Water flow control valve
AssigneeFlow Stop, LLC
InventorsJoseph W. Pieczynski, II, Miles Moore, Jeb Stuart Hudson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include devices and methods for detecting water loss and consumption from commercial and residential commodes. In one aspect, the device comprises a valve for water control. The water flow control device includes: (i) an inlet in fluid communication with a flow sensor, (ii) a shut-off assembly located downstream of and in fluid communication with the flow sensor, (iii) a controller configured to receive input from the flow sensor and configured to send a signal to the shut-off assembly, and (iv) an outlet located downstream of and in fluid communication with the shut-off assembly.
Claims20
A water flow control device having:
- a water inlet;
- a flow sensor assembly in fluid communication with the inlet, wherein the flow sensor assembly includes a flow sensing impeller;
- a shut-off assembly, wherein the shut-off assembly is located downstream of and in fluid communication with the flow sensor assembly;
- a controller configured to receive input from the flow sensor assembly, determine if the received input falls within predetermined flow characteristic limits, and to send a signal to the shut-off assembly whenever the received input falls outside of the predetermined limits;
- and
- a water outlet, wherein the outlet is located downstream of and in fluid communication with the shut-off assembly.
A commode water flow control device comprising:
- a water inlet;
- a flow sensor assembly in fluid communication with the inlet, wherein the flow sensor assembly includes a flow sensing impeller that rotates as flowing water passes through the flow sensor assembly, wherein the impeller houses a pair of magnets that generate an electronic pulse as the magnets pass a magnetic sensor;
- a shut-off assembly, wherein the shut-off assembly is located downstream of and in fluid communication with the flow sensor assembly;
- a controller configured to continually receive the pulses from the flow sensor assembly and to activate the shut-off assembly if a number of pulses exceeds a set count and/or if the pulses continues beyond a set period of time;
- and
- a water outlet, wherein the outlet is located downstream of and in fluid communication with the shut-off assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.