Leak sensor monitor

• US 8,174,398 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abraham Wien
• Original Assignee: Abraham Wien
• Inventors: Wien, Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/534,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 340/605, 340/603, 340/606, 340/611, 340/626, 73/40, 73/405.R
• US Class Current: 340/605
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/06 using electric or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2815 using pressure measurements

Abstract

A sensor leak monitor device that consists of well known elements arranged in a novel manner such that it can detect an involuntary consumption and alert a person when such is occurring. A pressure gage coupled with a timing device measures in a constant manner the internal pressure of a pipe and establishes a reference pressure. Upon the opening of any outlet of the network, the measured pressure will fall below this reference pressure value. If the measured pressure does not return to the reference pressure value within a stipulated time, it would be safe to assume that involuntary consumption is happening. Temperature is monitored and reported whenever it reaches a very low or freezing level. The device provides for audio and visual alerts to bring about the correction of the involuntary situation.

Claims

1. A sensor leak monitor device, interspersed in a pipeline, the device comprising:

a pressure measuring device, communicatively coupled to a pipeline, capable of determining a steady state pressure of the pipeline contents and remembering said steady state pressure value, and of measuring a dynamic state pressure of the pipeline contents;

a time-measuring device, capable of being preset to a plurality of discrete time settings and of being operated as a timer, controllable coupled to the pressure measuring device and operated such that upon the measured pressure deviating from the steady state pressure value to a lower pressure reading the time-measuring device is activated until it either the measured pressure returns to the steady state pressure value and then the time-measuring device resets itself to the preset time or the preset time is exhausted;

at least one temperature measuring device, coupled to the pipeline, capable of determining whether the pipeline contents have fallen below a preset temperature value;

an alarm device, capable of being triggered by the time-measuring device'"'"'s expiration of a preset time and whenever the at least one temperature measuring device registers a temperature below a preset value; and

a human interface control device, communicatively connected to the pressure measuring device, time-measuring device, at least one temperature measuring device, and alarm device, capable of controlling the time-measuring device and at least one temperature measuring device parameters and alarm device settings.

2. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the pressure measuring device is interspersed between a water supply pipeline and a water flow control valve.

3. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the pressure measuring device is a device selected from a group consisting of a manometer, a combination manometer and flow-meter, and a combination manometer flow-sensor.

4. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the time measuring device at least one selected from a group consisting of a mechanical timer, a piezoelectric timer, and a digital timer.

5. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the alarm is a device that emits at least a listenable alerting sound and lights a warning light and it is selected form a group consisting, of an audible mechanical alarm, an audible electrical alarm, and an audiovisual electronic alarm.

6. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the human interface control device is at least one select from a group consisting of knobs, visual displays, readable displays, push buttons, switches, and levers.

7. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature measuring device is at least one selected from a group consisting of a thermocouple, a thermometer, a temperature calibrated gage, a thermal reader, and an infrared reader.

8. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature measuring device is connected to the sensor leak monitor through wires or wirelessly.

9. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 1, wherein the time-measuring device is coupled to a pipe shut off valve, which is activated upon the expiration of the preset time.

10. A sensor leak monitor device, interspersed in a pipeline, the device comprising:

a measuring device, communicatively coupled to the pipeline, capable of measuring a steady state pressure of the pipeline contents and remembering said steady state pressure value, and of measuring a dynamic state pressure of the pipeline contents;

a time-measuring device, capable of being preset to a plurality of discrete time settings and of being operated as a timer, controllable coupled to the pressure measuring device and operated such that upon the measured pressure deviating from the steady state pressure value to a lower pressure reading the time-measuring device is activated until it either the measured pressure returns to the steady state pressure value and then the time-measuring device resets itself to the preset time or the preset time is exhausted;

at least one temperature measuring device, coupled to the pipeline, capable of determining whether the pipeline contents have fallen below a preset value;

at least one alarm device, capable of being triggered by the time-measuring device'"'"'s expiration of a preset time and whenever the at least one temperature measuring device registers a temperature below a preset value;

a transmitter capable to broadcasting a signal to a remote location receiver indicating that the preset time has expired or the at least one temperature measuring device registers a temperature below a preset value;

a human interface control device, communicatively connected to the pressure measuring device, time-measuring device, alarm device, at least one temperature measuring device, and transmitter, capable of controlling the time-measuring device parameters, at least one temperature measuring device, alarm device settings, and transmitter; and

a remote location receiver, capable of receiving the broadcast signal from the transmitter and activating at least one audiovisual alarm.

11. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the pressure measuring device is interspersed between a water supply pipeline and a water flow control valve.

12. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the pressure measuring device is a device selected from a group consisting of a manometer, a combination manometer and flow-meter, and a combination manometer and flow-sensor.

13. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the time measuring device at least one selected from a group consisting of a mechanical timer, a piezoelectric timer, and a digital timer.

14. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the at least one alarm is a device that emits at least a listenable alerting sound and turns on a warning light and it is selected form a group consisting of an audible mechanical alarm, an audible electrical alarm, and an audiovisual electronic alarm.

15. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the human interface control device is at least one select from a group consisting of knobs, visual displays, readable displays, push buttons, switches, and levers.

16. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the remote location receiver'"'"'s audiovisual alarm is at least one selected from a group consisting of an audible alarm, a verbally audible alarm, a digital text message display, and a warning light.

17. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the at least one temperature measuring device is at least one selected from a group consisting of a thermocouple, a thermometer, a temperature calibrated gage, a thermal reader, and an infrared reader.

18. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the at least one temperature measuring device is connected to the sensor leak monitor through wires or wirelessly.

19. The sensor leak monitor device of claim 10, wherein the time-measuring device is coupled to a pipe shut off valve, which is activated upon the expiration of the preset time.