Fluid flow measurement device

Abstract

The invention is directed to a device for obtaining flow rate measurements including a sensor assembly and a housing. The sensor assembly includes a body defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet, an outlet, a flow restricting element in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, an upstream fluid pressure sensor, a downstream fluid pressure sensor, an upstream signal contact connected to the upstream fluid pressure sensor, and a downstream signal contact connected to the downstream fluid pressure sensor. The housing has an upstream portion defining an upstream port, a downstream portion defining a downstream port, and a probe access port configured to provide access of a probe to at least one of the upstream signal contact and downstream signal contact. The housing can also define a second fluid flow passage in parallel with the first fluid flow passage. The device can be disposable.

1 . A flow sensor device to obtain flow characteristics of a fluid flow system, the device comprising: 
 a sensor assembly including: 
 a body defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet,  
 a flow restricting element located along the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet,  
 an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element,  
 a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet,  
 an upstream signal contact connected to the upstream fluid pressure sensor, and  
 a downstream signal contact connected to the downstream fluid pressure sensor; and  
   a housing including an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion defining an upstream port in fluid communication with the inlet of the sensor assembly, the downstream portion defining a downstream port in fluid communication with the outlet of the sensor assembly, the housing further defining a probe access port configured to provide access of a probe to at least one of the upstream signal contact and downstream signal contact.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has at least one registration surface configured to ensure proper registration of the device with a fluid flow system.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the registration surface ensures the upstream port is aligned with a fluid source of a fluid flow system.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the registration surface includes a surface configuration on the upstream portion different from a surface configuration on the downstream portion.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the registration surface includes at least one planar surface.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the registration surface includes a detent.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a cavity of predetermined shape, the sensor assembly having a shape corresponding to the predetermined shape of the cavity.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the cavity is defined by at least one surface, the surface including at least one recess to receive a material to hold the sensor assembly within the cavity.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a cap positioned in the cavity proximate to the sensor assembly.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a connector proximate to at least one of the upstream port and the downstream port.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a second fluid flow passage therethrough.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the second fluid flow passage is arranged for fluid communication in parallel with the first fluid flow passage between the upstream port and the downstream port.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a valve for selective flow through the second fluid flow passage.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the valve includes at least a portion of the second fluid flow passage, the valve defined by a compressible wall member.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the compressible wall member is formed from an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the second fluid flow passage has a first transverse dimension and a second transverse dimension perpendicular to the first transverse dimension, the first dimension being different than the second dimension.  
   
   
       17 . A fluid sensor system, comprising: 
 a probe to receive signals representative of a fluid flow characteristic;    a processor to process signals from the probe into flow characteristic data; and    a device to obtain flow characteristic measurements of a fluid flow system, the device including: 
 a sensor assembly including: 
 a body defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet,  
 a flow restricting element located along the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet,  
 an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element,  
 a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet,  
 an upstream signal contact connected to the upstream fluid pressure sensor, and  
 a downstream signal contact connected to the downstream fluid pressure sensor; and  
 
 a housing including an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion defining an upstream port in fluid communication with the inlet of the sensor assembly, the downstream portion defining a downstream port in fluid communication with the outlet of the sensor assembly, the housing further defining a probe access port configured to provide access of the probe to at least one of the upstream signal contact and downstream signal contact.  
   
   
   
       18 - 28 . (canceled)  
   
   
       29 . A method of obtaining flow characteristics of a fluid flow system, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a device to obtain flow rate measurements, the device comprising: 
 a sensor assembly including: 
 a body defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet,  
 a flow restricting element located along the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet,  
 an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element,  
 a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet,  
 an upstream signal contact connected to the upstream fluid pressure sensor, and  
 a downstream signal contact connected to the downstream fluid pressure sensor, and  
 
 a housing including an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion defining an upstream port in fluid communication with the inlet of the sensor assembly, the downstream portion defining a downstream port in fluid communication with the outlet of the sensor assembly, the housing further defining a probe access port configured to provide access of a probe to at least one of the upstream signal contact and downstream signal contact;  
   directing a fluid flow through the first fluid flow passage;    obtaining a signal corresponding to the fluid pressure in the first fluid flow passage at the locations of the upstream fluid pressure sensor and the downstream fluid pressure sensor; and    determining a flow characteristic based upon the signal.    
   
   
       30 - 39 . (canceled)