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US 11,946,233 B2Granted
Hydrant monitoring system
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsTimofey Sitnikov, Paul S. Gifford, Carlos Stephen Moreno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensing assembly of a hydrant can include a sensor housing defining a housing cavity, the sensor housing distinct from a stem of the hydrant and configured to be removably coupled to the stem; a sensor located within the housing cavity; at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor and located within the housing cavity; and an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor.
Claims40
A fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity for fluid flow;
- a lower barrel connected to a bottom of the upper barrel and defining a cavity in fluid communication with the cavity of the upper barrel;
- a valve plate located in sealing communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- a stem mechanically connected to the valve plate and configured to allow opening and closing of the valve plate, a top end of a lower stem of the stem comprising a sealing cap;
- and
- a sensing assembly located within at least one of the cavity of the lower barrel and the cavity of the upper barrel, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor via a wire received within an interior cavity of the stem, the wire extending through the interior cavity from the sensor to the sealing cap, the antenna located inside the cavity of one of the upper barrel and the lower barrel and coupled to the sealing cap.
7 more elements
A sensing assembly of a hydrant, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity, the sensor housing distinct from a stem of the hydrant and configured to be removably coupled to the stem, an axis of the sensor housing configured to be parallel to an axis of one of the stem and a stem bore defined by a valve plate of the hydrant;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor and located within the housing cavity;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- obtaining a fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity;
- a lower barrel defining a cavity and connected to a lower end of the upper barrel;
- and
- a stem comprising a sealing cap at a top end thereof;
- connecting a valve plate in sealable communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- coupling a sensing assembly to a stem of the fire hydrant, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor via a wire received within an interior cavity of the stem, the wire extending through the interior cavity from the sensor to the sealing cap, the antenna located inside the cavity of one of the upper barrel and the lower barrel.
9 more elements
A fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity for fluid flow;
- a lower barrel connected to a bottom of the upper barrel and defining a cavity in fluid communication with the cavity of the upper barrel;
- a valve plate located in sealing communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- a stem mechanically connected to the valve plate and configured to allow opening and closing of the valve plate, the stem being at least partially hollow and defining an interior cavity;
- and
- a sensing assembly located at least partially within at least one of the cavity of the lower barrel and the cavity of the upper barrel, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity, the sensor housing at least partly received within a stem bore of the valve plate;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor.
9 more elements
A fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity for fluid flow;
- a lower barrel connected to a bottom of the upper barrel and defining a cavity in fluid communication with the cavity of the upper barrel;
- a valve plate located in sealing communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- a stem mechanically connected to the valve plate and configured to allow opening and closing of the valve plate, the stem being at least partially hollow and defining an interior cavity;
- and
- a sensing assembly located at least partially within at least one of the cavity of the lower barrel and the cavity of the upper barrel, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity, the sensor housing at least partly received within a stem bore of the valve plate;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor, each battery being located within the interior cavity of the stem;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor.
9 more elements
A fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity for fluid flow;
- a lower barrel connected to a bottom of the upper barrel and defining a cavity in fluid communication with the cavity of the upper barrel;
- a valve plate located in sealing communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- a stem mechanically connected to the valve plate and configured to allow opening and closing of the valve plate, the stem being at least partially hollow and defining an interior cavity;
- and
- a sensing assembly located at least partially within at least one of the cavity of the lower barrel and the cavity of the upper barrel, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity, the sensor housing at least partly received within a stem bore of the valve plate;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- a PCB in electrical communication with the sensor;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor, the stem defining an antenna channel, a wire located within the antenna channel connecting the antenna to the PCB.
10 more elements
A fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity for fluid flow;
- a lower barrel connected to a bottom of the upper barrel and defining a cavity in fluid communication with the cavity of the upper barrel;
- a valve plate located in sealing communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- a stem mechanically connected to the valve plate and configured to allow opening and closing of the valve plate, the stem being at least partially hollow and defining an interior cavity;
- and
- a sensing assembly located at least partially within at least one of the cavity of the lower barrel and the cavity of the upper barrel, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor;
- wherein an axis of the sensor housing is parallel to and offset from an axis of one of the stem and a stem bore defined by the valve plate.
10 more elements
A method comprising:
- obtaining a fire hydrant comprising an upper barrel defining a cavity and a lower barrel defining a cavity and connected to a lower end of the upper barrel;
- connecting a valve reinforcement to a stem of the fire hydrant connecting a valve plate to the stem of the fire hydrant, the valve plate in communication with the valve reinforcement and in sealable communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- coupling a sensing assembly to the stem, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity, the sensor housing received at least partially within the valve reinforcement;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- obtaining a fire hydrant comprising an upper barrel defining a cavity and a lower barrel defining a cavity and connected to a lower end of the upper barrel;
- connecting a valve plate in sealable communication with a lower end of the lower barrel;
- and
- coupling a sensing assembly to a stem of the fire hydrant, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor housing defining a housing cavity;
- a sensor located within the housing cavity;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor, the at least one battery located within the housing cavity;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor and positioned at least partially within the stem.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.