Position sensor for a fluid flow control device
AssigneeOfip Limited
InventorsBenjamin Kirollos, Vikram Sridhar, Christopher Kennell, Matthew Collins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for controlling the flow of a fluid through a conduit from an upstream side of the device to a downstream side of the device. The device includes a valve housing having defined therein a valve aperture, a valve member movably mounted relative to the valve aperture. The valve member is arranged to be displaced reciprocally in a direction to selectively open and close the valve aperture. The device also includes a magnet mounted on or relative to the valve member, with the magnet being displaced by displacement of the valve member. A plurality of magnetic field sensors are mounted on the valve housing.
Claims20
A device for controlling the flow of fluid through a conduit from an upstream side of the device to a downstream side of the device, the device comprising:
- a valve housing having defined therein a valve inlet, a valve outlet and a valve aperture, wherein the valve inlet, the valve outlet and the valve aperture are coaxial with each other;
- a valve member movably mounted relative to the valve aperture and arranged to be displaced reciprocally in an axial direction coaxial with the valve aperture to selectively open and close the valve aperture;
- a magnet that is discrete from the valve member and is not rigidly connected to the valve member, wherein the displacement of the valve member exerts a force on the magnet to displace the magnet in a direction parallel to the direction of displacement of the valve member;
- a biasing member arranged to bias the magnet towards the valve member;
- and
- a magnetic field sensor mounted on the valve housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.