External Thermal Mass Flowmeter for Non-Invasive Medicine Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flowmeters, particularly the wet type, require cutting of the tube for installation, limiting their use in hospitals. Additionally, dry type ultrasonic flowmeters face challenges in accurately measuring flow rates when the type of fluid changes.
Innovation Solution
A thermal mass flowmeter that can be easily attached to a tube without cutting it, using a heating unit, thermometers, and a controller to calculate the flow rate based on temperature distribution measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a wet type flowmeter is used to measure medicine flow rate, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to tube cutting requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The flowmeter extracts the measurement function from the tube structure itself by using external heating and temperature sensing elements that can be attached to the tube surface without cutting or modifying the tube. The heating unit and thermometers are separate components that interface with the tube externally, eliminating the need for internal tube modification while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces temperature as an intermediary parameter to indirectly measure flow rate. Instead of directly measuring flow through intrusive methods, the system uses temperature distribution changes caused by heating as a mediator to infer flow rate information, enabling non-contact measurement that preserves tube integrity.
2Ease of operation
If a dry type ultrasonic flowmeter is used to measure injection amount without cutting tube, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates when fluid type changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the measurement parameter from acoustic (ultrasonic) to thermal (temperature distribution). By using temperature fields and thermal convection patterns instead of sound waves, the measurement becomes sensitive to fluid flow dynamics in a way that is less dependent on specific fluid acoustic properties, improving cross-fluid applicability while maintaining ease of non-invasive attachment.
3Productivity
If thermal mass flowmeter is used to monitor medicine flow rate in real time, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heating function and temperature measurement function into a single integrated flowmeter unit that attaches to the tube as one assembly. The heating unit, first thermometer, and second thermometer are combined in a coordinated system where the heating and sensing elements work together to provide real-time flow rate monitoring through temperature distribution analysis, reducing the need for separate components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables real-time monitoring of medicine flow rates during patient injections, improving the accuracy of medicine delivery and ensuring stability for patients, while allowing easy attachment and detachment from tubes.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit configured to heat at least a portion of a medium in a tube from the outside of the tube
Implementation Method 2
a first thermometer disposed at a first position that is a downstream side from the heating unit in a flow direction of the medium such that temperature distribution according to a flow speed of the medium heated by the heating unit in the tube can be measured
Implementation Method 3
a controller configured to calculate the flow rate of the medium flowing through the tube using a phase difference due to flow of the medium between first measurement data measured by the first thermometer and second measurement data measured by the second thermometer
Implementation Method 4
the controller may include a heating unit variator configured to vary power of the heating unit such that a heating degree of the medium changes over time
Implementation Method 5
the heating unit may include a laser emitter configured to emit a laser to be able to partially heat the medium in the tube
Implementation Method 6
the first thermometer may include: a first infrared emitter installed at the first position and configured to radiate first infrared light to the medium in the tube; and a first infrared receiver installed opposite to the first infrared emitter with the tube therebetween and configured to sense the first infrared light that has passed through the medium
Implementation Method 7
the second thermometer may include: a second infrared emitter installed at the second position and configured to radiate second infrared light to the medium in the tube; and a second infrared receiver installed opposite to the second infrared emitter with the tube therebetween and configured to sense the second infrared light that has passed through the medium
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a thermal mass flowmeter including: a heating unit configured to heat at least a portion of a medium in a tube from the outside of the tube; a first thermometer disposed at a first position that is a downstream side from the heating unit in a flow direction of the medium; a second thermometer disposed at a second position that is a downstream side further than the first thermometer from the heating unit; and a controller configured to calculate the flow rate of the medium flowing through the tube using a phase difference due to flow of the medium between first measurement data measured by the first thermometer and second measurement data measured by the second thermometer.