Patent ID: 6202483
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G01F

Abstract:
A liquid flow measuring apparatus, comprising:a liquid input and a liquid output;a body provided between said input and said output and configured to define a volume;a stopper for said liquid output that is moveable between an open and a closed position;a start count sensor coupled to said body that detects when liquid filling said volume has reached a start level, said start count sensor producing a start count sensor output signal;a stop count sensor coupled to said body that detects when liquid filling said volume has reached a stop level that is located above said start level, said atop count sensor producing a stop count sensor output signal;a clock circuit coupled to said start and stop count sensors that calculates the time to fill a volume of said body between the start count and stop count levels;an electronic flow rate calculating circuit coupled to said clock circuit that produces an electronic representation of flow rate through said body by dividing the volume of said body between the start and stop count levels by the calculated time to fill that body:an output opening mechanism that moves said stopper to open said liquid output after said body has been filled to said stop count level to permit liquid to evacuate the body through said liquid output by force of gravity;an output closing mechanism that moves said stopper to close said liquid output after said body has been evacuated of fluid below said start count level;wherein the start count sensor output signal is used to start a count by said clock circuit of time to fill said volume; andwherein the stop count sensor output signal is used both in calculations of time to fill said volume and to remove the stopper from said liquid output.