Protection system for hydraulic systems against leaks/floods, freezing and pressure

• US 5,913,236 A
• Filed: 05/22/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Josef Wodeslavsky
• Original Assignee: Josef Wodeslavsky
• Inventors: Wodeslavsky, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIGGINS, JOHN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/861,900
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 137/488, 137/492.5, 137/513.5, 137/456, 137/495, 137/62, 137/246, 137/312, 73/49.2, 73/40, 73/40.5, 73/277, 73/378, 73/415, 73/861.41, 340/609, 340/604-606
• US Class Current: 73/40
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1006 for water heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2815 using pressure measurements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86397 With independent valve controller

Abstract

A protection system for hydraulic systems, mainly for pipes, faucets, valves, boilers, furnaces, etc. which consists of a handling panel, a cut-off valve, a fluid leak detector, at least one pressure sensor, and a water shock absorber, and such a protection system can detects leaks or floods and will shut off the water pressure to the structure, and this protection system can be programmed to reduce the pressure in the system in order to maintain a state of low pressure in order to reduce the toll on valves, faucets, furnaces and pipes, etc as long as the user does not need to use the water or to open such valves, and this protection system will increase the pressure when it is needed, and this increase in pressure can be programmed by the user through the use of the "override" maneuver from any valve or faucet, and it will detect if the pressure needs to be increased to serve the needs of the water heating system if the cut-off valve shuts off the water supply to the structure, thereby preventing damage to the structure, and the protection system will let water flow within the system via the valves in order to prevent water freezing within the structure in very cold temperatures, thereby also preventing damage to the structure.

Claims

1. A fluid drip detector which is integrated with a fluid cut-off valve in a sensing device assembly comprising:

a valve housing having a first bore in one end and a second bore at the other end, and at the end of the second bore is disposed a seat;

a valve membrane means in selective contact with said seat and allowing a variable close location relative to said seat, the valve membrane means surface being exposed to fluid pressure such that when fluid pressure drops at the second bores the fluid pressure at the first end urges the membrane means to move from the seat in a detectable membrane movement that signifies a fluid drip status or fluid movement condition, such membrane means movement also allowing fluid flow from the first end to the second end; and

a housing cover situated on said membrane/valve in order to define three chambers, a first chamber at the first bore, a second chamber at the second bore and a third chamber at with selective fluid communication to each or both of said bores, whereby whenever said membrane is positioned away from said seat there is an open flow of fluid between the first and second bores thus defining a fluid flow condition for this first position, and if said membrane/valve means is positioned to engage said seat, this alternate position of said membrane/valve means is defined to yield a no flow fluid condition; and

an electrical switching means integrated to said valve/membrane means, whereby said membrane movement changes the electrical status of said electrical switch.

2. A valve housing as in the fluid drip detector/fluid cut-off valve of claim 1, further having an electrical valve means for opening and closing water pressure or fluid pressure applied to one side of said valve membrane in order to expose said one side to pressure applied for equalizing the pressure at both sides of said membrane in order to change said valve housing to a fluid cut-off valve by energizing or de-energizing said electrical valve means.

3. A fluid drip detector as in claim 1 in claim 2 for detecting the presence of drips and leaks of fluid via measured changes in electrical resistance via electrical contact comprising:

a hollow housing for permitting fluid flow and passage through, the housing having a seat;

a door means situated in a membrane which is situated on the housing with a cover situated in said housing and urged by said membranes it against the housing, the door closing and opening fluid communication through the housing; and

a mechanical switch having communication with the door means, whereby the switch opens and closes if the door gives to fluid pressure differential between both surfaces of said door means before fluid passes through the housing.

4. A fluid detector as claimed in claim 1 which consists of a means to measure the amount of fluid drip or fluid movement flowing through the said device by measuring the location of said membrane relative to its seat.

5. A fluid drip detector a claimed in claim 1 as claim 4 which consists of means to measure the amount of fluid or water flowing through the said device by measuring the location of staid membrane relative to its seat which measurement means is connected to a handling panel that keeps track of an elapsed time, the amount of water flowing per unit time and the actual time of the water flow, hence performing a function as a water meter.

6. A fluid drip detector as claimed in claim 1 as claim 2 whereby the internal electrical contacts are insulated from impurities in the fluid.

7. In any construction that uses water for drinking, washing, heating or any other, usage, a thermostat element means in the fluid drip detector/fluid cut-off valve of claim 1 that controls valves which control fluid movement in pipes, and such thermostat element means being influenced by changing temperatures will open and close fluid flow in order to maintain non-freezing water in said pipes by letting warmer water push the colder-water out of the system.

8. A fluid cut-off valve which is integrated with a fluid drip detector in one assembly comprising:

a hollow housing which consists of at least two bores, the first bore terminating to an opening, the second bore terminating with a seat, and said bores having selective fluid, communication through said seat and said opening, and into said housing is disposed a valve which is situated in a membrane having a surface capable of exposure to pressurized fluid, and a housing cover;

a housing cover situated on said membrane/valve in order to define three chambers, a first chamber at the first bore, a second chamber at the second bore and a third chamber at with selective communication to each or both of said bores, whereby whenever said membrane is positioned away from said seat there is an open flow of fluid between the first and second bores for a first position that signifies a fluid drip status or fluid condition, and if said membrane/valve engages said seat for a sums position, defined a no-flow fluid condition, and said membrane/valve means will consist of an electrical contact, defined a first electrical contact; and

said first electrical contact has an electrical connection to an outside lead of said housing, and into said hollow housing is disposed a second electrical contact which makes selective communication with said first contact, and said second contact has an outside lead whereby when said membrane/valve means engages said seat, said first and second contacts are in contact and in an electrical status of minimum electrical resistance to define a closed electrical circuit between said outbside leads, and when said membrane/valve means is disengaged from said seat, said first and second contacts are in an electrical status of maximum electrical resistance, and said membrane/valve means is biased by an urging means to force said membrane/valve means to said seat in no fluid flow condition and simultaneously biasing said electrical contacts into the closed mode whereby whenever hydraulic pressure drops at the second bore and at said third chamber, said membrane/valve means will be pushed from said seat by the hydraulic pressure in said first bore, causing said electrical contacts to go to high electrical resistance mode and transmitting such information to said outside leads.

9. A fluid cut-off valve which consists of a fluid drip detector as in claim 8, further comprising a rod to lead the valve/membrane means to guide it to the closed and open positions, and said rod consists of an adjustable or stationary contact in order to adjust the sensitivity of said drip detector.

10. A fluid cut-off valve which consists of a fluid drip detector as in claim 8, further comprising an electrical operating valve to open or close pressurized fluid to the surface of said valve/membrane means in order to equalize the pressure on both sides of said membrane so the urging means on said membrane will press it to said seat to close fluid communication between the inlet and outlet of said fluid cut-off valve and simultaneously close the electrical circuit between said electrical contacts.

11. A fluid cut-off valve which consists of a fluid drip detector as in claim 8, intended for installation in a set of pipes of a piping system subject to low temperature conditions further comprising a thermostat element means that shrinks or expands by fluid temperature changes that will activate or deactivate fluid flow in the piping system in order to keep said pipes from freezing.