Mass flow sensor having an airfoil

Inventors: Igor Giterman (Woodbridge, CT); Robert A. Croce, Jr. (Guilford, CT)

Assignee: HarcoSemco LLC

G01K13/02 G01F1/684 G01F1/6842 G01F1/69 G01F1/696 G01K1/026 G01K1/08 G01K1/14

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12,644,781
App. No.: 18/508,314
Granted: Jun 2, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A Mass Flow Sensor (MFS) is provided and includes an MFS housing, a mounting structure, having a mounting structure top and a mounting structure bottom, wherein the MFS housing is associated with the mounting structure top, a first sensor leg, wherein the first sensor leg extends away from the mounting structure bottom and includes a first temperature measurement device and a heating element. The MFS further includes a second sensor leg, wherein the second sensor leg extends away from the mounting structure and includes a second temperature measurement device and an airfoil structure, wherein the airfoil structure defines an airfoil cavity and is associated with the mounting structure bottom to contain the first sensor leg and the second sensor leg.

Claims (33)

1 . A mass flow sensor comprising:

a housing;

a first sensor leg extending away from the housing and including a first sensor leg housing defining a first sensor leg cavity and a first singular sensing element, the first singular sensing element being a single first Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD), disposed in the first sensor leg cavity, the single first RTD configured for measuring resistance and heating the first sensor leg, wherein power across the single first RTD is controlled by a control algorithm to heat the first sensor leg, an electronic circuit for controlling power across the first singular sensing element, the electronic circuit including a plurality of resistive elements that include a first resistive element, a second resistive element, a third resistive element, a fourth resistive element, a fifth resistive element, a sixth resistive element, and a seventh resistive element, wherein each of the plurality of resistive elements includes one or more resistive elements in parallel or series;

a second sensor leg extending away from the housing and including a second sensor leg housing defining a second sensor leg cavity and a second singular sensing element, the second singular sensing element being a single second RTD disposed in the second sensor leg cavity, the single second RTD configured for measuring resistance and heating the second sensor leg, wherein power across the single second RTD is less than the power across the single first RTD and is controlled by the control algorithm to heat the second sensor leg;

an airfoil structure defining a cavity housing the first and second legs; and

a processing device disposed in the housing and configured to operate responsive to the control algorithm that simultaneously heats and measures the resistance of the single first RTD and the single second RTD and determines a mass airflow speed by calculating a differential between the resistance of the first single RTD and the resistance of the second single RTD.

2 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising a first leg analog-to-digital converter for receiving a signal from the first RTD and delivering the signal to the processing device, a first leg digital-to-analog converter for receiving a signal from the processing device and delivering the signal to the first RTD, a second leg analog-to-digital converter for receiving a signal from the second RTD and delivering the signal to the processing device, and a second leg digital-to-analog converter for receiving a signal from the processing device and delivering the signal to the second RTD.

3 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising a temp digital-to-analog converter (TDAC), a flow digital-to-analog converter (FDAC), and scaling circuitry for scaling outputs of the TDAC and the FDAC.

4 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising a mounting structure having a mounting structure top and a mounting structure bottom, wherein the housing is associated with the mounting structure top and the first and second sensor legs extend away from the mounting structure bottom.

5 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the airfoil structure includes a housing defining the cavity and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, first and second sides, a top, and a bottom.

6 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 5 , further comprising at least one bottom opening in the bottom and at least one side vent opening on at least one of the first and second sides.

7 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one bottom opening and the at least one side vent opening are in communication with the cavity.

8 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one side vent opening includes a plurality of side vent openings.

9 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the control algorithm is configured to determine the power applied to the first and second RTDs, compare the power applied with a respective desired power value, and adjust the power applied based on the comparison.

