JPH0427488B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a flow rate transmitter that can easily obtain a flow rate signal with a high signal level and high resolution.

Conventionally, as this type of flow rate transmitter, one shown in FIG. 1 is known.

That is, a magnet 3 may be embedded in one of the rotors 2, 2 rotatably disposed within the flowmeter body 1, or a magnet sensitive switch may be installed in the casing of the flowmeter body 1 by providing a light reflector or a transmission hole. The number of rotations of the rotor 2 is detected and counted by placing a reed switch, a Hall element, or a light transmitting/receiving mechanism facing each other. Since the flow rate signal is transmitted as a digital quantity in this way, recent advances in digital technology have made it possible to not only measure the flow rate, but also to easily calculate mass, heat, etc. It has also become necessary to measure and control these in a time-division manner using a flowmeter. In this case, a large number of flow rate pulse signals are transmitted in a short period of time to improve calculation accuracy. That is, a flow rate transmitter with high pulse resolution is required. However, in the conventional method using magnetically sensitive switches, the elements are large and
Since the resolution cannot be made high and torque is generated based on magnetic attraction, significant errors occur when measuring minute flow rates with low fluid energy, making it impossible to maintain accuracy. In addition, in the method using a light reflector or a transmission hole, there is no attraction torque generated as in the case of a magnetically sensitive element, but as the resolution increases, the signal level decreases and a signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio cannot be obtained. There was a problem with being restricted.

This invention has been made by focusing on the above points, and includes providing a continuous fixed pattern or rotating pattern in a yin-yang pattern on the axis of the rotor or on the same circumference centered on the axis, and the fixed pattern or rotating pattern is By arranging a Yin-Yang pattern rotating pattern or a fixed pattern at opposite positions spaced apart from each other in the flow meter body, and applying light or electric charge, the change in light or capacitance is proportional to the amount of rotation of the rotor. The object of the present invention is to obtain a flow rate transmitter that can obtain a measurement signal with a high signal level and high resolution without any load.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

Note that the same configurations as those of the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a fixed pattern provided on the free end of the non-rotating fixed shaft 5 that supports the desired rotor 2. For example, as shown in FIG. ing. Incidentally, the yin-yang pattern a of the fixed pattern 4 is composed of a positive pattern 6 that can reflect light and a negative pattern 7 that does not block light, which are adjacent to each other. Reference numeral 8 denotes a rotating pattern which is fixed at a position facing away from the fixed pattern 4 of the fixed shaft 5, that is, at the center of the rotor 2, and is substantially similar to the yin-yang pattern a of the fixed pattern 4 as shown in FIG. 4b, for example. The same yin-yang pattern b is formed. That is, the yin-yang pattern b
The portions corresponding to the positive patterns 6 of the fixed pattern 4 are formed as cutout positive patterns 9 through which light can pass, and the negative patterns 10 have the same configuration as the negative patterns 7 of the fixed patterns 4. Reference numeral 11 denotes an optical transmitting/receiving section that transmits and irradiates light and receives and transmits reflected light, and is fixed to the casing of the flow meter main body 1 on the same axis as the rotation pattern 8.

In the figure, reference numeral 12 indicates a fluid inflow and outflow section.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained based on the above configuration.

When the desired fluid to be measured flows through the inflow/outflow section 12 in the flow meter main body 1, the rotors 2, 2 rotate while measuring the flow rate.

Furthermore, the light emitted from the optical transmitter/receiver 11 into the flowmeter main body 1 passes through the rotating pattern 8 to the fixed pattern 4 of the fixed shaft 5, where it is reflected by the positive pattern 6 of the positive pattern a. .

The yin and yang pattern b of the rotating pattern 8 is substantially the same as the yin and yang pattern a of the fixed pattern 4, and also has the same size as the yin and yang patterns 7 and 10 and the yang patterns 6 and 9. Since the same magnitude is continuous from the entire area to zero and from zero to the entire area, the amount of reflection is also obtained at the optical transmitter/receiver 11 under similar changes, and the resolution is extremely high. A high flow rate signal can be obtained.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 will be described.

In this embodiment, a rotating pattern 13 having a yin-yang pattern a that is the same as the yin-yang pattern a of the fixed pattern 4 fixed to the end of the fixed shaft 5 in the previous embodiment is fixed at the same location as the rotating pattern 7 in the previous embodiment. Then, the fixed pattern 14 is fixed to the casing of the flow meter main body 1 on the axis of the fixed shaft 5 facing oppositely to the rotating pattern 13. This fixed pattern 14 has the same pattern as the yin-yang pattern b of the rotating pattern 8 in the embodiment described above, and furthermore, an optical transmitting/receiving section 11 for transmitting and receiving light is fixed to the casing of the flow meter main body 1.

Here, the positive pattern of the rotating pattern 13 is used as a reflective surface, but it may also be a light-transmitting type. However, in the latter case, the opposing shaft end surfaces are light reflecting surfaces.

Note that the same or equivalent parts as in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment as well, when the fluid to be measured flows and rotates the rotor 2, the rotating pattern 13 also rotates, and between it and the fixed pattern 14, the portion where the double sun patterns 6 and 9 coincide goes from the entire area to zero. Since the reflected light changes continuously from zero to the entire range, the reflected light is also obtained by the optical transmitter/receiver 11 under similar changes.
Here, a high-resolution flow rate signal can be obtained.

As described above, according to the present invention, the rotary pattern 8 having a Yin-Yang pattern consisting of a Yin-Yang pattern and a Yin-yang pattern consecutively arranged alternately is formed on the end face of the bearing portion of the rotor 2.
The fixed patterns 4, 14 are made to have the same diameter as the fixed shaft 5, and are fixed to the free end of the fixed shaft 5 or to a position facing the rotating pattern 8, so that the fixed patterns 4, 14 can be attached to the rotating pattern 8. Since the yin and yang pattern repeats transmission and blocking for each pitch, a signal of a constant level can be obtained regardless of the number of pattern divisions, so the number of pattern divisions can be increased, resulting in a high signal level and high resolution. A high flow rate transmitter can be obtained. In addition, these patterns can be made small and lightweight, and are easy to install, improving the small flow characteristics of the flowmeter and increasing productivity, which has the effect of providing an inexpensive flowmeter.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of a conventional flow rate transmitter, and Figs. 2 to 4 show an embodiment of the flow rate transmitter according to the present invention. Explanatory drawing, Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the main parts of the same as above,
Fig. 4a is a front view of a fixed pattern fixed to a fixed shaft, Fig. 4b is a front view of a rotating pattern fixed to a rotor, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of main parts showing another embodiment. , is. 1...Flowmeter body, 2...Rotor, 4, 14, 20
...Fixed pattern, 5...Fixed axis, 6, 9, 16, 18
...Yang pattern, 7, 10, 17, 19...Yin pattern, 8,
13, 15...Rotation pattern, 11...Optical transmitting/receiving section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotor shaft with one end fixed to the bottom of the metering chamber of the flowmeter body, a pair of rotors rotatably attached to the rotor shaft, and a Yin-Yang pattern of the same pitch fixed to the free end of the rotor shaft. a fixed pattern, a rotating pattern having a yin-yang pattern of the same pitch fixed to the free end of the rotor end face facing the fixed pattern with a slight distance in the axial direction; and a flow meter main body on the same axis as the rotating pattern. and an optical transmitting/receiving unit fixed to the casing of the rotor, and transmits the overlap of the yin-yang pattern of the fixed pattern and the rotating pattern as a bright/dark signal of reflected light due to transmission or shielding of light generated as the rotor rotates. A flow transmitter featuring: