Ultrasonic flowmeter including an oscillation start unit for acceleration stability of the oscillator

• US 7,987,731 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takemura, Koichi, Bessyo, Daisuke, Shiba, Fumikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD R
• Application Number:
  US12/521,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/861.28
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/667 Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters

Abstract

The present invention provides an ultrasonic flowmeter comprising an oscillator and an oscillation start unit for accelerating oscillation of the oscillator. The oscillation start unit accelerates the oscillation of the oscillator so that pulses from the oscillator will become stable in a shorter time period. The accuracy of flow rate measurement is improved. Electric power can be saved where the flow rate is measured repeatedly at intervals.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic flowmeter comprising:

an ultrasonic sensor that sends and receives ultrasonic waves in a flow path;

an oscillator that generates an oscillation of a predetermined frequency; and

an oscillation start unit comprising an oscillation unit which outputs pulses applied to the oscillator for a certain period to thereby accelerate stability of the oscillator, wherein pulses of the oscillator oscillated by the oscillation start unit are used to measure a propagation time of the ultrasonic waves.

2. The ultrasonic flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a driving signal is given to the ultrasonic sensor in synchronization with pulses of the oscillator oscillated by the oscillation start unit and a waiting period is provided before the driving signal is given to the ultrasonic sensor after the oscillator becomes oscillated by the oscillation start unit.

3. The ultrasonic flowmeter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the waiting period is set at a constant time.

4. The ultrasonic flowmeter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the waiting period is determined based on a result of verifying the pulse cycle of the oscillator.

5. The ultrasonic flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ceramic oscillator is used in the oscillator.

6. The ultrasonic flowmeter as claimed in claim 5, further comprising another oscillator in addition to the oscillator, wherein a pulse cycle of the oscillator is verified by pulses of said another oscillator to correct the measured propagation time.

7. The ultrasonic flowmeter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pulse cycle of the oscillator is verified continuously the propagation time is measured.

8. An ultrasonic flowmeter comprising:

an ultrasonic sensor that sends and receives ultrasonic waves in a flow path;

an oscillator that generates an oscillation of a predetermined frequency; and

an oscillation start unit that accelerates stability of the oscillator,

wherein a driving signal is given to the ultrasonic sensor in synchronization with pulses of the oscillator oscillated by the oscillation start unit to use pulses of the oscillator oscillated by the oscillation start unit to measure a propagation time of the ultrasonic waves, and a waiting period is provided before the driving signal is given to the ultrasonic sensor after the oscillator becomes oscillated by the oscillation start unit.