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:
Aug. 25, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 25, 2013
Kazuhiko Otsuka, Tokyo, JP;
Koji Tanimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Yuji Ariyoshi, Tokyo, JP;
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Provided is a thermal flow sensor capable of obtaining a flow rate detection signal that differs depending on a flow direction of a fluid, with a simple configuration and at low cost. The thermal flow sensor includes: a bridge circuit () for outputting a flow rate detection signal (VM); a fluid direction detection circuit () for outputting a fluid direction detection signal (VD); and an arithmetic circuit () configured to: generate a first output signal (VQF) and a second output signal (VQR) based on the flow rate detection signal (VM) and the fluid direction detection signal (VD); and select the first output signal (VQF) when the fluid direction detection signal (VD) shows normal flow and select the second output signal (VQR) when the fluid direction detection signal (VD) shows reverse flow, to thereby output a flow rate detection signal (VOUT).