Pressure management arrangement

• US 7,856,887 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Repko, Mark, Zuehlke, Simon, Schmidlin, Hubert, Klees, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US12/379,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/756
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0001 Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means G01L9/0026, G01L9/0033, G01L9/0082, G01L9/0089, G01L9/0091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0026 Transmitting or indicating the displacement of flexible, deformable tubes by electric, electromechanical, magnetic or electromagnetic means G01L9/0008 takes precedence

Abstract

A pressure measurement arrangement for measuring a line pressure of a product is described wherein product hold-up inside of disposable parts is minimized, comprising: a reusable pressure sensor comprising a measurement diaphragm, a fitting, the fitting comprising: a tubular opening extending through said fitting, for the reception of a disposable elastomeric tube, an aperture extending through an outside wall of the fitting into the tubular opening; and mounting structure, for mounting the pressure sensor on the aperture, such that the measurement diaphragm is exposed to an inside of the tubular opening; wherein the disposable tube is inserted in the tubular opening of the fitting during measurement; and an outside wall of the disposable tube comprises a thin flexible portion, which conforms to the measurement diaphragm when the disposable tube is pressurized by the line pressure.

Claims

1. A pressure measurement arrangement for measuring a line pressure of a product, comprising:

a reusable pressure sensor comprising a measurement diaphragm; and

a fitting, said fitting comprising;

a tubular opening extending through said fitting, for the reception of a disposable elastomeric tube, an aperture extending through an outside wall of said fitting into said tubular opening; and

mounting means, for mounting said reusable pressure sensor on said

aperture, such that said measurement diaphragm is exposed to an inside of said tubular opening;

wherein;

said disposable elastomeric tube is inserted in said tubular opening of said fitting during measurement; and

an outside wall of said disposable tube comprises a thin flexible portion, which conforms to said measurement diaphragm when said disposable elastomeric tube is pressurized by the line pressure.

2. The pressure measurement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein:

said disposable elastomeric tube comprises two outer sections and a middle section, located between said two outer sections;

said middle section has a wall thickness, which is thinner than a wall thickness of said outer sections;

said thin flexible portion of said disposable elastomeric tube, which conforms to said measurement diaphragm when said disposable elastomeric tube is pressurized, is part of said middle section; and

said disposable elastomeric tube is mounted inside said tubular opening, such that said measurement diaphragm and an inner surface of said tubular opening form a mechanical support for said middle section.

3. The pressure measurement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein:

said fitting comprises a vent, allowing air or gas trapped between tubular opening and said measurement diaphragm to escape.

4. The pressure measurement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein:

said fitting comprises a vent, said vent extending from an interior of said fitting through an outside wall of said fitting; and

said interior of said fitting connects an inside of said aperture with an inside of said tubular opening.

5. The pressure measurement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein:

said fitting consists of two elements, each element comprises an aperture; and

said elements are mounted on top of each other during measurement operation, such that said apertures form said tubular opening of said fitting.

6. The pressure measurement arrangement according to claim 5, wherein:

one of said elements comprises said aperture extending through an outside wall of said fitting into said tubular opening and mounting means, for mounting said pressure sensor on said aperture.

7. The pressure measurement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein:

said fitting consists of two elements, which are connected via at least one hinge connecting said two elements on a first outside wall side of said fitting, and a latch for releasably connecting said two elements on a second outside wall of said fitting, opposite said first outside wall.

8. A fitting for connecting a reusable pressure sensor comprising a pressure measurement diaphragm to a pressure line for measuring a line pressure, said fitting comprising:

a tubular opening extending through said fitting, for the reception of a disposable elastomeric tube;

an aperture extending through an outside wall of said fitting into said tubular opening; and

mounting means, for mounting said pressure sensor on said aperture, such that said measurement diaphragm is exposed to an inside of said tubular opening, wherein;

said disposable tube is inserted in said tubular opening of said fitting during measurement; and

an outside wall of said disposable tube comprises a thin flexible portion, which conforms to said measurement diaphragm when said disposable elastomeric tube is pressurized by the line pressure.