Oval gear meter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9441998-B2
Application number	US-201414336921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2014
Priority date	Jul 21, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments include a flow measuring system for measuring characteristics of a fluid flow. The flow measuring system can include a pair of rotating members rotating synchronously to the fluid flow. At least one rotating member can include a normally-reflecting portion and a non-normally reflecting portion. The normally-reflecting portion reflects an incident beam in a direction parallel to the normal direction of the plane of the normally-reflecting portion. The non-normally reflecting portion reflects the incident beam in a direction non-parallel to the normal direction of the plane of the normally-reflecting portion. The flow measuring system measures the optical characteristics of a beam reflected by the normally-reflecting portion and determines rotational characteristics of the rotating member. The flow measuring system determines characteristics of the flow based on the rotational characteristics of the rotating member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow measuring system, comprising:
a housing fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the housing defining a passage for a flow of a fluid;
a first rotating member disposed in the housing;
a second rotating member disposed in the housing, the second rotating member intermeshing with the first rotating member, the first and second rotating members adapted to rotate synchronously in response to the flow through the passage of the housing,
at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member having a normally-reflecting portion,
at least one of the first and second rotating members having a non-normally reflecting portion; and
a sensor operatively connected to the housing, and being optically aligned with the normally-reflecting portion,
the normally-reflecting portion adapted to reflect an incident beam in a first direction toward the sensor, the non-normally reflecting portion adapted to reflect the incident beam in a second direction away from the sensor,
the sensor adapted to measure optical characteristics of a beam reflected by the normally-reflecting portion, and determine at least one of a rotational count indicative of a number of rotations of the first rotating member or the second rotating member, and a speed of rotation of the first rotating member or the second rotating member based on the optical characteristics of the beam reflected by the normally-reflecting portion,
wherein the flow measuring system determines characteristics of the flow based on at least one of the rotational count and the speed of rotation.

2. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the normally reflecting portion lies in a plane normal to a rotational axis of the at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

3. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the normally reflecting portion is formed integrally with the non-normally reflecting portion.

4. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the normally reflecting portion is formed integrally with the at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

5. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the first rotating member has both the normally-reflecting portion and the non-normally reflecting portion.

6. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the non-normally reflecting portion comprises a plurality of grooves, each groove adapted to reflect the incident beam in the second direction.

7. The flow measuring system of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of grooves has a triangular cross-section.

8. The flow measuring system of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of grooves has a groove angle defined by a first sloping surface and a second sloping surface of the groove, wherein the groove angle is between about 90 degrees and about 150 degrees.

9. The flow measuring system of claim 8 , wherein a first beam of electromagnetic radiation is incident on the first sloping surface of the groove, the first beam of electromagnetic radiation being reflected by the first sloping surface toward the second sloping surface, the second sloping surface further reflecting the first beam of electromagnetic radiation in the second direction.

10. The flow measuring system of claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises an emitter and a detector, the emitter adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation toward at least the normally-reflecting portion, and the detector adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected by the normally-reflecting portion.

11. The flow measuring system of claim 10 , wherein the detector is oriented such that at least a surface of the detector is parallel to the plane of the normally-reflecting portion, the surface of the detector intercepting the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the normally-reflecting portion.

12. The flow measuring system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of grooves are disposed in a spiral pattern about an axis of the at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

13. The flow measuring system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of grooves are disposed concentrically about an axis of the at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

14. The flow measuring system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of grooves are disposed radially about an axis of the at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

15. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the non-normally reflecting portion comprises a plurality of pins, each pin adapted to reflect electromagnetic radiation in the second direction.

16. The flow measuring system of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of pins are of conical shape.

17. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotating members are made of a first material, and wherein the non-normally reflecting portion is made of the first material.

18. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotating members are oval gears.

19. The flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the normally-reflecting portion is in a field of view of the sensor intermittently for every complete rotation of the first and second gears.

20. The flow measuring system of claim 19 , wherein the normally-reflecting portion is in the field of view of the sensor for a fraction of a rotation interval, the rotation interval corresponding to the time taken by the first and second gears to complete one rotation, wherein the first and second gears sweep an angle of about 360 degrees to complete one rotation.

21. A flow measuring system for measuring characteristics of fluid flow, the flow measuring system comprising a pair of rotating members rotating synchronously in response to the fluid flow, at least one rotating member comprising:
a normally-reflecting portion adapted to reflect an incident beam in a first direction; and
a non-normally reflecting portion adapted to reflect the incident beam in a second direction different from the first direction,
wherein the flow measuring system is configured for measuring optical characteristics of a beam reflected by the normally-reflecting portion along the first direction, the flow measuring system is adapted to determine rotational characteristics of the rotating member based on the optical characteristics of the beam reflected by the normally-reflecting portion along the first direction, and
wherein the flow measuring system determines flow characteristics based on rotational characteristics of the rotating member.

22. The flow measuring system of claim 21 , wherein the first direction makes an angle of about 180 degrees with a direction of the incidence beam.

23. The flow measuring system of claim 21 , wherein the second direction makes an angle not equal to 180 degrees with a direction of the incidence beam.

24. The flow measuring system of claim 21 , wherein the normally-reflection portion is disposed along a fraction of a circumference of the rotating member.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Pilipchenko Anna
• Christensen William M
• Tokhtuev Eugene

Classifications

• G01F1/661

  using light · CPC title

• G01F15/00

  Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus · CPC title

• G06M1/272

  using photoelectric means · CPC title

• G01F3/10 Primary

  Geared or lobed impeller meters · CPC title

• F04C2220/24

  for metering throughflow · CPC title