Inline ultrasonic transducer assembly device and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9389109-B2
Application number	US-201414196892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

An inline ultrasonic transducer assembly is disclosed. The transducer assembly can include a body having a cylindrical flow passage and a transducer mounting space having a track on along which at least one transducer chassis can be slidingly engaged. The transducer chassis can include at least one piezo member oriented at an angle with the axial centerline of the flow passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic flow rate measuring device comprising:
a transducer body having:
a first end and a second end,
a wall defining a cylindrical flow passage through the body connecting the first end and the second end, said cylindrical passage defining an axis,
a mounting space within the body separated from and parallel to the cylindrical passage,
at least one track in the mounting space, and
at least one transducer chassis coupled to the at least one track, the at least one transducer chassis having a piezo member oriented at an angle to a centerline of the cylindrical passage;

at least one attachment structure connected to one or more of the first end and the second end of the transducer body, the at least one attachment structure having an attachment portion configured to engage with at least one pipe such that the axis of the cylindrical passage will be aligned with an axis of the at least one pipe;
wherein the at least one transducer chassis is configured to be slidable along the track, so that an ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezo member of the at least one transducer chassis is reflected off the wall defining the cylindrical passage such that an angle between the piezo member and the axis of the elongate cylindrical passage is less than 90 degrees.

2. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 1 wherein the at least one track comprises two parallel rails.

3. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 1 wherein the at least one track comprises a single rail.

4. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 1 further comprising two transducer chassis configured to be slidable along the at least one track.

5. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 1 wherein the at least one transducer chassis is oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the flow passage.

6. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one transducer chassis further comprises two parallel side walls set at a fixed, pre-determined width such that the transducer chassis can fit between the two parallel rails of the track.

7. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one transducer chassis is configured to wrap around the single rail of the track.

8. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 4 , wherein a separation distance between the two transducer chassis is kept constant by attaching the two transducer chasses to predrilled holes in the parallel rails.

9. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 8 , wherein the separation distance between the two transducer chasses is adjustable by adjusting fasteners within slots located on each transducer chassis.

10. An ultrasonic transducer assembly for measuring fluid flow through a pipe, the transducer assembly comprising:
a transducer body having:
a first end and a second end,
a first side wall extending between the first end and the second end,
a second side wall extending between the first end and the second end,
a top wall extending between the first end and the second end,
a third wall defining an elongate cylindrical passage through the body connecting the first end and the second end, and
at least one track parallel to the cylindrical flow passage;

at least one transducer chassis removably coupled to the at least one track, the at least one transducer chassis having a hollowed-out portion and at least one piezo member mounted within the hollowed-out portion such that an angle between the piezo member and a centerline of the elongate cylindrical passage is less than 90 degrees; and
a cover configured to create a water-tight seal around the mounting space.

11. The ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 10 , wherein the track comprises two parallel rails such that the at least one transducer chassis is configured to slide along the rails.

12. The ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least one track comprises a single rail such that the at least one transducer chassis is configured to slide along the rail.

13. The ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 11 further comprising two transducer chasses configured to be slidable along the at least one track.

14. The ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 10 wherein the at least one transducer chassis is oriented substantially parallel to the centerline of the flow passage.

15. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 13 , wherein a separation distance between the two transducer chasses is kept constant by attaching the two transducer chasses to predrilled holes in the parallel rails.

16. The ultrasonic flow rate measuring device of claim 15 , wherein the separation distance between the two transducer chasses is adjustable by adjusting fasteners within slots located on each transducer chassis.

17. An ultrasonic transducer assembly, comprising:
a transducer body having:
a first end and a second end,
a first side wall extending between the first end and the second end,
a second side wall extending between the first end and the second end,
a top wall extending between the first end and the second end,
a cylindrical wall defining a cylindrical passage through the body connecting the first end and the second end, and
at least one track parallel to the cylindrical flow passage;

a first transducer chassis removably coupled to the at least one track, the first transducer chassis having a hollowed-out portion and at least one piezo member mounted within the hollowed-out portion such that an angle between the piezo member and a centerline of the cylindrical passage is less than 90 degrees;
a second transducer chassis removable coupled to the at least one track, the second transducer chassis having a hollowed-out portion and at least on piezo member mounted within the hollowed-out portion such that an angle between the piezo member and a centerline of the cylindrical passage is less than 90 degrees; and
a cover configured to create a water-tight seal around the mounting space;
wherein the first transducer chassis and the second transducer chassis are positionable a predetermined distance apart such that an ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezo member of one of the first or second transducer chasses is reflected off the cylindrical wall defining the cylindrical passage and received by the other of the first or second transducer chasses.

18. The ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second transducer chasses are slideable along the track.

19. The ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 17 wherein a separation distance between the first transducer chassis and the second transducer chassis is adjustable.

Assignees

• Blue White Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Gledhill Iii Robert
• Nguyen John
• Woolard Jason A
• Freeman Darrell B

Classifications

• G01F15/14

  Casings, e.g. of special material · CPC title

• G01F1/662 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G01F15/18

  Supports or connecting means for meters · CPC title