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 assembly for use with a fire hydrant having a stem includes a sensor in fluid communication with a water supply; at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor; and an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor; wherein at least a portion of the sensing assembly is located within an interior cavity of the stem.
Claims20
A fire hydrant capable of connection to a shoe that defines a cavity, the fire hydrant comprising:
- an upper barrel defining a cavity for fluid flow;
- a bonnet connected to a top of the upper barrel;
- a lower barrel assembly connected to a bottom of the upper barrel, the lower barrel assembly comprising a lower barrel defining a cavity in fluid communication with the cavity of the upper barrel, the lower barrel assembly comprising a sensing assembly located at least partially within the cavity of the lower barrel;
- a valve assembly located in sealing communication with a lower end of the lower barrel, the valve assembly comprising:
- a valve plate for sealing the valve assembly proximate a lower end of the lower barrel;
- a valve retainer contacting the valve plate and located proximate the shoe;
- and
- a valve reinforcement contacting the valve plate and located within the cavity of the lower barrel;
- and
- a stem mechanically connected to the valve assembly to allow opening and closing of the sealing communication of the valve assembly with the lower end of the lower barrel, the stem being at least partially hollow and defining an interior cavity;
- wherein the sensing assembly comprises:
- a sensor in fluid communication with the shoe;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor;
- wherein each battery is located within the interior cavity of the stem.
A sensing assembly for connection to a fire hydrant, the fire hydrant in fluid communication with a shoe, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor in fluid communication with the shoe;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- a sensor housing defining a void,
- wherein each battery is arranged within the void.
A method of forming a fire hydrant assembly to connect to a municipal pipeline including a shoe, the method comprising:
- obtaining a fire hydrant assembly comprising an upper barrel defining a cavity, a bonnet connected to an upper end of the upper barrel, and a lower barrel defining a cavity and connected to a lower end of the upper barrel;
- connecting a valve assembly in sealable communication with a lower end of the lower barrel, the valve assembly comprising
- a valve plate in sealable communication with the lower end of the lower barrel,
- a valve retainer contacting a lower end of the valve plate, and
- a valve reinforcement contacting an upper end of the valve plate;
- obtaining a stem assembly, the stem assembly comprising an upper stem and a lower stem;
- and
- placing a sensing assembly in fluid communication with a lower end of the valve reinforcement, the sensing assembly comprising:
- a sensor in fluid communication with the lower end of the valve reinforcement;
- at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor;
- an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor;
- and
- a sensor housing defining a void,
- wherein each battery is arranged within the void.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.