Remote conductivity sensor having transformer coupling in fluid flow path

• US 4,740,755 A
• Filed: 05/30/1986
• Issued: 04/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gambro, Inc. (DaVita Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cobe Cardiovascular Incorporated (LivaNova Plc)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Francis T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Application Number:
  US06/869,132
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 324/439, 324/442, 324/445, 324/446, 324/450
• US Class Current: 324/445
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/023 where the material is placed in the field of a coil

Abstract

A cell for remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, the cell having an inlet and an outlet and two fluid paths between the two, thereby defining a fluid loop, an excitation transformer comprising a first toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, the core encompassing a portion of the fluid loop therein, and a sensing transformer comprising a second toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, the core encompassing a portion of the fluid loop, the cores being coplanar to thereby reduce leakage between the transformers.

Claims

1. A cell for remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, said cell comprising

fluid flow path means for defining a fluid flow path in a supply line, said means having an inlet and an outlet and two fluid paths between said inlet and outlet, thereby defining a fluid loop,

an excitation transformer comprising a first toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein, and

a sensing transformer comprising a second torodial core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein,

said second toroidal core having a first plane of symmetry that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole, said first plane of symmetry being coplanar with a plane of symmetry of said first toroidal core that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole, to thereby reduce leakage coupling between said transformers,

said fluid flow path means comprising two circular conduit portions having a first length, centers, and ends and two connecting portions connecting the ends of different said circular conduit portions of a second length measured between the centers of said two circular conduit portions, the outer diameter of each said conduit portion being approximately equal to the inner diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it, said first length being approximately equal to the thickness of a said core and said wire turns on it, said second length being approximately equal to the outer diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it.

2. The cell of claim 1 wherein said connecting portions define circular fluid flow passages therein and have flat surfaces that face each other to restrain portions of said toroidal cores between them.

3. The cell of claim 1 wherein said fluid flow path means is made of identical portions, each said portion having a said connecting portion and half of each of said circular conduit portions.

4. The cell of claim 1 wherein there is a first extension in line with one said connecting portion and extending beyond an entrance to one said circular conduit to said inlet, and wherein there is a second extension in line with the other said connecting portion and extending in the other direction beyond an entrance to the other said circular conduit to the outlet, the fluid flow paths in said connecting portions and respective extensions being uninterrupted so as to avoid trapping bubbles when mounted at an inclined angle with respect to the horizontal.