Patent ID: 9588934
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: G01F,G06F

Claim:
1. An ultrasonic type flowmeter apparatus comprising: a disposable structure that is disposed after use; and a non-disposable structure comprising an electrical measuring circuit that is repeatedly used for a plurality of respective flow rate measurement operations and which is connectable to said disposable structure, wherein said disposable structure comprises: wherein said disposable conduit has a straight pipe portion through which a liquid whose flow rate is to be measured is flown, an inlet pipe portion arranged at an upstream position of the straight pipe portion for introducing the liquid into the straight pipe portion, and an outlet pipe portion arranged at a downstream position of the straight pipe portion for drawing the liquid from the straight pipe portion, wherein said straight pipe portion, the inlet pipe portion and the outlet pipe portion are coupled with one another; wherein said pair of ultrasonic signal transmission and reception elements are respectively arranged at the upstream position and the downstream position of said straight pipe portion; wherein said disposable conduit is a particular disposable conduit among a plurality of disposable conduits each of which are usable at least one time with said non-disposable structure comprising said electrical measuring circuit in the respective flow rate measurement operations; wherein said memory stores conduit specific calibration data which is specific to the particular disposable conduit and which is obtained from a standard electrical measuring circuit by flowing a standard liquid through said particular disposable conduit at plural known flow rates; and wherein said electrical measuring circuit of said non-disposable structure is configured to: (i) read the conduit specific calibration data out of said memory upon an actual flow rate measurement operation using said particular disposable conduit, (ii) drive said pair of the ultrasonic signal transmission and reception elements to emit ultrasonic beams alternately, (iii) receive ultrasonic signals generated from the ultrasonic signal transmission and reception elements which receive the ultrasonic beams, (iv) calculate flow rates by processing the ultrasonic signals, and (v) correct the flow rates in accordance with the read conduit specific calibration data.