Monitoring system for non-pressurized conduit
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring the operation of a non-pressurized conduit through which liquid normally flows to detect abnormal flow that is characterized by a filling of an interior portion of the conduit that characteristically does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit, comprising the steps of:
- a) selecting a location along a length of a non-pressurized conduit through which liquid normally flows, at which selected location a portion of the interior of the conduit does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit;
b) providing a length of pipe that has opposed first and second end regions with the second end region defining a generally annular end surface, and connecting the length of pipe to the conduit so that the first end region communicates with said portion of the interior of the conduit so that liquid that flows into and fills said portion of the interior of the conduit also will flow into the interior of the length of pipe during a condition of abnormal flow at the selected location;
c) providing a mounting member that defines a relatively thin, generally annular, mounting flange
1) that extends circumferentially about a central portion of the mounting member, and
2) that defines a side surface that is configured to seat against and matingly engage the end surface of the length of pipe;
d) providing a liquid level responsive electrical switch having a sensing portion thereof that responds differently to the presence and absence of liquid, and installing the switch on the mounting member by connecting the switch to the central portion of the mounting member;
e) positioning the mounting member with the switch installed thereon adjacent the second end region such that the sensing portion of the switch extends into the interior of the length of pipe to be subjected to the presence and absence of liquid therein and to respond thereto by providing a signal indicative of the sensed presence of liquid therein, and removably securing the mounting member in place adjacent the second end region by releasably clamping the side surface of the mounting flange into seated, mating engagement with the end surface of the length of pipe along a substantially continuous, generally circular line of contact; and
,f) providing switch responsive indicator means for providing, in response to said signal, an indication of the sensed presence of liquid within the interior of the length of pipe, which indication serves also to indicate a condition of sensed abnormal flow within the interior of the conduit at the selected location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Abnormal flow of liquid in a non-pressurized conduit such as a drain line of a building is detected by a liquid level sensor unit connected at a conduit location not anticipated to fill with liquid during normal flow, so that liquid backing up at such location will enter a sensor chamber of the unit to cause a liquid level sensor to signal an indicator. A monitoring system uses at least one such sensor to signal at least one local or remote indicator that indicates which sensor has detected abnormal flow. The system can monitor for short times particular drain lines suspected of experiencing abnormal flow, or can serve on a long-term basis to provide an early warning of clogging and blockage in lines selected for monitoring. Each sensor unit preferably uses a small liquid level sensor connected centrally to a mounting member that defines an annular, circumferentially extending mounting flange that can be releasably clamped in place adjacent an end region of a length of conventional pipe that is used to define the sensor chamber of the unit, to thereby provide a simple and inexpensive, easily installed and easily serviced sensor unit that can optionally house a battery and light to provide a local indication of sensed abnormal flow.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the operation of a non-pressurized conduit through which liquid normally flows to detect abnormal flow that is characterized by a filling of an interior portion of the conduit that characteristically does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit, comprising the steps of:
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a) selecting a location along a length of a non-pressurized conduit through which liquid normally flows, at which selected location a portion of the interior of the conduit does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit; b) providing a length of pipe that has opposed first and second end regions with the second end region defining a generally annular end surface, and connecting the length of pipe to the conduit so that the first end region communicates with said portion of the interior of the conduit so that liquid that flows into and fills said portion of the interior of the conduit also will flow into the interior of the length of pipe during a condition of abnormal flow at the selected location; c) providing a mounting member that defines a relatively thin, generally annular, mounting flange
1) that extends circumferentially about a central portion of the mounting member, and
2) that defines a side surface that is configured to seat against and matingly engage the end surface of the length of pipe;d) providing a liquid level responsive electrical switch having a sensing portion thereof that responds differently to the presence and absence of liquid, and installing the switch on the mounting member by connecting the switch to the central portion of the mounting member; e) positioning the mounting member with the switch installed thereon adjacent the second end region such that the sensing portion of the switch extends into the interior of the length of pipe to be subjected to the presence and absence of liquid therein and to respond thereto by providing a signal indicative of the sensed presence of liquid therein, and removably securing the mounting member in place adjacent the second end region by releasably clamping the side surface of the mounting flange into seated, mating engagement with the end surface of the length of pipe along a substantially continuous, generally circular line of contact; and
,f) providing switch responsive indicator means for providing, in response to said signal, an indication of the sensed presence of liquid within the interior of the length of pipe, which indication serves also to indicate a condition of sensed abnormal flow within the interior of the conduit at the selected location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
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17. A method of monitoring a drain line of a building to detect and provide an indication of sensed abnormal flow that is characterized by a liquid filling of an interior portion of the drain line that does not fill with liquid during conditions of normal flow of liquid through the drain line, comprising the steps of:
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a) selecting a location along a length of a drain line of a building through which liquid normally flows, at which selected location a portion of the interior of the drain line does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the drain line; b) providing a length of pipe that has opposed first and second end regions with the second end region defining a generally annular end surface, and supporting the length of pipe so that the first end region communicates with said portion of the interior of the drain line so that liquid that flows into and fills said portion of the interior of the drain line also will flow into the interior of the length of pipe during a condition of abnormal flow at the selected location; c) providing a mounting member that defines a relatively thin, generally annular, mounting flange
1) that extends circumferentially about a central portion of the mounting member, and
2) that defines a side surface that is configured to seat against and matingly engage the end surface of the length of pipe;d) providing a liquid level responsive electrical switch having a sensing portion thereof that responds differently to the presence and absence of liquid, and mounting the switch on the central portion of the mounting member; e) positioning the mounting member with the switch installed thereon
