Leak-detecting check valve, and leak-detection alarm system that uses said check valve
US7114516B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 14, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 3, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/86389
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
One object of the present invention is to monitor water pipes regularly and to detect water leaks by using basic equipment and to provide a device that generates an alarm when a leak occurs. The present invention responds not only to minor leaks that occur naturally because, for instance, a water pipe is decrepit, but also responds to human-caused leaks, such as those that occur because a person forgets to turn off a water faucet or because of the failure of equipment such as a hot-water heater. The present invention is a leak-detection alarm system that is composed of two main parts: (1) a leak-detecting check valve that detects movements of a movable device that makes the same movement as the valve element of a check valve that is attached to a water pipe and performs switching, and that transmits as detection signals the movement of valve elements, and (2) a signal-processing device that analyzes detection signals transmitted by the leak-detecting check valve and actuates a leak-detection alarm. The leak-detecting check valve has a main valve and an ancillary valve. The main valve operates in response to a high rate of flow of fluid through the pipe, such as occurs when there is…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.