Refrigeration – With indicator or tester – Condition sensing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2001-07-24
Tanner, Harry B. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With indicator or tester
Condition sensing
C062S149000, C073S861770
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263684
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to servicing equipment for refrigeration systems and more particularly to a refrigerant flow meter that includes a refrigerant flow meter housing and a microprocessor circuit; the refrigerant flow meter housing having an input fitting; an output fitting in connection with the input fitting through a refrigerant flow passageway; two concentrically aligned sensor windows in photo transferring connection with the refrigerant flow passageway; a visual fluid flow verification window in viewing connection with the refrigerant flow passageway; and a paddle wheel flow transducer assembly including a photomicrosensor assembly installed across the two concentrically aligned sensor windows such that a photo signal is transferred through the two concentrically aligned sensor windows and a paddle wheel rotatably installed within the refrigerant flow passageway between the two concentrically aligned sensor windows and having a number of equally spaced openings formed there through that sequentially pass between the two concentrically aligned sensor windows when the paddle wheel rotates to cause a pulsing volume signal output from the photomicrosensor assembly proportional to the volume of refrigerant flow through the refrigerant flow passageway; the microprocessor circuit including a microcontroller having a random access memory, a read only memory, and a refrigerant volume input in electrical connection with the volume output of the photomicrosensor assembly; a housing temperature sensor mechanically mounted to the refrigerant flow meter housing and having a housing temperature signal output in electrical connection with a housing temperature input of the microcontroller; an ambient temperature sensor mechanically mounted away from to the refrigerant flow meter housing and having an ambient temperature signal output in electrical connection with an ambient temperature input of the microcontroller; a material select switch in electrical connection with a material select input of the microcontroller; a material index switch in electrical connection with a material index input of the microcontroller; a reset switch in electrical connection with a reset input of the microcontroller; and a display assembly including a display driver in electrical connection between a display output of the microcontroller and a display input of a visual display device; the microcontroller having a look up table of information on a number of refrigerant materials programmed therein that is selected by a user using the material and select switches; the microcontroller being programmed to monitor the pulsing volume signal output from the photomicrosensor assembly; calculate a volume quantity based on an accumulated value of the pulsing volume signal and the temperature sensed by the housing and ambient temperature sensors; and display the volume quantity on the display assembly; the microcontroller resetting the accumulated value of the pulsing volume signal to zero when the reset switch is depressed.
2. Background Art
When repairing an air conditioning unit that requires the repair and resealing of the system, the refrigerant must be replaced within the system prior to resealing the system. This is typically accomplished by hooking a container of refrigerant to a fitting on the system and then opening the container until a precise quantity of refrigerant is transferred from the container to the system. Determining the precise quantity of refrigerant transferred to the system can be difficult and is typically accomplished using a scale to weigh the container before and after the transfer has occurred. The scale is large, bulky to carry and subject to variations that can cause significant errors in the quantity of refrigerant transferred. In addition, if the scale is dropped, it often has to be sent for recalibration by a scale technician. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a small, light weight refrigerant flow meter that would calculate the quantity of refrigerant that has flowed through the refrigerant flow meter for a given period of time and provide a continuous visual display output of the quantity of refrigerant transferred between a refrigerant container and a system being charged with refrigerant.
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a refrigerant flow meter that includes a refrigerant flow meter housing and a microprocessor circuit; The refrigerant flow meter housing having an input fitting; an output fitting in connection with the input fitting through a refrigerant flow passageway; two concentrically aligned sensor windows in photo transferring connection with the refrigerant flow passageway; a visual fluid flow verification window in viewing connection with the refrigerant flow passageway; and a paddle wheel flow transducer assembly including a photomicrosensor assembly installed across the two concentrically aligned sensor windows such that a photo signal is transferred through the two concentrically aligned sensor windows and a paddle wheel rotatably installed within the refrigerant flow passageway between the two concentrically aligned sensor windows and having a number of equally spaced openings formed therethrough that sequentially pass between the two concentrically aligned sensor windows when the paddle wheel rotates to cause a pulsing volume signal output from the photomicrosensor assembly proportional to the volume of refrigerant flow through the refrigerant flow passageway; the microprocessor circuit including a microcontroller having a random access memory, a read only memory, and a refrigerant volume input in electrical connection with the volume output of the photomicrosensor assembly; a housing temperature sensor mechanically mounted to the refrigerant flow meter housing and having a housing temperature signal output in electrical connection with a housing temperature input of the microcontroller; an ambient temperature sensor mechanically mounted away from to the refrigerant flow meter housing and having an ambient temperature signal output in electrical connection with an ambient temperature input of the microcontroller; a material select switch in electrical connection with a material select input of the microcontroller; a material index switch in electrical connection with a material index input of the microcontroller; a reset switch in electrical connection with a reset input of the microcontroller; and a display assembly including a display driver in electrical connection between a display output of the microcontroller and a display input of a visual display device; the microcontroller having a look up table of information on a number of refrigerant materials programmed therein that is selected by a user using the material and select switches; the microcontroller being programmed to monitor the pulsing volume signal output from the photomicrosensor assembly; calculate a volume quantity based on an accumulated value of the pulsing volume signal and the temperature sensed by the housing and ambient temperature sensors; and display the volume quantity on the display assembly; the microcontroller resetting the accumulated value of the pulsing volume signal to zero when the reset switch is depressed.
Accordingly, a refrigerant flow meter is provided. The refrigerant flow meter includes a refrigerant flow meter housing and a microprocessor circuit; the refrigerant flow meter housing having an input fitting; an output fitting in connection with the input fitting through a refrigerant flow passageway; two concentrically aligned sensor windows in photo transferring connection with the refrigerant flow passageway; a visual fluid flow verification window in viewing connection with the refrigerant flow passageway; and a paddle wheel flow transducer assembly including a photomicrosensor assembly installed across the two concentrically aligned sensor windows such that a photo signal is transferred through the two concentrically aligned sensor windows and a paddle wheel rotatably
Breaux Joseph N.
Tanner Harry B.
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