# US 10,480,717 B2 · System and device for monitoring contents of gas cylinders or compressed liquified gas cylinders

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- Number: US 10,480,717 B2
- Document ID: US10480717B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/150,920
- Filed: 2016-05-10
- Published: 2017-11-16
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-10
- Assignees: Praxair Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Roy J. Grabski
- Inventors: Roy J. Grabski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480717B2

## CPC

- F17C 13/025: {having the pressure as the parameter}
- F17C 1/00: Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge (pressurised apparatus for purposes other than storage, see the relevant subclasses such as A62C, B05B; associated with vehicles, see the appropriate subclass of classes B60 - B64; pressure vessels in general F16J12/00 {; autoclaves B01J3/04; tank vehicles B60P3/22; railway tank wagons for carrying fluent materials B61D5/00; accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04; liquefied gas stoves F24C3/00})
- F17C 13/04: Arrangement or mounting of valves (valves per se F16K {; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00})
- G01L 19/12: Alarms or signals
- G01L 19/16: Dials; Mounting of dials
- F17C 2201/0104: cylindrical
- F17C 2201/032: with substantially vertical main axis
- F17C 2201/056: Small (<1 m3)
- F17C 2205/0323: Valves
- F17C 2205/05: Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels
- F17C 2221/01: Pure fluids
- F17C 2221/013: Carbon dioxide
- F17C 2223/0153: Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
- F17C 2223/033: Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
- F17C 2250/032: using computers
- F17C 2250/036: using alarms
- F17C 2250/043: Pressure
- F17C 2250/0491: Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
- F17C 2250/077: when empty
- F17C 2260/021: Avoiding over pressurising
- F17C 2265/04: using an independent energy source, e.g. battery
- F17C 2270/02: for medical applications
- F17C 2270/05: for industrial use
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the electronics assembly is a front panel electronics assembly forming a visible forward facing surface of the cylinder content indicator device, the front panel electronics assembly further comprising one or more integrated membrane switches and an integrated printed circuit board with surface mount components.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 further comprising a clamp plate assembly attached to a back of the housing body and together with the housing body affixes the cylinder content indicator device to the valve that is operatively coupled to the containment vessel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the display is configured for displaying the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel is displayed in analog form and displaying when the contents of the containment vessel are in the two phase state using a visually green indication, and when the contents of the containment vessel are in a gaseous only phase using a yellow or red indication.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more batteries to provide power to the electronics assembly; and
another electronic alarm to signify audibly, visibly, or both audibly and visibly when the power level of the one or more batteries falls below one or more predetermined threshold power levels.

### Claim 6

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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the physical dimensions characterizing the width of the cylinder content indicator device does not exceed the outer diameter of the pressurized gas cylinder.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the cylinder content indicator device coupled to the valve extends in a lateral orientation from the valve and forms a grasp configured to lift or maneuver the pressurized gas cylinder.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the electronics assembly is a front panel electronics assembly forming a visible forward facing surface of the cylinder content indicator device, the front panel electronics assembly further comprising one or more integrated membrane switches and an integrated printed circuit board with surface mount components.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the cylinder content indicator device further comprises:
a housing body configured for housing the pressure gauge and electronics assembly; and
a clamp plate assembly attached to a back of the housing body;
wherein the clamp plate assembly and the housing body affixes the cylinder content indicator device to the valve that is operatively coupled to the containment vessel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the display is configured for displaying the pressure of the contents of the containment vessel in analog form and displaying when the contents of the containment vessel are in the two phase state using a visually green indication, and when the contents of the containment vessel are in a gaseous only phase using a yellow or red indication.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the contents of the containment vessel is carbon dioxide.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the contents of the containment vessel is nitrous oxide.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the cylinder content indicator device further comprises:
one or more batteries to provide power to the electronics assembly; and
another electronic alarm to signify audibly, visibly, or both audibly and visibly when the power level of the one or more batteries falls below one or more predetermined threshold power levels.