10 . A mass flow sensor comprising:

a housing;

a first sensor leg extending away from the housing and including a first singular sensing element, the first singular sensing element being a single first temperature measurement device configured for measuring resistance and heating the first sensor leg, wherein the first sensor leg is free of a heating element separate from the first singular sensing element, and wherein power across the single first temperature measurement device is controlled by a control algorithm to heat the first sensor leg;

a second sensor leg extending away from the housing and including a second singular sensing element, the second singular sensing element being a single second temperature measurement device configured for measuring resistance and heating the second sensor leg, wherein the second sensor leg is free of a heating element separate from the second singular sensing element, and wherein power across the single second temperature measurement device is less than the power across the single first temperature measurement device and is controlled by a control algorithm to heat the second sensor leg;

an airfoil structure defining a cavity housing the first and second legs; and

a processing device disposed in the housing and configured to operate responsive to the control algorithm that simultaneously heats and measures the resistance of the single first temperature measurement device and the single second temperature measurement device and determines a mass airflow speed by calculating a differential between the resistance of the single first temperature measurement device and the resistance of the single second temperature measurement device.

11 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 10 , further comprising a first leg analog-to-digital converter for receiving a signal from the first temperature measurement device and delivering the signal to the processing device, a first leg digital-to-analog converter for receiving a signal from the processing device and delivering the signal to the first temperature measurement device, a second leg analog-to-digital converter for receiving a signal from the second temperature measurement device and delivering the signal to the processing device, and a second leg digital-to-analog converter for receiving a signal from the processing device and delivering the signal to the second temperature measurement device.

12 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 10 , further comprising a temp digital-to-analog converter (TDAC), a flow digital-to-analog converter (FDAC), and scaling circuitry for scaling outputs of the TDAC and the FDAC.

13 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 10 , further comprising a mounting structure having a mounting structure top and a mounting structure bottom, wherein the housing is associated with the mounting structure top and the first and second sensor legs extend away from the mounting structure bottom.

14 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the airfoil structure includes a housing defining the cavity and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, first and second sides, a top, and a bottom, at least one bottom opening in the bottom, and at least one side vent opening on at least one of the first and second sides.

15 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one bottom opening and the at least one side vent opening are in communication with the cavity.

16 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one side vent opening includes a plurality of side vent openings.

17 . The mass flow sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the control algorithm is configured to determine the power applied to the first and second temperature measurement devices, compare the power applied with a respective desired power value, and adjust the power applied based on the comparison.

18 . A mass flow sensor comprising:

a housing;

an airfoil structure including a housing defining a cavity housing the first and second legs and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, first and second sides, a top, and a bottom, and a plurality of side vent openings on at least one of the first and second sides; and

a processing device disposed in the housing and configured to operate responsive to the control algorithm that simultaneously heats and measures the resistance of the single first temperature measurement device and the single second temperature measurement device and determines a mass airflow speed by calculating a differential between the resistance of the single first temperature measurement device and the resistance of the single second temperature measurement device.

Assignments (8)

SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2025

From: TRANSDIGM INC.; 17111 WATERVIEW PKWY LLC; 4455 GENESEE PROPERTIES, LLC; 4455 GENESEE STREET, LLC; ACME AEROSPACE, INC.; ADAMS RITE AEROSPACE, INC.; AEROCONTROLEX GROUP, INC.; AEROSONIC LLC; AIRBORNE ACQUISITION, INC.; AIRBORNE GLOBAL, INC.; AIRBORNE HOLDINGS, INC.; AIRBORNE SYSTEMS NA INC.; AIRBORNE SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA INC.; AIRBORNE SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA OF CA INC.; AMSAFE GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.; AMSAFE, INC.; ANGUS ELECTRONICS CO.; APICAL INDUSTRIES, INC.; ARKWIN INDUSTRIES, INC.; ARMTEC COUNTERMEASURES CO.; ARMTEC COUNTERMEASURES TNO CO.; ARMTEC DEFENSE PRODUCTS CO.; ASHFORD PROPERTIES, LLC; AUXITROL WESTON USA, INC.; AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; AVIONIC INSTRUMENTS LLC; AVIONICS SPECIALTIES, INC.; AVTECHTYEE, INC.; BETA TRANSFORMER TECHNOLOGY LLC; BREEZE-EASTERN LLC; BRIDPORT HOLDINGS, INC.; BRIDPORT-AIR CARRIER, INC.; BRUCE AEROSPACE INC.; CALSPAN, LLC; CALSPAN AIR FACILITIES, LLC; CALSPAN AIR SERVICES, LLC; CALSPAN ASE PORTUGAL, INC.; CALSPAN HOLDINGS, LLC; CALSPAN JETS LLC; CALSPAN TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION LLC; CDA INTERCORP LLC; CEF INDUSTRIES, LLC; CHAMPION AEROSPACE LLC; CHELTON AVIONICS HOLDINGS, INC.; CHELTON AVIONICS, INC.; CHELTON DEFENSE PRODUCTS, INC.; CMC ELECTRONICS AURORA LLC; CPI EDB INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.; CPI ELECTON DEVICE BUSINESS, INC.; CTHC LLC; DART AEROSPACE USA, INC.; DART BUYER, INC.; DART HELICOPTER SERVICES, INC.; DART INTERMEDIATE, INC.; DART TOPCO, INC.; DATA DEVICE CORPORATION; DUKES AEROSPACE, INC.; ELECTROMECH TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ESTERLINE EUROPE COMPANY LLC; ESTERLINE INTERNATIONAL COMPANY; ESTERLINE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ESTERLINE TECHNOLOGIES SGIP LLC; FPT INDUSTRIES LLC; GENESEE HOLDINGS, LLC; GENESEE HOLDINGS II, LLC; GENESSE HOLDINGS III, LLC; HARCOSEMCO LLC; HARTWELL CORPORATION; HELI TECH, INC.; HYTEK FINISHES CO.; ICEMAN HOLDCO, INC.; ILC HOLDINGS, INC.; JANCO CORPORATION; JOHNSON LIVERPOOL LLC; KING NUTRONICS, LLC; KIRKHILL INC.; KORRY ELECTRONICS CO.; LEACH HOLDING CORPORATION; LEACH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; LEACH MEXICO HOLDING LLC; LEACH TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.; MARATHONNORCO AEROSPACE, INC.; MASON ELECTRIC CO.; MCKECHNIE AEROSPACE DE, INC.; MCKECHNIE AEROSPACE HOLDINGS, INC.; MCKECHNIE AEROSPACE US LLC; MEDTHERM LABS, LLC; MICROWAVE POWER PRODUCTS, INC.; NAT SEATTLE INC.; NMC GROUP, INC.; NORDISK AVIATION PRODUCTS LLC; NORTH HILLS SIGNAL PROCESSING CORP.; NORTH HILLS SIGNAL PROCESSING OVERSEAS LLC; NORWICH AERO PRODUCTS, INC.; OFFSHORE HELICOPTER SUPPORT SERVICES, INC.; PALOMAR PRODUCTS, INC.; PARAVION TECHNOLOGY, INC.; PEXCO AEROSPACE, INC.; PNEUDRAULICS, INC.; POWER DEVICE CORPORATION; RAPTOR LABS HOLDCO, LLC; RAPTOR LABS INTERMEDIATE, LLC; SCHNELLER LLC; SEMCO INSTRUMENTS, INC.; SENSOR CONCEPTS, LLC; SERVOTRONICS, INC.; SHIELD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; SIMPLEX MANUFACTURING CO.; SKANDIA, INC.; SKURKA AEROSPACE INC.; SPACE ELECTRONICS LLC; SYMETRICS INDUSTRIES, LLC; TA AEROSPACE CO.; TACTIAR FLUID CONTROLS, INC.; TDG ESL HOLDINGS INC.; TEAC AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TELAIR US LLC; TESTVONICS, INC.; TEXAS ROTRONICS, INC.; TRANSICOIL LLC; WHIPPANY ACTUATION SYSTEMS, LLC; YOUNG & FRANKLIN INC.; AIRBORNE SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA OF NJ INC.; BRIDPORT ERIE AVIATION, INC.; TRANSDIGM GROUP INCORPORATED; TRANSDIGM UK HOLDINGS LIMITED

To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS TRUSTEE

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