Abstract: A vortex shedding flowmeter includes a vortex generating bluff body of elongated cylindrical shape disposed across a flow passage, a vortex sensor with signal generating means disposed downstream of the vortex generating bluff body, and a throttling means for constricting the flow passage disposed downstream of the bluff body such that the constriction increases the velocity of fluid flowing past the vortex sensor greatly magnifying the lift forces acting on the vortex sensor and thereby increasing the sensitivity thereof, wherein the throttling means is provided with a bias force causing constriction of the flow passage when the bias force overcomes the fluid dynamic force of the fluid flow at low flow rates and fluid dynamic force of the fluid flow causes the constriction to open up when fluid dynamic force overcomes the bias force of the throttling means.

Abstract: An impulse sensor comprises a container vessel with a first cavity with an end wall, from which a force receiving member having an axially disposed elongated cavity extends; a transducer retainer member disposed in the first cavity in an affixed arrangement and having a second cavity with a deflective wall containing at least one Piezo electric element in a squeezed arrangement; and a force transmitting member anchored to and extending from the deflective wall of the second cavity, which force transmitting member extends through the end wall of the first cavity and into the elongated cavity included in the force receiving member and is secured to the closed end of the elongated cavity at the extremity thereof; wherein an impulse or force laterally exerted to the force receiving member changes the level of squeezing on the Piezo electric element and generates an electromotive force from the Piezo electric element.

Abstract: A mass flowmeter comprises a vibrating conduit secured to a support structure at the two extremities that includes two end sections connected by a looped midsection in such an arrangement that the two halves of the vibrating conduit over-lap one another at least once in a spaced arrangement therebetween; an electromagnetic vibrator exerting a vibratory force to the vibrating conduit at the over-lapping section, that generates relative flexural vibrations between the two halves of the vibrating conduit; and a pair of motion detectors respectively measuring the flexural vibrations of the two halves of the vibrating conduit, wherein the mass flow rate through the vibrating conduit is determined from the difference in the flexural vibrations between the two halves of the vibrating conduit.

Abstract: A flowmeter measuring mass flow rate or volume flow rate or mass and volume flow rates of fluid comprises a pair of flow passages (3 and 4) and a pair of flow sensors (7 and 8) respectively measuring flow rates through the two flow passages (3 and 4). A flow obstructing member (12) at least partially obstructs at least one of the two flow passages (3 and 4), wherein a bias force acting on the flow obstructing member (12) tends to increase the degree of obstruction of the fluid flow through said at least one of the two flow passages, while the fluid dynamic force exerted on the flow obstructing member (12) by the fluid moving through the flowmeter tends to decrease the degree of obstruction of the fluid flow through said at least one of the two flow passages.

Abstract: A device for measuring physical variables comprises a pair of thin planar members disposed symmetrically in a face-to-face arrangement about a plane including a reference axis defining the direction of displacement of a target object mechanically coupled to the pair of thin planar members, wherein the displacement in a first direction parallel to the reference axis increases the separation distance between the pair of thin planar members and the displacement in a second direction opposite to the first direction decreases the separation distance between the pair of thin planar members. The physical variable related to the displacement is determined as a function of an electrical parameter varying as a function of the separation distance between the pair of thin planar members such as the electrical capacitance or resistance therebetween measured by a capacitance or ohm meter.

Abstract: A vortex flowmeter comprises a vortex generating bluff body (3) disposed across a flow passage (1) and a balanced vortex sensing planar member (4) disposed downstream of the bluff body (3) and supported pivotably about a pivot axis parallel to the central axis of the flow passage (1) and passing through a mid-section of the vortex sensing planar member, wherein a deflective portion (11) of the vortex sensing planar member (4) is connected to a transducer (15) that generates an alternating signal representing the vortex shedding from the bluff body (3).

