Self-powered fluid meter

• US 6,612,188 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neptune Technology Group Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neptune Technology Group Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamilton, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US09/754,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 738/617.8, 732/70, 732/71, 732/58, 738/617.9, 738/618.7, 738/618.6, 738/617.7, 738/618.8, 731/14, 731/19, 137/486, 137/487.5, 324/34, 364/465, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 73/861.78
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/075 using electrically-operated integrating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/12 Meters with nutating members, e.g. discs

Abstract

The present invention provides for a self-powered fluid meter that uses the kinetic energy of a fluid being measured to provide power for circuitry that may perform functions related to the fluid measurement. An element is placed within a rotating magnetic field created from the kinetic energy of a fluid. This element creates an electrical pulse to power the circuitry.

Claims

1. A batteryless fluid meter comprising

a housing of predetermined volume through which a fluid flows;

a magnet having at least two poles, said magnet rotating in a predetermined relationship with said fluid flow, thereby creating a rotating magnetic field;

a weigand sensor positioned within said magnetic field, said weigand sensor outputting an electrical pulse with each change in polarity of said magnetic field;

a conditioning circuit for receiving each said electrical pulse and using the energy from said pulses to power a circuit;

a totalizer circuit powered solely by the energy from said pulses operative to count said pulses and store said pulse count;

whereby said pulse count is representative of the volume of fluid flow through said housing.

2. The fluid meter of claim 1, wherein said conditioning circuit comprises a rectifier to utilize pulses of positive or negative polarity.

3. The fluid meter of claim 1, wherein said conditioning circuit comprises a capacitor to store energy from said pulses.

4. The fluid meter of claim 1 wherein said pulse count is stored in a memory.

5. The fluid meter of claim 4 wherein said memory is selected from the group consisting of:

ferro-electric RAM and ferro-electric LCD memory.

6. The fluid meter of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter powered solely by the energy from said pulses.

7. The fluid meter of claim 6 further comprising a register attached to said housing and wherein said magnet, sensor, conditioning circuit, totalizer circuit, and transmitter are contained within said register.

8. A method of metering a fluid without utilizing a battery, said method comprising:

directing a flow of fluid through a housing of predetermined volume;

creating a magnetic field rotating in a predetermined relationship with said fluid flow;

positioning a weigand sensor within said rotating magnetic field, whereby said weigand sensor outputs an electrical pulse each time said field changes polarity;

receiving said pulses in a conditioning circuit and conditioning the energy from said pulses to be used as a power supply; and

counting said pulses using a totalizer circuit powered solely from the energy of said pulses;

whereby said pulse count is representative of the volume of fluid flow through said housing.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing said pulse count in a permanent memory.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting said pulse count to a receiver using a transmitter powered solely from the energy of said pulses.