A throughflow measurement system for measuring a fluid throughflow through a pipe comprises a first measurement arrangement that comprises at least two ultrasonic transducers and that is configured to determine a value for the fluid throughflow through the pipe on the basis of transit times of ultrasonic signals transmitted and received with and against the flow; a second measurement arrangement that comprises a plurality of hot-wire sensors that are arranged distributed over the cross-section of the pipe and that are each configured to determine a local flow value; and an evaluation device that is in signal connection with the first measurement arrangement and with the second measurement arrangement and that is configured to determine a flow profile on the basis of the local flow values determined by the hot-wire sensors and to modify the value for the fluid throughflow, which is determined by the first measurement arrangement, on the basis of the determined flow profile.

A carbonated water dispenser comprises a carbonator with a water inlet and a carbonated water outlet. A backflow preventer module is fluidically coupled to the water inlet and comprises a check valve and a thermal mass flow meter. The thermal mass flow meter is configured to communicate a first signal based on a measured amount of heat transferred from a heater to a temperature sensor by a flow of a fluid through the backflow preventer module. A shut-off valve is fluidically coupled between the carbonated water outlet and a nozzle. The shut-off valve is configured to allow or prevent fluid flow from the carbonated water outlet to the nozzle base on a control signal. A controller is configured to detect a backflow condition based on the first signal and generate the control signal to configure the shut-off valve to prevent dispensing carbonated water upon detection of the backflow condition.

Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having speakers and airflow sensors for the speakers. In one or more implementations, the airflow sensor may be formed, in part, by a mesh structure that spans a port in a housing of the electronic device. In one or more implementations, the airflow sensor may be formed, in part, by an exposed portion of a conductive trace of the speaker.

A thermoresistive gas sensor includes two identical, flat meshes that consist of a semiconductor material with a predetermined type of conductivity and that are interconnected in sections of an electric measuring bridge that are diametrically opposite one another, wherein each mesh of the two identical, flat meshes has mesh webs that extend parallel, adjacent to one another and that are connected electrically in parallel at the ends, where the mesh webs of the two meshes extend alternately adjacent to one another in a shared mesh plane horizontally across a window opening in a carrier plate.

The invention relates to a spirometer (1) comprising a MEMS-based thermal fluid flow sensor (13, 13.1, 13.2) for generating a signal in response to a fluid flow generated during inhalation or exhalation; and a microcontroller (14) for calculating the fluid flow from the signal generated by the flow sensor (13, 13.1, 13.2). The spirometer (1) may be connected to other devices, such as a smartphone or a personal computer or any other computing unit which is adapted to collect, store, analyse, exchange and/or display data. The invention further describes the use of the spirometer (1) in measuring a user's lung performance and/or monitoring it over time. Furthermore, the spirometer (1) may be provided in a system together with an air quality measurement device for determining the air quality at a location of interest; and a computing unit for collecting, analysing and correlating the user's lung performance data obtained from the spirometer (1) with the air quality data, and optionally geolocalisation data of said location.

Disclosed is a thermal flow sensor including a base member and a cover. The base member includes a heater. The cover is formed by an SOI substrate including a silicon substrate, a silicon dioxide film, and a silicon film. The silicon film has a recessed portion defined therein. A main flow passage portion is defined by an exposed surface of the silicon dioxide film which is exposed from the silicon film and which defines a bottom surface of the recessed portion, the silicon film defining a side surface of the recessed portion, and a first principal surface of the cover.

The invention relates to a spirometer (1) comprising a MEMS-based thermal fluid flow sensor (13, 13.1, 13.2) for generating a signal in response to a fluid flow generated during inhalation or exhalation; and a microcontroller (14) for calculating the fluid flow from the signal generated by the flow sensor (13, 13.1, 13.2). The spirometer (1) may be connected to other devices, such as a smartphone or a personal computer or any other computing unit which is adapted to collect, store, analyse, exchange and/or display data. The invention further describes the use of the spirometer (1) in measuring a user's lung performance and/or monitoring it over time. Furthermore, the spirometer (1) may be provided in a system together with an air quality measurement device for determining the air quality at a location of interest; and a computing unit for collecting, analysing and correlating the user's lung performance data obtained from the spirometer (1) with the air quality data, and optionally geolocalisation data of said location.

Provided is a physical quantity detection device that can improve physical quantity measurement accuracy over a conventional device. A physical quantity detection device 20 includes a detector including a flow rate detection unit 205, a circuit board 207, a housing 201, and a cover 202. The detector detects a physical quantity and is mounted on the circuit board 207. The housing 201 houses the circuit board 207. The cover 202 is fixed to the housing 201 and defines an auxiliary passage 234 in which the flow rate detection unit 205 is disposed. The housing 201 and the cover 202 include a positioning portion P that includes a pin P1 extending in a thickness direction Dt of the circuit board 207 and a fitting portion P2 into which an end portion P11 of the pin P1 is fitted for positioning between the housing 201 and the cover 202. The pin P1 includes an engagement portion P12 that faces an engagement surface 207f of the circuit board 207 along the thickness direction Dt and restricts movement of the circuit board 207 in a surface direction Df along the front and rear surfaces thereof.

The microflow sensor includes a base wafer having opposed upper and lower surfaces, and a cap wafer, also having opposed upper and lower surfaces. The base wafer and the cap wafer may be formed from a semiconductor material. A flow sensing element is embedded in the upper surface of the base wafer. The flow sensing element may be any suitable type of flow sensing element, such as a central heater and at least one temperature-sensitive element. A flow channel is formed in the lower surface of the cap wafer and extends continuously between first and second longitudinally opposed edges of the cap wafer. The lower surface of the cap wafer is bonded to the upper surface of the base wafer such that fluid flowing through the flow channel passes above and across the sensing element.

The objective of the present invention is to obtain a flow rate measurement device capable of reducing variations in the flow rate detection accuracy by suppressing the inclination of a chip package relative to a circuit board. A flow rate measurement device 20 of the present invention includes a chip package 310 having a flow rate sensor 311 and a passage wall 314 formed therein, and a circuit board 300 on which the chip package 310 is mounted, in which the chip package 310 is mounted such that the flow rate sensor 311 faces a portion of the circuit board 300 and a portion of the passage wall 314 as a resin portion of the chip package 310 contacts the circuit board 300.