Abstract: A vortex sensor comprises a pressure sensing planar member disposed within a flow passage parallel to a vortex generating bluff body and the central axis of the flow passage and supported by a supporting body in an arrangement allowing at least a minute amount of pivoting movement of the pressure sensing planar member about a torsion axis disposed parallel to the pressure sensing planar member and perpendicular to the central axis of the flow passage adjacent to one of the leading and trailing edges of the pressure sensing planar member, and a lateral extension extending from the pressure sensing planar member in a direction perpendicular to the torsion axis and to the central axis of the flow passage and connected to a transducer at an extremity thereof, whereby the transducer converts an alternating torque about the torsion axis exerted on the pressure sensing planar member by the vortices in the fluid stream to an alternating electrical signal, wherein the pressure sensing planar member is disposed downstr

Abstract: An apparatus harnessing energy belonging to fluid stream comprises a plurality of elongated fluid dynamic force receiving members with cambered cross sections disposed parallel to and about a shaft and supported by at least one hub member affixed to the shaft wherein the individual fluid dynamic force receiving member is secured to the hub member in a pivotable arrangement about a pivot axis disposed near one extremity thereof in a parallel relationship to the shaft, and at least one circular cam guide disposed on a plane perpendicular to the shaft that is engaged by a plurality of cam followers respectively secured to the plurality of elongated fluid dynamic force receiving members.

Abstract: A vortex shedding flowmeter includes a vortex sensor detecting lift force generated by vortices shed from the vortex generator and experienced thereby, and a noise sensor detecting mechanical vibrations experienced commonly thereby and by the vortex sensor, wherein two electrical signals respectively generated by the vortex and noise sensors are combined in such a way that noise associated with the mechanical vibrations is cancelled therebetween and a resultant electrical signal representing the vortex shedding from the vortex generator is obtained, which resultant electrical signal provides information on the frequency and amplitude of the lift force alternating in time experienced by the vortex sensor, wherein volume flow rate of the fluid is determined from the frequency of the alternating lift force, mass flow rate of the fluid is determined as a function of the frequency and amplitude of the alternating lift force, and the density of fluid is determined from the ratio of the mass flow rate to the volume

Abstract: This invention relates to an optically decorated elongated member comprising a transparent tube sealed at both ends including one or more brightly colored thin elongated members disposed in a helical configuration therein and containing a fluid medium suspending numerous light-reflecting platelets filling thereof with a small volume of air space.

Abstract: A vortex shedding flowmeter includes a vortex generating bluff body of elongated cylindrical shape disposed across a flow passage, a vortex sensing planar member with an off-set leading edge disposed downstream of the vortex generating bluff body and supported by the flowmeter body in a pivotable arrangement about a pivot axis parallel to the vortex sensing planar member and perpendicular to the central axis of the flow passage, wherein the off-set distance between the leading edges of two sections of the planar member is generally equal to one half or an integer plus one half times the wave length of the sinuating streamlines created by the vortices shed from the vortex generating bluff body, and at least one transducer converting alternating torque experienced by the vortex sensing planar member to an alternating electrical signal, wherein the fluid velocity is determined from the frequency of the alternating electrical signal and the mass flow rate of the fluid is determined from a combination of the frequ

Abstract: A flowmeter comprises a vertically disposed tapered flow passage with cross sectional area increasing from the bottom inlet to the top outlet of the tapered flow passage, a flow obstructing member disposed within the tapered flow passage in a suspended arrangement, an elongated member with one extremity affixed to the flow obstructing member and axially extending through the tapered flow passage and into an elongated cavity extending from one extremity of the tapered flow passage, a tapered first electrical coil disposed coaxially and exteriorly to the tapered flow passage, and a second electrical coil disposed coaxially and exteriorly to the elongated cavity; wherein the flow rate of fluid moving through the tapered flow passage is determined as a function of degree of mutual electrical induction between the two electrical coils.

Abstract: A mass flowmeter comprises a conduit of a looped configuration with two extremities secured to a rigid support wherein each of the two half sections of the conduit extend from each of the two secured extremities of the conduit and is curved over a loop angle generally equal to or less than 315 degrees, and the two half sections of the conduit over-lap one another over a portion thereof with a space therebetween; wherein an electromagnetic vibrator exerts a vibratory force on the over-lapping portion of the two half sections of the conduit generating a relative flexural vibration between the two half sections of the conduit, and a pair of motion sensors respectively measure the flexural vibrations of the two half sections of the conduit, which combination determines mass flow rate of media moving through the conduit from difference between two flexural vibrations respectively measured by the two motion sensors.

