Liquid supply apparatus
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for measuring the supply of a liquid comprising:
- a chamber having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet,and liquid flow rate detection means to provide a signal indicative of the passing of drops of liquid through a pre-determined cross-section of said chamber from said liquid inlet, said detection means including a radiating portion mounted on one side of said cross-section and a receiving portion mounted on an opposite side of said cross-section, exteriorly of said chamber;
said radiating portion including a radiation source, a first concave lens means, which receives radiation from said source, said radiation exiting said first concave lens means in a substantially parallel array of paths, and passing across said chamber, said array of paths constituting said pre-determined cross-section of said chamber, said receiving portion including a second concave lens means which receives said radiation from said chamber, said radiation exiting said lens means in a substantially convergent array of paths, and a radiation detector, said convergent array of paths converging on said detector, said detector receiving said radiation and providing a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received radiation, the intensity of said received radiation changing when a drop of liquid passes through said pre-determined cross-section of said chamber for controlling a fluid condition through the inlet.
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Abstract
Liquid supply apparatus is disclosed for controlling the supply of liquid to humidifier apparatus. The liquid supply apparatus has a chamber with an inlet through which a liquid such as water is supplied to the chamber. The chamber has a flow detector to detect liquid entering the chamber and a level detector near the base of the chamber in a narrow portion of the chamber which, in conjunction with a calibrated orifice at the chamber outlet, provides an indication of the rate of liquid flow from the chamber. Control of supply of liquid is performed by a magnetically activated valve member.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for measuring the supply of a liquid comprising:
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a chamber having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and liquid flow rate detection means to provide a signal indicative of the passing of drops of liquid through a pre-determined cross-section of said chamber from said liquid inlet, said detection means including a radiating portion mounted on one side of said cross-section and a receiving portion mounted on an opposite side of said cross-section, exteriorly of said chamber; said radiating portion including a radiation source, a first concave lens means, which receives radiation from said source, said radiation exiting said first concave lens means in a substantially parallel array of paths, and passing across said chamber, said array of paths constituting said pre-determined cross-section of said chamber, said receiving portion including a second concave lens means which receives said radiation from said chamber, said radiation exiting said lens means in a substantially convergent array of paths, and a radiation detector, said convergent array of paths converging on said detector, said detector receiving said radiation and providing a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received radiation, the intensity of said received radiation changing when a drop of liquid passes through said pre-determined cross-section of said chamber for controlling a fluid condition through the inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for measuring the supply status of a liquid comprising:
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a chamber having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet and liquid level detection means located near the outlet of the chamber to provide a signal if liquid accumulates in the chamber to exceed a predetermined level, said detection means comprising; a radiation source, a radiation transmission means which receives radiation from said source and having a surface which forms part of an interior wall of the chamber at said predetermined level, a portion of said radiation reflecting off said surface, and a radiation detector receiving from said radiation transmission means said reflected radiation and providing a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received radiation, the intensity of said reflected radiation changing when the accumulated liquid rises to replace air and comes into contact with said surface for controlling a measured liquid flow rate through said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for measuring the supply of liquid comprising:
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a chamber having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, liquid flow rate detection means to provide a signal indicative of the passing of drops through a pre-determined cross-section of said chamber from said inlet, said flow rate detection means including a radiating portion mounted on one side of said cross-section and a receiving portion mounted on an opposite side of said cross-section exteriorly of said chamber; said radiating portion including a radiation source, and said receiving portion including a radiation detector, which receives radiation from said source that has passed across said chamber at said pre-determined cross-section and provides a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received radiation, the intensity of said radiation changing when a drop of liquid passes through said pre-determined cross-section, and liquid level detection means located near the outlet and having a surface which forms part of an interior wall of said chamber at a pre-determined level to provide a signal as the liquid accumulates in the chamber to exceed said pre-determined level that comes into contact with the surface for controlling a measured liquid flow rate through said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. Apparatus for measuring the supply status of a liquid comprising:
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a drip chamber having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a cup positioned in said chamber which receives liquid from said liquid inlet, said cup having an orifice of a selected size to provide a calibrated flow of said liquid from said cup, and liquid level detection means located near the outlet in the chamber comprising; a radiation source, a radiation transmission means which receives radiation from said source and having a surface which forms part of an interior wall of the chamber at a predetermined level, a portion of said radiation reflecting off said surface, and a radiation detector receiving from said radiation transmission means said reflected radiation and providing a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received radiation, the intensity of said reflected radiation changing when the accumulated liquid rises to replace air and comes into contact with said surface for controlling a measured liquid flow rate through said outlet.
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Specification