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US 10,480,717 B2Granted
System and device for monitoring contents of gas cylinders or compressed liquified gas cylinders
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorRoy J. Grabski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and device for monitoring the content of a gas/liquid or gas only containment vessel such as a cylinder is provided. The disclosed apparatus is easily affixed to a standard gas cylinder and configured to monitor the pressure of the cylinder contents and activate a visual and/or audio alarm when the contents of the gas/liquid cylinder are no longer in a liquid or partially liquid state as well as activate another visual and/or audio alarm at a prescribed pressure when the contents of the cylinder are nearing depletion.
Claims14
A cylinder content indicator device for monitoring contents of a containment vessel configured to hold a fluid in a gas/liquid state, the cylinder content indicator device comprises:
- a housing body configured to be affixed to a valve that is operatively coupled to the containment vessel;
- a pressure gauge disposed in the housing body and capable of detecting the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel when the device is attached to a valve that is operatively coupled to the containment vessel;
- a display configured for displaying the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel in analog or digital form and whether the contents of the containment vessel are a liquefied gas in a two phase state, including a liquid phase and a gaseous phase or whether the contents of the containment vessel are in a gaseous only phase;
- and
- an electronics assembly attached to the housing body and operatively connected to the pressure gauge and the display;
- wherein the electronics assembly is configured for determining whether the contents of the containment vessel are the liquefied gas in the two phase state or whether the contents of the containment vessel are in a gaseous only phase based on the pressure and temperature of the contents of the containment vessel;
- wherein the electronics assembly is further configured to produce an electronic alarm to signify audibly, visibly, or both audibly and visibly when the contents of the containment vessel are in the gaseous only phase based on the pressure and temperature of the contents of the containment vessel;
- and
- wherein the electronics assembly is still further configured to produce an electronic alarm to signify audibly, visibly, or both audibly and visibly when the contents of the containment vessel are in the gaseous only phase and the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel, as detected by the pressure gauge, falls below one or more predetermined threshold pressure values indicative of a near empty or depleted condition.
6 more elements
A cylinder content indicator system comprising:
- a containment vessel configured to hold pressurized contents in a two phase state, including a liquid phase and a gaseous phase;
- a valve operatively coupled to the containment vessel and configured to controllably close or open a passageway for the flow of gas from the containment vessel through the valve;
- a cylinder content indicator device coupled to the valve and in fluid communication with the pressurized contents of the containment vessel, the cylinder content indicator device comprising:
- (i) a pressure gauge disposed in operative association with the valve and capable of detecting the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel;
- (ii) a display configured for displaying the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel in analog or digital form and whether the contents of the containment vessel are a liquefied gas in the two phase state, including a liquid phase and a gaseous phase or whether the contents of the containment vessel are in a gaseous only phase;
- and
- (iii) an electronics assembly attached to the housing body and operatively connected to the pressure gauge and the display;
- wherein the electronics assembly is configured for determining whether the contents of the containment vessel are in the two phase state or whether the contents of the containment vessel are in a gaseous only phase based on the pressure and temperature of the contents of the containment vessel;
- wherein the electronics assembly is further configured to produce an electronic alarm to signify audibly, visibly, or both audibly and visibly when the contents of the containment vessel are in the gaseous only phase based on the pressure and temperature of the contents of the containment vessel;
- and
- wherein the electronics assembly is still further configured to produce an electronic alarm to signify audibly, visibly, or both audibly and visibly when the contents of the containment vessel are in the gaseous only phase and the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel, as detected by the pressure gauge, falls below one or more predetermined threshold pressure values indicative of a near empty or depleted condition.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.