Device for surveying the pressure of fluids housed in tanks or flowing through ducts

• US 7,343,871 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sistec S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: Sistec S.R.L.
• Inventors: Pellicciari, Marcello
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US10/582,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20070079747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 116/34.R, 116/228, 116/229, 116/266, 116/268, 116/269, 137/227, 137/557, 200/61.25, 340/442, 340/611, 340/626, 731/463, 731/468
• US Class Current: 116/34.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber

Abstract

An apparatus for surveying the pressure of fluids housed in tanks or flowing through ducts comprises a device (100), an envelope (1) with axial symmetry which forms the external covering of the device (100), said envelope (1) being kept in distal position with respect to a connecting body (2) by a counter spring (3); the envelope (1) axially slides with respect to the body (2) to allow the commutation of the apparatus (100) from a non-active to an active condition; the commutation of the device (100) is due to an external force (F).

Claims

1. A device for surveying the pressure of fluids housed in tanks or flowing through ducts, characterised by the fact that it comprises the following elements:

a connecting body having an axial symmetry;

connecting means connectable to ends of tubes coming from containers or pipes to send a fluid to the body;

an external envelope, with axial symmetry, housing the connecting body, the external envelope sliding on the connecting body from a first distal position to a second position proximal with respect to the body according when an external force (F) acts on the envelope;

self-closing means capable of sealing an entrance room located between the connecting means and a measuring chamber;

a manoeuvre member, integral with a rigid member, and mechanically connected to the external envelope;

the manoeuvre member allows that the self-closing means open the entrance room, when the external envelope is sliding from the first distal position to the second proximal position;

the manoeuvre member allows the closing of the self-closing means when the external envelope is in the distal position and the relative pressure of the fluid in the measure chamber is lower than a first pre-established threshold value (Pci);

the rigid member forms a sensor with a relative pressure threshold, since the manoeuvre member, integral with the rigid member, remains in the proximal position when the action of the force (F) stops only if the relative pressure of the fluid is higher or the same than the first pre-established threshold value;

on the contrary, the manoeuvre member moves towards the distal position if the relative pressure of the fluid is lower than said first pre-established threshold value;

signalling means are provided to signal the distal or proximal position of the rigid member to the external environment;

the measuring chamber contains the fluid of the container or pipe coming through passages, from the entrance room when opened by the manoeuvre member;

at least the pressure force of the fluid acts in the measuring chamber;

the manoeuvre member closes the connection among the measuring chamber, the ends and the external environment;

a deforming element sensitive to the forces acting in the measuring chamber, said deforming element being capable of moving the manoeuvre member together with said rigid member which guides the deforming element;

a space connected to the external environment and housing a spring, the space is found in a position opposite to the measuring chamber so that the spring acts on the deforming element contrasting at least the pressure force in the measuring chamber on the deforming element;

therefore, when the manoeuvre member is in a position proximal with respect to a first support and the relative pressure in the measuring chamber is lower than the first pre-established threshold (Pci), the force of the spring exceeds the contrasting forces acting on the deforming element, and the element moves the manoeuvre member towards a distal position, allowing that the self-closing means close the entrance room;

passages are further provided, connecting the measuring chamber to the environment when the self-closing means closes the entrance room.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein a spring is housed in the measuring chamber;

said spring is located between the end of the body and a supporting basis, integral with the external envelope;

in this way, the spring can move said external envelope towards the first distal position with respect to the end;

in the first distal position a limit stop of the external envelope is in contact with the body.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein the deforming element is defined by a first movable diaphragm and wherein the measuring chamber is delimited by the first movable diaphragm, the rigid member, the body, the external envelope and a second movable diaphragm.

4. The device as in claim 3, wherein a first Belleville washer, is further provided,

said washer acting on the rigid member, contrasting the action of at least the force of the pressure in the measuring chamber on said rigid member, and on the first movable diaphragm.

5. The device as in claim 4, wherein a second Belleville washer is also provided, said second washer acting on a first slider.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein measure mechanisms are further provided,

said measure mechanisms acting according to the equilibrium between the forces of the relative pressure in the measuring chamber and the forces of elastic elements contrasting the forces of the relative pressure.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein a rigid support consists of a basis fixed by a wall, integral with the external envelope.

8. The device as in claim 1, wherein the self-closing means comprises a valve with three ways and two positions;

wherein the entrance room, which feeds the valve with three ways and two positions, and the space, connected to the external environment, are always separated;

wherein the entrance room is connected to a cavity located at the extremity of the end, while the space communicates with the external environment.

9. The device as in claim 8, wherein the valve with three ways and two positions comprises a self-closing diaphragm held by a seat, located between the first support and the body.

10. The device as in claim 9, wherein the valve with three ways and two positions further consists of the self-closing diaphragm;

said closing diaphragm having a surface sealing the entrance room when said surface is in contact with an edge of a head, disposed at the extremity of a pin integral with the body;

the pin crosses a hole located in the self-closing diaphragm.

11. The device as in claim 9, wherein the manoeuvre member consists of a hollow rod, integral with the rigid member,

the hollow rod opens the self-closing diaphragm to commute the valve with three ways and two positions from a first condition, defined by the disjunction of the hollow rod from the self-closing diaphragm, to a second condition in which the contact between the edge of the hollow rod and the surface of the self-closing diaphragm seals the communication between a cavity of the hollow rod and the space.

