Patent ID: 6769299
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: G01F

Abstract:
A flow sensor comprising:a mounting plate, the mounting plate being adapted to be mounted to an internal surface of a conduit, the conduit directing a flow of a medium therethrough; a bending plate, the bending plate being flexibly coupled to the mounting plate, the bending plate being displaced in response to the flow of medium through the conduit; and a sensing assembly, the sensing assembly being positioned on the bending plate, the sensing assembly including at least one sensor adapted for sensing a thermal change in response to the flow of the medium during a thermal mode, the sensing assembly including at least one sensor adapted for sensing a change in displacement of the bending plate in response to the flow of the medium during a displacement mode, the at least one sensor adapted for sensing the thermal change outputting a thermal mode signal, the thermal mode signal being representative of the thermal change in response to the flow of the medium, the at least one sensor adapted for sensing the change in displacement outputting a displacement mode signal, the displacement mode signal being representative of the change in displacement of the bending plate in response to the flow of the medium, whereby both a low flow condition and a high flow condition can be measured using the flow sensor.