Ultrasonic flow sensor having reflecting interface
First Claim
1. A flow sensor comprising:
- a conduit having a length and a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the length;
a first ultrasonic transducer disposed at a first position along the length of the conduit, the first ultrasonic transducer having a transducer face configured to receive and transmit acoustic energy along a first path segment;
a second ultrasonic transducer disposed at a second position along the length of the conduit, the second ultrasonic transducer having a transducer face configured to receive and transmit acoustic energy along a second path segment;
a first reflecting interface having a first reflecting surface positioned to reflect acoustic energy from a direction along one of the first path segment and a third path segment to a direction along the other of the first path segment and the third path segment, the third path segment extending from the first reflecting surface to the longitudinal axis;
and a second reflecting interface having a second reflecting surface positioned to reflect acoustic energy from a direction along one of the second path segment and a fourth path segment to a direction along the other of the second path segment and the fourth path segment, the fourth path segment extending from the second reflecting surface to the longitudinal axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic flow sensor that includes a conduit having a length, a first ultrasonic transducer disposed at a first position along the length of the conduit, a second ultrasonic transducer disposed at a second position along the length of the conduit, the second position being spaced apart from the first position, a first reflecting interface and a second reflecting interface. The first reflecting interface is in registration with the first ultrasonic transducer to receive first acoustic energy from the first ultrasonic transducer and to reflect the first acoustic energy in a direction generally along a length of the conduit and into a fluid within the conduit. The second reflecting interface is in registration with the second ultrasonic transducer to receive second acoustic energy from the second ultrasonic transducer and to reflect the second acoustic energy in a direction generally along the length of the conduit and into the fluid within the conduit.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A flow sensor comprising:
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a conduit having a length and a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the length; a first ultrasonic transducer disposed at a first position along the length of the conduit, the first ultrasonic transducer having a transducer face configured to receive and transmit acoustic energy along a first path segment; a second ultrasonic transducer disposed at a second position along the length of the conduit, the second ultrasonic transducer having a transducer face configured to receive and transmit acoustic energy along a second path segment; a first reflecting interface having a first reflecting surface positioned to reflect acoustic energy from a direction along one of the first path segment and a third path segment to a direction along the other of the first path segment and the third path segment, the third path segment extending from the first reflecting surface to the longitudinal axis; and a second reflecting interface having a second reflecting surface positioned to reflect acoustic energy from a direction along one of the second path segment and a fourth path segment to a direction along the other of the second path segment and the fourth path segment, the fourth path segment extending from the second reflecting surface to the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of measuring flow rate of a fluid in a conduit, comprising acts of:
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generating first acoustic waves that propagate along a first path segment; reflecting the first acoustic waves into the conduit and the fluid within the conduit at a first position spaced along a length of the conduit; receiving the first acoustic waves reflected into the conduit and the fluid within the conduit at a second position that is spaced apart from the first position along the length of the conduit; and reflecting the received waves toward an acoustic receiver along a second path segment. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A flow sensor for determining flow rate of a fluid, the flow sensor comprising:
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a conduit having a length and a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the length; a first ultrasonic transducer disposed at a first position along the length of the conduit; a second ultrasonic transducer disposed at a second position along the length of the conduit; and means for directing first acoustic energy from the first transducer to the second transducer such that the first acoustic energy impinges on an inner surface of the conduit at a first predetermined angle and such that the first acoustic energy passes into an interior portion of the conduit and periodically reflects off a surface of the conduit and intersects the longitudinal axis of the conduit more than once prior to reception of the first acoustic energy at the second ultrasonic transducer. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification