Flow sensors and flow monitors

Abstract

A flow sensor and flow monitor, comprising a sleeve, a first flow guide, a second flow guide, a rotating member, and a speed measuring member. The sleeve encloses an airflow channel, the first flow guide and the second flow guide are both connected to the sleeve and accommodated in the airflow channel with a spacing therebetween. The rotating member is accommodated in the airflow channel and located between the first flow guide and the second flow guide. Gas flowing in from the first flow guide or the second flow guide drives the rotating member to rotate. The speed measuring member is disposed in the sleeve and is used to measure the speed of the rotating member, which is then converted into gas flow. The speed measuring member measures the speed of the rotating member, and based on the corresponding relationship between the speed and flow, an accurate gas flow value can be obtained, enabling bidirectional flow measurement. The device has a simple structure and is easy to use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of gas flow monitoring, and in particular to a flow sensor and a flow monitor. Background Art

[0002] A turbine flowmeter is a velocity flowmeter that measures flow based on the principle that the flowing gas strikes the turbine blades, causing them to rotate. Once the rotating turbine blades stabilize, they rotate at a corresponding speed. The speed is proportional to the flow velocity, and the flow rate can be calculated by multiplying the flow velocity by the time.

[0003] Existing vortex flowmeters can only measure the flow of gas flowing in one direction, and are difficult to measure the flow of gas flowing in two directions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a flow sensor and a flow monitor, which can realize the flow measurement of bidirectional airflow.

[0005] To achieve the purpose of the present invention, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a flow sensor comprising a sleeve, a first flow guide, a second flow guide, a rotating member and a speed measuring member, wherein the sleeve encloses an airflow channel, the first flow guide and the second flow guide are both connected to the sleeve and accommodated in the airflow channel at intervals from each other, the rotating member is accommodated in the airflow channel and is located between the first flow guide and the second flow guide, the gas flowing in from the first flow guide or the second flow guide drives the rotating member to rotate, the speed measuring member is arranged on the sleeve and is used to measure the speed of the rotating member, and the speed of the rotating member is used to convert into the flow rate of the gas.

[0007] In one embodiment, the first flow guide and the second flow guide are both used to guide the gas flowing along the axial direction of the sleeve to flow in a radial vortex along the sleeve, and the rotating member uses the axis of the sleeve as its rotation axis.

[0008] In one embodiment, the rotating member is rotatably connected to the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member.

[0009] In one embodiment, the rotating member includes a rotating part, a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged on opposite sides of the rotating part, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft both extend along the axis of the sleeve, the first flow guide member is provided with a first mounting groove, the second flow guide member is provided with a second mounting groove, the first rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the first mounting groove, and the second rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the second mounting groove.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first flow guide and the second flow guide have the same structure and are installed in opposite directions, so that the vortex directions of the gas flowing from the first flow guide and the gas flowing from the second flow guide are opposite.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first flow guide member includes an outer ring, a central axis, and a plurality of blades connected between the outer ring and the central axis, the outer ring is used to be connected to the sleeve, the central axis is used to be rotatably connected to the rotating member, and the plurality of blades are arranged in a circular array centered on the central axis.

[0012] In one embodiment, a protrusion is provided on the inner wall of the sleeve, and the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member are both in close contact with the inner wall of the sleeve and are respectively provided on both sides of the protrusion.

[0013] In one embodiment, the speed measuring component includes an infrared emitting unit and an infrared receiving unit, and the infrared emitting unit and the infrared receiving unit are relatively arranged on both sides of the radial direction of the rotating component, and the connecting line of the infrared emitting unit and the infrared receiving unit is spaced apart from the rotating axis of the rotating component. The infrared emitting unit is used to emit infrared rays, and the infrared receiving unit is used to receive infrared rays.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member are detachably connected to the sleeve, and the rotating member is detachably connected to the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a flow monitor, comprising a flow sensor according to any one of the various embodiments of the first aspect.

[0016] By arranging a rotating member between the first guide member and the second guide member, the gas entering the air flow channel from both ends of the sleeve will first be changed in flow direction by the first guide member or the second guide member to promote the rotation of the rotating member, and then the speed of the rotating member is measured by the speed measuring member. Based on the corresponding relationship between the speed and flow rate, an accurate gas flow value can be obtained, and the flow measurement of bidirectional airflow can be realized. The structure is simple and easy to use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 is a front view of a flow sensor according to an embodiment;

[0019] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a flow sensor according to an embodiment;

[0020] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a flow sensor according to an embodiment;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional diagram of a first flow guide member according to an embodiment.

[0022] Description of reference numerals:

[0023] 10-sleeve, 11-airflow channel, 12-protrusion;

[0024] 20-first flow guide, 21-outer ring, 22-central shaft, 23-blades, 25-first mounting slot;

[0025] 30-second flow guide, 35-second mounting slot;

[0026] 40-rotating member, 41-first rotating shaft, 42-second rotating shaft, 43-rotating portion;

[0027] 51-infrared emitting unit, 52-infrared receiving unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4 An embodiment of the present invention provides a flow sensor, including a sleeve 10, a first flow guide member 20, a second flow guide member 30, a rotating member 40 and a speed measuring member.

[0030] The sleeve 10 is roughly cylindrical and encloses a roughly cylindrical air flow channel 11. The material of the sleeve 10 can be plastic, including but not limited to PC (polycarbonate), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), epoxy resin, etc. The outer peripheral surface of the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 is roughly cylindrical, and both are connected to the inner wall of the sleeve 10 and are accommodated in the air flow channel 11 at intervals from each other. The shape of the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 is roughly a turbine. Compared with the existing turbine, the turbine of this embodiment is arranged in the sleeve 10 and does not rotate. The main material of the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 is plastic, including but not limited to PC (polycarbonate), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), epoxy resin, etc.

[0031] The rotating member 40 is housed in the airflow channel 11 and is located between the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30. The rotating member 40 can be connected to any one or more of the sleeve 10, the first guide member 20, or the second guide member 30. The first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 guide the gas, that is, change the flow direction of the gas.

[0032] The gas flowing in from the first guide member 20 or the second guide member 30 drives the rotating member 40 to rotate. The rotating member 40 is made of a lightweight material so that even a slight change in the flow rate of the airflow can cause the rotating member 40 to change its rotation speed.

[0033] Specifically, when gas flows in the airflow channel 11, it has only two directions: a first direction from the first air guide 20 toward the second air guide 30, and a second direction from the second air guide 30 toward the first air guide 20. The airflow flows in the first direction and is guided by the first air guide 20 before being blown onto the rotating member 40. Alternatively, the airflow flows in the second direction and is guided by the second air guide 30 before being blown onto the rotating member 40, thereby driving the rotating member 40 to rotate. The specific paths of gas flow are: 1. First direction: from one end of the sleeve 10, entering the airflow channel 11 of the sleeve 10 - first air guide 20 - rotating member 40 - second air guide 30 - discharged from the other end of the sleeve 10; 2. Second direction: from one end of the sleeve 10, entering the airflow channel 11 of the sleeve 10 - second air guide 30 - rotating member 40 - first air guide 20 - discharged from the other end of the sleeve 10.

[0034] The rotation speed measuring element is provided on the sleeve 10 and is used to measure the rotation speed of the rotating element 40 . The rotation speed of the rotating element 40 is used to convert into the flow rate of the gas.

[0035] It can be understood that the faster the rotation speed of the rotating part 40, the faster the gas flow rate. The rotation speed of the rotating part 40 can be accurately measured by the rotation speed measuring part, and then the specific value of the gas flow rate can be obtained by multiplying the correspondence between the rotation speed and the flow rate by time.

[0036] In this embodiment, by providing a rotating member 40 between the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30, the gas entering the air flow channel 11 from both ends of the sleeve 10 will first be changed in flow direction by the first guide member 20 or the second guide member 30 to promote the rotation of the rotating member 40, and then the speed measuring member is used to measure the speed of the rotating member 40. Based on the corresponding relationship between the speed and the flow rate, an accurate gas flow value can be obtained, and the flow measurement of bidirectional airflow can be realized. The structure is simple and easy to use.

[0037] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 are both used to guide the gas flowing along the axial direction of the sleeve 10 to flow in the radial direction of the sleeve 10 vortex, and the rotating member 40 uses the axis of the sleeve 10 as the rotation axis.