12. The device as in claim 11, wherein the commutation of the valve with three ways and two positions in the second condition occurs when the hollow rod, in contact with the surface of the diaphragm, acts on the diaphragm with a push sufficient to move the surface towards the entrance room communicating with the cavity.

13. The device as in claim 8, wherein the manoeuvre member acts on the valve with three ways and two positions for commuting from the closing condition to the opening condition, in closing condition the entrance room is separated from the measuring chamber and the measuring chamber communicates with the environment, while, in the opening condition the entrance room communicates with the measuring chamber, and the measuring chamber is separated from the external environment.

14. The device as in claim 1, wherein other sensors are further provided, said other sensors commuting from first to second conditions of equilibrium to emit signals depending on the instantaneous value of the relative pressure of the fluid to be surveyed;

the sensors being capable of sensing thresholds (Padvi, Pci, Pcs) of different values of the relative pressure of the fluid founding in the measuring chamber.

15. The device as in claim 14, wherein said other sensors are sensitive of the force of the relative pressure in the measuring chamber transmitted to the sensors through a second movable diaphragm.

16. The device as in claim 15, wherein said other sensors consist of sliders resting on the second movable diaphragm, of elastic members, of contacts supported by the sliders, and of contacts fixed to a basis;

if the value of the relative pressure in the measuring chamber exceeds a threshold value (Padvi, Pci, Pcs), the contacts supported by the sliders touch the contacts fixed to the basis for defining a first electric condition;

vice-versa, if the value of the relative pressure in the measuring chamber is lower than the threshold value (Padvi, Pci, Pcs), the contacts supported by the sliders are detached from the contacts fixed to the basis for defining a second electric condition.

17. The device as in claim 16, further comprising electric circuits and apparatuses mounted on the basis:

wherein in said electric conditions said electric circuits and apparatuses generate signals to be transmitted to the external environment.

18. The device as in claim 16, wherein a second slider is integral with a third slider for forming a sole fourth slider, free to axially move between a distal position and a position proximal with respect to the basis.

19. The device as in claim 18, wherein the fourth slider is in a first distal position with respect to the basis, the distal position being the position of equilibrium reached by the fourth slider when the environmental pressure acts in the measuring chamber;

the first distal position of the fourth slider is reached because of the reaction of a first elastic member contrasting with the strength to the deformation offered by a second movable diaphragm;

a second spring keeps the first slider pressed against the second movable diaphragm in the first position distal with respect to a second support.

20. The device as in claim 19, wherein the first elastic member, located between the fourth slider and the basis, keeps the fourth slider pressed against the second movable diaphragm.

21. The device as in claim 19, wherein a second elastic member is located between the fourth slider and the contact.

22. The device as in claim 16, wherein a fourth slider comprises a joined second and third sliders;

a first elastic member is found between the fourth slider and the wall, connected to a first slider;

the reaction of the first elastic member discharges on the first slider, and the fourth slider is free to axially move between a distal position and a position proximal with respect to the basis.

23. The device as in claim 14, wherein said other sensors are housed in a cavity joined to the environment for referencing the value of the pressure in the measuring chamber to the value of the external environment.

24. The device as in claim 1, wherein the rigid member is fitted with internal ducts to connect the entrance room to the measuring chamber through the cavity, when the forces acting in the measuring chamber exceed the spring.

25. The device as in claim 1, wherein an interspace is provided,

said interspace being obtained by increasing the radial dimensions of the external envelope to keep the advantage consisting in the shortening of the total length of the device and to maintain a counter spring, disposed between the body and the supporting basis, integral with the external envelope.

26. The device as in claim 1, wherein the connecting body is separated in two portions,

a first fixed portion for fastening the device to the end, and

a second movable portion axially translating both with respect to the fixed portion and with respect to the external envelope.

27. The device as in claim 26, wherein a flange is realised at the end of a protuberance, integral with the movable portion of the body;

a gasket being located between the flange and an end, integral with the fixed portion of the body;

the gasket sealing the flange and the end.

28. The device as in claim 27, wherein the body houses a cavity, in which the protuberance axially translates.

29. The device as in claim 26, wherein a hollow sleeve is integral with the movable portion of the body;

the internal wall of the hollow sleeve axially sliding with respect to a peripheral wall of the fixed portion.

30. The device as in claim 29, wherein the internal wall is coupled to the peripheral wall with a sufficient accuracy, therefore the hollow sleeve forms a guide for the movable portion.

31. The device as in claim 29, wherein a counter spring is housed in an interspace out the hollow sleeve;

the space is permanently connected to the external environment through a duct, obtained in the first support, a duct located in the movable portion, a chamber separating the first fixed portion from the second movable portion, a duct obtained in the fixed portion, a duct obtained in the movable portion, the interspace radially obtained in the movable portion to house the counter spring, a duct obtained in the fixed portion and a duct obtained in the external envelope.

32. The device as in claim 1, wherein a plate is further provided,

the plate being disposed between the rigid member and a first Belleville washer;

the plate being free to axially translate, with respect to the rigid member between a distal position and a position proximal with respect the first support.

33. The device as in claim 32, wherein the rigid member and the plate are separated to uncouple the actions regarding the seal of a gasket for separating a chamber internal to the gasket from a chamber connected to the external environment.