Abstract: A flowmeter includes a vortex generating bluff body disposed across a flow passage and a vortex sensing planar member disposed downstream of the bluff body across the flow passage parallel to the bluff body and the central axis of the flow passage, wherein the trailing edge of the vortex sensing planar member is connected to a transducer secured to the flowmeter body, which vortex sensing planar member may be connected to or separated from the bluff body. The volume flow rate of fluid is determined from frequency of an alternating electromotive force generated by the transducer and representing an alternating fluid dynamic force experienced by the vortex sensing planar member, and the mass flow rate is determined from a combination of the frequency and amplitude of the alternating electromotive force.

Abstract: A liquid level sensor comprises an elongated tubular member with two open ends contained in an elongated cylindrical container vessel in an arrangement wherein the two extremities of the elongated tubular member extending through the wall of the elongated cylindrical container vessel are respectively open to a liquid medium that rises through the elongated tubular member to the same level as the free surface thereof and to an ambient air above the free surface of the liquid medium; wherein the level of the liquid medium is determined from a natural frequency of flexural vibration of a section of the elongated tubular member partially filled with the liquid medium; which combination may further include another section of the elongated tubular member completely filled with the liquid medium, wherein the density of the liquid medium is determined from a natural frequency of flexural vibration of the section completely filled with the liquid medium and the level of the liquid medium is determined from a combinati

Abstract: A differential pressure sensor comprises a pair of bourdon tubes disposed in an arrangement wherein deflections of the two bourdon tubes resulting from fluid pressures connected thereto take place in two opposite directions and the deflective extremities of the two bourdon tubes are linked to one another by a linkage, which linkage is coupled to a transducer that converts the displacement of the linkage to an electrical parameter such as the ohmic resistance, capacitance, reluctance, or resonance frequency as a measure of differential values between two pressures respectively connected to the two bourdon tubes.

Abstract: A vortex shedding flowmeter includes at least one total pressure hole emerging through the leading edge of the vortex generator of an elongated cylindrical shape disposed perpendicular to the direction of the fluid flow and at least one static pressure hole emerging through at least one of the two side faces of the vortex generator, wherein the dynamic pressure of the fluid flow is determined from the difference between the total pressure and the static pressure, and the velocity of the fluid is determined from the shedding frequency of vortices shed from the vortex generator; whereby the mass flow rate can be determined from the ratio of the dynamic pressure to the velocity of the fluid and the density of the fluid is determined from the ratio of the mass flow rate to the velocity of the fluid.

Abstract: A mass flowmeter comprises a conduit with two extremities secured to a rigid support, wherein two sections of the conduit respectively extending from the two secured extremities of the conduit are connected to one another by a curved midsection, that is vibrated in direction generally parallel to the plane including the curved midsection by an electromagnetic vibrator at a natural frequency, wherein the mass flow rate of media moving through the conduit is determined from the phase angle difference in the flexural vibration of the conduit between the two halves of the conduit, which information is provided by a pair of motion sensors respectively measuring the flexural vibrations of the two opposite halves of the conduit.

Abstract: A motion sensor comprises a first and second structural members connected to a supporting body in a flexible arrangement and extending therefrom in an over-hanging arrangement, and a pair of Piezo electric elements respectively disposed in a gap between the first structural member and the supporting body and gap between the second structural member and the supporting body, wherein the extremities of the first and second structural members include motion coupling means which convert a relative movement between two objects under detection to a relative flexural movement between the first and second structural members, that generates two electromotive forces from the pair of Piezo electric elements, which are combined in such a way that noises are cancelled therebetween and a refined electrical signal representing the relative movement is obtained.

Abstract: A liquid level sensor comprises an elongated member with at least one fixed extremity under flexural vibration extending across free surface of a liquid and a slide member attached to the elongated member in a sliding relationship following the length thereof, wherein the slide member floats at the free surface of liquid by buoyancy force thereof or is attracted to a float with a magnet; whereby the liquid level is determined from a natural frequency of the flexural vibration of the elongated member, that varies as a function of the liquid level.