Meter having banded shroud
First Claim
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1. A flow meter, comprising:
- a meter body having a longitudinal axis, a curved outer surface, and a curved channel in said outer surface, and a pocket disposed in said outer surface; and
a shroud disposed about at least a portion of said meter body and comprising at least one compliant band of sheet material covering said channel, said band extending circumferentially about a majority of said meter body and having two ends and an inner surface that engages said outer surface of said meter body along the length of said band;
wherein said channel and said band form a chamber between said band and said meter body; and
said shroud further comprising a central shroud component coupled to said meter body, adjacent said two ends of said band, and adapted to receive a cable disposed within said chamber and to pass said cable to a location outside said shroud;
a transducer assembly disposed in said pocket and coupled to said meter body; and
a cable coupled to said transducer and extending from said transducer assembly through said chamber and into said central shroud component;
wherein said compliant band covers said pocket and said transducer assembly.
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Abstract
A flow meter is disclosed having a meter body that is enveloped by a shroud having a compliant band disposed at least partially about the meter body. The shroud protects transducers and transducer cables. The shroud forms a chamber between the shroud and meter body, and includes a releasable portion to allow access into the chamber.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A flow meter, comprising:
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a meter body having a longitudinal axis, a curved outer surface, and a curved channel in said outer surface, and a pocket disposed in said outer surface; and a shroud disposed about at least a portion of said meter body and comprising at least one compliant band of sheet material covering said channel, said band extending circumferentially about a majority of said meter body and having two ends and an inner surface that engages said outer surface of said meter body along the length of said band; wherein said channel and said band form a chamber between said band and said meter body; and said shroud further comprising a central shroud component coupled to said meter body, adjacent said two ends of said band, and adapted to receive a cable disposed within said chamber and to pass said cable to a location outside said shroud;
a transducer assembly disposed in said pocket and coupled to said meter body; and
a cable coupled to said transducer and extending from said transducer assembly through said chamber and into said central shroud component;
wherein said compliant band covers said pocket and said transducer assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A flow meter, comprising:
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a meter body having a pair of flanges and a curved outer surface extending circumferentially about a majority of said meter body and extending longitudinally between said flanges, wherein said curved outer surface comprises a pocket a plurality of axially spaced walls coupled to and extending radially away from said outer surface of said meter body and spaced apart from said flanges, wherein each wall extends about a majority of the circumference of said meter body; a cover comprising a compliant band with an inner surface facing said outer surface of said meter body and engaging said walls; a transducer assembly disposed in the pocket of said outer surface of the meter body and coupled to said meter body; and a cable coupled to said transducer assembly wherein said band is disposed about a majority of the circumference of said outer surface and the majority of the circumference of said meter body and is supported by said walls along a majority of the length of said band; wherein at least one chamber is formed between said band and said meter body;
a central shroud component to said meter body and adapted to receive the cable disposed within said chamber and to pass said cable to a location outside said central shroud component;wherein said cable extends from said transducer assembly through said at least one chamber; and
wherein said band covers said pocket and said transducer assembly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A flow meter, comprising:
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a meter body having a through bore for conducting fluid there through and having a curved outer surface; a shroud assembly comprising at least one compliant band extending around a majority of the circumference of said outer surface and a majority of said meter body, said band having two ends and an inner surface that engages said outer surface of said meter body along said band'"'"'s length, wherein said band is coupled to said meter body such that said two ends oppose one another across a gap; a chamber between said band and said meter body; an ultrasonic transducer disposed within said chamber and disposed in a pocket within said meter body; and a cable in said chamber and extending from said transducer and through said gap;
a central shroud component coupled to said meter body and adapted to receive the cable disposed within said chamber and to pass said cable to a location outside said central shroud component; and
wherein said band covers said pocket and said ultrasonic transducer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of making a flow meter, comprising:
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providing a meter body having an outer surface; providing a first compliant shroud band having first and second ends and an inner surface; positioning said first compliant shroud band circumferentially around a majority of said meter body with said inner surface of said band engaging said outer surface of said meter body;
disposing the ultrasonic transducer in a pocket disposed in the outer surface of the meter body;coupling an ultrasonic transducer to said meter body; coupling a cable to said transducer; enclosing said cable in a curved wireway formed between said inner surface of said shroud band and said outer surface of said meter body, the wireway following the curvature of said outer surface; and
coupling a central shroud component to said meter body, whereby the central shroud component receives said cable and passes said cable to a location outside the central shroud component;
covering said pocket and said transducer with said shroud band; andaffixing said first and second ends of said shroud band to said outer surface of said meter body such that first and second ends are spaced apart across a gap.
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Specification