Positive flow meter

• US 6,792,799 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Brent Ford
• Original Assignee: Michael Brent Ford
• Inventors: Ford, Michael Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD R
• Application Number:
  US10/122,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20030192377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 732/02, 732/042.2, 732/042.5, 731/95, 738/615.2, 738/615.3, 738/615.5, 738/615.6, 738/615.7, 210/143
• US Class Current: 73/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2807 for pipes G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence

Abstract

A flow meter and electrically operable valve assembly having integral flow meters provide detection of very low water flows, along with ease of installation and compact packaging for a water supply control system. The flow detection is particularly useful for systems that control household water supplies to prevent flooding, but is also useful in other applications such as agricultural and industrial systems where low water flow rates must be determined. All of the controls and features are integrable within a compact package that occupies essentially the same volume and piping space as a conventional electrically operable valve.

Claims

1. A flow meter integrated within a liquid system control device including a primary flow resisting mechanism disposed within a primary channel of said liquid system control device and a bypass channel around said primary channel and said primary flow resisting mechanism, said flow meter comprising:

a movable indicator disposed within said bypass channel, for detecting flow through said bypass channel, wherein said primary flow resisting element of said liquid system control device is a movable flow resisting mechanism having a blocking position that blocks flow through said primary channel at low levels of forward pressure differential across said primary flow resisting mechanism so that forward flows lower than a level of flow required to move said primary flow resisting mechanism from said blocking position occur entirely through said bypass channel, and wherein said movable indicator prevents any flow through said bypass channel from bypassing said movable indicator, whereby said movable indicator moves with any forward flow occurring through said liquid system control device; and

a detector for detecting a position of said movable indicator, whereby any forward flow through said liquid system control device that moves said movable indicator to a detection threshold of said detector is detected, which indicates a leakage through said liquid system control device.

2. The flow meter of claim 1, further comprising a bypass flow resisting mechanism contacting said moveable indicator when said flow occurs, whereby displacement of said bypass flow resisting mechanism is proportional to a force produced by flow through said bypass channel.

3. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said movable indicator comprises a ball within said bypass channel, and wherein said bypass channel defines a chamber having a diameter larger than a diameter of said ball wherein said ball may move.

4. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said detector is a detector for detecting the proximity of a material having magnetic properties, and wherein said movable indicator is made from a material having magnetic properties.

5. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said liquid system control device is an electrically operable valve assembly including an electrically operable valve comprising said primary flow resisting mechanism disposed between a water supply inlet and a household water supply outlet and said bypass channel leading from said water supply inlet to said household water supply outlet.

6. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said liquid system control device is an electrically operable valve assembly including an electrically operable valve comprising said primary flow resisting mechanism disposed between an internal chamber and a household water supply outlet and said bypass channel leading from said internal chamber to said household water supply outlet.

7. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said liquid system control device is a backflow preventor.

8. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said detector is an analog detector determining a continuous position of said movable indicator.

9. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said detector is a binary detector determining that a position of said moveable indicator has exceeded a predetermined position.

10. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said flow resisting element of said liquid system control device is a movable flow resisting element having a backflow-preventing position that blocks reverse flow through said main channel, and wherein said movable indicator cooperates with said bypass channel to prevent reverse leakage through said bypass channel when said movable indicator is seated at a reverse flow position.

11. The flow meter of claim 1, and wherein said movable indicator cooperates with said bypass channel at a maximum forward flow position to block flow through said bypass channel, whereby said movable indicator is maintained at said maximum forward flow position when position when said flow resisting element is open.

12. The flow meter of claim 1, wherein said flow resisting element includes a force-producing element having a first predetermined spring constant, wherein said movable indicator includes a second force-producing element having a second predetermined spring constant, and wherein said first and second predetermined spring constants are proportioned such that said second force-producing element is compressed prior to said first force-producing element, whereby said movable indicator is moved by flows less that a flow required to move said flow resisting element from said blocking position, whereby any amount of forward flow through said flow meter is detected.