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US4625564A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vortex flow meter

Assignee: Oval Corp
•
Filing: 1984-11-30
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Granted: 1986-12-02
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Expires: 2004-11-30
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Abstract

Abstract A vortex flow meter includes a vibration sensing element having a sensor responsive to an external vibration and a sensor responsive to a vortex train at vertically opposite ends thereof. The sensing element is fixed to a conduit fulcrumed at an intermediate portion thereof. A vortex shedding member is integrally and oscillatably mounted in a lower portion of the sensing element. The flow meter can be assembled merely by being positioned in the conduit and, due to an integral structure, it is effectively applicable even to small diameter conduits through which fluids flow at very small flow rates. In a path along which leads from a sensor responsive to pressure variations due to vortex trains are routed to a transducer box, vibration of the transducer box is prevented from reaching the sensor via the leads, thereby rendering the flow meter less susceptive to externally derived vibrations.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hideo Murakami
  • 👤 Naoki Matsubara

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 20:09
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/05; G01F1/20; G01F1/32; G01F1/325; G01F1/3259; G01F1/3266; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S73/00; Y10S73/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 177 words
A vortex flow meter, comprising: a thin-walled cylindrical tube extending throughout a center of a mounting flange and provided with a pressure receiving plate at a lower end thereof which is exposed to small pressure variations of a vortex train shed by a vortex shedder; sensing elements integrally mounted in said thin-walled cylindrical tube for converting a small pressure variation acting on said pressure receiving plate to an electrical signal; a flexible tubular member rigidly connected to the mounting flange coaxially with the thin-walled cylindrical tube in such a manner as to surround the thin-walled cylindrical tube; a hermetically sealed elastic narrow tube connected at one end to the tubular member; a hermetically sealed terminal block connected to the other end of the elastic narrow tube; the electrical signal being outputted sequentially via said flexible tubular member, said elastic narrow tube and said terminal block; and a protective tube slidably coupled on an outer periphery of the terminal block and fixed in place while surrounding the flexible tubular member, the elastic narrow tube and the mounding flange.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 177 words
A vortex flow meter, comprising: a thin-walled cylindrical tube extending throughout a center of a mounting flange and provided with a pressure receiving plate at a lower end thereof which is exposed to small pressure variations of a vortex train shed by a vortex shedder; sensing elements integrally mounted in said thin-walled cylindrical tube for converting a small pressure variation acting on said pressure receiving plate to an electrical signal; a flexible tubular member rigidly connected to the mounting flange coaxially with the thin-walled cylindrical tube in such a manner as to surround the thin-walled cylindrical tube; a hermetically sealed elastic narrow tube connected at one end to the tubular member; a hermetically sealed terminal block connected to the other end of the elastic narrow tube; the electrical signal being outputted sequentially via said flexible tubular member, said elastic narrow tube and said terminal block; and a protective tube slidably coupled on an outer periphery of the terminal block and fixed in place while surrounding the flexible tubular member, the elastic narrow tube and the mounding flange.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 80 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible tubular member has a radially outwardly extending lid portion at an end thereof, the mounting flange being provided with a recess around an opening formed therein throughout which the thin-walled cylindrical tube extends, said recess being formed with a bottom portion and a stepped portion, said lid portion of the flexible tubular member and the bottom portion of said recess being held out of contact with each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 2, wherein part of the flexible tubular member comprises a bellows.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 3, wherein leads extending out from the sensing elements inside the flexible tubular element are connected with the intermediary of an insulating material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the insulating material comprises a hermetic seal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the elastic narrow tube comprises a sheath wire.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein part of the flexible tubular member comprises a bellows.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 7, wherein part of the flexible tubular member comprises a bellows.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the insulating material comprises a hermetic seal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic narrow tube comprises a sheath wire.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1, where leads extending out from the sensing elements inside the flexible tubular element are connected with the intermediary of an insulating material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the insulating material comprises a hermetic seal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 12, wherein the elastic narrow tube comprises a sheath wire.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 17 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating material comprises a hermetic seal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the elastic narrow tube comprises a sheath wire.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic narrow tube comprises a sheath wire.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4248098A Cited
US4526040A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-12-01 1990-06-02 1990-12-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-12-01 1994-06-02 1994-12-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-12-01 1998-06-02 1998-12-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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