MANUAL CONTROL FOR ACTUATED FLUID MONITORING AND CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20180259982A1
• Filed: 05/11/2018
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortune Brands Water Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Flo Technologies, Inc. (Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halimi, Henry M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,962,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/047 characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means F16K31/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/055 for rotating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/60 Handles form, features or function of taps or faucet handles for domestic plumbing installations E03C1/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0647 Spindles or actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/20 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A fluid control device connectable to a fluid pipe includes an electric motor mechanically connected to a fluid valve configured to open and close the fluid valve. A manual motor disengagement knob is at least partially accessible to a user and mechanically connected to the fluid valve. The knob is configured to manually disengage the mechanical connection between the electric motor and the fluid valve while still engaging the fluid valve allowing the user to manually close or open the fluid valve without the assistance or interference of the electric motor. This is accomplished by a manual over-ride primary shaft translatably connected to a clutch shaft and in turn to the fluid valve, where the shaft in a first position is mechanically connected to the electric motor and in a second position the shaft is not mechanically connected to the electric motor.

Claims

1. A fluid control device connectable in series to a fluid pipe, the fluid control device comprising:

a main valve body including a fluid inlet in fluidic communication with a fluid outlet and configured to be connectable in series to the fluid pipe;

a fluid valve disposed in series within the main valve body separating the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, the fluid valve controlling a fluid flow through the main valve body, wherein the fluid valve is a ball valve;

an electric motor mechanically connected to the fluid valve, the electric motor configured to open and close the fluid valve;

a temperature sensor coupled to the main valve body monitoring a temperature of the fluid flow within the main valve body;

a pressure sensor coupled to the main valve body monitoring a pressure of the fluid flow within the main valve body;

a flow rate sensor coupled to the main valve body monitoring a flow rate of the fluid flow within the main valve body;

a fluid control device processor in electrical communication with the electric motor, the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the flow sensor;

a fluid control device input/output port in electrical communication with the fluid control device processor, the fluid control device input/output port configured to be in electrical communication with a fluid monitoring and control system; and

a manual over-ride control mechanism mechanically connected to the fluid valve and accessible by a user, wherein the manual over-ride control mechanism is configured to manually disengage the mechanical connection between the electric motor and the fluid valve while still engaging the fluid valve, thereby allowing the user to manually close or open the fluid valve without the assistance or interference of the electric motor.

2. The fluid control device of claim 1, wherein the manual over-ride control mechanism comprises a clutch shaft and a manual over-ride primary shaft, wherein the clutch shaft is rotatably disposed within the fluid control device and mechanically connected to the fluid valve wherein a rotation of the clutch shaft results in the same rotation of the fluid valve, and wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft is translatably connected to the clutch shaft wherein a rotation of the manual over-ride primary shaft results in the same rotation of the clutch shaft yet the manual over-ride primary shaft can still translate with respect to the clutch shaft.

3. The fluid control device of claim 2, wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft includes a manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear, and wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft is translatable relative to the clutch shaft between a first position and a second position by the user, wherein in the first position the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear is mechanically connected to an electric motor output shaft of the electric motor, and wherein in the second position the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear is not mechanically connected to the electric motor output shaft.

4. The fluid control device of claim 3, including a manual motor disengagement knob fixedly attached to the manual over-ride primary shaft, wherein the manual motor disengagement knob is disposed at least partially accessible to the user.

5. The fluid control device of claim 4, including a bias element disposed between the manual over-ride primary shaft and the clutch shaft, wherein the bias element is configured to bias the manual over-ride primary shaft to the first position.

6. The fluid control device of claim 5, wherein the bias element is a clutch spring.

7. The fluid control device of claim 6, including a motor coupling spur gear fixedly attached to the electric motor output shaft, wherein the motor coupling spur gear is mechanically connected to the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear when the manual over-ride primary shaft is in the first position.

8. The fluid control device of claim 7, including an intermediate spur gear rotatably connected within the fluid control device and disposed between the motor coupling spur gear and the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear, wherein the intermediate spur gear is mechanically connected to the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear when the manual over-ride primary shaft is in the first position.

9. The fluid control device of claim 8, wherein the manual over-ride spur gear, the motor coupling spur gear and the intermediate spur gear are all straight spur gears.

10. The fluid control device of claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor and pressure sensor are disposed downstream of the fluid valve on a fluid outlet side.

11. The fluid control device of claim 10, wherein the fluid control device input/output port is configured to be in electrical communication with the fluid monitoring and control system through a hard-wired communication line or through a wireless transmitter and receiver.

12. A fluid control device connectable in series to a fluid pipe, the fluid control device comprising:

a main valve body including a fluid inlet in fluidic communication with a fluid outlet and configured to be connectable in series to the fluid pipe;

a fluid valve disposed in series within the main valve body separating the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, the fluid valve controlling a fluid flow through the main valve body;

an electric motor mechanically connected to the fluid valve, the electric motor configured to open and close the fluid valve;

a fluid control device processor in electrical communication with the electric motor;

a fluid control device input/output port in electrical communication with the fluid control device processor, the fluid control device input/output port configured to be in electrical communication with a fluid monitoring and control system through a hard-wired communication line or through a wireless transmitter and receiver; and

a manual over-ride control mechanism mechanically connected to the fluid valve and accessible by a user, wherein the manual over-ride control mechanism is configured to manually disengage the mechanical connection between the electric motor and the fluid valve while still engaging the fluid valve, thereby allowing the user to manually close or open the fluid valve without the assistance or interference of the electric motor.

