Outside air thermometer

• US 7,753,583 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut Fuer Polar-Und Meeresforschung
• Original Assignee: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut Fuer Polar-Und Meeresforschung
• Inventors: Loose, Bernd, Koenig-Langlo, Gert
• Primary Examiner(s): Verbitsky; Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagan; Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US11/713,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20070242723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,228 Days
• Field of Search: 374/138, 374/148, 374/208
• US Class Current: 374/138
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/20 Compensating for effects of temperature changes other than those to be measured, e.g. changes in ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/02 for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring the temperature of outside air provided with a thermometer mounted in a housing connected to a forced ventilation blower for drawing a current outside air across the thermometer and with a Venturi nozzle having an air penetration opening disposed orthogonally relative to the air current for generating vacuum pressure and prevent reverse flow of air through the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring outside air temperature, comprising:

a housing provided with input and output openings for feeding a current of outside air through the housing;

a temperature sensor mounted within the housing;

means for moving the ambient air by suction through the housing and across the temperature sensor;

a Venturi nozzle connected to the output opening and provided with a nozzle housing forming an air penetration opening that is connected to the output opening and disposed orthogonally relative to a direction of the Venturi nozzle so as to generate vacuum pressure at the air penetration opening by wind moving through the nozzle housing past the air penetration opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Venturi nozzle comprises concentrically aligned, rotationally symmetric upper and lower nozzle components provided with convexly curved semi-surfaces facing and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other so as to determine the suction effect of the Venturi nozzle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lower nozzle component is mounted free of gaps on the sensor housing and the air penetration opening is disposed in the lower nozzle component in alignment with the output opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the spacing between the convexly curved semi-surfaces diminishes uniformly from all directions toward the center of the semi-surfaces.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the diameter of the upper and lower nozzle components is from about one time to two times the diameter of the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ratio of height to diameter of the convexly curved semi-surfaces is from about 50:

1 to about 5;

1.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the upper and lower nozzle components are formed as light structured upper and lower nozzle components provided with a smooth surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light structured upper and lower nozzle components are formed as hollow bodies comprising a self-supporting shell.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light structured upper and lower nozzle components each comprise a plurality of braces and non-self-supporting shell.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light structured upper and lower nozzle components each comprise a honeycomb structure provided with a cover-like shell.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light structured upper and lower nozzle components each comprise one of a foam-like and sponge-like structure provided with a smooth surface formed by compaction.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the convexly curved semi-surfaces of the upper and lower nozzle components are of symmetrical cross-section.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the symmetrical cross-section is identical for the upper and lower nozzle components.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lower nozzle component is provided with one of a flat surface and recess for connecting to the sensor housing.

15. An apparatus for measuring outside air temperature, comprising:

a housing provided with input and output openings for feeding a current of outside air through the housing;

a temperature sensor mounted within the housing;

means for moving the ambient air by suction through the housing and across the temperature sensor;

a Venturi nozzle connected to the output opening and provided with a housing forming an air penetration opening disposed orthogonally relative to the outside air current in a direction of the Venturi nozzle so as to generate vacuum pressure at the air penetration opening by the outside air current moving through the housing,

wherein the Venturi nozzle comprises concentrically aligned, rotationally symmetric upper and lower nozzle components provided with convexly curved semi-surfaces facing and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other so as to determine the suction effect of the Venturi nozzle.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the lower nozzle component is mounted free of gaps on the housing and the air penetration opening is disposed in the lower nozzle component in alignment with the output opening.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the spacing between the convexly curved semi-surfaces diminishes uniformly from all directions toward the center of the semi-surfaces.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a diameter of the upper and lower nozzle components is from about one time to two times a diameter of the housing.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a ratio of height to diameter of the convexly curved semi-surfaces is from about 50:

1 to about 5;

1.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the upper and lower nozzle components are formed as light structured upper and lower nozzle components provided with a smooth surface.