Attitude insensitive automatic reset flow sensor

Claim 1

A non-position, non-memory condition sensitive, automatic reset flow sensor, comprising: (a) a solid housing having, a longitudinal axis thereof, an inlet port and an outlet port, said ports integrally connected by an axial bore through the center of said housing; (b) an armature disposed within said axial bore, said armature having an axis of magnetic polarity co-axial with the axis of said bore, the armature being free to move longitudinally within said bore within a range of motion defined by two pairs of detents integrally extending radially from the interior diameter of said axial bore toward said longitudinal axis of said housing; (c) compensating magnetic means disposed within said sensor housing, located at a radius from the longitudinal axis of said housing greater than the radius of the interior diameter of the said bore, said compensating magnet having a magnetic axis oriented to normally oppose the magnetic axis of said armature and, thereby, to apply to said armature a magnetically repulsive bias against said armature in the direction of said inlet port of the sensor housing, whereby the actuation point of said armature will be regulated by (i) the displacement between said compensating magnet and said armature in its unactuated position and (ii) the strength of the repulsive field between said magnets and, further whereby, said repulsive force between said magnets will assure the resetting of said armature to its original position after the flow condition causing actuation of the armature toward the outlet port has abated; and (d) the magnetic sensing means disposed within the magnetic proximity of said armature and within said sensor housing, wherein the position and status of said armature may be electromechanically monitored by said magnetic sensing means.