Device for measuring a volume flow with inductive coupling
First Claim
1. A device for measuring a volume flow, the device comprising:
- a flow channel comprising a respiration tube;
a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said flow channel, said internal circuit having an inductive element and a capacitive element;
an external circuit arranged outside said flow channel at a spaced location from said respiration tube, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensor reading by detecting operation of said internal circuit, corresponding to fluid flow in said flow channel.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for measuring a volume flow, especially a tidal volume flow sensor, with a flow channel (1) and with a sensor element (6) arranged within the flow channel (1), is shown and described. The task of providing such a device, in which the sensor signal, which is generated by sensor elements arranged in the flow channel, remains as free as possible from distortions during the transmission to an evaluating unit, is accomplished by providing an internal circuit (3), which is arranged within the flow channel (1) and includes the sensor element (6). An external circuit (7) is arranged outside the flow channel (1). The external circuit (7) is designed for contactless, inductive coupling with the internal circuit (3) for supplying same with energy and for reading.
33 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device for measuring a volume flow, the device comprising:
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a flow channel comprising a respiration tube; a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said flow channel, said internal circuit having an inductive element and a capacitive element; an external circuit arranged outside said flow channel at a spaced location from said respiration tube, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensor reading by detecting operation of said internal circuit, corresponding to fluid flow in said flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device for measuring a volume flow, the device comprising:
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a flow channel; a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said flow channel; an external circuit arranged outside said flow channel, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensor reading including detecting operation of said internal circuit, corresponding to fluid flow in said flow channel; a heating element arranged in said flow channel; and a flow resistance arranged in said flow channel between said heating element and said internal circuit, said heating element and said flow resistance being arranged in a same cross sectional area of said flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A volume flow measuring device comprising:
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a respirator channel structure defining a fluid flow channel, said respirator channel structure defining an interior fluid flow region and an exterior surface; a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said interior fluid flow region of said respirator channel structure, said internal circuit comprising a hot wire having a temperature-dependent resistance connected to a first inductive element and a first capacitive element to form an oscillatory circuit; and an external circuit arranged at a spaced location from the exterior surface of said respirator channel structure, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensing changes in inductive coupling of said internal circuit with said external circuit corresponding to changes in fluid flow in said flow channel by sensing changes in said oscillatory circuit due to changes in resistance of said temperature-dependent resistance caused by changes in volume flow. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A flow attribute measuring device comprising:
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a respirator tube defining a fluid flow channel, said respirator tube defining an interior fluid flow region and an exterior; a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said flow channel interior, said internal circuit comprising a resistance connected to an inductive element and a capacitive element to form an oscillatory circuit; and an external circuit arranged at the exterior of said flow channel such that said external circuit is at a spaced location from said flow channel of said respirator tube, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensing changes in inductive coupling of said internal circuit with said external circuit corresponding to changes in fluid attributes by sensing changes in said oscillatory circuit due to changes in one of said resistance and capacitive element caused by changes in flow attributes. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A flow attribute measuring device comprising:
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a channel structure defining a fluid flow channel, said channel structure defining an interior fluid flow region and an exterior; a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said flow channel interior, said internal circuit comprising a resistance connected to an inductive element and a capacitive element to form an oscillatory circuit, said capacitive element being a variable capacitance element providing a moisture sensor; and an external circuit arranged at the exterior of said flow channel, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensing changes in inductive coupling of said internal circuit with said external circuit corresponding to changes in fluid attributes by sensing changes in said oscillatory circuit due to changes in one of said resistance and capacitive element caused by changes in flow attributes.
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22. A device for measuring a volume flow, the device comprising:
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a flow channel comprising a respiration tube; a sensor element comprising an internal circuit arranged within said flow channel; an external circuit arranged outside said flow channel at a spaced location from said respiration tube, said external circuit providing contactless inductive coupling with said internal circuit for supplying said internal circuit with energy and for sensor reading by detecting operation of said internal circuit, corresponding to fluid flow in said flow channel, said external circuit being detachably connected to said flow channel.
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Specification