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US 2011/0073189 A1Published application
Water shut off with flow sensor emergency shut down
OwnerJames C. Elbert, Gregory P. Kendallinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for monitoring and shutting off water flow through a conduit in which a user sets a time period for which water may flow through the apparatus. Once the time limit has been reached, the apparatus of the invention shuts a valve, ceasing water flow to a water-using appliance.
Claims16
A water flow shut-off apparatus, comprising:
- a conduit to accommodate water flow;
- a passive water flow sensor;
- a time delay timer capable of communicating with said passive water flow sensor;
- an electric motor capable of communicating with said time delay timer;
- and
- a spherical ball valve connected to said electric motor and sized such that it fills the interior circumference of said conduit.
3 more elements
A method for shutting off water flow, comprising providing a water shut-off apparatus that accomplishes the steps of:
- setting an acceptable time limit for a water flow through a conduit;
- monitoring said water flow through said conduit;
- timing the duration of said water flow;
- determining whether said duration of said water flow through said comment is within said acceptable time limit;
- and
- closing a water flow valve when said acceptable time limit is reached.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.