Fluid flow monitoring assembly including a flow sensor housing removably secured to a flexible conduit that encapsulates the removable sensor

Abstract

A method of using a fluid monitoring assembly for measuring the flow rate of a fluid through a flexible conduit comprising a wall that defines a lumen through which the fluid passes. The assembly includes a housing having first and second portions each defining respective recessed interior portions that define a cavity that is configured to encapsulate and retain the flow sensor and the flexible tubing contained therein. The flow sensor may be removably secured around the outside of the flexible conduit and include one or more transducer/receiver pairs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid monitoring assembly comprising:
 a flexible unreinforced fluid conduit having a wall defining a lumen through which fluid passes;   a housing defining a cavity therein configured to fully encapsulate said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit as an exoskeleton-type structure; and   a sensor within said housing mounted about the exterior of a portion of said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit to detect a characteristic of the fluid within said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said housing fully encapsulates said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit to prevent said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit from bulging or failing, such as under high fluid pressures. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor defines an aperture dimensioned to hold said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit therein to facilitate detection of fluid within said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit by said sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit fits snugly within the sensor aperture. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor includes a sensor housing removably positionable within said housing and defining an aperture therethrough dimensioned to hold said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit therein to facilitate detection of fluid within said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit by said sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the housing cavity is sized and shaped so as to snuggly accommodate said sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor is a non-contact sensor detecting a characteristic of the fluid within said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit through said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit wall. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said housing includes receiving flange portions dimensioned to receive coupling flanges at the ends of said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more valves extending through said housing and positioned to selectively close or open portions of said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said valves include one or more pinch valves configured to selectively pinch said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing cavity is shaped and formed to snugly and securely hold said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit comprises one of silicone, a thermoplastic elastomer, or thermoplastic rubber. 
     
     
         13 . A fluid monitoring assembly comprising:
 a flexible unreinforced fluid conduit having a wall defining a lumen through which fluid passes;   a housing defining a cavity therein;   a sensor removably mounted within the cavity within said housing and defining an aperture dimensioned to hold said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit therein to facilitate detection of fluid within said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit by said sensor; and   one or more valves extending through said housing and positioned to selectively close or open portions of said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit.   
     
     
         14 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said housing and said sensor fully encapsulate said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit to prevent said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit from bulging or failing, such as under high fluid pressures. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit comprises one of silicone, a thermoplastic elastomer, or thermoplastic rubber. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more valves include one or more pinch valves configured to selectively pinch said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said flexible unreinforced fluid conduit fits snugly within the sensor aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid monitoring assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the housing cavity is sized and shaped so as to snugly accommodate said sensor. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a fluid monitoring assembly to measure a characteristic of a fluid flowing therethrough, said method comprising:
 flowing a pressurized fluid through a lumen of a flexible unreinforced fluid conduit fully encapsulated within a cavity of a housing; and   measuring the characteristic of the fluid within the flexible unreinforced fluid conduit with a sensor mounted in the housing about an exterior of a portion of the flexible unreinforced fluid conduit.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising removing the sensor from the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising opening or closing the flexible unreinforced fluid conduit with one or more valves extending through the housing and in contact with a wall of the flexible unreinforced fluid conduit.