Remote shut-off gas meter

• US 8,525,650 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elster American Meter Co. LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster American Meter Co. LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Turgeon, Joseph Leonard, Bradley, Tod Wallace, Kelly, John Carlton, Kochanowicz, Brian William
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY III, EDWIN C
• Application Number:
  US12/775,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.22, 340/12.3, 340/12.5, 137/39, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/002 for gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/221 Valves therefor valves for flowmeters in general G01F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/226 characterised by features of meter body or housing
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/227 characterised by the means for transfer of membrane movement information to indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0777 With second control

Abstract

A retrofit system includes a body, a cup and a valve. The body has a top wall and a plurality of side walls defining a opening and a chamber and is configured to be connected to a gas meter such that the chamber is in fluid communication with a chamber of the gas meter. An inlet channel is configured to be in fluid communication with an inlet of a diaphragm disposed within the gas meter and an outlet channel configured to be in fluid communication with an outlet of the diaphragm. The cup is disposed within an aperture located in the top wall and defines compartment configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) controller and a power supply. The valve is connected to one of the inlet or outlet channels and is electrically coupled to the RF controller and the power supply. The valve is configured to close in response to receiving an electrical signal from the RF controller.

Claims

1. A retrofit gas meter, comprising:

a gas meter including

a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls that together form a body of the gas meter that defines an interior chamber that is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a valve plate including a plurality of ports to provide fluid communication between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, the lower chamber being divided into a front chamber and a rear chamber by a central partition extending between the valve plate and the bottom wall;

a diaphragm disposed within the lower chamber and having an inlet port and an outlet port; and

flags and arms connected to the diaphragm that are configured to control a flow of gas through the gas meter; and

a retrofit system connected to the gas meter, the retrofit system including

a body having a top wall and a plurality of side walls defining a second chamber, an outlet channel, and an inlet channel, the body connected to the body of the gas meter such that the upper chamber and the second chamber form an enlarged upper chamber, the inlet channel in fluid communication with the inlet port of the diaphragm, and the outlet channel in fluid communication with the outlet port of the diaphragm;

a cup disposed within an aperture defined by the body of the retrofit system, the cup defining an compartment sized and configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) controller and a power supply, the cup including a wire connector configured to maintain a pressure boundary between the compartment and the enlarged upper chamber; and

a valve disposed within the enlarged upper chamber and connected to one of the inlet channel or the outlet channel, the valve electrically coupled to the RF controller and the power supply, the valve configured to open and close in response to an electrical signal received from the RF controller via at least one wire that extends through the wire connector.

2. The retrofit gas meter of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to encase the RF controller and power supply within the compartment of the cup.

3. The retrofit gas meter of claim 1, wherein the gas meter body and the body of the retrofit system are formed from aluminum.

4. The retrofit gas meter of claim 2, wherein the cover is formed from a material that enables RF propagation.

5. The retrofit gas meter of claim 1, wherein an interface between the cup and the body of the retrofit system is airtight.

6. The retrofit gas meter of claim 5, wherein the cup and the body of the retrofit system are monolithic.

7. A retrofit system for a gas meter, comprising:

a body having a top wall and a plurality of side walls defining an opening and a chamber, the body configured to be connected to a body of a gas meter such that the chamber is in fluid communication with an upper chamber of the gas meter to provide an enlarged upper chamber that is fluid communication with a lower chamber of the gas meter in which a diaphragm is disposed, the body including an inlet channel configured to be in fluid communication with an inlet of the diaphragm disposed within the gas meter and an outlet channel configured to be in fluid communication with an outlet of the diaphragm;

a cup disposed within an aperture defined by the body, the cup defining an compartment sized and configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) controller and a power supply, the cup including a wire connector configured to maintain a pressure boundary between the compartment and the chamber; and

a valve connected to one of the inlet channel or the outlet channel, the valve electrically coupled to the RF controller and the power supply, the valve configured to open and close in response to an electrical signal received from the RF controller via at least one wire that extends through the wire connector.

8. The retrofit system of claim 7, further comprising a cover configured to encase the RF controller and power supply within the compartment of the cup.

9. The retrofit system of claim 7, wherein the body is formed from aluminum.

10. The retrofit system of claim 8, wherein the cover is formed from a material that enables RF propagation.

11. The retrofit system of claim 7, wherein an interface between the cup and the top wall of the body is airtight.

12. The retrofit system of claim 7, wherein the cup and the body are monolithic.

13. The retrofit system of claim 7, wherein the compartment defined by the cup is isolated from the chambers.

14. A method of retrofitting a gas meter, comprising:

removing a cover of a gas meter to expose an upper chamber of the gas meter that is separated from a lower chamber of the gas meter by a valve plate, the lower chamber being divided into a front chamber and a rear chamber by a central partition that extends from the valve plate to a bottom wall of the gas meter; and

securing a retrofit system to the gas meter to cover the upper chamber, the retrofit system including;

a body having a top wall and a plurality of side walls defining an opening and a chamber that creates an enlarged upper chamber with the upper chamber of the gas meter, the body including an inlet channel configured to be in fluid communication with an inlet of a diaphragm disposed within the lower chamber of the gas meter and an outlet channel configured to be in fluid communication with an outlet of the diaphragm;

a cup disposed within an aperture defined by the body, the cup defining a compartment sized and configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) controller and a power supply, the cup including a wire connector configured to maintain a pressure boundary between the compartment and the enlarged upper chamber; and

a valve connected to one of the inlet channel or the outlet channel, the valve electrically coupled to the RF controller and the power supply, the valve configured to close in response to an electrical signal received from the RF controller via at least one wire that extends through the wire connector.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the retrofit device further includes a cover for encasing the RF controller and power supply within the compartment of the cup.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the compartment defined by the cup is isolated from the chamber and the internal chamber of the gas meter.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the body of the retrofit system is greater in size than the cover of the gas meter.