Fluid flowmeter and method of assembly

Details Fluid flowmeter and method of assembly Fluid flowmeter and method of assembly

1998-10-27

2001-04-10

Patel, Harshad (Department: 2855)

Measuring and testing

Volume or rate of flow

Using differential pressure

C073S001330

Reexamination Certificate

active

06212957

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to measuring devices to measure the flow rate(s) of fluids in confined flow paths, and more particularly to floating ball type static flowmeters in which the rate of flow of the fluid causes a floating ball in the fluid path to be positioned against a scale which indicates the fluid flow rate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, a floating ball type static flowmeter, such as that used to measure the flow rate of a gas passing through fluid conduits or tubing from a gas supply source to a gas user device, includes in the fluid path a transparent, vertically positioned tube through which the gas from the source is passed before transmission to the users device. A ball, usually spherical in shape, is positioned in the tube to rise and fall depending on the pressure applied to the ball as determined by the flow rate of the gas passing through the tube. A visual scale may be etched or printed along the barrel of the tube or a transparent housing enclosing the tube, the scale indicating the flow rate of the gas, e.g., in liters per minute (lpm), by the position of the ball against the scale.
Although simple in concept, the construction and assembly of such flowmeters can be complex and/or expensive if accuracy in flow rate measurement is needed. To provide relative accuracy, the flowmeters often are individually tested after assembly and the measuring scale added to the barrel of the tube or housing corresponding to the position of the ball after a test gas is passed though the tube at known flow rates from a minimum flow rate, e.g., 1 lpm, to a maximum flow rate, e.g., 15 lpm. Moreover, as uses of specific gases, such as oxygen or a concentrated oxygen mixture, in medical applications become more commonplace to permit patient mobility, factors such as cost, weight and simplification of design and assembly become more important considerations. For these and other purposes, we have developed an improved flowmeter that retains the simplicity of a ball-type flowmeter, but is more efficient and less costly to assemble. Because the flowmeter design according to our invention is very flexible, it also is possible to produce flowmeters of different capacities with a minimum of changes in parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a ball type flowmeter having an external transparent housing on which the flow rate scale is pre-printed before assembly. Within the housing is a transparent tube containing a floating ball and through which the gas is passed, the tube being slidable in the housing and having upper and lower flanges to hold the tube in a vertical position in the housing. A source gas is then introduced into the tube by opening a valve at the inlet of the flowmeter until the gas flows through the tube at a predetermined flow rate, e.g., 5 lpm, as measured by an accurate, external flow rate instrument. The tube is then slidably moved within the housing until the ball is positioned immediately adjacent to the corresponding numeral on the pre-printed scale and the tube then fixed to the housing at that position.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3785205 (1974-01-01), Lambert et al.
patent: 3933040 (1976-01-01), Thompson
patent: 4302980 (1981-12-01), Braatz
patent: 4317375 (1982-03-01), Egert
patent: 4934187 (1990-06-01), Woltman
patent: 5402686 (1995-04-01), Wittmann

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