The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 05, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 27, 1998
Hiroyuki Uramachi, Tokyo, JP;
Tomoya Yamakawa, Tokyo, JP;
Fumiyoshi Yonezawa, Tokyo, JP;
Shingo Hamada, Tokyo, JP;
Takeharu Oshima, Tokyo, JP;
Satoru Kotoh, Tokyo, JP;
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A flow rate sensor comprises: a main fluid passage for a fluid to flow therealong; a detecting pipe conduit coaxially disposed in the main fluid passage; a temperature sensing element for sensing the temperature of the fluid; a flow rate sensing element including a flow rate detecting resistance made of a thermo-sensitive electrically resistant material, the flow rate detecting element being disposed in the main fluid passage in a manner such that the flow rate detecting resistance is exposed to the fluid flowing therethrough; and a control circuit for controlling an electric current flowing to the flow rate detecting resistance such that the temperature of the flow rate detecting resistance may be maintained at a predetermined value which is higher to some extent than a fluid temperature detected by the temperature sensing element. The main fluid passage involves a converged section whose passage cross sectional area becomes gradually smaller towards the downstream side thereof. At least one portion of an inner surface of the converged section cut by a plane containing the central axis of the main fluid passage is formed by a generally three dimensional curved surface. The inlet of the detecting pipe conduit is disposed in a direction in which the fluid flows, in a manner such that the inlet of the detecting pipe conduit is at a position close to the narrowest portion of the passage cross sectional area of the converged section.