Flow control device

• US 7,549,439 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimura Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kimura Corporation
• Inventors: Kimura, Motoyasu, Kimura, Tomoei
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle; Stephen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US10/579,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,884 Days
• Field of Search: 137/101.19, 137/101.21, 137/487.5
• US Class Current: 137/487.5
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/02 Self-closing flushing valves self-closing valves in general F16K21/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2807 for pipes G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A flow control device having a power saving effect in addition to a water saving effect. Further, another object is to provide a flow control device easy to install, maintain and manage. The flow control device of the invention comprises a flush valve device having a main control valve in a path leading from an inlet to an outlet, a flowmeter unit for converting the presence or absence of flow of washing water leading from the inlet to the outlet into a pulse signal and outputting the latter, a control device for controlling the opening and closing of the main control valve according to the output of the flowmeter unit, and a power generating unit for generating power by using the flow of the washing water as power, wherein at least part of the power obtained in the power generating unit is supplied to the control device.

Claims

1. A flow control device comprising:

a flush valve device having a control valve in a path leading from an inflow opening to an outflow opening;

a detection portion for outputting presence/absence of a flow of a fluid flowing from the inflow opening to the outflow opening by converting to an electric signal;

an electricity generating device for generating electricity by using the flow of the fluid as power; and

a control device for controlling opening and closing of the control valve based on the output of the detection portion, said control device comprising;

a water leakage monitoring circuit for monitoring a water leakage in the path leading to the outflow opening,

a flow rate calculating circuit for calculating a flow rate of a fluid, which is discharged through the outflow opening, based on the electric signal obtained in the detection portion, and

a discharge control circuit for closing the control valve in response to information indicating that the flow rate reaches a discharge stop flow rate at which a discharge should be stopped;

wherein at least a part of the electricity obtained in the electricity generating device is supplied to the control device; and

wherein the water leakage monitoring circuit detects a water leakage in response to information indicating that an electricity generation is continuously performed in the electricity generating device after the flow rate has reached the discharge stop flow rate.

4. A flow control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a capacitor for storing at least a part of the electricity obtained in the electricity generating device.

7. A flow control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

the path leading from the inflow opening to the outflow opening is composed of a conductive valve housing; and

the control device comprises a theft-prevention circuit, which includes the conductive valve housing as a part of the circuit, for issuing an alert in response to a cut off of the circuit.

8. A flow control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

the detection portion comprises a rotating impeller, which is arranged in the path leading from the inflow opening to the outflow opening, for rotating when receiving the flow of the fluid; and

the electricity generating device comprises an electricity generating body for rotating with the rotating impeller.

9. A flow control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

the flow control device comprises a plurality of flush valve devices;

the flush valve devices include inflow openings connected to a common water supply pipe; and

the electricity generating device is provided on the water supply pipe side.

16. A flow control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the flow control device comprises an output portion for outputting the flow rate calculated in the flow rate calculating portion to an outside of the flow rate calculating portion.

2. A flow control device comprising:

a flush valve device having a control valve in a path leading from an inflow opening to an outflow opening;

a detection portion for outputting presence/absence of a flow of a fluid flowing from the inflow opening to the outflow opening by converting to an electric signal;

an electricity generating device for generating electricity by using the flow of the fluid as power; and

a control device for controlling opening and closing of the control valve based on the output of the detection portion, said control device comprising a detection monitoring circuit for monitoring an operation failure of the detection portion;

wherein at least a part of the electricity obtained in the electricity generating device is supplied to the control device; and

wherein the detection monitoring circuit detects the operation failure of the detection portion in response to information indicating that the electricity generating device is in an electricity generating state and the flow of the fluid is not detected in the detection portion.

5. A flow control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control device comprises a water leakage monitoring circuit for monitoring a water leakage in the path leading to the outflow opening.

6. A flow control device according to claim 5, wherein:

the control device comprises;

a flow rate calculating circuit for calculating a flow rate of a fluid, which is discharged through the outflow opening, based on the electric signal obtained in the detection portion; and

a discharge control circuit for closing the control valve in response to information indicating that the flow rate reaches a discharge stop flow rate at which a discharge should be stopped; and

the water leakage monitoring circuit judges an occurrence of the water leakage in response to information indicating that a flow of a fluid is continuously detected in the detection portion after the flow rate reaches the discharge stop flow rate.

10. A flow control device according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein:

the flow control device comprises a flow rate calculating portion for calculating a flow rate of a fluid, which is discharged through the outflow opening, based on an electric signal obtained in the detection portion;

the control device controls opening and closing of the control valve based on whether or not the flow rate calculated in the flow rate calculating portion reaches a discharge stop flow rate at which a discharge should be stopped; and

the flow control device comprises an output portion for outputting the flow rate calculated in the flow rate calculating portion to an outside of the flow rate calculating portion.

11. A flow control device according to claim 10, characterized in that the output portion comprises a display device for displaying the outputted flow rate.

12. A flow control device according to claim 10, characterized by comprising a storage portion for storing the flow rate to be outputted to the output portion, and a time or date on which a discharge involving the output is performed are stored in correspondence with each other.

13. A flow control device according to claim 10, characterized in that the output portion sums up and outputs flow rates of a fluid discharged within a unit period.

14. A flow control device according to claim 10, characterized in that the flow rate calculating portion comprises:

a flow rate difference calculating circuit for calculating over and short of the calculated flow rate by comparing the calculated flow rate with a predetermined target discharge rate; and

an adjustment circuit for adjusting a flow rate to be discharged, based on the flow rate calculated in the flow rate difference calculating circuit.

15. A flow control device according to claim 10, characterized in that the output portion comprises a signal portion for informing that there are over and short in a flow rate of a discharged fluid when there are over and short.

3. A flow control device comprising:

a flush valve device having a control valve in a path leading from an inflow opening to an outflow opening;

a detection portion for outputting presence/absence of a flow of a fluid flowing from the inflow opening to the outflow opening by converting to an electric signal;

an electricity generating device for generating electricity by using the flow of the fluid as power; and

a control device for controlling opening and closing of the control valve based on the output of the detection portion, said control device comprising

an electricity generation monitoring circuit for monitoring an operation failure of the electricity generating device;

wherein at least a part of the electricity obtained in the electricity generating device is supplied to the control device; and

wherein the electricity generation monitoring circuit detects the operation failure of the electricity generating device in response to information indicating that the flow of the fluid is detected in the detection portion and the electricity generating device is not in an electricity generating state.