US5099699A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flow indicator or flowmeter
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-03-12
•
Granted: 1992-03-31
•
Expires: 2010-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A flow indicator or flowmeter is provided with an impeller which is rotatably mounted in an essentially circular-cylindrical flow chamber of a flow housing which has an inlet channel and an outlet channel. The impeller has an odd number of blades and is visible through a transparent side wall so that rotation of the impeller can be viewed to indicate fluid flow. The impeller can have magnets, ferrite cores or similar impulse creating elements by means of which an electronic circuit is actuated so that the device serves not only as a flow indicator but also as a flowmeter. It is also preferred that the inlet and outlet channels be orientated obliquely relative to a radial direction of the flow chamber such that the fluid impinges on side faces of the impeller blades.
Inventors
- 👤 Klaus Kobold
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 03:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P13/00; G01P13/008; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/05; G01F1/06; G01F1/075; G01F15/00; G01F15/14; G01P13/0006; G01P13/004; G01P5/00; G01P5/02; G01P5/06; G01P5/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A device for indicating flow of a fluid which flows at a rate within a range of flow rates having a flow rate R 1 as its lower limit, comprising: a flow housing having defined therein a substantially cylindrical flow chamber, an inlet channel and an outlet channel, both said inlet channel and said outlet channel being in fluid communication with said flow chamber such that the fluid can flow through said inlet channel, said flow chamber and said outlet channel; an impeller rotatably mounted within said flow chamber for rotation about a rotational axis; and at least one nozzle plate mounted respectively within at least one of said inlet and outlet channels, said at least one nozzle plate having a nozzle hole of a predetermined diameter D formed therein, the diameter of said nozzle hole being predetermined in dependence on a ration V=R 1 D, such that the higher the lower limit R 1 , the higher the value of said ratio V, and the larger the predetermined diameter D, wherein the value of said ratio V is approximately 0.5 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.05 inches and the value of said ratio V is approximately 2 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.75 inches.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
209 words
A device for indicating flow of a fluid which flows at a rate within a range of flow rates having a flow rate R 1 as its lower limit, comprising: a flow housing having defined therein a substantially cylindrical flow chamber, an inlet channel and an outlet channel, both said inlet channel and said outlet channel being in fluid communication with said flow chamber such that the fluid can flow through said inlet channel, said flow chamber and said outlet channel; an impeller rotatably mounted within said flow chamber for rotation about a rotational axis; and at least one nozzle plate mounted respectively within at least one of said inlet and outlet channels, said at least one nozzle plate having a nozzle hole of a predetermined diameter D formed therein, the diameter of said nozzle hole being predetermined in dependence on a ration V=R 1 D, such that the higher the lower limit R 1 , the higher the value of said ratio V, and the larger the predetermined diameter D, wherein the value of said ratio V is approximately 0.5 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.05 inches and the value of said ratio V is approximately 2 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.75 inches.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said impeller has an odd number of blades.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said inlet channel includes an inlet opening into said flow chamber, and said outlet channel includes an outlet opening into said flow chamber, said inlet opening being spaced circumferentially about a periphery of said flow chamber from said outlet opening by less than 180°.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
A device as recited in claim 3, wherein said inlet channel has an external opening from said flow housing through a first external face of said flow housing, and said outlet channel has an external opening from said flow housing through a second external face of said flow housing, said second external face being diametrically opposed to said first external face with respect to said flow chamber, and said external opening of said inlet channel being diametrically opposed to said external opening of said outlet channel with respect to said flow chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A device as recited in claim 4, wherein said impeller has a plurality of blades, each of which has a side face; and a central longitudinal axis of said inlet opening extends obliquely relative to a radial direction of said flow chamber and a central longitudinal axis of said outlet opening extends obliquely relative to a radial direction of said flow chamber, such that fluid flowing into said fluid chamber impinges on said side faces of said blades of said impeller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as recited in claim 5, wherein said inlet and outlet channels are angled, respectively, by 10° to 80° relative to a radial direction of said flow chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as recited in claim 5, wherein said inlet opening is spaced circumferentially about the periphery of said flow chamber by 160° to 180° from said outlet opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one nozzle plate is detachably mounted by screw threads within said at least one of said inlet and outlet channels, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of impulse-creating elements mounted circumferentially about the rotational axis of said impeller in spaced apart relation adjacent said rotational axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as recited in claim 9, wherein said plurality of impulse creating elements are mounted on a sector plate which is mounted for rotation with said impeller.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said flow housing includes sidewalls spaced apart on axially opposing sides of said impeller.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said flow housing includes a transparent cover on at least one side of said flow chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as recited in claim 12, wherein said cover is removably mounted to said flow housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as recited in claim 1, further comprising connecting sleeve means mounted to each of said inlet and outlet channels for connecting the device into a fluid flow line.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
