Self-powered fluid control apparatus
First Claim
1. A self-powered flow control apparatus, said flow control apparatus comprising:
- a casing having an interior section defined by a plurality of walls, wherein said casing is to be positioned within a fluid flow stream the casing having a divider to create paths of fluid flow;
at least one louver positioned within the interior section, wherein the at least one louver is rotatable about an axis, said axis extending along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction of flow of the fluid flow stream;
a fluid flow-driven electrical generator having a rotating element positioned within the interior section substantially along the plane such that the at least one louver and the rotating element are in different ones of the paths of fluid flow through the interior section of the casing, wherein said fluid flow-driven electrical generator is to generate an output current when the rotating element is sufficiently driven by a fluid flow stream flow through the generator;
a motor coupled to the at least one louver, wherein said motor is to vary a position of the at least one louver to change a resistance to flow of the fluid through the interior section in response to receipt of a control signal; and
a controller to generate and provide the control signal to the motor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-powered fluid control apparatus includes a casing having an interior section defined by a plurality of walls, at least one louver positioned within the interior section and extending along a plane, and a fluid flow-driven electrical generator positioned within the interior section substantially along the plane, the fluid flow-driven electrical generator being configured to generate an output current when sufficiently driven by a fluid flow stream through the generator. The flow control apparatus also includes a motor coupled to the at least one louver and a controller configured to generate and provide the control signal to the motor, in which the motor and the controller are powered solely by the output current generated by the fluid flow-driven electrical generator.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A self-powered flow control apparatus, said flow control apparatus comprising:
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a casing having an interior section defined by a plurality of walls, wherein said casing is to be positioned within a fluid flow stream the casing having a divider to create paths of fluid flow; at least one louver positioned within the interior section, wherein the at least one louver is rotatable about an axis, said axis extending along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction of flow of the fluid flow stream; a fluid flow-driven electrical generator having a rotating element positioned within the interior section substantially along the plane such that the at least one louver and the rotating element are in different ones of the paths of fluid flow through the interior section of the casing, wherein said fluid flow-driven electrical generator is to generate an output current when the rotating element is sufficiently driven by a fluid flow stream flow through the generator; a motor coupled to the at least one louver, wherein said motor is to vary a position of the at least one louver to change a resistance to flow of the fluid through the interior section in response to receipt of a control signal; and a controller to generate and provide the control signal to the motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A fluid flow control system comprising one or more self-powered flow control apparatuses,
each of said one of more self-powered flow control apparatuses comprising: -
a casing having an interior section defined by a plurality of walls, said interior section comprising an opening, wherein said casing is to be positioned within a fluid flow stream the casing having a divider to create paths of fluid flow; at least one louver positioned within the opening, said at least one louver being rotatable about an axis, said axis extending along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction of flow of the fluid flow stream; a fluid flow-driven electrical generator having a rotating element positioned within the opening substantially along the plane such that the at least one louver and the rotating element are in different ones of the paths of fluid flow through the interior section of the casing, wherein said fluid flow-driven electrical generator is to generate an output current when the rotating element is sufficiently driven by a fluid flow stream through the interior section; a motor coupled to the at least one louver, wherein said motor is to vary a position of the at least one louver to change a resistance to flow of the fluid through the casing in response to receipt of a control signal; a controller to generate and provide the control signal; and a computing device to wirelessly communicate instruction signals to the controllers of the one or more self-powered flow control apparatuses. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for controlling fluid flow through a self-powered flow control apparatus, said method comprising:
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placing the self-powered flow control apparatus in a fluid flow stream, wherein the self-powered flow control apparatus comprises a casing having an interior section defined by a plurality of walls the casing having a divider to create paths of fluid flow, at least one louver positioned within the interior section, wherein the at least one louver is rotatable about an axis, said axis extending along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction of flow of the fluid flow stream, a fluid flow-driven electrical generator having a rotating element positioned within the interior section along a common plane as the at least one louver such that the at least one louver and the rotating elements are in different ones of the paths of fluid flow through the interior section of the casing, wherein said fluid flow-driven electrical generator is to generate an output current when the rotating element is sufficiently driven by the fluid flow stream through the generator, the self-powered flow control apparatus further comprising a motor coupled to the at least one louver, and a controller to generate and provide a control signal to the motor; receiving a detected environmental condition; and controlling the flow fluid through the flow control apparatus based upon the detected environmental condition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification