Impact flowmeter for solids
First Claim
1. An impact flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of solids flowing in a stream of flowing solids, the impact flowmeter comprisinga housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an interior region therebetween, the housing being positioned so that the stream flows into the inlet and out through the outlet,an impact sensing assembly received by the interior region of the housing and including an impact plate engaging the solids and configured to move relative to the housing in a measurement direction in response to the impingement of the solids on the impact plate, transducer means fixed relative to the housing for providing an output signal in response to the movement of the impact plate, and a frame having a first end engaging the impact plate and a second end engaging the transducer means so that the frame communicates the movement of the impact plate to the transducer means, anda cable suspension including a plurality of cables coupling the housing to the frame, the cable suspension suspending the frame between the impact plate and the transducer means for movement of the frame.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An impact flowmeter (10) for measuring a stream of free flowing bulk solids (60) having low mass flow rates. The flowmeter (10) includes a barrier (18) between the flowing stream of solids (60) and the sensor chamber (16). A primary sensing element (48) includes an impact plate (50) positioned to lie in flow chamber (14). A velocity sensor (39) is mounted to an inlet chute (32) for providing a velocity output signal (284) in response to the velocity of the solids in the stream of solids (60) as the stream of solids (60) passes the velocity sensor (39). The velocity sensor (39) includes a velocity circuit (278), a first capacitance sensor (41) and a second capacitance sensor (43) mounted to the side wall of the inlet chute (32) and arranged so that the solids in the stream of solids (60) pass by the first capacitance sensor (41) before passing by the second capacitance sensor (43). The velocity can then be computed as the predetermined distance divided by the travel time of the solids across the predetermined distance. A secondary sensing mechanism (92) includes a frame (94) having a horizontal plate (96) that is formed to include a circular opening (88). The plate (96) is formed to include the opening (88) to provide a space within the perimeter of the plate (96) for receiving an L-shaped arm (98) while also mimimizing the mass of the frame (94), thereby maximizing the sensitivity of the impact flowmeter (10).
28 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An impact flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of solids flowing in a stream of flowing solids, the impact flowmeter comprising
a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an interior region therebetween, the housing being positioned so that the stream flows into the inlet and out through the outlet, an impact sensing assembly received by the interior region of the housing and including an impact plate engaging the solids and configured to move relative to the housing in a measurement direction in response to the impingement of the solids on the impact plate, transducer means fixed relative to the housing for providing an output signal in response to the movement of the impact plate, and a frame having a first end engaging the impact plate and a second end engaging the transducer means so that the frame communicates the movement of the impact plate to the transducer means, and a cable suspension including a plurality of cables coupling the housing to the frame, the cable suspension suspending the frame between the impact plate and the transducer means for movement of the frame.
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24. An impact flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of solids in a stream of flowing solids, the impact flowmeter comprising
a housing having an inlet and an outlet, the housing being positioned so that solids flow into the inlet and out through the outlet, an impact sensing assembly coupled to the housing and including an impact plate engaging the solids and configured to move relative to the housing in a measurement direction in response to the impingement of solids on the impact plate, transducer means fixed relative to the housing for providing an output signal in response to the movement of the impact plate, and a frame having a first end engaging the impact plate and a second end engaging the transducer means, and cable means for supporting the frame between the impact plate and the transducer means so that the frame communicates the movement of the impact plate to the transducer means, the cable means being coupled to the housing and to the frame.
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38. An impact flowmeter for measuring the flow of solids, the impact flowmeter comprising
a housing having an inlet and an outlet, the housing being positioned so that solids flow into the inlet and out through the outlet, and an impact sensing assembly coupled to the housing and including an impact plate engaging solids and configured to move in response to the impingement of solids on the impact plate, transducer means fixed relative to the housing for providing an output signal in response to the movement of the impact plate, and a frame having a first end engaging the impact plate and a second end engaging the transducer means so that the frame communicates the movement of the impact plate to the transducer means, the frame and the housing being magnetically coupled to yieldably bias the frame toward an initial position relative to the housing.
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45. An impact flowmeter for measuring the mass flow rate of a flow stream of solids, the impact flowmeter comprising
a housing, a primary sensor fixed to the housing and configured to provide a first signal in response to the mass flow rate of the flow stream of solids, a secondary sensor fixed to the housing and configured to provide a second signal in response to undesired movement of the housing, and means coupled to the primary sensor and the secondary sensor for providing a third signal in response to the first and second signals.
Specification