초록 ▼

The flow meter probe with force sensors has the body of a frustum of a regular pyramid with a force sensor disposed upon each face. The force sensors are mounted in bores defined in the probe body and include a pin that may be displaced in the bore to exert pressure on an electrical transducer. The

The flow meter probe with force sensors has the body of a frustum of a regular pyramid with a force sensor disposed upon each face. The force sensors are mounted in bores defined in the probe body and include a pin that may be displaced in the bore to exert pressure on an electrical transducer. The transducer may be a ceramic, piezoelectric sensor or a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensor. The pin has an aerodynamically-or hydrodynamically-shaped head, a cylindrical body, and a frustoconical tail to concentrate force exerted upon the sensor. The head of the pin protrudes slightly above the face of the probe body so that aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces are exerted directly against the pin, and pin displacement measures the forces directly. A plurality of probes may be placed in the path of fluid flow in a variety of configurations, as desired.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A flow meter probe with force sensors, comprising: a probe body shaped as a frustum of a regular pyramid, the probe body having a plurality of faces having a bore defined therein; and a plurality of force sensors, each of the bores having one of the force sensors mounted therein, each

We claim: 1. A flow meter probe with force sensors, comprising: a probe body shaped as a frustum of a regular pyramid, the probe body having a plurality of faces having a bore defined therein; and a plurality of force sensors, each of the bores having one of the force sensors mounted therein, each of the force sensors having: a pin axially slidable in the corresponding bore in which the force sensor is mounted, each of the pins having a head at the corresponding face of the probe body adapted for exposure to a fluid field; and a transducer seated in the corresponding bore below the pin, each of the transducers producing an independent electrical signal proportional to axial displacement of the pin in the corresponding bore; wherein the faces having the force sensors mounted therein are oriented in at least three mutually orthogonal directions so that the electrical signals generated by the transducers correspond to vector components of a fluid dynamic force and velocity exerted against the heads of the pins by the fluid field. 2. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein said probe body comprises a frustum of a triangular pyramid having four faces with said force sensors mounted therein. 3. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein said probe body comprises a frustum of a square pyramid having five faces with said force sensors mounted therein. 4. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises a ceramic piezoelectric transducer. 5. The flow meter probe according to claim 4, wherein each of said pins has an elongated body extending from the head, the body being axially slidable in the bore, the body being flexible and lubricated. 6. The flow meter probe according to claim 5, further comprising a cylindrical gasket disposed in each of the bores, the body of said pins being slidable in the gasket, the gaskets providing a seal between said pins and said probe body. 7. The flow meter probe according to claim 6, further comprising an O-ring disposed around the body of each of said pins and seated at an upper end of the gaskets below the head of said pins, the O-rings providing a further seal between said pins and the gaskets. 8. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) transducer. 9. The flow meter probe according to claim 8, wherein each of said pins has a peripheral flange extending around the head of said pin and a body extending from the head, the probe further comprising a cylindrical mechanical spring disposed in each of said bores encircling the body of said corresponding pin and said MEMS transducer, the peripheral flange bearing against said mechanical spring. 10. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein the head of each of said pins has a shallow, concave, centrally-located recess defined therein for maximizing aerodynamic and hydrodynamic drag forces and minimizing production of eddies, turbulence and flow disturbances. 11. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein each of said pins has an elongated, cylindrical body extending from the head and a tail extending from the body opposite the head, the tail being frustoconical in shape in order to concentrate and adjust pressure applied against said transducers by displacement of said pins. 12. The flow meter probe according to claim 1, wherein the head of each of said pins is raised above the corresponding face of said probe body, defining a micromillimeter gap therebetween, in order to expose the head directly to aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces exerted by the fluid field. 13. A flow meter probe with force sensors, comprising: a probe body shaped as a frustum of a regular pyramid, the probe body having a plurality of faces having a bore defined therein; and a plurality of force sensors, each of the bores having one of the force sensors mounted therein, each of the force sensors having: a pin axially slidable in the corresponding bore in which the force sensor is mounted, each of the pins having a head at the corresponding face of the probe body adapted for direct exposure to forces exerted by a fluid field; and means for measuring axial displacement of the pin in the corresponding bore; wherein the faces having the force sensors mounted therein are oriented in at least three mutually orthogonal directions in order to compute vector components of a fluid dynamic force and velocity exerted against the heads of the pins by the fluid field. 14. The flow meter probe according to claim 13, wherein said probe body comprises a frustum of a triangular pyramid having four faces with said force sensors mounted therein. 15. The flow meter probe according to claim 13, wherein said probe body comprises a frustum of a square pyramid having five faces with said force sensors mounted therein. 16. The flow meter probe according to claim 13, wherein said measuring means comprises a ceramic piezoelectric transducer seated in the corresponding bore below said pin, said pin having a tail opposite the head, the tail bearing against the transducer, the transducer generating an electrical signal proportional to axial displacement of said pin resulting from aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces exerted again the head of said pin by the fluid field. 17. The flow meter probe according to claim 13, wherein said measuring means comprises a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) transducer seated in the corresponding bore below said pin, said pin having a tail opposite the head, the tail bearing against the transducer, the transducer generating an electrical signal proportional to axial displacement of said pin resulting from aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces exerted again the head of said pin by the fluid field. 18. The flow meter probe according to claim 13, wherein said pin has an elongated, cylindrical body extending from the head and a tail extending from the body opposite the head, the tail being frustoconical in shape in order to concentrate and adjust pressure applied against said transducer by displacement of said pin, the head of said pin having a shallow, concave, centrally-located recess defined therein for maximizing aerodynamic and hydrodynamic drag forces and minimizing production of eddies, turbulence and flow disturbances, the head of each of said pin being raised above the corresponding face of said probe body, defining a micromillimeter gap therebetween, in order to expose the head directly to aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces exerted by the force field. 19. A flow meter probe, comprising: a body having a plurality of bores defined therein oriented in at least three mutually orthogonal directions; and a plurality of force sensors, each of the bores having a corresponding one of the force sensors mounted therein, each of the force sensors having: a pin axially slidable in the corresponding bore in which the force sensor is mounted, each of the pins having a head having a peripheral flange raised above the body to define a micromillimeter gap between the head of the pin and the body; and means for producing an independent electrical signal proportional to axial displacement of the pin in the corresponding bore; whereby aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces exerted against the head of the pin generate independent electrical signals corresponding to vector components of forces and velocities of a fluid field. 20. The flow meter probe according to claim 19, wherein said producing means is selected from the group consisting of a ceramic piezoelectric transducer and a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) transducer, the transducer being seated in the corresponding bore so that axial displacement of the pin in the bore generates a corresponding pressure against the transducer in order to produce an electrical signal proportional to aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces exerted against the head of said pin in the fluid flow field.