Leak detector and sensor

• US 9,772,250 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richarz, Werner Guenther, Myles, Andrea, Yusuf, Shabbir
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Irving A
• Application Number:
  US13/492,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 30360, 73 405 A, 73592, 73 37, 73 40, 83 29, 81 44, 702 51
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/14 Punching tools; Punching dies
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/003 Arrangement for testing of watertightness of water supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/02 Hydrants; Arrangements of valves therein; Keys for hydrants
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/06 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 17/00 Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/00 Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/24 using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/225 used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes

Abstract

A leak detection sensor includes a transducer, the transducer including a base, a piezoelectric layer, and a conductive layer and at least two leads connected to the transducer. A method of making a leak detection sensor includes obtaining a transducer, the transducer including a base, a piezoelectric layer, and a conductive layer; and effecting a mounting hole such that the mounting hole is defined in the transducer. A jig includes a support and a punch.

Claims

1. A leak detection sensor comprising:

a transducer, the transducer defining a mounting hole, the mounting hole configured to be repeatable, the transducer comprising

a base, the base comprising a center,

a piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer deposited on a surface of the base, and

a conductive layer, the conductive layer being an unbroken disc deposited on a surface of the piezoelectric layer; and

at least two leads connected to the transducer and to a processing device, wherein only a first lead of the at least two leads is connected to the conductive layer,

wherein the mounting hole is in the center of the base, a center of the piezoelectric layer, and a center of the conductive layer,

wherein the transducer is coated in a non-conductive dampening material,

wherein the leak detection sensor is a burst/tamper sensor and one of an array of sensors and is configured to be repurposed based at least on the mounting hole, and

wherein the processing device is configured to

continuously monitor a pipe to detect an urgent event, the urgent event comprising at least one of a pipe burst and a tamper event, and

upon detection of the urgent event, wake a subsequent sensor in the array of sensors to monitor the leak event, the subsequent sensor configured to monitor the pipe on a wake/sleep basis.

2. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the base is brass.

3. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive dampening material is a silicone sealant.

4. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive dampening material is an adhesive.

5. The leak detection sensor of claim 4, wherein the transducer is a first transducer, and the adhesive is coupled to the first transducer and a second transducer.

6. The leak detection sensor of claim 5, wherein the second transducer defines a mounting hole, the second transducer including:

a base,

a piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer deposited on a surface of the base, and

a conductive layer deposited on a surface of the piezoelectric layer, the conductive layer being an unbroken disc.

7. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is located on top of the piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer is located on top of the base and the mounting hole extends through the base, the conductive layer and the piezoelectric layer.

8. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the base is flat and has an outer perimeter, the piezoelectric layer is flat and has an outer perimeter, the conductive layer is flat and has an outer perimeter, and a central axis of the mounting hole defines a longitudinal axis, wherein said outer perimeters of the base, piezoelectric layer and the conductive layer are offset from each other, successively reducing in size along the longitudinal axis of the mounting hole.

9. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive dampening material dampens frequencies outside of a desired frequency range within which leak detection is expected to occur.

10. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to communicate a sensed signal from the leak detection sensor to a host via a network.

11. The leak detection sensor of claim 10, wherein the sensed signal is an acoustic signal and the acoustic signal is sent to the host on a periodic basis.

12. The leak detection sensor of claim 11, wherein the processing device is further configured to detect small leaks and large leaks based at least in part on the acoustic signal.

13. The leak detection sensor of claim 10, wherein the network includes relay devices for relaying radio signals from the processing device to the host.

14. The leak detection sensor of claim 10, wherein the host is configured to store signals from the processing device in a database.

15. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to communicate the urgent event.

16. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the mounting hole is further configured to be positioned precisely in a center of the leak detection sensor by a jig.

17. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a repurposed output transducer.

18. The leak detection sensor of claim 17, wherein the repurposed output transducer generates a predictable electric current in response to bending.

19. The leak detection sensor of claim 18, further comprising a resonance frequency tuned to an anticipated frequency of vibrations generated by an anticipated leak in a piping member of a water distribution system.

20. The leak detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the subsequent sensor is one of a plurality of non-burst/tamper sensors, and wherein the array of sensors comprises one burst/tamper sensor and the plurality of non-burst/tamper sensors.