Flow-through fluid pressure transducer

Claim 2

A flow-through pressure transducer having a housing adapted to be connected to tubing containing fluid flowing therein comprising, a resilient, cylindrical diaphragm, non- circular in cross-section having walls which expand and contact in response to said fluid flow, transducer means responsive to the movement of said walls for producing electrical signals in response .to said movement.

Claim 3

The transducer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the diaphragm is elliptical in cross-section.

Claim 4

The transducer as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said transducer means includes at least two strain gauges located at the minor and major axes of said elliptical diaphragm.

Claim 5

The transducer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said transducer means includes at least two strain gauges connected at points of maximum and minimum movement of the walls of said diaphragm.

Claim 6

The transducer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the walls of said diaphragm are selected to respond to a range of pressure.

Claim 7

The transducer as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said transducer means includes four strain gauges connected to the walls of said diaphragm two gauges and located on the minor axes and two gauges being located on the major axes of said diaphragm.

Claim 8

The transducer as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said transducer means are connected in a bridge network having an excitation voltage source and whose variations in resistances are reflected in an output voltage from said bridge network.

Claim 9

The transducer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with a pair of sleeve portions for connecting to said tubing and wherein said diaphragm is suspended between the ends of said sleeve portions.

Claim 10

A pressure sensing transducer comprising, a housing tubular in form with a central - raised portion and two sleeve portions extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to interconnect with tubing having fluid flowing therethrough, a relatively thin elliptical shaped diaphragm within said housing, flanges on the outer ends of said sleeves engaging the side walls of said diaphragm to suspend the diaphragm in said housing and cooperating with the central raised portion of said housing to define a central cavity formed by the outside walls of said diaphragm and the inside walls of said housing to allow the side walls of said diaphragm to expand and contract in response to fluid flow pressure through said diaphragm, transducer means located on the outside walls of said diaphragm in the area of the central raised portion and adapted to change their electrical state in response to the expansion and contraction of the walls of said diaphragm, and means for measuring the change of electrical state of said transducer means as an indication of the change in fluid pressure.

Claim 11

A pressure sensing transducer comprising, a housing tubular in form with a central - raised portion and two sleeve portions extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to interconnect with tubing having fluid flowing therethrough, a relatively thin elliptical shaped diaphragm within said housing, flanges on the outer ends of said sleeves engaging the side walls of said diaphragm to suspend the diaphragm in said housing and cooperating with the central raised portion of said housing to define a central cavity formed by the outside walls of said diaphragm and the inside walls of said housing to allow the side walls of said diaphragm to expand and contract in response to fluid flow pressure through said diaphragm, transducer means located on the outside walls of said diaphragm in the area of the central raised portion and adapted to change their electrical state in response to the expansion and contraction of the walls of said diaphragm, and means for measuring the change of electrical state of said transducer means as an indication of the change in fluid pressure.

Claim 12

The pressure transducer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said transducer means are strain gauges.