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Publication Number
US-12287278-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
A humidity measuring device is equipped with a measurement unit including a temperature sensing element, a humidity sensing element, a casing including an accommodating section in which the measurement unit is accommodated, and a display unit including a display device which is fixed to the casing. A coupling tube connected in the middle between tube portions through which the gas flows enables gas to flow between one of the tube portions and another of the tube portions. The coupling tube includes an orifice, a filter is mounted in the coupling tube, and the casing includes a first tube and a second tube to connect the coupling tube and the accommodating section, and to enable the gas to flow between the coupling tube and the accommodating section.
Core Innovation
A humidity measuring device measures humidity of a gas and includes a measurement unit having a temperature sensing element configured to measure temperature and a humidity sensing element configured to measure humidity. The measurement unit is accommodated in an accommodating section of a casing, and a display unit including a display device is fixed to the casing.
A coupling tube is provided outside the casing and includes an orifice and a filter mounted in the coupling tube. The casing includes a first tube connecting the accommodating section with the coupling tube at one side of the orifice in the gas flow direction, and a second tube connecting the accommodating section with the coupling tube at the other side of the orifice in the gas flow direction, so that the gas flows between the coupling tube and the accommodating section due to a gas pressure drop at the orifice.
The disclosed embodiments further include dew point temperature calculation based on measured humidity and measured temperature, including dew point temperature under atmospheric pressure and dew point temperature under gas pressure with correction using measured gas pressure or pressure input. Additional embodiments address humidity measurement accuracy by configuring supply/discharge openings and tube structures, including radially offset openings and differing cross-sectional areas of connecting tubes to achieve more uniform humidity and proper accommodating-section pressure, and include detection related to dehumidifying-device replacement with threshold values and display control that prompts replacement information.
Claims Coverage
The claim set covers one inventive root with seven inventive features. It centers on gas-flow conditioning using an externally provided coupling tube including an orifice and a mounted filter, together with a measurement unit in an accommodating section and a fixed display unit, and includes dependent refinements for tube geometry, flow sensing, and display control.
Externally provided coupling tube with orifice and mounted filter
A coupling tube is provided outside the casing, the coupling tube includes an orifice, and a filter is mounted in the coupling tube.
Pressure-drop-driven gas flow between coupling tube and accommodating section
The casing includes a first tube connecting the accommodating section with the coupling tube at one side of the orifice in the gas flow direction and a second tube connecting the accommodating section with the coupling tube at the other side of the orifice in the gas flow direction to enable the gas to flow between the coupling tube and the accommodating section due to a gas pressure drop at the orifice.
Temperature sensing and humidity sensing measurement unit in accommodating section
A measurement unit including a temperature sensing element configured to measure temperature and a humidity sensing element configured to measure humidity, the measurement unit being accommodated in an accommodating section of the casing.
Fixed display unit
A display unit including a display device, fixed to the casing.
Different cross-sectional areas of first and second tubes
The first tube and the second tube have different cross-sectional areas.
Flow sensor in the accommodating section for gas flow rate
A flow sensor is provided in the accommodating section to measure the gas flow rate.
Display control to output humidity or calculated dew point temperature
A display control unit causes the display device to show either the measured gas humidity or a calculated dew point temperature based on the measured gas temperature and humidity.
Overall, the claims center on conditioning gas flow using an externally provided coupling tube that includes an orifice and a mounted filter to create a pressure drop between the coupling tube and the accommodating section, thereby enabling humidity measurement with a fixed display device and a measurement unit having temperature and humidity sensing. The dependent claims further refine tube geometry, optionally add a flow sensor for gas flow rate measurement, and specify display behavior to present either humidity or a calculated dew point temperature.
Stated Advantages
Improved humidity measurement accuracy by configuring the supply/discharge openings to be radially offset.
Setting an accommodating-section pressure to (or near) atmospheric pressure and simplifying structure versus a pressure reducing valve.
Preventing sensor contamination from high-pressure droplets by correcting dew point temperature using measured gas pressure (internal or external pressure measurement, or user input).
Maintaining foreign-material removal when flow direction changes using a dual-filter arrangement.
Achieving more uniform humidity and proper accommodating-section pressure by configuring upstream/downstream connecting tubes having different cross-sectional areas.
Documented Applications
Humidity measurement of a gas with display of humidity/temperature and dew point under atmospheric pressure.
Humidity measurement with dew point correction under gas pressure to avoid sensor contamination from high-pressure droplets.
Detection of dehumidifying-device replacement using threshold values, including displaying replacement information prompts.
Humidity measurement using accommodating-section flow conditioning and optionally a flow sensor to obtain gas flow rate.
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