Differential pressure transducer
First Claim
1. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the first pressure source having a first pressure and the second pressure source having a second pressure, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
- a housing constructed and arranged to be fluidly coupled to the first and second pressure sources;
a displacement element movably supported in the housing along a first axis, the displacement element having a first end and a second end and being constructed and arranged to move along the first axis in response to the pressure differential between the first and second pressure sources when the first and second ends are subjected to the first and second pressures;
at least one sensing beam affixed to the housing in spaced relation to the first axis so that the at least one sensing beam does not intersect the first axis;
a force transfer beam connected to the displacement element and the at least one sensing beam, the force transfer beam being constructed and arranged to deflect a portion of the at least one sensing beam in response to the movement of the displacement element; and
a sensor coupled to the at least one sensing beam to provide a signal that is proportional to the movement of the displacement element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source. The differential pressure transducer includes a displacement element and a sensing element coupled to the displacement element. The displacement element moves in a linear direction and deflects the sensing element to provide a signal that is proportional to the movement of the displacement element when the first and second ends are subjected to the pressures at the pressure sources. The differential pressure transducer can also include a force transfer beam that connects the displacement element and the sensing element. The sensing element can include a sensing beam and a strain gauge mounted on the beam to provide an electrical signal proportional to the strain in the beam induced by the deflection of the beam. The force transfer beam and the sensing element can be portions of a unitary member formed as a stamped part. The displacement element can be a single piston or it can include a pair of force collectors attached to opposing sides of the force transfer beam. Additionally, the transducer can include overload protection to limit the movement of the displacement element and the force transfer beam. Further, the strain gauge is disposed on a portion of the beam that is externally accessible so as to improve the assembly and maintenance of the transducer.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the first pressure source having a first pressure and the second pressure source having a second pressure, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
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a housing constructed and arranged to be fluidly coupled to the first and second pressure sources; a displacement element movably supported in the housing along a first axis, the displacement element having a first end and a second end and being constructed and arranged to move along the first axis in response to the pressure differential between the first and second pressure sources when the first and second ends are subjected to the first and second pressures; at least one sensing beam affixed to the housing in spaced relation to the first axis so that the at least one sensing beam does not intersect the first axis; a force transfer beam connected to the displacement element and the at least one sensing beam, the force transfer beam being constructed and arranged to deflect a portion of the at least one sensing beam in response to the movement of the displacement element; and a sensor coupled to the at least one sensing beam to provide a signal that is proportional to the movement of the displacement element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the first pressure source having a first pressure and the second pressure source having a second pressure, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
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a displacement element having a first end and a second end the displacement element being constructed and arranged to move in a linear direction in response to the pressure differential between the first and second pressure sources when the first and second ends are subjected to the first and second pressures; a sensing element coupled to the displacement element, the sensing element being constructed and arranged to be deflected by the displacement element and to provide a signal that is proportional to the movement of the displacement element; and a force transfer beam connected to the displacement element and the sensing element, the force transfer beam being constructed and arranged to deflect the sensing element in response to the movement of the displacement element; wherein the sensing element includes first and second sensing beams having first and second ends, the force transfer beam interconnecting the first and second sensing beams intermediate the first and second ends, the first and second sensing beams being constructed and arranged to be deflected by the force transfer beam. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the first pressure source having a first pressure and the second pressure source having a second pressure, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
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a body having first and second plenums, the body being constructed and arranged to be fluidly coupled to the first and second pressure sources so that the first plenum is at the first pressure and the second plenum is at the second pressure; a displacement element movably supported between the first and second plenums, the displacement element having first and second ends, the first end being disposed adjacent the first plenum and the second end being disposed adjacent the second plenum, the displacement element being constructed and arranged to move along a displacement axis relative to the body in response to the first and second pressures; a deflectable sensing element affixed to an external portion of the body; a force transfer beam connected to the displacement element and the sensing element, the force transfer beam being constructed and arranged to deflect a portion of the sensing element in response to the movement of the displacement element; and a sensor mounted on the sensing element to detect the deflection of the sensing element and to provide a signal in proportion to the pressure differential. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the first pressure source having a first pressure and the second pressure source having a second pressure, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
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a body having first and second plenums, the body being constructed and arranged to be fluidly coupled to the first and second pressure sources so that the first plenum is at the first pressure and the second plenum is at the second pressure; a displacement element disposed between the first and second plenums, the displacement element having first and second ends, the first end being disposed adjacent the first plenum and the second end being disposed adjacent the second plenum, the displacement element being constructed and arranged to move along a single axis relative to the body in response to the first and second pressures; and a displacement sensing unit connected to the displacement element, the displacement sensing unit being constructed and arranged to respond to the movement of the displacement element to provide a signal in proportion to the pressure differential; wherein the displacement sensing unit includes; a first sensing beam having first and second ends; a second sensing beam having first and second ends; and a cross beam connected to the first and second sensing beams intermediate the first and second ends and connected to the displacement element, the cross beam being constructed and arranged to move along the single axis with the displacement element and to deflect the first and second sensing beams. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A displacement sensing unit for use in a pressure transducer that includes a housing and a displacement element supported in the housing for movement in response to a differential pressure, the displacement sensing unit comprising:
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at least one sensing beam having opposing first and second ends that are to be connected to the housing; and a cross beam connected to the at least one sensing beam intermediate the first and second ends, the cross beam to be connected to the displacement element to deflect the at least one sensing beam in a first direction when the cross beam is moved in the first direction by the displacement element, each of the at least one sensing beam and the cross beam extending along a respective axis that is transverse to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A displacement sensing unit for use in a pressure transducer, the displacement sensing unit comprising:
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a first sensing beam having first and second ends; a second sensing beam having first and second ends; and a cross beam connected to the first and second sensing beams intermediate the first and second ends, the cross beam being constructed and arranged to deflect the first and second sensing beams when the cross beam is moved in response to pressure. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
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a housing constructed and arranged to be fluidly coupled to the first and second pressure sources; displacement means for transforming the pressure differential into a linear displacement proportional to the pressure differential; deflection means for converting the linear displacement to a deflection, the deflection means being connected to the displacement means and to the housing, wherein at least a portion of the deflection means is affixed to an external portion of the housing; and sensing means for sensing the deflection of the deflection means, the sensing means being disposed on the deflection means. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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62. A differential pressure transducer for measuring a pressure differential between a first pressure source and a second pressure source, the differential pressure transducer comprising:
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a housing constructed and arranged to be fluidly coupled to the first and second pressure sources; displacement means for transforming the pressure differential into a linear displacement proportional to the pressure differential; deflection means for converting the linear displacement to a deflection, the deflection means being connected to the displacement means and to the housing; and
sensing means for sensing the deflection of the deflection means, the sensing means being disposed on the deflection means, wherein the sensing means is disposed in a liquid-free portion of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64)
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Specification