13. The fluid control device of claim 12, wherein the manual over-ride control mechanism comprises a clutch shaft and a manual over-ride primary shaft, wherein the clutch shaft is rotatably disposed within the fluid control device and mechanically connected to the fluid valve wherein a rotation of the clutch shaft results in the same rotation of the fluid valve, and wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft is translatably connected to the clutch shaft wherein a rotation of the manual over-ride primary shaft results in the same rotation of the clutch shaft yet the manual over-ride primary shaft can still translate with respect to the clutch shaft.

14. The fluid control device of claim 13, wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft includes a manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear, and wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft is translatable relative to the clutch shaft between a first position and a second position by the user, wherein in the first position the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear is mechanically connected to an electric motor output shaft of the electric motor, and wherein in the second position the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear is not mechanically connected to the electric motor output shaft.

15. The fluid control device of claim 14, including a manual motor disengagement knob fixedly attached to the manual over-ride primary shaft, wherein the manual motor disengagement knob is disposed at least partially accessible to the user.

16. The fluid control device of claim 15, including a clutch spring disposed between the manual over-ride primary shaft and the clutch shaft, wherein the clutch spring is configured to bias the manual over-ride primary shaft to the first position.

17. The fluid control device of claim 16, including a motor coupling spur gear fixedly attached to the electric motor output shaft, wherein the motor coupling spur gear is mechanically connected to the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear when the manual over-ride primary shaft is in the first position.

18. The fluid control device of claim 17, including an intermediate spur gear rotatably connected within the fluid control device and disposed between the motor coupling spur gear and the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear, wherein the intermediate spur gear is mechanically connected to the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear when the manual over-ride primary shaft is in the first position.

19. The fluid control device of claim 18, wherein the manual over-ride spur gear, the motor coupling spur gear and the intermediate spur gear are all straight spur gears and wherein the fluid valve is a ball valve.

20. The fluid control device of claim 19, including a temperature sensor (11t) coupled to the main valve body downstream of the fluid valve and monitoring a temperature of the fluid flow within the main valve body, including a pressure sensor (11p) coupled to the main valve body downstream of the fluid valve and monitoring a pressure of the fluid flow within the main valve body, including a flow rate sensor (5) coupled to the main valve body downstream of the fluid valve and monitoring a flow rate of the fluid flow within the main valve body, wherein the fluid control device processor (56) is in electrical communication with the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the flow sensor.

21. A fluid control device connectable in series to a fluid pipe, the fluid control device comprising:

a main valve body including a fluid inlet in fluidic communication with a fluid outlet and configured to be connectable in series to the fluid pipe;

a fluid valve disposed in series within the main valve body separating the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, the fluid valve controlling a fluid flow through the main valve body;

an electric motor having an electric motor output shaft mechanically connected to the fluid valve, the electric motor configured to open and close the fluid valve;

a fluid control device processor in electrical communication with the electric motor;

a fluid control device input/output port in electrical communication with the fluid control device processor, the fluid control device input/output port configured to be in electrical communication with a fluid monitoring and control system through a hard-wired communication line or through a wireless transmitter and receiver; and

a manual motor disengagement knob at least partially accessible to a user and mechanically connected to the fluid valve, wherein the manual motor disengagement knob is configured to manually disengage the mechanical connection between the electric motor and the fluid valve while still engaging the fluid valve, thereby allowing the user to manually close or open the fluid valve without the assistance or interference of the electric motor;

a clutch shaft rotatably disposed within the fluid control device and mechanically connected to the fluid valve wherein a rotation of the clutch shaft results in the same rotation of the fluid valve;

a manual over-ride primary shaft translatably connected to the clutch shaft wherein a rotation of the manual over-ride primary shaft results in the same rotation of the clutch shaft yet the manual over-ride primary shaft can still translate with respect to the clutch shaft, wherein the manual motor disengagement knob is fixedly attached to the manual over-ride primary shaft, and wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft includes a manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear, wherein the manual over-ride primary shaft is translatable relative to the clutch shaft between a first position and a second position by the user, wherein in the first position the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear is mechanically connected to the electric motor output shaft of the electric motor, and wherein in the second position the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear is not mechanically connected to the electric motor output shaft;

a clutch spring disposed between the manual over-ride primary shaft and the clutch shaft, wherein the clutch spring is configured to bias the manual over-ride primary shaft to the first position;

a motor coupling spur gear fixedly attached to the electric motor output shaft, wherein the motor coupling spur gear is mechanically connected to the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear when the manual over-ride primary shaft is in the first position; and

an intermediate spur gear rotatably connected within the fluid control device and disposed between the motor coupling spur gear and the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear, wherein the intermediate spur gear is mechanically connected to the manual over-ride primary shaft spur gear when the manual over-ride primary shaft is in the first position.