Back to results
US 5,347,861 AGranted
Thermal mass flow meter
AssigneeSTEC, Inc.
InventorKiyoshi Satoh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The portions on the sides far to each other of two sensor coils wound around the outer circumferential portion of the conduit, through which the fluid passes, at the suitable interval are thermally joined through a thermal conductor and the thermal conductor is heated by means of a heater, whereby the flow rate of fluid can be accurately measured without being influenced by the posture error resulting from the convection.
Claims13
A thermal mass flow meter, comprising:
- a conduit;
- a fluid passing through the conduit;
- a sensor portion formed by winding a first sensor coil around an outer circumferential portion of the conduit and winding a second sensor coil around the outer circumferential portion of the conduit at an interval along the conduit;
- a thermal conductor for thermally connecting the first and second sensor coils by thermally contacting the conduit next to the sensor coils at points along the conduit external of the interval between the sensor coils, the thermal conductor being a bridge having first and second leg members and a horizontal member connected between the leg members, the leg members contacting the conduit at points proximate to the sensor coils external of the interval;
- and
- a heater for heating the thermal conductor, the heater maintaining the temperature of the thermal conductor at a constant temperature.
3 more elements
A thermal mass flow meter, comprising:
- a conduit;
- a fluid passing through the conduit;
- a sensor portion formed by winding a first sensor coil around an outer circumferential portion of the conduit and winding a second sensor coil around the outer circumferential portion of the conduit at an interval along the conduit;
- a thermal conductor for thermally connecting the first and second sensor coils by thermally contacting the conduit next to the sensor coils at points along the conduit external of the interval between the sensor coils, the thermal conductor having first and second leg members and first and second horizontal members connected between the leg members, the leg members contacting the conduit at points along the conduit proximate to the sensor coils external of the interval;
- and
- a heater for heating the thermal conductor, the heater maintaining the temperature of the thermal conductor at a constant temperature.
3 more elements
A thermal mass flow meter, comprising:
- a conduit;
- a fluid passing through the conduit;
- a sensor portion formed by winding a first sensor coil around an outer circumferential portion of the conduit and winding a second sensor coil around the outer circumferential portion of the conduit at an interval along the conduit and downstream of the first sensor coil;
- a thermal conductor for thermally connecting the first and second coils by thermally contacting the conduit next to the sensor coils at points along the conduit external of the interval between the sensor coils, the thermal conductor having first and second leg members and first and second horizontal members connected between the leg members, the leg members contacting the conduit at points along the conduit proximate to the sensor coils external of the interval;
- a metallic adhesive connecting the first and second leg members to the conduit for providing enhanced thermal conductivity, the first leg member connected upstream of the first sensor coil, and the second leg member connected downstream of the second sensor coil, the first horizontal member connected to the respective first and second leg members on one side of the conduit, and the second horizontal member connected to the respective first and second leg members on the opposite side;
- a heater plate mounted on one of the horizontal members for heating the thermal conductor to at least room temperature, the heater maintaining the temperature of the thermal conductor at a constant temperature;
- and
- a case means for surrounding the conduit, the first and second sensor coils, the thermal conductor, and the heater plate, the case means including a glass fiber sheet between the conduit and the thermal conductor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.