System for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location

• US 4,779,839 A
• Filed: 11/28/1986
• Issued: 10/25/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michigan Consolidated Gas Company (DTE Energy Company)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence M. Sears
• Inventors: Sears, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/935,963
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 251/30.01, 251/68, 361/156, 340/825.54, 340/551, 340/552, 236/51
• US Class Current: 251/68
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic

Abstract

A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location with a battery includes an energy storage means for actuating the valve, a charging circuit for charging the energy storage means from the battery to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, detector means for sensing a signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve and for actuating said charging circuit and switch means for connecting the energy storage means to the valve to actuate the valve when the energy storage means is charged to a sufficient potential.

Claims

1. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location comprising a battery, energy storage means for storing a sufficient amount of energy to actuate the valve, a charging circuit connected to said battery and to said energy storage means for charging said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, detector means for sensing a signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve and actuating said charging circuit to effect charging of said energy storage means in response to said signal being sensed by said detector means and switch means for connecting said energy storage means to the valve to actuate the valve when said energy storage means is charged to a potential sufficient to actuate the valve, said charging circuit including a high voltage oscillator and said energy storage means comprising a capacitor, said high voltage oscillator being operative to charge said capacitor to said predetermined potential in response to said signal being sensed by said detector means, and wherein said detector means includes a peak detector connected to said high voltage oscillator for actuating said high voltage oscillator in response to sensing said signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve.

2. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 1 further including a signal generator for establishing said signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve.

3. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 2 wherein said signal generator establishes periodic bursts of an AC current to said peak detector for enabling said peak detector to actuate said high voltage oscillator.

4. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location comprising a battery, energy storage means for storing a sufficient amount of energy to actuate the valve, a charging circuit connected to said battery and to said energy storage means for charging said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, detector means for sensing a signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve and actuating said charging circuit to effect charging of said energy storage means in response to said signal being sensed by said detector means, switch means for connecting said energy storage means to the valve to actuate the valve when said energy storage means is charged to a potential sufficient to actuate the valve, a supervisory circuit loop connected to said detector means, a supervisory signal generator, said supervisory circuit loop connected to the output of said supervisory signal generator and to said detector means, a capacitor connected in said supervisory circuit loop as the supervisory element and a signal sensing means connected to said supervisory loop for sensing said signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve.

5. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 4 further including a signal generator for establishing said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve.

6. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 5 wherein said signal generator establishes an AC waveform indicative of a desire to actuate the valve which is directed to said signal sensing means to direct such AC waveform through said said supervisory circuit loop to said detector means.

7. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 5 wherein said signal sensing means comprises a first coil and further including a second coil connected to said signal generator, said signal generator establishing said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve in said second coil, and said second coil being operable to induce said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve in said first coil when said second coil is disposed in close proximity to but spaced apart from said first coil.

8. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 4 wherein said supervisory circuit loop when shorted establishes a signal in said supervisory circuit loop to said detector means which effects actuation of the valve.

9. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 4 wherein said supervisory circuit loop when broken establishes a signal in said supervisory circuit loop to said detector means which effects actuation of the valve.

10. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 9 wherein said supervisory circuit loop when shorted establishes a signal in said supervisory circuit loop to said detector means which effects actuation of the valve.

11. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 4 further including a feedback circuit connected to the valve for providing an indication in said supervisory circuit loop that the valve has been actuated.

12. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 11 wherein said feedback circuit directs a unique signal generated by said charging circuit to said supervisory circuit loop when said charging circuit effects charging of said energy storage means.

13. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 12 wherein said feedback circuit further includes valve sensor means connected to the valve for sensing actuation thereof.

14. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 13 wherein said valve sensor means is operable to deactivate said charging circuit and remove said unique signal established by said charging circuit from said supervisory circuit loop upon actuation of the valve.

15. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 14 further including second detector means for detecting the presence and absence of said unique signal in said supervisory circuit loop.

16. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 15 further including a signal generator for establishing said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve and wherein said second detector means and said signal generator are packaged together and are portable.

17. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location comprising switch means for actuating the valve, valve sensing means connected to the valve to sense actuation thereof, signal sensing means for sensing a signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve, a signal generator for generating said signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve, circuit means responsive to said signal sensing means sensing said signal for establishing a unique signal at said signal sensing means which indicates that the valve is about to actuate, said valve sensing means when sensing activation of the valve deactuating said circuit means to remove said unique signal at said signal sensing means and detector means responsive to the presence or absence of said unique signal at said signal sensing means for detecting actuation of the valve.

18. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 17 wherein said signal sensing means includes a coil and said signal generator is operable to induce in said coil said signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve without contacting said coil.

19. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 18 wherein said signal generator is operable to induce an AC wavefore in said coil.

20. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 17 wherein said circuit means is a frequency generator which is operable to establish said unique signal at said signal sensing means to indicate that the valve is about to actuate.

21. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 20 wherein said frequency generator comprises a high voltage oscillator.

22. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 20 wherein said detector means is responsive to said unique signal established by said frequency generator, said detector means sensing the presence of said unique signal established by said frequency generator to indicate that the valve is about to actuate and the subsequent absence of said unique signal to indicate that the valve has been actuated.

23. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 22 wherein said detector means is operable to establish a unique audio tone in response to the presence to said unique signal.

24. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 23 wherein said signal generator and said detector means are packaged together and are portable.

25. A system for actuating, an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 17 further including a supervisory circuit loop, said signal sensing means being located in said supervisory circuit loop, said signal generator being operable to induce in said signal sensing means and said supervisory circuit loop said signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve, said circuit means being operable to establish said unique signal in said supervisory loop and direct said unique signal to said signal sensing means and wherein said detector means is operable to detect the presence or absence of said unique signal in said supervisory loop at said signal sensing means.

26. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location comprising a battery, energy storage means for storing a sufficient amount of energy to actuate the valve, a charging circuit connected to said battery and said energy storage means for charging said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, a supervisory circuit loop energized by said battery, and a capacitor disposed in said supervisory circuit loop as the supervisory element thereof, said supervisory circuit loop adapted to receive a signal indicative of a desire to close the valve to actuate said charging circuit to charge said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, said supervisory circuit loop when broken actuating said charging circuit to charge said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, and said supervisory circuit loop when shorted actuating said charging circuit to charge said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve.

27. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 26 further including signal sensing means located in said supervisory circuit loop for sensing said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve and actuating said charging circuit in response thereto.

28. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 27 wherein said signal sensing means includes a coil in series with said capacitor in said supervisory circuit loop.

29. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 26 further including a signal generator for establishing said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve.

30. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 27 further including a signal generator for establishing said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve and wherein said signal sensing means includes a coil in series with said capacitor and said signal generator is operable to induce an AC wavefore to said coil which is indicative of a desire to close the valve.

31. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 27 further including detector means connected to said supervisory circuit loop for actuating said charging circuit to charge said energy storage means upon receipt of said signal indicative of a desire to close the valve from said signal generator or if said supervisory circuit loop is shorted or opened.

32. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 31 wherein said charging circuit includes a high voltage oscillator and said energy storage means comprises a second capacitor, said high voltage oscillator being operative to charge said second capacitor to said predetermined potential in response to said signal being sensed by said detector means.

33. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 26 further including a feedback circuit connected to said valve for providing an indication in said supervisory circuit loop that the valve has been actuated.

34. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 33 wherein said feedback circuit directs a modulated signal generated by said charging circuit to said supervisory circuit loop when said charging circuit effects charging of said energy storage means.

35. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 34 wherein said feedback circuit further includes valve sensor means connected to the valve for sensing actuation thereof.

36. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 35 wherein said valve sensor means is operable to deactuate said charging circuit and remove said unique signal established by said charging circuit from said supervisory circuit loop.

37. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location as defined in claim 36 further including second detector means for detecting the presence and absence of said unique signal on said supervisory circuit loop.

38. A system for actuating an electrical valve from a remote location comprising a battery, energy storage means for storing a sufficient amount of energy to actuate the valve, a charging circuit connected to said battery and to said energy storage means for charging said energy storage means to a sufficient potential to actuate the valve, detector means for sensing a signal indicative of a desire to actuate the valve and actuating said charging circuit to effect charging of said energy storage means in response to said signal being sensed by said detector means, switch means for connecting said energy storage means to the valve to actuate the valve when said energy storage means is charged to a potential sufficient to actuate the valve, and second sensing means connected to said energy storage means for actuating said switch means when said energy storage means is charged to a predetermined potential, said energy storage means comprising a capacitor, said switch means for connecting said capacitor to the valve comprising a SCR and said second sensing means comprises a diac operatively connected to said capacitor and said SCR, said diac firing said SCR when said capacitor is charged to a predetermined potential to connect said capacitor to the valve.