Measuring and testing – Volume or rate of flow – Element
Patent
1990-06-13
1992-09-15
Goldstein, Herbert
Measuring and testing
Volume or rate of flow
Element
73431, 73201, G01F 1518
Patent
active
051467828
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a gas flowmeter of the kind where the sensor is made by a core or central housing containing the flow-sensors and the electronics for registration of the flow-measurement results, and the core is placed symmetrically with an inlet and an outlet tube in an axially symmetric line.
It is normal today to use gas meters for households that have relative large dimensions. This means that it can be difficult to place the meter in a convenient place for the user, particularly where interior decoration has to be considered. Furthermore, the installation of these meters is very difficult, partly due to the weight and partly due to the tubes for inlet and outlet to the meters. This tubing often demands many bends close to the meter.
A more compact gas meter than the above mentioned is among others known by U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,479. This meter is designed for axial mounting in a tube system, and contains a core with flow sensors for registration of gas flow and electronics for registration of the results. This known meter has the drawback that it is difficult to adjust and repair, since it is necessary to demount the meter from the tube system in which it is placed to do so.
A somewhat similar flowmeter is known from wopaper no. Wo 87/00917. In this meter, the sensors and the electronics are placed on a common film substrate which is encapsulated in two part housing. This means that the electronics are isolated from the sensors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a gas flowmeter which is compact and easy to install, and which at the same time is easy to adjust and repair.
This object is obtained by the meter described hereinbelow by placing one or more sensor modules in the core or central housing, together with a distribution strip. On the outside of the core is placed shell-modules for the electronics.
The flowmeter is characterized by its structure of minimized modules for sensors and electronics, which become a part of the tube system. The system is placed in the direction of the tube, and its dimension and placement is an extension of the tube. The measurement of the consumption takes place on a straight line of the tube, on the way of the tube to the place of consumption.
On the basis of the newest technology, it is possible to reduce the modules of the measurement system and the electronic modules. It is the construction of these in a few well defined units that makes the meter easy to produce, program, and repair, even on location where the module under consideration is replaced. This also makes other combinations possible, by means of measuring modules used for other purposes.
The dimension of the core tube is reduced with respect to the maximum capacity and the maximum flow speed of the meter, which again relates to the capacity of the supply tube in such a way that the dimension of the core is less than the dimension of supply tube. This difference is used for placing the sensors and the electronics in order to optimize the construction.
The sensors are snapped into the core, where they are sitting in line with respect to the axial direction of the meter.
The electronics form the outer shell which is placed in the axial direction of the core in such a way that the meter forms an extension of the thickness of the tube.
The placing of the meter is no problem since it is a part of the tubing, which makes it very flexible to mount.
The meter has a separate display. This makes use of the gas flowmeter further flexible, as it can be placed at inaccessible places where it is not possible to read the meter. The display can then be placed in the best place.
There is no need for a separate suspension of the meter, due to the construction and low weight of the meter.
Since the inlet and outlet of the meter are placed in the axial direction, a very simple connection is achieved and the difficult mounting, and use of extensive tubing of prior meters are avoided.
The thickness of the meter is defined by the consumption, and the length
REFERENCES:
patent: 4304128 (1981-12-01), Hafner et al.
patent: 4420794 (1983-12-01), Anderson
patent: 4484479 (1984-11-01), Eckhardt
patent: 4727410 (1988-02-01), Higgin
patent: 4776214 (1988-10-01), Moran et al.
patent: 4798092 (1989-01-01), Lagergren et al.
patent: 4848164 (1989-07-01), Quarve et al.
patent: 4938053 (1990-07-01), Jepson et al.
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