Flow sensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262224-B2
Application number	US-202016946405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2020
Priority date	Jun 19, 2020
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses associated with an example flow sensing device are provided. In some examples, the flow sensing device may include a flow cap component and a sensor component. In some examples, the flow cap component may include a heating element disposed in a first layer of the flow cap component. In some examples, the sensor component may include at least one thermal sensing element disposed in a second layer of the sensor component. In some examples, the first layer and the second layer are noncoplanar. In some examples, the flow cap component may be bonded to a first surface of the sensor component to form a flow channel. In some examples, the first layer and the second layer may be noncoplanar and separated by the flow channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow sensing device, comprising:
a flow cap component comprising a heating element disposed in a first layer of the flow cap component; and
a sensor component comprising at least one thermal sensing element disposed in a second layer of the sensor component, wherein the flow cap component is bonded to a first surface of the sensor component to form a flow channel, wherein the first layer and the second layer are noncoplanar and separated by the flow channel,

wherein the flow cap component comprises a flow channel portion on a second surface of the flow cap component, a first opening, and a second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening are connected to the flow channel portion on the second surface of the flow cap component, wherein the flow channel portion and the first surface of the sensor component form a first portion of the flow channel.

2. The flow sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the flow cap component is configured to receive a flowing media through the first opening, wherein the flowing media travels through the flow channel and exits the flow cap component through the second opening.

3. The flow sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the flow channel comprises a plurality of sidewalls extending along a central axis of the flow channel.

4. The flow sensing device of claim 3 , wherein a cross section of the first portion of the flow channel that is orthogonal to the central axis is in a rectangular shape.

5. The flow sensing device of claim 4 , wherein the rectangular shape comprises at least one rounded corner or rounded edge.

6. The flow sensing device of claim 3 , wherein a cross section of the first portion of the flow channel that is orthogonal to the central axis is in a triangular shape.

7. The flow sensing device of claim 3 , wherein the flow channel portion of the flow cap component comprises at least one protrusion.

8. The flow sensing device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the second surface of the flow cap component is bonded to a third surface of an attachment component, wherein a fourth surface of the attachment component is bonded to a portion of the first surface of the sensor component, wherein the flow cap component, the sensor component, and the attachment component form the first portion of the flow channel.

9. The flow sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermal sensing element comprises a first thermal sensing element and a second thermal sensing element, wherein the second thermal sensing element is disposed in a downstream direction from the first thermal sensing element.

10. The flow sensing device of claim 9 , further comprising a first heat sink element disposed on the first surface of the sensor component and in an upstream direction from the first thermal sensing element.

11. The flow sensing device of claim 10 , further comprising a second heat sink element disposed on the first surface of the sensor component and in the downstream direction from the second thermal sensing element.

12. The flow sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the flow cap component comprises a cavity portion on a third surface of the flow cap component opposite of the second surface, wherein the heating element is in contact with the cavity portion.

13. The flow sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor component comprises at least one plate element disposed on a third layer of the sensor component, wherein the at least one plate element at least partially overlaps with the at least one thermal sensing element.

14. The flow sensing device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one thermal sensing element comprises at least one thermopile element, wherein the sensor component further comprises an insulator layer disposed between the at least one plate element and the at least one thermopile element.

15. The flow sensing device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one thermal sensing element comprises at least one resistor element, wherein the sensor component further comprises an insulator layer disposed between the at least one plate element and the at least one resistor element.

16. A method for manufacturing a flow sensing device, the method comprising:
providing a flow cap component comprising a heating element disposed in a first layer of the flow cap component;
providing a sensor component comprising at least one thermal sensing element disposed in a second layer of the sensor component; and
bonding the flow cap component to a first surface of the sensor component to form a flow channel, wherein the first layer and the second layer are noncoplanar and separated by the flow channel, wherein the flow cap component comprises a flow channel portion on a second surface of the flow cap component, a first opening, and a second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening are connected to the flow channel portion on the second surface of the flow cap component, wherein the flow channel portion and the first surface of the sensor component form a first portion of the flow channel.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the flow cap component is bonded to the first surface of the sensor component via an attachment component.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Beck Scott Edward
• Wang Yong-Fa
• Foster Philip C

Classifications

• G01F1/684 Primary

  Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow · CPC title

• G01F1/6845 Primary

  Micromachined devices · CPC title

• G01F1/6888

  Thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples, thermopiles · CPC title

• G01F1/692 Primary

  Thin-film arrangements · CPC title

• G01F1/69

  of resistive type · CPC title