Patent ID: 8850872
Filing Date: 2014-10-07
Classification: G01M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for detecting a leak in a fluid conduit line, comprising: a housing configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid conduit line; a valve including a valve seat coupled to the housing and a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an opened position wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the valve, and a closed position wherein fluid is prevented from flowing through the valve, the valve seat including a barrel extending along a length and the valve element including a piston configured to slidingly engage the barrel along the length, whereby the valve element remains in the closed position while the piston slidingly engages the barrel for small movements of the valve element until the piston no longer engages the barrel and the valve element reaches the opened position; a bypass line having a first end in fluid communication with a first side of the valve and a second end in fluid communication with a second side of the valve; a fluid flow detector operatively coupled to the bypass line and configured to detect the flow of fluid therethrough; and a mechanism configured to provide a return force on the valve element when the valve element is immersed in the fluid flowing through the fluid conduit line, the return force configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position, wherein the return force decreases as the valve element is moved away from the closed position.