External noisemaker for pipe systems

• US 10,267,774 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yusuf, Shabbir, Richarz, Werner Guenther, Burtea, Valentin Mircea, Stefanovic, Filip
• Primary Examiner(s): Saint Surin, Jacques M
• Application Number:
  US15/056,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20170248555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 73662
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/011 Velocity or travel time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0258 Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/103 one emitter, two or more receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/07 by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/34 Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/12 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/20 Sounding members
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/22 Mountings; Casings

Abstract

A noisemaker system includes: a node of an infrastructure system; and a noisemaker including a vibrating plate, the vibrating plate including a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the vibrating plate in contact with an exterior surface of the node, and an actuator configured to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate an acoustic signal.

Claims

1. A noisemaker system comprising:

a node of an infrastructure system; and

a noisemaker comprising;

a vibrating plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the vibrating plate in contact with an exterior surface of the node;

an actuator configured to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate an acoustic signal;

a motor configured to drive the actuator to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate;

a user interface;

an excitation control communicatively coupled to the user interface, wherein a user may utilize the user interface to select an excitation sequence of the excitation control for the actuator; and

a motor control communicatively coupled to the excitation control, wherein the motor control is a frequency control communicatively coupled to the motor.

2. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the noisemaker further comprises a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, wherein the actuator is positioned at least partially within the noisemaker cavity.

3. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the vibrating plate is positioned at an adjustable distance from the actuator.

4. The noisemaker system of claim 3 wherein a connector secures the vibrating plate to a noisemaker housing of the noisemaker, and wherein the connector is configured to adjustably position the vibrating plate at the adjustable distance from the actuator.

5. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a hub and a flap connected to the hub and extending outwards from the hub, wherein the noisemaker further comprises a motor configured to rotate the hub and the flap, and wherein the flap is configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal.

6. The noisemaker system of claim 5, wherein the flap comprises a flexible arm secured to a rigid arm, wherein the rigid arm is connected to the hub, and wherein at least a portion of the flexible arm is configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal.

7. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the noisemaker further comprises a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, and wherein the actuator comprises:

a mobile housing positioned within the noisemaker cavity, the mobile housing defining a mobile housing cavity;

a spring securing the mobile housing to the noisemaker housing within the noisemaker cavity;

a tapping rod secured to the mobile housing and configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal; and

a rotating cam positioned within the mobile housing cavity and configured to adjustably position the mobile housing and the tapping rod within the noisemaker cavity.

8. The noisemaker system of claim 7, wherein the tapping rod contacts the top surface of the vibrating plate in an engaged position, wherein the rotating cam is configured to adjustably position the tapping rod between the engaged position and a disengaged position, and wherein in the disengaged position, the tapping rod is not in contact with the top surface of the vibrating plate.

9. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises:

a fulcrum secured to the top surface of the vibrating plate;

a pivoting rod supported by the fulcrum, the pivoting rod comprising a first end and a second end, the first end comprising a tapping tip configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal; and

a rotating cam configured to contact the second end of the pivoting rod.

10. A noisemaker comprising:

a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity and a housing opening;

a vibrating plate secured to the noisemaker and positioned proximate to the housing opening, the vibrating plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface; and

an actuator positioned at least partially within the noisemaker cavity, the actuator configured to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate an acoustic signal;

wherein the actuator comprises;

a mobile housing positioned within the noisemaker cavity, the mobile housing defining a mobile housing cavity;

a spring securing the mobile housing to the noisemaker housing within the noisemaker cavity;

a tapping rod secured to the mobile housing and configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal; and

a rotating cam positioned within the mobile housing cavity and configured to adjustably position the mobile housing and the tapping rod within the noisemaker cavity.

11. A method of generating sound in an infrastructure system, the method comprising:

placing a bottom surface of a vibrating plate of a noisemaker in contact with an exterior surface of a pipe element of the infrastructure system;

generating an acoustic signal by contacting an actuator of the noisemaker with a top surface of the vibrating plate; and

adjusting a frequency at which the actuator contacts the top surface of the vibrating plate;

wherein the actuator comprises a hub and a flap connected to the hub and extending outwards from the hub, wherein generating the acoustic signal comprises rotating the hub and the flap, and wherein adjusting the frequency at which the actuator contacts the top surface of the vibrating plate comprises adjusting a speed at which the hub and the flap are rotated.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a distance between the vibrating plate and the actuator.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the acoustic signal further comprises one of producing an impact contact with the top surface of the vibrating plate by the actuator and producing a brushing contact with the top surface of the vibrating plate by the actuator.

14. A noisemaker system comprising:

a node of an infrastructure system; and

a noisemaker comprising;

a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity;

a vibrating plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the vibrating plate in contact with an exterior surface of the node; and

an actuator configured to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate an acoustic signal, the actuator comprising;

a mobile housing positioned within the noisemaker cavity, the mobile housing defining a mobile housing cavity;

a spring securing the mobile housing to the noisemaker housing within the noisemaker cavity;

a tapping rod secured to the mobile housing and configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal; and

a rotating cam positioned within the mobile housing cavity and configured to adjustably position the mobile housing and the tapping rod within the noisemaker cavity.

15. The noisemaker system of claim 14, wherein the tapping rod contacts the top surface of the vibrating plate in an engaged position, wherein the rotating cam is configured to adjustably position the tapping rod between the engaged position and a disengaged position, and wherein in the disengaged position, the tapping rod is not in contact with the top surface of the vibrating plate.

16. A noisemaker system comprising:

a node of an infrastructure system; and

a noisemaker comprising

a vibrating plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the vibrating plate in contact with an exterior surface of the node; and

an actuator configured to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate an acoustic signal, the actuator comprising;

a fulcrum secured to the top surface of the vibrating plate;

a pivoting rod supported by the fulcrum, the pivoting rod comprising a first end and a second end, the first end comprising a tapping tip configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal; and

a rotating cam configured to contact the second end of the pivoting rod.

17. A noisemaker comprising:

a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity and a housing opening;

a vibrating plate secured to the noisemaker and positioned proximate to the housing opening, the vibrating plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface; and

an actuator positioned at least partially within the noisemaker cavity, the actuator configured to engage the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate an acoustic signal, the actuator comprising;

a fulcrum secured to the top surface of the vibrating plate;

a pivoting rod supported by the fulcrum, the pivoting rod comprising a first end and a second end, the first end comprising a tapping tip configured to contact the top surface of the vibrating plate and generate the acoustic signal; and

a rotating cam configured to contact the second end of the pivoting rod.