[0038] In this embodiment, the general direction of gas flow within the airflow channel 11 is from one end to the other. When the airflow flows in the first direction and does not encounter the first guide member 20, or when the airflow flows in the second direction and does not encounter the second guide member 30, the airflow flows axially along the sleeve 10, specifically in the first or second direction axially along the sleeve 10. When the airflow encounters the first guide member 20 in the first direction, the airflow is guided by the first guide member 20. When the airflow encounters the second guide member 30 in the second direction, the airflow transitions from axial flow to radial vortex flow along the sleeve 10. At this time, the overall flow direction of the airflow is still from one end to the other end of the sleeve 10. However, when the airflow passes through the first guide member 20 or the second guide member 30, it will be deflected and transformed from the axial direction of the sleeve 10 to a radial vortex. At this time, the direction of the airflow has an axial component, a radial component, and a circumferential component. The airflow will generate a vortex, which can drive the rotating member 40 between the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 to rotate with the axis of the sleeve 10 as the rotation axis.

[0039] In this embodiment, a first flow guide member 20 and a second flow guide member 30 which do not rotate themselves are provided to guide the gas, and a rotating member 40 between the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30 is driven to rotate with the axis of the sleeve 10 as the rotation axis. Compared with the existing method of measuring the rotating flow guide member, bidirectional gas flow measurement can be performed with a simple structure.

[0040] In one embodiment, the rotating member 40 is rotatably connected to the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30. Since the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30 are sequentially arranged in the axial direction of the sleeve 10, the provision of the rotating member 40 for rotatably connecting to the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30 not only provides good support for the rotating member 40 by the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30, but also eliminates the need for an additional structure to support the rotating member 40, making the overall structure more compact.

[0041] In one embodiment, the rotating member 40 includes a rotating portion 43, a first rotating shaft 41, and a second rotating shaft 42. The first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42 are disposed on opposite sides of the rotating portion 43, and both the first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42 extend along the axis of the sleeve 10. The rotating portion 43 extends radially along the sleeve 10 and may be in the shape of a rectangular sheet. The first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42 are respectively connected to the middle portions of the two sides of the rotating portion 43. The first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42 are located in the extension direction of the same straight line, and the rotating portion 43 is symmetrically disposed relative to the first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42.

[0042] Optionally, the first rotating shaft 41 , the second rotating shaft 42 and the rotating portion 43 may be an integrally formed one-piece structure.

[0043] Optionally, the first rotating shaft 41, the second rotating shaft 42 and the rotating part 43 may also be a detachable structure, for example, formed by a rod-shaped rotating shaft passing through the rotating part 43, or for example, mounting holes are opened on opposite sides of the rotating part 43, and the first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42 are respectively inserted into the corresponding mounting holes to achieve connection.

[0044] Optionally, the four corners of the rectangle of the rotating portion 43 may be configured to transition into arcs, forming a roughly rounded rectangular shape, so as to stabilize the flow field when air flows through, thereby reducing turbulence and turbulence.

[0045] The first air guide 20 is provided with a first mounting groove 25 , the second air guide 30 is provided with a second mounting groove 35 , the first rotating shaft 41 is rotatably connected to the first mounting groove 25 , and the second rotating shaft 42 is rotatably connected to the second mounting groove 35 .

[0046] Optionally, the bottom walls of the first mounting groove 25 and the second mounting groove 35 may be conical, and the cone angle is not limited. The ends of the first rotating shaft 41 and the second rotating shaft 42 may be needle-shaped to facilitate the formation of a rotating connection.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first mounting groove 25 and the second mounting groove 35 are provided, and the first rotating shaft 41 is rotatably connected to the first mounting groove 25, and the second rotating shaft 42 is rotatably connected to the second mounting groove 35, so as to realize the installation of the rotating member 40, which has a simple structure and is easy to operate.

[0048] In one embodiment, the first guide member 20 and the second guide member 30 have the same structure and are installed in opposite directions, so that the vortex directions of the gas flowing from the first guide member 20 and the gas flowing from the second guide member 30 are opposite.

[0049] In this embodiment, the first and second guide members 20 and 30 have identical structures, facilitating manufacturing. Only one of the two guide members is required, and they are installed in opposite directions, further facilitating installation. Because the first and second guide members 20 and 30 have identical structures but are installed in opposite directions, airflow in the first direction toward the first guide member 20 and in the second direction toward the second guide member 30 generates radial vortices. These vortices, generated in opposite directions, both propel the rotating member 40 to rotation.

[0050] In one embodiment, the first guide member 20 includes an outer ring 21, a central axis 22, and a plurality of blades 23 connected between the outer ring 21 and the central axis 22. The outer ring 21 is used to be connected to the sleeve 10, and the central axis 22 is used to be rotatably connected to the rotating member 40. The plurality of blades 23 are arranged in a circular array with the central axis 22 as the center.

