Leak detector
AssigneeVaporless Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorPenrod Geisinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A leak detector includes an off-center mounted metering pin cooperating with a single cross-hole in a poppet valve to accommodate adjustment of the flow rate past the metering pin by rotating the poppet valve about its longitudinal axis. A flow director, cooperating with the poppet valve, directs all flow into the leak detector directly into the line during initial flow into the leak detector. A piston, responsive to line pressure, is sized smaller in diameter than the poppet valve to cause the line pressure to increase rapidly and significantly during the leak sense mode and which size permits reduction in size and weight of the leak detector.
Claims21
A leak detector for use with a pump pumping product from a storage tank through said leak detector into a line having an outlet at a product dispenser, said leak detector comprising in combination;
- a) a poppet valve having a passageway and a single cross-hole in fluid communication with said passageway;
- b) a metering pin cooperating with said poppet valve to meter flow through said cross-hole into said passageway of said poppet valve as a function of the position of said poppet valve relative to said pin, said pin being mounted off-center of said passageway;
- c) means for rotating said poppet valve to adjust the spacing between said pin and said cross-hole as a function of the rotational position of said poppet valve;
- d) a flow director for directing a flow of product into the line upon initial actuation of the pump;
- e) a piston having an effective area less than the effective area of said poppet valve, said piston being axially translatable in response to return flow of product from the line to displace said poppet valve relative to said pin during flow of product into the line;
- and
- f) a spring for restraining displacement of said poppet valve in response to translation of said piston.
A method for detecting a leak of product downstream of a leak detector in fluid communication with a pump for pumping the product from a tank, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) directing all of the initial flow of product from the pump directly into the line;
- b) metering the flow rate of product into the line at a first rate with a poppet valve having a single cross-hole directing the product to and about a metering pin during a line fill mode;
- c) displacing the poppet valve relative to the pin to establish a second rate of product flow into the line during a leak sense mode;
- d) further displacing the poppet valve to prevent the metering pin from restricting flow through the leak detector during a fill flow mode;
- and
- e) adjusting the pin controlled flow rate by rotating the poppet valve relative to the pin to adjust the distance between the outlet of the cross-hole and the metering pin.
A method for adjusting a leak detector having a poppet valve and an associated pin for metering flow of product through the poppet valve, the poppet valve including a single cross-hole for directing flow of product to be metered into a central passageway, the leak detector including a basket for supporting the metering pin off-center within the passageway of the poppet valve, said method including the steps of:
- a) rotating the poppet valve to set the space between the outlet of the cross-hole and the metering pin;
- and
- b) restraining rotational movement of the poppet valve with a clutch.
A leak detector for use with a pump pumping product from a storage tank through said leak detector into a line having an outlet at a product dispenser, said leak detector comprising in combination:
- a) a poppet valve having a passageway and a single cross-hole in fluid communication with said passageway;
- b) a metering pin cooperating with said poppet valve to meter flow through said cross-hole of said poppet valve as a function of the spacing between said cross-hole and said metering pin, said pin being mounted off-center of said passageway;
- and
- c) means for rotating said poppet valve to adjust the spacing between said cross-hole and said pin as a function of the rotational position of said poppet valve.
A leak detector for use with a pump pumping product from a storage tank through said leak detector into a line having an outlet at a product dispenser, said leak detector comprising in combination:
- a) a poppet valve having a passageway and a further passageway;
- b) a metering pin cooperating with said poppet valve to meter flow through said passageway;
- and
- c) a flow director for directing all flow of product into the line through said further passageway upon initial actuation of the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.