Flow Totalizer Piston Cylinder Bistable Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid metering systems suffer from inaccuracies due to fluid bypassing and require external power sources, leading to inefficiencies in measuring total fluid volume.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical apparatus using a piston within a cylinder, actuated by fluid pressure and flow, with a bistable spring mechanism and directional control valve, which counts stable-position changes to estimate fluid volume without external energy, ensuring accurate and complete measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a paddle wheel is used to measure fluid flow, then the device can rotate and correlate rotation to fluid flow, but fluid bypasses the wheel leading to inaccurate measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the rotating paddle wheel element from the measurement system and replaces it with a positive displacement piston-cylinder mechanism. This extraction eliminates the bypass problem entirely, as the piston directly displaces a known volume of fluid with each stroke, ensuring all fluid passing through the meter is measured.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston is actuated entirely by the pressure and flow of the water being measured, requiring no outside energy source. The fluid itself provides the force to drive the piston through the cylinder, making the system self-powered and eliminating the need for external motors or power sources.
2Ease of operation
If machined clearances are provided for rotation, then the paddle wheel can rotate freely, but fluid bypasses through these clearances causing measurement inaccuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rotational mechanical system (paddle wheel) with a linear reciprocating mechanical system (piston in cylinder). This substitution eliminates the need for rotational clearances and bearings, using instead a simple sliding seal between the piston and cylinder wall that prevents bypass while allowing linear motion.
3Ease of operation
If an outside power source is used to operate the metering device, then the device can function actively, but the system requires external energy which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is actuated entirely by the pressure and flow of the water being measured, requiring no outside energy source. The fluid itself provides the force to drive the piston through the cylinder, making the system self-powered and eliminating the need for external motors or power sources.
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
The solution provides accurate and reliable fluid volume measurement by preventing bypassing and operating independently of external power sources, enhancing the precision and sustainability of fluid metering systems.
Implementation Method 1
The device is actuated entirely by the pressure and flow of the water being measured
Implementation Method 2
a bistable spring mechanism having a motion axis with two stable positions therealong
Data Source
AI summary
A flow totalizer apparatus for totalizing the volume of fluid flowing through the inventive apparatus. The apparatus includes a cylinder having a first cylinder port at one end and a second cylinder port at an opposite end, a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder, a bistable spring mechanism, a directional control valve and a counter. The bistable spring mechanism has a motion axis with two stable positions therealong and includes a drive pin, a piston slotted bar and a spool slotted bar, both slotted bars slidably connected to the drive pin and aligned with the motion axis. The total volume is estimated by cylinder volume times the number of stable-position changes of the bistable spring mechanism.