FLOW METER

• US 20190011303A1
• Filed: 06/07/2018
• Published: 01/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Original Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Inventors: HASHIMOTO, Yohei, TOMOSHI, Satoru, MATSUI, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 11,035,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/667 Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/001 Means for regulating or setting the meter for a predetermined quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/068 with electrical means G01F15/063 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided is a flow meter capable of logging data more reliably. In this operation, a detection element repeatedly detects a physical quantity related to a flow rate of a fluid flowing in a pipe in a predetermined sampling cycle. Based on physical quantities, a calculation part sequentially calculates the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe. Further, a time measurement part calculates the time. A control storage part is caused to store a logging target, a logging cycle, and logging start definition information. Based on the logging start definition information, a control part automatically starts logging of the logging target in response to startup of the flow meter, and causes a log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and a numerical value of the logging target in association with each other in every logging cycle.

Claims

1. A flow meter that operates by receiving power from a power supply, the flow meter comprising:

a detection element that repeatedly detects a physical quantity related to a flow rate of a fluid flowing in a pipe in a predetermined sampling cycle;

a flow rate calculation part that sequentially calculates the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe based on the physical quantity detected by the detection element;

a control storage part that stores a logging target to be logged, the logging target being a part or whole of parameters including the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part, a logging cycle for the logging target, and logging start definition information for defining start of logging of the logging target;

a log storage part that stores a numerical value of the logging target;

a time measurement part that measures time; and

a control part that automatically starts logging of the logging target in accordance with startup of the flow meter based on the logging start definition information stored in the control storage part, and causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and the numerical value of the logging target in association with each other.

2. The flow meter according to claim 1, wherein each of the logging target, the logging cycle, and the logging start definition information stored in the control storage part is made up of a parameter not settable by a user, a default parameter decided before setting, or an execution program of the control part.

3. The flow meter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display that displays a current instantaneous flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein

the control storage part further stores display format information for identifiably displaying the logging target on the display, and

the display simultaneously or switchably displays the instantaneous flow rate and the logging target based on the display format information stored in the control storage part.

4. The flow meter according to claim 1, comprising:

an operation part that accepts an input based on a user'"'"'s operation;

a setting part that sets a flow rate threshold serving as a reference for comparison with the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part based on the input accepted by the operation part;

a first signal output part that outputs an on or off signal related to the flow rate based on the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part and the flow rate threshold set by the setting part; and

a display that displays the current instantaneous flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein the display simultaneously or switchably displays the instantaneous flow rate, the flow rate threshold, and the logging target.

5. The flow meter according to claim 3, wherein the display is capable of selectively displaying the logging target stored in the log storage part in every period corresponding to the logging cycle.

6. The flow meter according to claim 1, comprising

a display that displays a current instantaneous flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein

the flow rate calculation part further decides a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate within a period corresponding to the logging cycle in every logging cycle from the sequentially calculated flow rate of the fluid in the pipe,

the control storage part further stores the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate as the logging targets,

the control part causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part, the maximum flow rate, and the minimum flow rate in association with each other in every logging cycle, and the display simultaneously or switchably displays the instantaneous flow rate, the maximum flow rate, and the minimum flow rate.

7. The flow meter according to claim 1, comprising:

a display that displays a current instantaneous flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein

the control storage part stores the instantaneous flow rate as the logging target,

the control part causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and the instantaneous flow rate in association with each other in every logging cycle,

the flow rate calculation part further decides a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate within a period corresponding to the logging cycle in every logging cycle from the instantaneous flow rate stored in the log storage part, and

the display simultaneously or switchably displays the instantaneous flow rate, the maximum flow rate, and the minimum flow rate.

8. The flow meter according to claim 1, comprising:

a display that displays a current instantaneous flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein

the flow rate calculation part further calculates an integrated flow rate from the sequentially calculated flow rate of the fluid in the pipe,

the control storage part further stores the integrated flow rate as the logging target, and

the control part causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and the integrated flow rate in association with each other in every logging cycle, and

the display simultaneously or switchably displays the instantaneous flow rate and the integrated flow rate.

9. The flow meter according to claim 1, comprising:

a display that displays a current instantaneous flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein

the control storage part stores the instantaneous flow rate as the logging target,

the control part causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and the instantaneous flow rate in association with each other in every logging cycle,

the flow rate calculation part further calculates an integrated flow rate from the instantaneous flow rate stored in the log storage part, and the display simultaneously or switchably displays the instantaneous flow rate and the integrated flow rate.

10. The flow meter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature measurement part that measures a temperature of a fluid,

wherein

the control storage part further stores a representative temperature within a period corresponding to the logging cycle based on the temperature measured by the temperature measurement part as the logging target, and the control part causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and the representative temperature in association with each other in every logging cycle.

11. The flow meter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second signal output part that outputs a binary signal based on the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation part,

wherein

the control storage part further stores a history of a change when the state of the binary signal output by the second signal output part changes within a period corresponding to the logging cycle, and

the control part causes the log storage part to store the time measured by the time measurement part and the change history in association with each other in every logging cycle.

12. The flow meter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a parameter selection part that accepts selection of a parameter to be the logging target.

13. The flow meter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data output part capable of outputting the logging target stored in the log storage part.

14. The flow meter according to claim 1, wherein

the control part initializes an operation state of the detection element in response to receiving power from the power supply, and

the flow rate calculation part operates after initialization by the control part.

15. The flow meter according to claim 1, wherein

the log storage part includes a ring buffer, and

when a logging target is stored into all storage areas of the ring buffer, the control part overwrites the logging target stored last and stores the latest logging target.

16. The flow meter according to claim 1, wherein

the time measurement part includes a real-time clock that operates independently of power supply from the power supply, and

the control part causes the log storage part to store an absolute time based on the real-time clock and the logging target in association with each other.

17. The flow meter according to claim 16, further comprising:

a secondary battery that is charged with power from the power supply and supplies the power to the real-time clock.

18. The flow meter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mode selection part that accepts selection of an operation mode to be executed by the control part out of a first operation mode in which the logging target is stored into the log storage part and a second operation mode in which the logging target is not stored into the log storage part.

19. The flow meter according to claim 1, wherein

the detection element detects at least one of transmission of ultrasonic waves to the fluid flowing in the pipe and reception of ultrasonic waves from the fluid flowing in the pipe to detect the ultrasonic waves, and

the flow rate calculation part sequentially calculates the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe based on the ultrasonic waves detected by the detection element.