[0051] In this embodiment, the outer ring 21 is in the shape of an annular ring connected end to end. The outer ring 21 is connected to the sleeve 10 to fix the first guide member 20 to the sleeve 10. One end of the multiple blades 23 is connected to the outer ring 21, and the other end is connected to the central axis 22, so that the structure of the multiple blades 23 is stable. The axis of the central axis 22 is collinear with the axis of the sleeve 10. The blades 23 serve as a guide. The arrangement of the annular array of multiple blades 23 can guide all the gas in the airflow channel 11 of the sleeve 10. There is no limit on the number of blades 23, such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, etc.

[0052] The central shaft 22 and the rotating member 40 can be rotatably connected by a first mounting groove 25 defined in the central shaft 22, as in the aforementioned embodiment, with the first rotating shaft 41 of the rotating member 40 rotatably connected to the first mounting groove 25. Alternatively, the central shaft 22 may be protruding, and a groove defined in the rotating member 40, with the central shaft 22 rotatably connected to the groove. The central shaft 22 may be made of a material with high hardness and wear resistance, such as metal or gemstone (e.g., sapphire), providing stable support for the rotating member 40 and high wear resistance, thereby extending its service life.

[0053] In one embodiment, a protrusion 12 is provided on the inner wall of the sleeve 10 , and the first flow guide 20 and the second flow guide 30 are both in close contact with the inner wall of the sleeve 10 and are respectively provided on both sides of the protrusion 12 .

[0054] In this embodiment, the first flow guide 20 and the second flow guide 30 can be interference fit with the sleeve 10, and stable fixation can be achieved without the need for other mounting structures. The protrusion 12 is provided to, on the one hand, separate the first flow guide 20 and the second flow guide 30, and on the other hand, to position the first flow guide 20 and the second flow guide 30 with the protrusion 12 as the position. That is, during installation, the first flow guide 20 and the second flow guide 30 are pushed into the sleeve 10 from both ends until the first flow guide 20 and the second flow guide 30 respectively contact both sides of the protrusion 12. The protrusion 12 can be an annular structure, arranged around the inner wall of the sleeve 10; or there can be multiple protrusions 12, spaced circumferentially on the inner wall of the sleeve 10. The protrusion 12 can be an integral structure with the sleeve 10.

[0055] Optionally, the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30 are detachably connected to the sleeve 10, such as by using an interference fit as mentioned above, or by using other mounting structures, such as by using a snap ring to clamp the side of the first flow guide member 20 facing away from the protrusion 12, and by using a snap ring to clamp the side of the second flow guide member 30 facing away from the protrusion 12.

[0056] Optionally, the rotating member 40 is detachably connected to the first flow guide member 20 and the second flow guide member 30. During installation, the first flow guide member 20 can be first fixed to the sleeve 10, and then the rotating member 40 can be installed to the first flow guide member 20. If necessary, some tools can be used to limit the rotating member 40, and then the second flow guide member 30 can be fixed to the sleeve 10 and the second flow guide member 30 can be installed to the rotating member 40 at the same time.

[0057] The detachable connection method facilitates the individual manufacture of each component and is also very easy to install.

[0058] In one embodiment, the first flow guide 20 and the sleeve 10 can be made into an integrated structure, which can reduce the steps of installing the first flow guide 20 into the sleeve 10.

[0059] In one embodiment, the speed measuring component includes an infrared emitting unit 51 and an infrared receiving unit 52. The infrared emitting unit 51 and the infrared receiving unit 52 are relatively arranged on both sides of the radial direction of the rotating component 40, and the connecting line of the infrared emitting unit 51 and the infrared receiving unit 52 is spaced apart from the rotating axis of the rotating component 40. The infrared emitting unit 51 is used to emit infrared rays, and the infrared receiving unit 52 is used to receive infrared rays.

[0060] In this embodiment, infrared light is transmitted by the infrared emitting unit 51 and received by the infrared receiving unit 52. During the rotation of the rotating member 40, the infrared light emitted by the infrared emitting unit 51 passes through the rotating member 40 twice per rotation, allowing the infrared receiving unit 52 to receive the infrared light at two points in time. The infrared light is blocked by the rotating member 40 at other times. By measuring the time intervals between the infrared receiving unit 52 receiving the infrared light, the rotational speed of the rotating member 40 can be determined, and the airflow rate can be calculated. It is understood that to block infrared light, the material of the rotating member 40 should be non-transmissive to infrared light. The distance between the line connecting the infrared emitting unit 51 and the infrared receiving unit 52 and the rotation axis of the rotating member 40 can be set as needed. This ensures that during infrared transmission and reception, the infrared light is not blocked by the rotation axis of the rotating member 40, but only by the blades of the rotating member 40. This ensures that the infrared light can be received at certain times, while avoiding being blocked by the rotation axis and being unable to be received at all.