A device as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said connecting sleeve means has an external groove formed therein; each of said inlet channel and said outlet channel has an internal groove therein alignable respectively with said external grooves of said connecting sleeve means; and locking pins are provided for receipt in corresponding ones of said external and internal grooves when said corresponding external and internal grooves are mutually aligned to maintain said connecting sleeve means in said inlet and outlet channels, respectively.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a device housing having a recess formed therein, said flow housing being engaged in said recess of said device housing such that external faces of said flow housing align with corresponding external faces of said device housing to form a substantially cuboid-shaped structure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as recited in claim 16, wherein said device housing includes an exchangeable graduated plate on an external face thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as recited in claim 17, wherein said device housing comprises a hollow, profiled extrusion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as recited in claim 18, wherein said hollow, profiled extrusion has ribs formed therealong on the external faces thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said blades of said impeller are perforated.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said impeller has a plurality of blades which extend radially outwardly to within one millimeter of an inner circumferential wall of said flow chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as recited in claim 21, wherein said blades extend radially outwardly within 0.5 millimeters of said inner circumferential wall of said flow chamber.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said impeller is fixedly mounted to a shaft; said flow housing includes sidewalls spaced apart on axially opposing sides of said impeller; and said shaft is rotatably mounted to said spaced apart sidewalls.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
A device as recited in claim 23, wherein a fixed bearing element is mounted in one of said sidewalls; an axially adjustable bearing element is mounted in the other of said sidewalls; and said shaft is rotatably mounted in said fixed bearing and said adjustable bearing element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
99 words
A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the value of said ratio V is approximately 0.6 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.075 inches, the value of said ratio V is approximately 1.0 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.10 inches, the value of said ratio V is approximately 1.4 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.30 inches, the value of said ratio V is approximately 1.5 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.50 inches, and the value of said ratio V is approximately 1.7 GPM/inch when the diameter D is approximately 0.60 inches.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
186 words
A method for indicating flow of a fluid which flows at a rate within a range of flow rates having a flow rate R 1 as its lower limit, comprising the steps of: providing a flow housing having defined therein a substantially cylindrical flow chamber, an inlet channel and an outlet channel, both said inlet channel and said outlet channel being in fluid communication with said flow chamber such that the fluid can flow through said inlet channel, said flow chamber and said outlet channel; providing an impeller rotatably mounted within said flow chamber for rotation about a rotational axis; choosing a nozzle plate, having a nozzle hole of a particular diameter D defined therein, on the basis of the diameter D of said nozzle hole, the particular diameter of said nozzle hole being determined in dependence on R 1 , such that the higher the lower limit R 1 of the range of flow rates, the higher the value of D and the higher the value of a ratio V=R 1 D; and mounting said nozzle plate within one of said inlet and outlet channels.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
186 words
A method for indicating flow of a fluid which flows at a rate within a range of flow rates having a flow rate R 1 as its lower limit, comprising the steps of: providing a flow housing having defined therein a substantially cylindrical flow chamber, an inlet channel and an outlet channel, both said inlet channel and said outlet channel being in fluid communication with said flow chamber such that the fluid can flow through said inlet channel, said flow chamber and said outlet channel; providing an impeller rotatably mounted within said flow chamber for rotation about a rotational axis; choosing a nozzle plate, having a nozzle hole of a particular diameter D defined therein, on the basis of the diameter D of said nozzle hole, the particular diameter of said nozzle hole being determined in dependence on R 1 , such that the higher the lower limit R 1 of the range of flow rates, the higher the value of D and the higher the value of a ratio V=R 1 D; and mounting said nozzle plate within one of said inlet and outlet channels.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-03-31 | 1995-09-30 | 1996-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-03-31 | 1999-09-30 | 2000-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-03-31 | 2003-09-30 | 2004-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |