Patent · US Expired

Low flow rate transducer construction

US4173144A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
6References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 3, 1978
Grant dateNov 6, 1979
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 3, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01F1/06
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A transducer construction for sensing very low fluid flow rates by providing an extremely lightweight paddle wheel rotatable within a close fitting fluid chamber having inlet and outlet ports directed toward the paddle wheel with a minimum angular separation between the axes of the ports to insure maximum circumferential contact of the fluid with the paddle wheel as it moves around the fluid chamber. Rotation of the paddle wheel is sensed by means of a light source and photosensitive device placed on opposite end walls of the fluid chamber to detect the passage of the paddles of the paddle wheel therebetween. A modular form of the paddle wheel and photo detector assembly is disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.