[0061] Conventional methods for measuring gas flow rate using the rotation of turbine blades 23 require a relatively complex measurement structure to measure the rotation speed of turbine blades 23, occupy a large space, and cannot be used in small devices. Compared to current measurement methods, this embodiment uses the cooperation of infrared emitting unit 51 and infrared receiving unit 52 to measure the time interval between infrared reception to measure the rotation speed of rotating member 40, and thus the flow rate of the airflow. This method does not require a complex measurement structure, occupies a small space, can be used in small devices, and is very convenient to use.

[0062] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a flow monitor, comprising the flow sensor of any of the aforementioned embodiments. Specifically, the flow monitor can be a handheld pulmonary function monitor, a ventilator, an oxygen concentrator, or the like, wherein one end of the flow sensor sleeve 10 can be connected to a patient, and the other end can be connected to a flow detector. When the patient exhales or inhales, the flow rate of the patient's exhaled or inhaled gas can be monitored. Furthermore, based on whether the flow rate is within a standard value consistent with that of a normal person, it can be determined whether the patient's breathing is normal and whether relevant treatment should be performed.

[0063] The above disclosure is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and certainly cannot be used to limit the scope of the rights of the present invention. Ordinary technicians in this field can understand that all or part of the processes of the above embodiment and equivalent changes made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A flow sensor, characterized in that: The invention comprises a sleeve, a first flow guide, a second flow guide, a rotating member, and a speed measuring member, wherein the sleeve encloses an airflow channel, the first flow guide and the second flow guide are both connected to the sleeve and accommodated in the airflow channel with a spacing therebetween, the rotating member is accommodated in the airflow channel and located between the first flow guide and the second flow guide, the gas flowing in from the first flow guide or the second flow guide drives the rotating member to rotate, the speed measuring member is disposed on the sleeve and is used to measure the speed of the rotating member, and the speed of the rotating member is used to convert the speed of the rotating member into a gas flow rate; The first flow guide and the second flow guide have the same structure and are installed in opposite directions, so that the vortex directions of the gas flowing from the first flow guide and the gas flowing from the second flow guide are opposite; The inner wall of the sleeve is provided with a protrusion, and the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member are both in close contact with the inner wall of the sleeve and are respectively arranged on both sides of the protrusion.

2. The flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein The first flow guide and the second flow guide are both used to guide the gas flowing along the axial direction of the sleeve to flow in a radial vortex along the sleeve, and the rotating member uses the axis of the sleeve as its rotation axis.

3. The flow sensor according to claim 2, wherein: The rotating member is rotatably connected to the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member.

4. The flow sensor according to claim 3, wherein: The rotating member includes a rotating part, a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged on opposite sides of the rotating part, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft both extend along the axis of the sleeve, the first flow guide member is provided with a first mounting groove, the second flow guide member is provided with a second mounting groove, the first rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the first mounting groove, and the second rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the second mounting groove.

5. The flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein: The first flow guide member includes an outer ring, a central shaft and a plurality of blades connected between the outer ring and the central shaft. The outer ring is used to be connected to the sleeve, and the central shaft is used to be rotatably connected to the rotating member. The plurality of blades are arranged in a circular array centered on the central shaft.

6. The flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein: The speed measuring component includes an infrared emitting unit and an infrared receiving unit, which are relatively arranged on both sides of the radial direction of the rotating component, and the connecting line of the infrared emitting unit and the infrared receiving unit is spaced apart from the rotating axis of the rotating component. The infrared emitting unit is used to emit infrared rays, and the infrared receiving unit is used to receive infrared rays.

7. The flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein: The first flow guide member and the second flow guide member are detachably connected to the sleeve, or the first flow guide member and the sleeve are an integrated structure, and the second flow guide member is detachably connected to the sleeve; the rotating member is detachably connected to the first flow guide member and the second flow guide member.

8. A flow monitor, characterized in that: Comprising the flow sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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