US 12,066,311 B2
Flow rate sensor system, method for and use of such system for determining a flow rate
Sven Ebert, Zürich (CH); Michal Karol Dobrzynski, Lenzburg (CH); Paul Federer, Wolhusen (CH); Arnulf Staib, Heppenheim (DE); and Lukas Schneider, Muri (CH)
Assigned to Roche Molecular Systems, Inc, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Filed by Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Pleasanton, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/456,946.
Claims priority of application No. 20210683 (EP), filed on Nov. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0170769 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. G01F 1/58 (2006.01); G01F 1/64 (2006.01)
CPC G01F 1/584 (2013.01) [G01F 1/58 (2013.01); G01F 1/64 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor system for determining a flow rate of a fluid flow within a fluid channel, the system comprising:
a fluid channel comprising an elastic segment arranged next to at least one rigid segment,
at least a first pair of fixed electrodes attached to an outer wall of said rigid segment of the fluid channel such that they are fixed with respect to each other, the electrodes of the first pair of electrodes being arranged opposing each other,
at least a second pair of movable electrodes attached to an outer wall of said elastic segment of the fluid channel such that the second pair of electrodes are movably arranged to one another, the electrodes of the second pair of electrodes being arranged opposing each other,
a sensor unit for detecting a capacitance of the first pair of electrodes and the second pair of electrodes, and
a processing unit for calculating and monitoring a distance between the electrodes of the second pair of electrodes based on the detected capacitance of both the first pair of fixed electrodes and the second pair of movable electrodes.