Device for determining at least one parameter of a flowing medium

• US 6,851,309 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2001
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Marberg, Henning, Konzelmann, Uwe, Lenzing, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US10/111,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,263 Days
• Field of Search: 732/042.2, 731/182, 732/042.1, 732/042.3
• US Class Current: 73/204.22
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/187 using a hot wire flow sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/021 Arrangements of air flow meters in or on air cleaner housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/6842 with means for influencing the fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/12 Cleaning arrangements; Filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 5/00 Measuring a proportion of the volume flow

Abstract

A device for determining at least one parameter of a flowing medium. The device including an element, for example in the form of a bulge, in the channel in which the measuring element is positioned, which deflects the foreign particles and thus protects the measuring element.

Claims

1. A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium, the medium including a gas-particle mixture of intake air for an internal combustion engine and flowing in a line along a main flow direction, the device comprising:

a measuring housing arranged in the line;

at least one channel arranged in the measuring housing and formed by edge surfaces that completely surround the channel;

at least one measuring element located in the at least one channel, surrounded by the edge surfaces of the channel, and around which the medium flows; and

at least one deflecting element to deflect particles and liquids that is arranged in the measuring housing on at least one of the edge surfaces of the channel, upstream from the measuring element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one deflecting element is formed by at least one bulge.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one bulge forms an angle of intersection between 90°

and 0°

with the main flow direction.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one outlet opening in at least one of the edge surfaces of the channel for the particles and the liquids, and arranged between the at least one deflecting element and the at least one measuring element.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the edge surfaces of the at least one channel includes an indentation pointing outward at approximately a same axial length as that of the at least one deflecting element and opposite to it.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the at least one deflecting element includes at least one bulge, and the indentation is configured in a shape corresponding to that of the at least one bulge.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein a forward part of the at least one channel is offset in relation to a rear part, parallel to the main flow direction.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one channel includes at least one outlet opening having at least one oil rejection grid.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one channel is divided into an inlet channel, a deflection channel, and an outlet channel; and

the at least one channel includes an inlet opening, which the inlet channel adjoins and which the deflection channel adjoins, into which the medium flows from the inlet channel and is deflected to flow through the outlet channel to at least one outlet opening on an outer surface of the measuring housing that discharges into the line.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one deflecting element is configured to protect the at least one measuring element from the particles and liquids.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the measuring housing is configured to house at least one analyzing electronics.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged downstream of at least one obstruction configured to regulate the flow to the at least one channel.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one tapering element configured to accelerate the flow in the at least one channel.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one deflecting element is formed by at least one bulge on at least one edge surface of the channel.

15. A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium, the medium including a gas-particle mixture of intake air for an internal combustion engine and flowing in a line along a main flow direction, the device comprising:

a measuring housing arranged in the line;

at least one channel arranged in the measuring housing and formed by edge surfaces that completely surround the channel;

at least one measuring element located in the at least one channel, surrounded by the edge surfaces of the, and around which the medium flows; and

at least one deflecting element to deflect particles and liquids that is arranged in the measuring housing in the at least one channel, upstream from the measuring element,

wherein the at least one deflecting element is formed by at least one rejection grid.

16. A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium, the medium including a gas-particle mixture of intake air for an internal combustion engine and flowing in a line along a main flow direction, the device comprising:

a measuring housing arranged in the line;

at least one channel arranged in the measuring housing and formed by edge surfaces that completely surround the channel;

at least one measuring element located in the at least one channel, surrounded by the edge surfaces of the channel, and around which the medium flows; and

at least one deflecting element to deflect particles and liquids arranged around the measuring housing, upstream from the measuring element,

wherein the at least one channel includes the edge surfaces having at least two parts, and a first part of the at least one channel is formed by a sleeve arranged on the measuring housing.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one rejection grid arranged in the sleeve.

18. A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium, the medium including a gas-particle mixture of intake air for an internal combustion engine and flowing in a line along a main flow direction, the device comprising:

a measuring housing arranged in the line;

at least one channel arranged in the measuring housing;

at least one measuring element located in the at least one channel, and around which the medium flows; and

at least one deflecting element to deflect particles and liquids is arranged one of around and in the measuring housing at least one channel, upstream from the measuring element;

wherein the at least one channel is divided into an inlet channel, a deflection channel, and an outlet channel;

wherein the at least one channel includes an inlet opening, which the inlet channel adjoins and which the deflection channel adjoins, into which the medium flows from the inlet channel and is deflected to flow through the outlet channel to at least one outlet opening on an outer surface of the measuring housing that discharges into the line; and

wherein at least one pulsation channel adjoins the at least one outlet opening.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the at least one pulsation channel includes at least one oil rejection grid.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the at least one pulsation channel is configured to reduce a backflow.

21. A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium, the medium including a gas-particle mixture of intake air for an internal combustion engine and flowing in a line along a main flow direction, the device comprising:

a measuring housing arranged in the line;

at least one channel arranged in the measuring housing;

at least one measuring element located in the at least one channel, and around which the medium flows; and

at least one deflecting element to deflect particles and liquids is arranged one of around and in the measuring housing at least one channel, upstream from the measuring element;

wherein the at least one channel includes a wall having an indentation pointing outward at approximately a same axial length as that of the at least one deflecting element and opposite to it; and

wherein the indentation is configured to collect the particles and liquids.

22. A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium, the medium including a gas particle mixture of intake air for an internal combustion engine and flowing in a line along a main flow direction, the device comprising:

a measuring housing arranged in the line;

at least one channel arranged in the measuring housing;

at least one measuring element located in the at least one channel, and around which the medium flows; and

at least one deflecting element to deflect particles and liquids is arranged one of around and in the measuring housing at least one channel, upstream from the measuring element;

wherein the at least one channel is serpentinely shaped.