Volumetric Measurement Device, System and Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305809-A1
Application number	US-201615187228-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Mar 7, 2012
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An acoustic volume sensing device is disclosed. The device includes a housing comprising a reference volume chamber and a variable volume chamber, the reference volume chamber and the variable volume chamber connected by a resonant port, a first MEMS microphone located in acoustic relation to the variable volume chamber, a second MEMS microphone located in acoustic relation to the reference volume chamber, a MEMS speaker located in acoustic relation to the reference volume chamber, and a circuit board in electric connection with the first and second MEMS microphones and the MEMS speaker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An acoustic volume sensing device comprising:
a housing comprising a reference volume chamber and a variable volume chamber, the reference volume chamber and the variable volume chamber connected by a resonant port; a first MEMS microphone located in acoustic relation to the variable volume chamber; a second MEMS microphone located in acoustic relation to the reference volume chamber; and a MEMS speaker located in acoustic relation to the reference volume chamber; wherein the device configured to measure a volume of fluid using acoustic volume sensing measurements, and wherein the measurements are taken at the same pressure.

2 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a hydrophobic, substantially acoustically transparent mesh device located in the resonant port.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second MEMS microphone and MEMS speaker are integrated into a single package.

4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a membrane located in the resonant port.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic membrane.

6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a screen located in the resonant port.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the screen is a hydrophobic screen.

8 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an active check valve downstream from the variable volume chamber.

9 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a restrictive pathway downstream from the variable volume chamber.

10 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a spring and a ring.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein a mesh barrier is sandwiched between the spring and the ring.

12 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a thermistor.

13 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising analog electronics for driving the MEMS speaker.

14 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising signal conditioning for the MEMS microphones.

15 . A method for determining a volume of fluid that has exited a measurement chamber, the method comprising:
completing an acoustic volume sensing measurement of a measurement chamber where the measurement chamber is at a first predetermined pressure; pumping fluid into the measurement chamber until the measurement chamber reaches a second predetermined pressure; completing an acoustic volume sensing measurement of a measurement chamber where the measurement chamber is at the second predetermined pressure; reducing the measurement chamber pressure to the first predetermined pressure; and completing an acoustic volume sensing measurement of a measurement chamber where the measurement chamber is at the second predetermined pressure.

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Lanier Gregory R
• Kerwin John M
• Murphy Colin H
• Gray Larry B

Classifications

• G01H13/00

  Measuring resonant frequency · CPC title

• G01F23/296

  Acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01F17/00 Primary

  Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies (measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B) · CPC title

• G01F22/02 Primary

  involving measurement of pressure · CPC title

• G01F1/66

  by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title