Wireless fluid shut-off valve

• US 8,567,757 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gas Sentinel LLC
• Original Assignee: Barth R. Pitchford
• Inventors: Pitchford, John H., Pitchford, William D., Pitchford, Donald S., Nagel, Steven, Nardi, Benedict J., Smith, Russell S., Simon, Robert, Pitchford, Barth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US12/950,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20110284777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 251/129.01, 251/65, 251/68, 251/70, 251/71, 251/248, 137/38, 137/39, 137/78.4, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.8, 340/13.24
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/06 using a magnet , e.g. diaphragm valves, cutting off by means of a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/082 using a electromagnet and a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/084 the magnet being used only as a holding element to maintain the valve in a specific position, e.g. check valves F16K31/082, F16K31/086 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/086 the magnet being movable and actuating a second magnet connected to the closing element
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/088 the movement of the first magnet being a rotating or pivoting movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0777 With second control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1915 Burner gas cutoff

Abstract

A low-cost safety valve for gas lines and similar supply lines that can be remotely activated via a secure wireless link employing a low leakage sealing mechanism that is compatible with low energy actuators to for extended battery life. A miniaturized controller and wireless electronics assembly provides the control mechanism for actuating the valve, as well as reporting data regarding the valve status to wireless interrogators or external networks via an ad hoc wireless network. A variety of simple magnetic valve operating mechanisms can be implemented with the miniaturized electronic control circuits and the valve body. Such control actuation mechanisms enable automatic resetting or manual resetting valves. The gas line shut off valve can provide important safety benefits at an affordable price.

Claims

1. A fluid shutoff valve, comprising:

a valve assembly comprising;

a valve body having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a valve interior, at least a portion of the valve body comprising a non-ferromagnetic material;

a valve ball positioned within the valve interior, the valve ball comprising a ferromagnetic material; and

a valve seat within the valve interior,

wherein the valve ball and valve seat are configured to inhibit flow of fluid through the fluid outlet when the valve is in a shut configuration;

a valve actuation mechanism comprising a magnet positioned outside the valve interior;

a control processor electrically coupled to the valve actuation mechanism; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the control processor, the wireless transceiver being configured to communicate via a wireless communication network,

wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to send a valve closure signal to the valve actuation mechanism in response to receiving a valve closure command message transmitted via the wireless communication network, and

wherein the valve actuation mechanism is configured to;

position the magnet on an exterior surface of the valve body when the valve is in the shut configuration so as to apply a magnetic field from the magnet to the valve ball with sufficient force to hold the valve ball in a position removed from the valve seat associated with an open configuration; and

reduce the magnetic force applied to the valve ball sufficient to enable the valve ball to engage the valve seat in response to receiving the valve closure signal from the control processor.

2. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the valve body is configured to cause the valve ball to move from the force of gravity to engage the valve seat when the applied magnetic force is reduced.

3. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 2, wherein the valve body comprises a V-shaped structure having a wider end proximal to the valve seat and a narrow end proximal to the magnet when the valve is in the open configuration.

4. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the valve seat comprises a conical section positioned proximal to the fluid outlet, the conical section having a diameter and conic angle configured to contact the valve ball so as to form an effective fluid seal when the valve is in the shut configuration.

5. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the valve actuation mechanism comprises:

an actuation gear coupled to the magnet and rotatably coupled to the valve assembly;

a drive gear engaged with the actuation gear; and

a drive motor mechanically coupled to the drive gear and electrically coupled to the control processor,

wherein the actuation gear is configured so that;

when it is in a first rotational orientation the magnet is positioned adjacent the valve assembly so as to apply a magnetic force to the valve ball sufficient to maintain the valve ball in the position removed from the valve seat associated with an open configuration; and

when the actuation gear is rotated to a second rotational orientation by the drive motor rotating the drive gear the magnet is repositioned to so as to reduce the magnetic force applied to the valve ball.

6. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 5, wherein the actuator gear is configured and positioned with respect to the valve assembly so that when the actuation gear is rotated from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation the magnet follows a path with respect to the valve assembly which applies magnetic forces to the valve ball in a manner that moves the valve ball from the valve seat back to the position removed from the valve seat associated with an open configuration.

7. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the valve actuation mechanism comprises an electromagnet electrically coupled to the control processor and position with respect to the magnet and configured so that when energized in response to the valve closure signal from the control processor the electromagnet generates a magnetic field which reduces the magnetic force applied to the valve ball.

8. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the valve actuation mechanism comprises solenoid electrically coupled to the control processor, mechanically coupled to the magnet, and configured so that when energized in response to the valve closure signal from the control processor the solenoid causes movement of the magnet in a manner that reduces the magnetic force applied to the valve ball.

9. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver and the control processor are configured to establish an ad hoc wireless communication network according to one of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and the ZigBee standard.

10. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors electrically coupled to the control processor, wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to receive data from the one or more sensors and transmit the received sensor data via the wireless communication network.

11. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 10, further comprising a memory coupled to the control processor, wherein the control processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to store data received from the one or more sensors in the memory until transmitted via the wireless communication network.

12. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, further comprising a sensor electrically coupled to the control processor, wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

receive sensor data from the sensor;

compare the received sensor data to a threshold value; and

send the valve closure signal to the valve actuation mechanisms when the received sensor data exceeds the threshold value.

13. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, further comprising a sensor electrically coupled to the control processor, wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

establish a wireless communication network via the wireless transceiver with other fluid shutoff valves;

receive sensor data from the sensor;

transmit the received sensor data to the other fluid shutoff valves via the wireless communication network;

receive sensor data via the wireless communication network from the other fluid shutoff valves; and

send the valve closure signal to the valve actuation mechanisms when the sensor data from other fluid shutoff valves in aggregate indicates a hazard condition.

14. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a tamper detector, carbon monoxide sensor, and a flammable gas sensor.

15. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the control processor; and

a valve ball position sensor coupled to the control processor,

wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

set a valve closure status value in the memory in response to receiving the valve closure command message;

determining a position of the valve ball based on a signal received from the valve ball position sensor;

compare the valve close status value stored in the memory to the determined position of the valve ball; and

send the valve closure signal to the valve actuation mechanism when the valve close status value indicates the valve should be in the closed configuration and the determined position of valve ball indicates the valve is in the open configuration.

16. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, further comprising an electrical power source electrically coupled to the control processor, the electrical power source including one or more of a battery, a rechargeable battery, a solar cell, a fuel cell configured to generate electricity from a fluid flowing through the valve, energy harvesting mechanism configured to harvest kinetic energy of a fluid flowing through the valve, and an external power source.

17. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly is configured as a combustible gas shutoff valve.

18. The fluid shutoff valve of claim 1, wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to be reprogrammable via a wireless network established via the wireless transceiver.

19. A fluid flow meter, comprising:

a fluid meter configured to measure a volume of fluid passing through the meter;

a shutoff valve assembly comprising;

a valve body having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a valve interior, at least a portion of the valve body comprising a non-ferromagnetic material;

a valve ball positioned within the valve interior, the valve ball comprising a ferromagnetic material; and

a valve seat within the valve interior,

wherein the valve ball and valve seat are configured to inhibit flow of fluid through the fluid outlet when the valve is in a shut configuration;

a valve actuation mechanism comprising a magnet positioned outside the valve interior;

a control processor electrically coupled to the valve actuation mechanism and to the fluid meter; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the control processor, the wireless transceiver being configured to communicate via a wireless communication network,

wherein the control processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to comprising;

sending a valve closure signal to the valve actuation mechanism in response to receiving a valve closure command message transmitted via the wireless communication network; and

receiving meter data from the fluid meter and transmitting the meter data via the wireless communication network; and

wherein the valve actuation mechanism is configured to;

position the magnet on an exterior surface of the valve body when the valve is in the shut configuration so as to apply a magnetic field from the magnet to the valve ball with sufficient force to hold the valve ball in a position removed from the valve seat associated with an open configuration; and

reduce the magnetic force applied to the valve ball sufficient to enable the valve ball to engage the valve seat in response to receiving the valve closure signal from the control processor.

