Method and system for measuring volume and controlling flow
US5533389A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/87981
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for controlling the flow of fluid through a line 3. The system may include first and second valves (A, B; and 6, 7) in the line 3 between is located a chamber (52, 82), part of which may be filled with fluid having a variable volume (52), and another part is filled with a measurement gas (V.sub.1), such as air. The chamber may be isolated from the pressure effects in the rest of the line by closing both valves. The valves may also permit fluid to flow into or out of the chamber. The second portion of the chamber has a common boundary with the first part in such a way that the combined volume of the first and second parts is constant. A loudspeaker (22, 33, 571) creates sound waves in the gas in the second part of the chamber, in order to measure the volume of the fluid in the first part, and for directing the operation of the valves and creating subsonic pressure variations to produce the desired flow. The volume measurement is achieved by acoustic volume measurement techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.