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US 6,202,483 B1Granted
Volumetric flow metering apparatus
OwnerRichard D. Barcusinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A volumetric flow meter that includes a defined volume and sensors that detect when liquid begins to fill the defined volume and when that volume is full. A circuit or equivalent logic is preferably provided to generate a signal representative of flow rate based on the size of the defined volume and time required to fill that volume. The flow meter is constructed of economical and durable components. A method of flow metering is also disclosed.
Claims8
A liquid flow measuring apparatus, comprising:
- a liquid input and a liquid output;
- a body provided between said input and said output and configured to define a volume;
- a stopper for said liquid output that is moveable between an open and a closed position;
- a start count sensor coupled to said body that detects when liquid filling said volume has reached a start level, said start count sensor producing a start count sensor output signal;
- a stop count sensor coupled to said body that detects when liquid filling said volume has reached a stop level that is located above said start level, said atop count sensor producing a stop count sensor output signal;
- a clock circuit coupled to said start and stop count sensors that calculates the time to fill a volume of said body between the start count and stop count levels;
- an electronic flow rate calculating circuit coupled to said clock circuit that produces an electronic representation of flow rate through said body by dividing the volume of said body between the start and stop count levels by the calculated time to fill that body:
- an output opening mechanism that moves said stopper to open said liquid output after said body has been filled to said stop count level to permit liquid to evacuate the body through said liquid output by force of gravity;
- an output closing mechanism that moves said stopper to close said liquid output after said body has been evacuated of fluid below said start count level;
- wherein the start count sensor output signal is used to start a count by said clock circuit of time to fill said volume;
- and
- wherein the stop count sensor output signal is used both in calculations of time to fill said volume and to remove the stopper from said liquid output.
9 more elements
A method for measuring liquid flow, comprising the steps of:
- providing a body having a defined volume and a liquid input and a liquid output;
- providing a stopper for said liquid output that is moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- determining with a start count sensor when liquid has begun filling said volume at a first level thereof;
- determining with a stop count sensor when liquid has filled said volume to a second level thereof that is above said first level;
- removing the stopper from said liquid output when said stop count sensor indicates that said volume has been filled to said second level to permit liquid to evacuate the volume by force of gravity;
- moving the stopper to close said liquid output after said start count sensor indicates that liquid in said volume has evacuated below said first level;
- and
- generating with a stopper control and flow rate calculation circuit a signal representative of a flow rate that is based on said defined volume and the amount of time required for a liquid to fill that volume as detected by the start count and stop count sensors;
- wherein a start count sensor output signal generated by said start count sensor is used by said stopper control and flow rate calculation circuit to start a count of the amount of time required to fill said volume;
- and
- a stop count sensor output signal generated by said stop count sensor is used by said stopper control and flow rate calculation circuit both to end the count of amount of time required to fill said volume and to remove the stopper from said liquid output to permit evacuation.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.