central segment are resultantly coupled together.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The sensor assembly of claim 16, the sensor assembly further comprising a second magnet coupled to an underside of the inner sensor housing, wherein the at least one magnet is oriented in a N/S pole orientation, and wherein the second magnet is oriented in a S/N pole orientation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein in operation, as airflow impacts the plurality of blades the rotating member rotates, thus causing the shaft to rotate, wherein as the shaft rotates at least one magnet periodically comes into proximity with the Hall effect sensor, and wherein a first digital signal is generated based on a change in a magnetic field of the Hall effect sensor caused by the at least one magnet.