US 12,235,241 B2
Fluid consumption meter with noise sensor
Søren Tønnes Nielsen, Solbjerg (DK); Peter Schmidt Laursen, Skanderborg (DK); Jens Lykke Sørensen, Beder (DK); René Gajda Kristensen, Hørning (DK); and Martin Christian Høj Petersen, Hornslet (DK)
Assigned to Kamstrup A/S, Skanderborg (DK)
Filed by Kamstrup A/S, Skanderborg (DK)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/509,492.
Application 18/509,492 is a continuation of application No. 17/029,153, filed on Sep. 23, 2020, granted, now 11,852,609.
Application 17/029,153 is a continuation of application No. 15/741,567, granted, now 10,921,288, issued on Feb. 16, 2021, previously published as PCT/EP2016/065697, filed on Jul. 4, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 15175269 (EP), filed on Jul. 3, 2015; application No. 15175270 (EP), filed on Jul. 3, 2015; and application No. 15175271 (EP), filed on Jul. 3, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2024/0085378 A1, Mar. 14, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 29/032 (2006.01); G01D 4/00 (2006.01); G01F 1/66 (2022.01); G01M 3/24 (2006.01); G01M 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/032 (2013.01) [G01D 4/00 (2013.01); G01D 4/002 (2013.01); G01D 4/004 (2013.01); G01F 1/666 (2013.01); G01M 3/243 (2013.01); G01M 3/2815 (2013.01); G01N 2291/015 (2013.01); G01N 2291/02408 (2013.01); G01N 2291/02416 (2013.01); G01N 2291/044 (2013.01); Y02B 90/20 (2013.01); Y04S 20/30 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A consumption meter arranged to measure a flow rate of a fluid, the consumption meter comprising:
a flow tube with a through-going opening for passage of the fluid between an inlet and an outlet;
first and second ultrasonic transducers arranged externally relative to the flow tube for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals transmitted through the fluid; and
a control circuit comprising a flow measurement sub-circuit arranged for operating the first and second ultrasonic transducers, and being arranged to generate a signal indicative of the flow rate of the fluid from the transmitted and received ultrasonic signals transmitted through the fluid;
wherein the control circuit further comprises a noise measurement sub-circuit, arranged for generating a signal indicative of a noise level of the flow tube or of the fluid therein by operating both of the first or second ultrasonic transducers to detect acoustic signals of the flow tube or of the fluid, and
wherein the first ultrasonic transducer is a first piezo-electric transducer comprising a first piezo-electric element with a first polarization direction, and wherein the second ultrasonic transducer is a second piezo-electric transducer comprising a second piezo-electric element with a second polarisation direction opposite the first polarisation direction.