Apparatus for dynamically adjusting size of an orifice to increase accuracy in measuring the rate of air flow
US6619138B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 16, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F1/372
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A flow adapter for measuring the rate at which air flows into the brake pipe. The adapter includes a housing, a flow valve and a transducer. The primary passage of the housing contains a primary orifice and a secondary passage contains a secondary orifice. The flow valve is disposed within a supplemental passage. When the rate of air flowing from the input passage into the input chamber is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, the flow valve closes the supplemental passage. When the flow rate into the input chamber is greater than the predetermined amount, the flow valve opens the passage to an extent determined by the magnitude of the flow rate. This allows air to flow through the supplemental passage, in addition to that flowing through the primary passage. The transducer generates a signal proportional to the difference in pressure between input and output chambers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.