Water heater shut off device with water pressure delay line

• US 6,823,887 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Larco, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lawrence M. Dulac
• Inventors: Dulac, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, A MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/071,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 137/334, 137/341, 137/487, 251/50, 251/54
• US Class Current: 137/334
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/188 with means for compensating water expansion
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/136 Arrangement of inlet valves used therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6416 With heating or cooling of the system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 With electric heating element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/776 Control by pressures across flow line valve

Abstract

A water supply shut off system includes a water pressure delay device which delays the transmission of any apparent change in water pressure between the input and the output side of the valve to the control input of the valve. This delay allows the input and output pressures to have a chance to generally equalize without falsely tripping the device. The water supply shut off system can also include a thermal expansion/contraction device that allows thermal expansion and contraction of a fluid medium, such as water, when the shut off device is used with a device to be protected such as a hot water heater.

Claims

1. A fluid supply shut off valve system for use with a device to be protected, said fluid supply shut off valve system comprising:

a fluid monitoring device including a shut off valve, a main input, a main output, and a supply pressure sensor line, wherein said shut off valve is in a normally closed position and opens to supply fluid from said main input to said main output in response to a drop in pressure sensed by said supply pressure sensor line on an output side of said device to be protected, wherein said fluid monitoring device monitors a pressure differential between said main input and said main output and causes said shut off valve to remain closed when said pressure differential reaches a predetermined amount; and

a delay device coupled to said supply pressure sensor line, wherein said delay device delays the response to an increase in pressure at said output side of said device to be protected.

2. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 1 wherein said delay device includes at least one of a dripper, a labyrinth, and a water hammer.

3. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 1 further comprising a thermal expansion/contraction device, for allowing contracting fluid to be drawn back into said device to be protected.

4. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 1 wherein said delay device includes at least one of a dripper and a labyrinth, and wherein said delay device also includes a water hammer.

5. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 4 further comprising a thermal compensation expansion/contraction device, for allowing contracting fluid to be drawn back into said device to be protected.

6. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 1 wherein said fluid monitoring device further includes a supply line for connecting to said output side of said device to be protected, wherein said delay device is coupled to said supply line.

7. A fluid supply shut off valve system for use with a device to be protected, said fluid supply shut off valve system comprising:

a fluid monitoring device including a shut off valve, a main input, a main output, and a supply pressure sensor line, wherein said shut off valve is in a normally closed position and opens to supply fluid from said main input to said main output in response to a drop in pressure sensed by said supply pressure sensor line on an output side of said device to be protected, wherein said fluid monitoring device monitors a pressure differential between said main input and said main output and causes said shut off valve to remain closed when said pressure differential reaches a predetermined amount; and

a thermal expansion/contraction device coupled to said fluid monitoring device, for allowing contracting fluid to be drawn back into said device to be protected.

8. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 7 wherein said fluid monitoring device further includes a supply line for connecting to said output side of said device to be protected.

9. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 8 further comprising a delay device coupled to said supply pressure sensor line, wherein said delay device delays the response to an increase in pressure at said output side of said device to be protected.

10. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 8 further comprising a thermal expansion line coupled between an output side of said fluid monitoring device and said supply line, wherein said thermal expansion/contraction device is provided in said thermal expansion line.

11. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 10 wherein said fluid monitoring device includes a thermal expansion shut off mechanism to prevent fluid from being drawn back into the device being protected when said fluid monitoring device is closed.

12. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 7 wherein said thermal expansion/contraction device is a labyrinth.

13. A fluid supply shut off valve system for use with a device to be protected, said fluid supply shut off valve system comprising:

a fluid monitoring device including a shut off valve, a main input, a main output, and a supply pressure sensor line, wherein said shut off valve is in a normally closed position and opens to supply fluid from said main input to said main output in response to a drop in pressure sensed by said supply pressure sensor line on an output side of said device to be protected, wherein said fluid monitoring device monitors a pressure differential between said main input and said main output and causes said shut off valve to remain closed when said pressure differential reaches a predetermined amount;

a delay device coupled to said supply pressure sensor line, wherein said delay device delays the response to an increase in pressure at said output side of said device to be protected; and

a thermal expansion/contraction device coupled to said fluid monitoring device, for allowing contracting fluid to be drawn back into said device to be protected.

14. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 13 further comprising a check valve coupled to said output side of said device to be protected on each side of said delay device.

15. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 13 wherein said fluid monitoring device further includes a supply line for connecting to said output side of said device to be protected, and wherein said delay device is between said supply line and said supply pressure sensor line.

16. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 15 further comprising a thermal expansion line coupled between an output side of said fluid monitoring device and said supply line, wherein said thermal expansion/contraction device is provided in said thermal expansion line.

17. The fluid supply shut off valve system of claim 16 wherein said fluid monitoring device includes a thermal expansion shut off mechanism to prevent fluid from being drawn back into the device being protected when said fluid monitoring device is closed.

18. The fluid supply shut off valve of claim 13 wherein said delay device includes a labyrinth and a bladder device.