20. A method of closing a fluid shutoff valve, comprising:

establishing a communication link with a wireless communication network via a wireless transceiver within the fluid shutoff valve;

receiving in a control processor of the fluid shutoff valve a valve closure command message from the wireless communication network;

sending a valve closure signal from the control processor to a valve actuation mechanism within the fluid shutoff valve in response to receiving the valve closure command message;

reducing a magnetic force that is maintaining a valve ball within the fluid shutoff valve in an open configuration sufficient to enable the valve ball to move to a closed configuration;

storing in a memory a valve close status value in response to receiving the valve closure command message;

sensing a position of the valve ball within the fluid shutoff valve; and

sending a valve closure signal from the control processor to the valve actuation mechanism within the fluid shutoff valve when the valve close status value stored in memory indicates that the fluid shutoff valve should be in a closed configuration but the sensed position of the valve ball indicates the fluid shutoff valve is in an open configuration.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving in the control processor sensor data from a sensor coupled to the fluid shutoff valve;

comparing the received sensor data to a threshold value; and

sending a valve closure signal from the control processor to the valve actuation mechanism within the fluid shutoff valve when the received sensor data exceeds the threshold value.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving in the control processor sensor data from a sensor coupled to the fluid shutoff valve; and

transmitting the received sensor data via the wireless communication network.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising storing data received from the one or more sensors in a memory until transmitted via the wireless communication network.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving in the control processor sensor data from a sensor not associated with the fluid shutoff valve; and

transmitting the received sensor data via the wireless communication network.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

formulating a valve closure command message including an identifier of the fluid shutoff valve within a central server; and

transmitting the valve closure command message from the central server to the fluid shutoff valve via a wired network to a gateway node that is part of the wireless communication network,

wherein receiving in the control processor of the fluid shutoff valve a valve closure command message from the wireless communication network comprises;

receiving the valve closure command message from the wireless communication network;

obtaining the identifier from within the valve closure command message;

comparing the obtained identifier to an identifier known to the control processor; and

ignoring the valve closure command message if the obtained identifier does not compare favorably to the identifier known to the control processor.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

establishing a communication link with the wireless communication network from a wireless communication device;

formulating in the wireless communication device a valve closure command message including an identifier of the fluid shutoff valve; and

transmitting from the wireless communication device to the fluid shutoff valve via the wireless communication network,

wherein receiving in the control processor of the fluid shutoff valve a valve closure command message from the wireless communication network comprises;

receiving the valve closure command message from the wireless communication network;

obtaining the identifier from within the valve closure command message;

comparing the obtained identifier to an identifier known to the control processor; and

ignoring the valve closure command message if the obtained identifier does not compare favorably to the identifier known to the control processor.

27. A method of closing a fluid shutoff valve, comprising:

establishing a communication link with a wireless communication network via a wireless transceiver within the fluid shutoff valve;

receiving in a control processor of the fluid shutoff valve a valve closure command message from the wireless communication network;

sending a valve closure signal from the control processor to a valve actuation mechanism within the fluid shutoff valve in response to receiving the valve closure command message;

reducing a magnetic force that is maintaining a valve ball within the fluid shutoff valve in an open configuration sufficient to enable the valve ball to move to a closed configuration;

receiving signals from a plurality of communication nodes within the wireless communication network;

measuring signal strengths of the signals received from the plurality of communication nodes;

estimating a distance to each of the plurality of communication nodes based upon the measured signal strengths;

estimating a position of the fluid shutoff valve with respect to the plurality of communication nodes;

reporting the estimated position of the fluid shutoff valve via the wireless communication network.