1) such that the side surface of the mounting flange is adjacent the end surface of the length of pipe, and
2) such that the sensing portion of the switch extends into the interior of the length of pipe to be subjected to the presence and absence of liquid therein and to respond thereto to provide a signal indicative of the sensed presence of liquid therein, and clamping the side surface into seated, mating engagement with the end surface to connect the switch to the length of pipe;f) providing switch responsive indicator means for providing, in response to said signal, an indication of the sensed presence of liquid within the interior of the length of pipe, which indication serves also to indicate a condition of sensed abnormal flow within the interior of the drain line at the selected location. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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21. A method of monitoring a plurality of drain lines of a building to detect and provide an indication of sensed abnormal flow within the plurality of monitored drain lines, wherein abnormal flow is characterized by a liquid filling of an interior portion of at least one of the monitored drain lines that does not fill with liquid during conditions of normal flow of liquid therethrough, comprising the steps of:
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a) selecting a location along a length of each of a plurality of drain lines of a building through which liquid normally flows, at each of which selected locations a portion of the interior of the associated drain line does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the associated drain line; b) providing at each of the selected locations a separate associated length of pipe that has opposed first and second end regions with the second end region defining a generally annular end surface, and supporting the each of the separate associated lengths of pipe so that the first of the opposed end regions thereof communicates with said portion of the interior of the associated drain line so that liquid that flows into and fills said portion of the interior of the associated drain line also will flow into the interior of the associated length of pipe during a condition of abnormal flow at the associated selected location; c) providing at each of the selected locations a separate associated mounting member that defines a relatively thin, generally annular, mounting flange
1) that extends circumferentially about a central portion of the mounting member, and
2) that defines a side surface that is configured to seat against and matingly engage the end surface of the associated length of pipe;d) providing at each of the selected locations a separate associated liquid level responsive electrical switch having a sensing portion thereof that responds differently to the presence and absence of liquid, and mounting the switch on the central portion of the associated mounting member; e) positioning each of the mounting members with the associated switch installed thereon
1) such that the side surface of the associated mounting flange is adjacent the end surface of the associated length of pipe, and
2) such that the sensing portion of the switch extends into the interior of the associated length of pipe to be subjected to the presence and absence of liquid therein and to respond thereto to provide a signal indicative of the sensed presence of liquid therein, and clamping the side surface into seated, mating engagement with the end surface to connect the switch to the associated length of pipe;e) providing switch responsive indicator means for providing, in response to each of said signals, an indication of the sensed presence of liquid within the interior of the associated length of pipe, which indication serves also to indicate a condition of sensed abnormal flow within the interior of the associated monitored drain line.
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22. A monitoring system for monitoring the operation of a non-pressurized conduit through which liquid normally flows to detect abnormal flow characterized by a backup of liquid therein, comprising:
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a) elongate pipe means including a length of pipe that has opposed first and second end regions with the second end region defining a generally annular end surface, for being connecting to the conduit so that the first end region communicates with the conduit at a selected location that does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit, to thereby communicate the interior of the length of pipe with the interior of the conduit at the selected location; b) a mounting member that defines a relatively thin, generally annular mounting flange
1) that extends circumferentially about a central portion of the mounting member, and
2) that defines a side surface that is configured to seat against and matingly engage the end surface of the length of pipe;c) liquid level responsive electrical switch means having a sensing portion thereof for responding responds differently to the presence and absence of liquid, and for being installed on the mounting member by being connected to a central portion of the mounting member; d) with the mounting member having the switch installed thereon adjacent the first end region of the length of pipe such that the sensing portion of the switch extends into the interior of the length of pipe to be subjected to the presence and absence of liquid therein and to respond thereto to provide a signal indicative of the sensed presence of liquid therein; f) clamping means for removably securing the mounting member to the length of pipe by releasably clamping the side surface of the mounting flange into seated, mating engagement with the end surface of the length of pipe along a substantially continuous, generally circular line of contact; and
,g) switch responsive indicator means for providing an indication of sensed abnormal flow in response to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A sensor unit for connection to a selected location of a non-pressurized conduit through which liquid normally flows, with said selected location constituting a conduit region that does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit, for operating an electrical switch of the sensor unit in response to the detection of filling of the conduit region to indicate sensed abnormal flow at the selected location, comprising:
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a) elongate pipe means including a length of pipe that has opposed first and second end regions with the second end region defining a generally annular end surface, for being connecting to the conduit so that the first end region communicates with the conduit at a selected location that does not fill with liquid during normal flow of liquid through the conduit, to thereby communicate the interior of the length of pipe with the interior of the conduit at the selected location; b) a mounting member that defines a relatively thin, generally annular mounting flange
1) that extends circumferentially about a central portion of the mounting member, and
2) that defines a side surface that is configured to seat against and matingly engage the end surface of the length of pipe;c) liquid level responsive electrical switch means having a sensing portion thereof for responding responds differently to the presence and absence of liquid, and for being installed on the mounting member by being connected to a central portion of the mounting member; d) with the mounting member having the switch installed thereon adjacent the other of the the second end region of the length of pipe such that the sensing portion of the switch extends into the interior of the length of pipe to be subjected to the presence and absence of liquid therein and to respond thereto to provide a signal indicative of the sensed presence of liquid therein; and
,f) clamping means for removably connecting the mounting member to the length of pipe by releasably clamping the side surface of the mounting flange into seated, mating engagement with the end surface of the length of pipe along a substantially continuous, generally circular line of contact.
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Specification