Abstract A cup-shaped member is attached to a rotating shaft as might be associated with a turbine meter for measuring fluid flow or volume. A permanent magnet ring is mounted internal to the cup member, the ring having a plurality of equispaced alternating north and south poles. A second cup-shaped member is mounted within the permanent magnet ring having a plurality of coils mounted on an iron core therein having non-salient poles, whereby uniform reluctance in the magnetic circuit is maintained regardless of the angular position of the shaft. In an alternative embodiment, the ring is iron, having the coils mounted thereon, and the permanent magnet is made to rotate in the center portion of the ring. Circuitry is also described to convert the voltage output from the generator into fluid volume indications as dictated by the rotation of the shaft, such circuitry including a first rectifier connected to an alternating voltage, a rechargeable battery connected to the output of the first rectifier, a second rectifier connected to the alternating voltage and a trigger flip-flop circuit powered by the rechargeable battery and connected to the output of the second rectifier whereby a series of sharply squared output pulses are produced at the output of the trigger circuit in response to the rotation of the shaft. In addition, circuitry is provided for scaling down the number of sharply squared output pulses by a predetermined number whereby the output of the scaling circuit provides a predetermined number of output pulses according to the conventional units of flow as determined by the rotation of the shaft.
An apparatus for metering the rotational activity of a turbine assembly, comprising: a rotatable turbine assembly having a vaned turbine wheel rotor, said rotor having at least one rotor blade; a permanent magnet embedded in the tip of said at least one blade; a ring-shaped non-salient member of magnetically permeable material enclosing said turbine wheel rotor; at least one induction coil mounted on the internal surface of said ring; conductor means connected to said at least one coil for monitoring the alternating voltage induced in said at least one coil relating to the rotation of said rotor; and means for converting the frequency of said alternating voltage into an indication of the rate of rotation of said shaft, said means for converting the frequency comprising: a first rectifier connected to said alternating voltage; a rechargeable battery connected to the output of said first rectifier; a second rectifier connected to said alternating voltage; and a trigger flip-flop circuit powered by said rechargeable battery and connected to the output of said second rectifier, whereby a series of sharply squared output pulses are produced at the output of said trigger circuit responsive to the rotation of said shaft.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
195 words
An apparatus for metering the rotational activity of a turbine assembly, comprising: a rotatable turbine assembly having a vaned turbine wheel rotor, said rotor having at least one rotor blade; a permanent magnet embedded in the tip of said at least one blade; a ring-shaped non-salient member of magnetically permeable material enclosing said turbine wheel rotor; at least one induction coil mounted on the internal surface of said ring; conductor means connected to said at least one coil for monitoring the alternating voltage induced in said at least one coil relating to the rotation of said rotor; and means for converting the frequency of said alternating voltage into an indication of the rate of rotation of said shaft, said means for converting the frequency comprising: a first rectifier connected to said alternating voltage; a rechargeable battery connected to the output of said first rectifier; a second rectifier connected to said alternating voltage; and a trigger flip-flop circuit powered by said rechargeable battery and connected to the output of said second rectifier, whereby a series of sharply squared output pulses are produced at the output of said trigger circuit responsive to the rotation of said shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including in addition thereto circuit means for scaling down the number of sharply-squared output pulses by a predetermined number whereby the output of said scaling circuit provides a predetermined number of output pulses according to conventional units of flow as determined by the rotation of said shaft.