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US 2003/0115950 A1Published application
Apparatus and method for thermal dissipation in a thermal mass flow sensor
AssigneeMKS Instruments, Inc.
InventorsJesse Ambrosina, Ali Shajii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal mass flow controller includes a sensor assembly, a valve assembly, and a mass flow controller housing. A thermally conductive element conducts heat from the valve assembly away from the sensor assembly, thereby reducing uncontrolled contributions of heat to the sensor assembly.
Claims12
A thermal mass flow controller housing, comprising:
- a) a first chamber for enclosing a thermal mass flow sensor;
- b) a second chamber for enclosing a valve that controls fluid access to the first chamber;
- and
- c) a conductive thermal element in conductive thermal contact with at least a portion of the second chamber and formed to conduct thermal energy from within the second chamber away from the first chamber.
1 more element
A thermal mass flow controller comprising:
- a) a control valve assembly for controlling the rate of fluid flow through a conduit, the control valve assembly in thermally conductive communication with a thermal mass flow controller housing;
- b) a sensor assembly for sensing the rate of flow of the fluid through the conduit as a function of the difference in temperature between first and second regions of the conduit and for generating a control signal as a function of said rate of fluid flow, the sensor assembly in thermally conductive communication with said mass flow controller housing;
- and
- c) a conductive thermal element in conductive thermal contact with at least a portion of the second chamber and formed to conduct thermal energy from within the second chamber away from the first chamber.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.