Patent ID: 7428840

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring mass flow of fluid, said apparatus comprising: a capsule having an upper opening and a bottom opening; a housing having an upper end and a bottom end wherein said capsule is adapted to move upwardly and downwardly within said housing; a force exerting means provided in a predetermined position, wherein said force exerting means is adapted to exert force on said capsule wherein said force is proportional to a position of said capsule within said housing; a tube provided in said upper end of said housing wherein the fluid flows through said tube into said capsule; a measuring means adapted to measure said force; a controller adapted to control said force exerting means; a seal is provided in said bottom opening wherein said seal is adapted to fluidically block said bottom opening; an opening means is provided in said bottom end of said housing wherein said opening means is adapted to open said seal when said capsule is downwardly positioned; whereby the position of the capsule within said housing depends upon the mass of accumulated fluid in the capsule and the force exerted on it, wherein as fluid is accumulated in said capsule, the capsule moves downwardly towards said bottom end where the fluid drains due to the seal that is opened by said opening means and whereby the amount of fluid that passes through the apparatus as well as its rate is measurable.