Air flow hour meter

1. An air flow meter comprising:

a passage configured to receive a pressurized fluid flow therethrough;

an obstruction in the passage and positioned in the fluid flow;

a sensor in communication with the fluid flow and configured to measure a pressure differential of the fluid flow between a first point and a second point;

a microprocessor configured to calculate a signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor; and

a timer configured to activate when the signal-to-noise ratio falls below a predetermined limit and otherwise deactivate.

2. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein upon activation the timer counts time.

3. The air flow meter of claim 2 , wherein the timer counts cumulative time.

4. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction is a Venturi nozzle.

5. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction is a tab extending radially inward from an internal surface of the passage.

6. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the first point is upstream of the obstruction and the second point is proximate the obstruction.

7. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow is between 2 and 90 CFM.

8. The air flow meter of claim 1 , further comprising a power source electrically coupled to the sensor, the microprocessor, and the timer.

9. The air flow meter of claim 8 , further comprising a housing in which the power source, the sensor, the microprocessor, and the passage are housed.

10. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the passage is positioned in line with the pressurized fluid flow between a source of pressurized fluid and a pneumatic tool.

11. An air flow meter comprising:

a passage configured to receive a pressurized fluid flow therethrough;

a Venturi nozzle positioned in the passage;

a sensor in communication with the fluid flow and configured to sense a flow separation therein as a result of the Venturi nozzle;

a microprocessor configured to calculate a signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor; and

a timer configured to activate in response to the signal-to-noise ratio and otherwise deactivate.

12. The air flow hour meter of claim 11 , wherein upon activation the timer counts time.

13. The air flow hour meter of claim 12 , wherein the time is cumulative.

14. The air flow meter of claim 11 , wherein the sensor measures a pressure of the fluid flow at a first point upstream of a Venturi nozzle constriction and at a second point proximate the Venturi nozzle constriction.

15. The air flow meter of claim 11 , wherein the fluid flow is between 2 and 90 CFM.

16. The air flow meter of claim 11 , further comprising a replaceable power source electrically coupled to the sensor, the microprocessor, and the timer.

17. The air flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the passage is positioned in line with the pressurized fluid flow between a source of pressurized fluid and a pneumatic tool.

18. A method of tracking the time that a pneumatic tool is in operation, the method comprising:

coupling an air flow hour meter in line between a source of pressurized air and a pneumatically operated tool, the air flow hour meter having a sensor therein;

causing the pressurized air to flow through the air flow hour meter;

causing flow separation in the pressurized air in the air flow hour meter;

sensing a pressure differential in the flow separation using the sensor;

calculating a measured signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor;

comparing the measured signal-to-noise ratio with a threshold value;

activating a timer in response to the measured signal-to-noise ratio falling below the threshold value and otherwise deactivating the timer.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising calibrating a baseline signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor prior to the causing the pressurized air to flow through the air flow hour meter.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising calculating the threshold value from a percentage of the baseline signal-to-noise ratio.