# US 2014/0151589 A1 · Flow apparatus and monitoring system relating thereto > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151589 A1 - Document ID: US20140151589A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/123,369 - Filed: 2012-05-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-02 - Assignees: Linde Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Michael John Cox; John Andrew Golby; Alan Edward Green; Piers Lambert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151589A1 ## CPC - F17C 13/02: Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment (measuring in general G01) - F16K 37/0041: {for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence)} - F16K 37/0083: {by measuring valve parameters} - F17C 13/025: {having the pressure as the parameter} - F17C 13/026: {having the temperature as the parameter} - G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)} - G01D 5/2492: {Pulse stream} - G01F 23/14: by measurement of pressure - F17C 2250/0478: Position or presence - Y10T 137/8326: Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm - 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) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present invention provides a flow apparatus (10) having a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18) and an actuator (20) for moving said obturator (16) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (B-L), characterised by a valve position monitor (21) for monitoring the position of the valve (12) and comprising a plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28e) associated with a plurality of open positions (B-L) of said valve for monitoring the presence or absence of one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12). The arrangement may be used to monitor the valve position and such monitoring may be of use in the prediction of the amount of fluid remaining within a cylinder (32) to which it has been attached. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure having a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18) and an actuator (20) for moving said obturator (16) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (A-L), characterised by a valve position monitor (21) for monitoring the position of the valve (12) and comprising a plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28e) associated with a plurality of open positions (B-L) of said valve for monitoring the presence or absence of one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the monitor (21) comprises a plurality members (26) in the form of discrete members (26a to 26e) positioned for movement in association with the valve (12) and a plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28e) fixedly mounted relative to said housing (12) such that movement of the actuator (20) causes said members (26) to move relative to said sensors (28) and allow for detection of said movement through detection of said members (26) by said sensors (28a to 28e). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said valve (12) comprises a rotational valve actuator (20) having a spindle (24) and said members (26) are circumferentially spaced relative to each other and positioned for rotation with said spindle (24) and said sensors (28) are circumferentially spaced around said members (26). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A flow apparatus as (10) claimed in claim 2 characterised in that said members (26) are housed within a handle (22) connected to said spindle (24). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said valve includes an indexable (click-stop) multi-position actuator having multiple stop positions A to L and wherein said sensors (28a to 28d) are positioned adjacent one or more stop positions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that there are an odd number of members (26) and an even number of sensors (28). ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that said members (26) are arranged in two groups (G1, G2), said first group (G1) comprising a plurality of magnets spaced from each other by an amount equal to a spacing S1 between said sensors (28) and said second group (G2) being circumferentially spaced from said first group (G1) by an amount greater than twice the spacing S1 and being circumferentially spaced from each other by an amount equal to twice the spacing S1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that one or more different combinations of the members (26) align with one or more different combinations of sensors (28) at each of multiple open positions (A to L) of the actuator (20). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that none of the members (26) align with any of the sensors (28) at a closed position of the valve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by a sensor reader (104) for detecting the presence or absence of an output from each sensor (28). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by an analyser (114) for analysing the outputs sensed by the reader (104) and for determining the position of the valve (12) from said analysis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 10 characterised by a processor (114) for processing data relating to the position of said valve (12) over time and for calculating the flow rate of fluid through said valve (12). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said apparatus (10) is positioned on a vessel (34) for receiving a fluid to be dispensed and by a processor (114) for processing data relating to the position of said valve (12) over time and for calculating the flow rate of fluid through said valve (12) and the amount of fluid remaining or the amount of time remaining at the set flow-rate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 12 characterised by a display (118) for displaying a visual indication of the time remaining before exhaustion of the fluid within the vessel (34) based on a determination of flow rate over time derived from the detection of the valve (12) position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said members (26) comprise magnetic members and said sensors (28) comprise hall effect-sensors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said members (26) comprise transmitter coils for emitting a magnetic field and said sensors (28) comprise coils for generating an eddy current when in the proximity of said emitted magnetic field. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said member (26) comprises a light source for transmitting light and said sensors (28) comprise light detectors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said member (26) comprises a first portion of capacitive member and said sensor (28) comprises a sensor for sensing a change in capacitance between said first portion and a second portion of said capacitor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said member (26) comprises a protrusion and said sensor (28) comprises a contact sensor positioned to contact with said protrusion when it is in a desired position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by a primary on/off valve (32) between a cylinder (34) for receiving fluid to be dispensed and said flow control valve (12) and a display (118) for displaying a warning in the event that said primary on/off valve (32) is not fully open. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by an internal temperature sensor (48) for sensing the temperature of the fluid within a vessel (34) and a temperature transmitter (106a) for transmitting a temperature reading to a reader (104) for addition to the valve position data and for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by an internal pressure sensor (48) positioned for determining the pressure within the vessel (34) and a pressure transmitter (106b) for transmitting a pressure reading to a reader (104) for addition to the valve position data and for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by an external temperature sensor (108) for sensing the ambient temperature and a temperature transmitter (110a) for transmitting a temperature reading to a reader (104) for addition to the valve position data and for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 characterised by an external pressure sensor (108) positioned for determining the pressure outside of the vessel (34) and a pressure transmitter (110b) for transmitting a pressure reading to a reader (112) for addition to the valve position data and for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 16 characterised in that the primary on/off valve (32) includes a secondary member (36) and a secondary receiver (38) and a handle portion (40) having a first guide slot (74) provided therein for receiving a first portion of said secondary member (36), and second guide slot (78) for receiving a second portion of said member (36), wherein said first guide slot (74) comprises a spiral groove within a surface of said handle portion (40) which extends around an axis of rotation X2 thereof between a first inner position (74i) and a second, outer, position (74o) and wherein said second guide (78) comprises a radially extending groove extending away from said axis of rotation X2 between a first inner position (78ii) and a second, outer, position (78o) at which said secondary receiver (38) is located, such that, upon rotation of the handle from an off position to an open position the member is caused to slide along both the first and second guides (76, 78) between said inner positions (76i, 78i) and said outer positions (76o, 78o) and thus allow said secondary receiver (38) to detect the presence of said secondary member (36) when said primary on/off valve is fully open. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 in which the sensors are polled at a given frequency. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1 and having a sleep mode in which one or more of the sensors are not used until one or other of the remaining sensors detects movement of the valve. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 26 wherein during any sleep mode the frequency of use of any sensor being used is reduced.