Flow meter including a balanced reference member

• US 8,667,852 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Motion Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Micro Motion Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Lanham, Gregory Treat, Werbach, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US13/264,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20120042733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 73861355-861357
• US Class Current: 73/861.18
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/8418 motion or vibration balancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/8472 having curved measuring conduits, i.e. whereby the measuring conduits' curved center line lies within a plane G01F1/8481 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vibrating flow meter (210) and a method of providing a vibrating flow meter (210). The vibrating flow meter (210) includes a conduit (103A) and a driver (104) configured to vibrate the conduit (103A). The vibrating flow meter (210) also includes a first pick-off (105). The first pick-off (105) includes a first pick-off component (105a) and a second pick-off component (105b). The vibrating flow meter (210) also includes a reference member (150). The first pick-off component (105a) is coupled to the reference member (150) while the second pick-off component (105b) is coupled to the conduit (103A) proximate the first pick-off component (105a). The vibrating flow meter (210) also includes a balancing element (253) coupled to the reference member (150).

Claims

1. A flow meter (210), comprising:

a flow conduit (103A);

a driver (104) configured to vibrate the conduit (103A);

a first pick-off (105) including a first pick-off component (105a) and a second pick-off component (105b);

a reference member (150), wherein the first pick-off component (105a) is coupled to the reference member (150) and the second pick-off component (105b) is coupled to the conduit (103A) proximate the first pick-off component (105a); and

a balancing element (253) coupled to the reference member (150).

2. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the reference member (150) further comprises one or more legs (160, 160′

) that at least partially define a bending axis (W-W) of the reference member (150).

3. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the balancing element (253) is coupled to an active portion (151) of the reference member (150).

4. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the balancing element (253) is sized and located such that a momentum of the balancing element (253) is substantially equal and opposite a momentum of an active portion (151) of the reference member (150).

5. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the balancing element (253) is sized and located such that movement of the balancing element (253) about a bending axis (W-W) of the reference member (150) is substantially opposite movement of an active portion (151) of the reference member (150).

6. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, further comprising at least a second pick-off (105′

) including a first pick-off component (105a′

) coupled to the reference member (150) and a second pick-off component (105b′

) coupled to the conduit (103A).

7. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the driver (104) includes a first component (104a) coupled to the reference member (150) and a second component (104b) coupled to the conduit (103A).

8. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the balancing element (253) is integral to the reference member (150).

9. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the balancing element (253) is removably coupled to the reference member (150).

10. The flow meter (210) of claim 1, wherein the reference member (150) comprises a reference plate.

11. A reference member (150) for a flow meter (210), comprising:

an active portion (151) adapted to vibrate about a bending axis (W-W); and

a balancing element (253) coupled to the reference member (150) and adapted to vibrate about the bending axis (W-W) substantially opposite the active portion (151).

12. The reference member (150) of claim 11, further comprising one or more legs (160, 160′

) that at least partially define the bending axis (W-W).

13. The reference member (150) of claim 11, wherein the balancing element (253) is sized and located such that a momentum of the balancing element (253) is substantially equal and opposite a momentum of the active portion (151).

14. The reference member (150) of claim 11, wherein the balancing element (253) is coupled to the active portion (151) of the reference member (150).

15. The reference member (150) of claim 11, wherein the reference member (150) comprises a reference plate.

16. A method for forming a flow meter including a flow conduit, a driver, and a first pick-off including a first pick-off component and a second pick-off component, comprising the steps of:

positioning a reference member proximate the flow conduit;

coupling the first pick-off component to the reference member;

coupling the second pick-off component to the flow conduit proximate the first pick-off component; and

coupling a balancing element to the reference member.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of coupling the balancing element comprises coupling the balancing element to an active portion of the reference member.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of sizing and locating the balancing element such that a momentum of the balancing element is substantially equal and opposite a momentum of an active portion of the reference member.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of sizing and locating the balancing element such that movement of the balancing element about a bending axis of the reference member is substantially opposite movement of an active portion of the reference member about the bending axis.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of coupling a first pick-off component of at least a second pick-off to the reference member and coupling a second pick-off component of the at least second pick-off to the flow conduit.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of coupling a first driver component to the reference member and a second driver component to the conduit.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the reference member comprises a reference plate.