# US 7,823,438 B2 · Fluid detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,823,438 B2 - Document ID: US7823438B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/662,628 - Filed: 2006-01-05 - Published: 2008-08-21 - Granted: 2010-11-02 - Earliest claimed: 2005-01-24 - Assignees: Calectro AB - Inventors: Jörgen Sahibzada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7823438B2 ## CPC - G01N 33/0011: {Sample conditioning (preparing specimens for investigation G01N1/28)} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A device is disclosed for sensing a fluid, such as in a ventilation duct. In at least one embodiment, the device includes a sensing element, a housing accommodating the sensing element, and a supply duct and a discharge duct, which ducts at one end commucicate with the housing and which ducts at the other end communicate with an object that is to be sensed. In at least one embodiment, the housing is formed with a first passage portion for the fluid that is to be sensed; that the sensing element is positioned in the first passage portion; and that the supply duct opens into said first passage portion and that the discharge duct is connected to a discharge opening formed in the first passage portion and positioned at a considerable peripheral distance from the mouth of said supply duct in the first passage portion, so that the fluid that is to be sensed is actively made to pass the sensing element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device configured to sense a fluid, comprising: a sensing element; a housing accommodating the sensing element; and a supply duct and a discharge duct, which ducts at one end are configured to communicate with the housing and which ducts at the other end are configured to communicate with the fluid that is to be sensed, wherein the housing is formed with a first passage portion for the fluid that is to be sensed, the sensing element is positioned in the first passage portion, the supply duct opens into said first passage portion, the discharge duct is connected to a discharge opening formed in the first passage portion and positioned at a considerable peripheral distance from a mouth of said supply duct in the first passage portion, so that the fluid that is to be sensed is actively made to pass the sensing element, and the housing is provided with a second passage portion which is shielded from the first passage portion and which extends between said discharge opening in the first passage portion and the discharge duct. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mouth of the supply duct in the first passage portion is facing a throughput portion of the sensing element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mouth of the supply duct in the first passage portion is arranged in the vicinity of a throughput portion of the sensing element. ### Claim 4 A device configured to sense a fluid, comprising: a sensing element; a housing accommodating the sensing element; and a supply duct and a discharge duct, which ducts at one end are configured to communicate with the housing and which ducts at the other end are configured to communicate with the fluid that is to be sensed, wherein the housing is formed with a first passage portion for the fluid that is to be sensed, the sensing element is positioned in the first passage portion, the supply duct opens into said first passage portion, the discharge duct is connected to a discharge opening formed in the first passage portion and positioned at a considerable peripheral distance from a mouth of said supply duct in the first passage portion, so that the fluid that is to be sensed is actively made to pass the sensing element, and wherein the housing is provided with a second passage portion which is arranged as a passage duct which extends peripherally outside the first passage portion from said discharge opening to said discharge duct. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mouth of the discharge duct is positioned in the vicinity of the mouth of said supply duct at a considerable peripheral distance from the discharge opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the supply duct, an inlet of the throughput portion of the sensing element and a detector which is positioned inside the sensing element are essentially arranged along a common line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a seal is arranged between the sensing element and the housing to make fluid that is to be sensed pass the throughput portion of the sensing element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing element is circular in shape and the throughput portion of the sensing element is arranged as a plurality of openings distributed in the circumferential direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply duct and the discharge duct are arranged as a two-duct pipe, in which the ducts are separated by a wall arranged in the pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said supply duct is provided with an inlet facing a main flow direction of a fluid in the object that is to be sensed, and said discharge duct is provided with an outlet positioned downstream of the inlet, said outlet being positioned upstream of the downstream boundary of the two-duct pipe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said outlet is positioned in an area where the lateral surfaces of the two-duct pipe relative to each other, in a direction away from said inlet, change from a divergent extent to a convergent extent relative to the main flow direction of the fluid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the inlet and the outlet includes at least one elongated opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flow indicator is arranged in the path of the fluid through said housing (3). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a filter is arranged in the path of the fluid between the object that is to be sensed and the sensing element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fan is arranged in the path of the fluid through the device to enhance or produce a throughput of the fluid that is to be sensed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a connection space which is adapted to accommodate electrical connection components, which connection space is substantially shielded from the fluid which is intended to flow through the housing, a shield consisting of a printed circuit card which is adapted to carry the connection components. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A device as claimed claim 1, wherein the first passage portion is visually and physically accessible through an at least partially transparent cover which can be removed and re-applied. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the removable and re-applicable cover engagingly cooperates with the housing by a bayonet coupling. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the removable and re-applicable cover is provided with a closable measuring hole which allows access for testing the function of the device after installation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes two housing elements that are to be joined to each other. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid is in a ventilation duct. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said at least one elongated opening is a slot.