Patent ID: 8888711

Claim:
A bi-directional flow sensor for sensing pressure of a flow passing therethrough, the flow sensor comprising: a hollow tubular member having a ventilator end and a patient end and defining a bore with a central axis, the bore including a throat section disposed between the ventilator end and patient end; a flow restrictor bisecting the throat section and including a pair of pressure taps each defining a tap height; and a flow obstruction disposed between the flow restrictor and the patient end, bisecting the bore along a transverse cross section, and being configured to promote uniform velocity across the bore at the pressure taps, wherein the flow obstruction comprises a first aerodynamic end extending transversely across the bore and disposed toward the patient end, and a second aerodynamic end extending transversely across the bore and disposed toward the ventilator end, and wherein each tap height of said tap heights is one of equal to or less than a height of said flow obstruction, wherein the flow obstruction is oriented perpendicularly relative to the flow restrictor when viewed in an axial direction with respect to the central axis.