Sensor apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035704-B2
Application number	US-201715858287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A sensor apparatus may include a channel structure configured to couple with an external element and a fluid conduit, such that the channel structure may receive a fluid, at least partially drawn through the external element from an ambient environment, and direct the fluid through the fluid conduit. A sensor may generate sensor data indicating a flow rate of the fluid through the fluid conduit based on monitoring a variation in a pressure at a location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit and in relation to an ambient pressure of the ambient environment. The sensor apparatus may enable generation of improved topography information associated with flows of fluid drawn from the external element based on measuring a local pressure at the location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit and determining the ambient pressure based on monitoring the local pressure over time.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A sensor apparatus, comprising: a channel structure including an inlet, and outlet, and an inner surface defining a fluid conduit extending from the inlet to the outlet through an interior of the channel structure, the fluid conduit not including a restriction in a diameter of the fluid conduit, the channel structure configured to couple with an external element, such that the channel structure is configured to receive a fluid drawn through the external element at the inlet, the fluid at least partially drawn through the external element from an ambient environment that is external to the fluid conduit, and direct the fluid through the fluid conduit; a single, individual sensor device in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit, wherein the single, individual sensor device is configured to measure a value of a local pressure at a single location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit at separate points in time over at least a period of time; and processing circuitry configured to process a plurality of values of the local pressure measured by the single, individual sensor device over the period of time to determine a value of an ambient pressure Po of the ambient environment, and process a first value of the local pressure P measured by the single, individual sensor device at a first point in time to determine a flow rate of the fluid through the fluid conduit at the first point in time based on determining a pressure differential ΔP between the first value of the local pressure P and the determined value of the ambient pressure Po.

2. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the external element is an e-vaping device configured to generate a vapor and direct the vapor through an outlet end of the e-vaping device, and
the inlet includes an interface configured to couple with the outlet end of the e-vaping device, such that
the interface establishes a substantially airtight seal between the inlet of the channel structure and the outlet end of the e-vaping device,
the channel structure is configured to receive the vapor at the inlet and direct the vapor through the fluid conduit to the outlet, and
the processing circuitry is configured to determine a flow rate of the vapor based on monitoring a variation in the measured value of the local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device, that is induced based on air being drawn through the e-vaping device to the inlet of the channel structure from the ambient environment.

3. The sensor apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the interface is configured to detachably couple with the outlet end of the e-vaping device.

4. The sensor apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the channel structure is configured to induce a pressure drop, through the fluid conduit, that is substantially negligible in relation to the pressure drop at the inlet of the channel structure that is induced based on air being drawn through the e-vaping device.

5. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor apparatus includes a wireless network communication transceiver, such that the sensor apparatus is configured to communicate sensor data indicating the flow rate of the fluid through the fluid conduit to a separately-located device via a wireless network communication link.

6. The sensor apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sensor apparatus is further configured to communicate a sensor data stream providing a real-time indication of the flow rate of the fluid through the fluid conduit.

7. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to determine that an instance of fluid is passing through the channel structure, based on monitoring a variation in the measured value of the local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device at the single location, over a particular period of time.

8. The sensor apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to determine a volume and/or mass of the instance of fluid based on monitoring the variation in the measured value of the local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device at the single location, over the particular period of time.

9. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the single, individual sensor device is incorporated into the inner surface defining the fluid conduit, such that a fluid conduit-proximate surface of the single, individual sensor device is substantially coplanar with the inner surface.

10. An assembly, comprising:
a cartridge configured to generate a vapor, the cartridge including,
a pre-vapor formulation reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation,
a vaporizer assembly configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to generate the vapor, and
an outlet structure defining an outlet conduit, the outlet structure configured to direct the vapor out of the cartridge via the outlet conduit based on air being drawn through the cartridge to the outlet conduit from an ambient environment; and

the sensor apparatus of claim 1 , the sensor apparatus coupled to the outlet structure of the cartridge, the sensor apparatus configured to monitor a flow rate of the vapor out of the cartridge, wherein,
the channel structure of the sensor apparatus is configured to receive the vapor directed out of the cartridge and direct the vapor through the fluid conduit of the sensor apparatus to the outlet of the sensor apparatus, and
the processing circuitry of the sensor apparatus is configured to generate sensor data indicating a flow rate of the vapor through the fluid conduit of the sensor apparatus based on monitoring a variation in the measured value of the local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device at the single location of the sensor apparatus, in relation to the determined value of the ambient pressure Po of the ambient environment over time.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to be detachably coupled to the cartridge.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to establish a substantially airtight seal between the inlet of the channel structure and the cartridge.

13. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the channel structure is configured to induce a pressure drop, through the fluid conduit, that is substantially negligible in relation to the pressure drop at the inlet of the channel structure that is induced based on air being drawn through the cartridge.

14. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sensor apparatus includes a wireless network communication transceiver, such that the sensor apparatus is configured to communicate the sensor data to a separately-located device via a wireless network communication link.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the sensor apparatus is further configured to communicate a sensor data stream providing a real-time indication of the flow rate of the vapor through the fluid conduit.

16. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to determine that an instance of fluid is passing through the channel structure, based on monitoring the variation in the measured value of the local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device at the single location, over a particular period of time.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to determine a volume and/or mass of the instance of fluid based on monitoring the variation in the measured value of local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device at the single location, over the particular period of time.

18. The assembly of claim 10 ,

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Kane David B
• Pithawalla Yezdi B
• Janardhan Srinivasan
• Kobal Gerd

Classifications

• G01F1/34

  by measuring pressure or differential pressure · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24C5/3406

  Controlling cigarette combustion · CPC title

• G01F1/42 Primary

  Orifices or nozzles · CPC title

• A24F40/65

  Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means · CPC title