Honeywell International Inc.

Craig Scott Becke

Jamie Wandler Speldrich

Lamar Floyd Ricks

Christopher M Blumhoff

Feng Weichao

James D Cook

Ian Bentley

Richard Charles Sorenson

Richard William Gehman

William Hoover

Anthony M Dmytriw

Paul Prehn Bey

Andrew Joseph Milley

Mohammed Abdul Javvad Qasimi

Paul P Bey, Jr

In an embodiment, a method of sensing a flow comprises performing a measurement cycle for a first period of time, powering off the at least one upstream resistive element and the at least one downstream resistive element for a second period of time, and performing another measurement cycle for a third period of time. Performing the measurement cycle comprises supplying a current to the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element arranged in a bridge, resistively heating the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element to a temperature above an ambient temperature, and detecting an imbalance in the bridge resulting from a temperature difference between the at least one upstream resistive element and the at least one downstream resistive element in response to the flow of a fluid past the flow sensor.

Low power operational methodology for a flow sensor

A sensor may include a substrate defining a flow channel that extends through the substrate, and a plurality of bond pads on the substrate. A first housing may be disposed along the substrate and may permit at least some fluid to flow from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet along at least part of the flow channel. A second housing may be disposed along the substrate. A sense die may be disposed between the second housing and the substrate and may include a sensing side facing the substrate with a sense element in registration with the flow channel and a plurality of bond pads on the sensing side that are in registration with, and bump bonded to, the plurality of bond pads on the substrate. An adhesive or other material may be disposed between the sensing side of the sense die and the substrate.

Sensor assembly

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a temperature-compensated drive for a heating element used in a micro-bridge flow sensor. In some embodiments, the heating element may be located substantially between two temperature sensors. The two temperature sensors may be convectively coupled to the heater by a fluid ambient. When the fluid ambient is flowing, one of the temperature sensors may be upstream of the heating element, and one of the temperature sensors may be downstream. The fluid may be heated by the heating unit, and this heated fluid may then flow past the downstream temperature sensor. The two temperature sensors may be used in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. In some embodiments, an output signal of the Wheatstone bridge may be indicative of a measure of fluid flow. The temperature-compensated drive for the heating element may enhance, for example, the flow meter's disturbance rejection of ambient temperature.

Temperature compensation module for a fluid flow transducer

Flow sensor assemblies having increased flow range capabilities are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a flow sensor assembly includes a housing with an inlet flow port, an outlet flow port, a fluid channel extending between the inlet flow port and the outlet flow port, and a bypass channel having a pair of taps fluidly connected to the fluid channel at separate locations. A flow sensor for sensing a measure related to a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid channel can positioned in the bypass channel. A pressure differential between the two taps of the bypass channel can drive a fraction of a fluid flowing through the fluid channel through the bypass channel. The flow sensor assembly may be configured to achieve, control, and/or balance a desired fraction of fluid flow through the bypass channel and past the flow sensor.

Flow sensor assembly with integral bypass channel

This disclosure relates generally to flow sensors, and more particularly, to flow sensors that include a pressure related output signal. In one example, a flow sensor assembly may include a housing with an inlet flow port, an outlet flow port and a fluid channel extending therebetween, with a flow sensing element positioned in the housing and exposed to the fluid channel. A filter insert may be situated in the fluid channel, sometimes upstream of the flow sensor. When so configured, the flow sensor assembly may output a pressure or differential pressure based, at least in part, on a value of the flow rate through the fluid channel as sensed by the flow sensor.

Flow sensor with pressure output signal

A flow sensor apparatus and method. A seal with a conductive interconnect is provided that includes a mass flow sense element mounted to a housing containing a thick film and/or thin film bridge structure for sensing media (e.g., mass flow) within a flow tube. The seal effectively isolates wirebond pads and electrical connections from the sensed media. The media, whether liquid or gas, can contain ionics that eventually contaminate the top of the mass flow sense element. The use of the seal with the conductive interconnect thus seals off the electrical connections and prevents exposure to the sensed media.

Thermal anemometer flow sensor apparatus with a seal with conductive interconnect

A combinational sensor system for measuring multiple measurands includes a flow transducer, a pressure transducer and a humidity transducer. The pressure and humidity transducers are provided with independent access to sensed media and are ratiometric to a supply voltage, whereas the flow sensor is sensitive to openings to the flow path. The combinational sensor system utilizes elastomeric seals that include patterned electrically conductive and non-conductive seals. An ASIC is generally associated with the combinational sensor, and is located on a patterned electrically conductive substrate lead frame or for signal conditioning in order to detect any of the sensed measurands. The transducers can be arranged in a manner that distributes the transducers to optimize the accuracy and response time of the combinational sensor system.

Packaging multiple measurands into a combinational sensor system using elastomeric seals

A packing method and system for measuring multiple measurands including bi-directional flow comprises of sampling ports arranged within a flow tube in a symmetrical pattern. The ports are arranged symmetrically with respect to the X and Y centerlines of the flow tube. In addition, the ports are also arranged symmetrical to the restrictor to minimize the amount of turbulent flow within the flow tube.

Packaging methods and systems for measuring multiple measurands including bi-directional flow

A modular sensor system includes a plurality of varying types of sensors that provide multiple sensing measurands for sensing operations. A housing is generally associated with the varying types of sensors, such that the housing introduces media to be sensed by the sensors. An electrical interface can also be connected to the sensors, wherein the electrical interface permits a logical physical connection to be made to a selected sensor in order to maximize sensing sensitivity and provide a sensing repeatability and accurate sensor compensation thereof for the sensing operations.

Growing community of inventors

South Vienna, OH, United States of America

Craig Scott Becke