Abstract:
A leak detection system includes a water delivery device having a flow chamber, closing valve member and at least one contact seat for receiving a portion of the closing valve member. A first contact is located on the closing valve member and a second contact is located on the contact seat, where the first and second contacts are coupled to a leak detection circuitry. A water flow detection element is located within the flow chamber, where the leak detection circuitry is configured to be in an inactive mode when the first and second contacts are apart and where the leak detection circuit is set to active when the first and second contacts are in contact with one another, when the closing valve member and contact seat are in a closed arrangement.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This application relates to a water service. More particularly, this application relates to water delivery device that detects leaks. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A faucet dripping once per second, wastes up to 3000 gallons a year. Currently, water leak detection s limited to identification of excessive leakage by assessment of the incurred damages. Installing in-line equipment to detect leakage causes head loss (pressure drop) and low flow rate, and is thus inefficient, if not impossible in some instances. For example, with existing equipment, to detect a leak rate of 0.08 LPM, the flow rate is limited to 2.4 LPM. These ranges are not useful for addressing detection of dripping faucets. 
         [0005]    The importance of dripping detection is heightened by the shortage of the commodity and associated cost of water. In some municipalities, the water is priced on a steep ascending scale based on consumption. In a normal household, the owner is the end user and they pay attention to the leakage. However, in public places and apartment houses where water is paid by the landlord, the leakage is often unattended for a long time. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present arrangement overcomes the drawbacks associated with the prior art and provides a cost effective leak detection apparatus and system for monitoring the same. 
         [0007]    To this end, a leak detection system includes a water delivery device having a flow chamber, closing valve member and at least one contact seat for receiving a portion of the closing valve member. A first contact is located on the closing valve member and a second contact is located on the contact seat, where the first and second contacts are coupled to a leak detection circuitry. A water flow detection element is located within the flow chamber, where the leak detection circuitry is configured to be in an inactive mode when the first and second contacts are apart and where the leak detection circuit is set to active when the first and second contacts are in contact with one another, when the closing valve member and contact seat are in a closed arrangement. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present invention can be understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a valve and leak detection system according to one embodiment; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a valve and leak detection system from  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows an alternative valve and leak detection system according to one embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative valve and leak detection system according to one embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a close up view of a leak detection washer according to one embodiment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows a leak detection circuit according to one embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows the leak detection circuit of  FIG. 6  connected to a shut off valve according to one embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows the leak detection circuit of  FIG. 6  connected to a shut off valve according to one embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a processor for connecting the leak detection circuit of  FIG. 6  according to one embodiment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  shows a plurality of processors from  FIG. 9  coupled to a common system according to one embodiment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a flow chart that shows the post leak detection activity of the processor of  FIG. 9  according to one embodiment; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 12-14  show exemplary screen shots for the processor of  FIG. 9  according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    In one embodiment of the present arrangement, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a typical faucet  10  is shown having the normal stem  12 , handle  14 , closing washer  16  and valve seat  18 . For the purposes of illustration, the present figures the present arrangement in the context of a manual shut valve  10 . However, the same system may be implemented in conjunction with automatic valves/faucets such as timer faucets, electronic/motion activated faucets etc. . . . . 
         [0022]    At some location on faucet  10 , a set of contacts  20  and  22  are placed in relation to one another such that when the valve is (intentionally) closed the contacts are in contact with one another and when the valve is (intentionally) open they are apart. For example in  FIG. 1 , contacts  20  and  22  are placed on the bottom of handle  14  and the top of a packing nut  19 . In one arrangement contacts  20  and  22  may be installed with a hard wires to the detection circuitry that are hidden from view (described below) or with an Active RFID implementation. 
         [0023]    It is noted that contacts  20  and  22  are dimensioned to not only fit in the area between the handle  14  and packing nut  19 , but they must also be sized to be advantageously open when the faucet is opened (in varying amounts) and be dosed when the valve is closed. To this, end, in one arrangement, contacts  20  and  22  are made of thin copper plate. In one example, they may be constructed of 2.0-5.0×10 mm thin copper strip material. When these contacts  20  and  22  touch each other, they indicate closed position. This sizing is thin enough not to impede the ordinary faucet functionality while still be sufficient for a proper circuit contact. 
         [0024]    It is noted that the presently described system, the details of which follow, may have some or all of the components built directly into the initial design of faucet  10  or, alternatively, they can be installed retroactively into existing faucets  10 . In both arrangements, contacts  20  and  22  may be glued with water resistant glue or epoxy, but in initially designed faucets  10  contacts  20  and  22  may be advantageously micro-welded. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  a leak detection washer  30  is placed at the end of the spout of faucet  10 . Leak detection washer is formed as a discrete ring with two electrical contacts  32  and  34 . As water passes over the contacts  32  and  34 , the leak detection circuit is closed as discussed in more detail below. Ideally, contacts  32  and  34  are placed in the spout of faucet  10  in a manner to ideally be in the water path of the least amount of water possible. 
         [0026]    For example, in  FIG. 2 , these contacts  32  and  34  are placed against the indies of spout towards the valve components as this is here even a small trickle of water would pass. 
         [0027]    In one arrangement,  FIG. 3  shows an alternative faucet design having the same components described above. In another arrangement  FIG. 4  shows an alternative design having the same components described above in use in a toilet. It is contemplated that the salient features of the present device may be incorporated into any similar arrangement for water/valve installations. 
         [0028]    Turning to the structure of leak detection washer  30 ,  FIG. 5  shows a close up view of the components including contacts  32  and  34  as well as onboard battery/relay  36  and an RFID transmitter  38 . As with contacts  20  and  22 , leak detection washer  30  may be either hardwired to the detection/monitoring circuitry (described below) or detection may be implemented via RFID (as shown) with transmission of a leak event being submitted wirelessly to the detection/monitoring circuitry as displayed here in  FIG. 5 . In one arrangement, contacts  22  and  34  of washer  30  may be constructed of similar materials and sizes as contacts  20  and  22  and may be installed in the same manner. Leak detection washer  30 , in the case of the pictured RFID arrangement may be advantageously formed as a plastic encased active RFID transmitter ( 38 ) with its own battery  36 . In some designs the power ay be supplemented by a small solar panel that may be aesthetically designed into a newly designed faucet to extend battery life. As alternative, rather than using two separate contacts, leak detection washer  30  may employ a single contact that is constructed from a moisture sensitive material (not shown). 
         [0029]    Leak detector washer  30  may be disc shaped and arranged within faucet  10  so that contacts  32  and  34  are at the front (user) end of the faucet opening. In normal faucet design, there is a slight angle to the opening of the faucet with the user end being just higher than the side of the opening away from a user. Because of this any normal hanging droplets tend to appear at the far end of the faucet opening away from the user. Thus, positioning contacts  32  and  34  is ideally such that normal hanging drops do not lead to excessive false positives caused by water detection when the circuit is closed, while at the same time minor leaks (even small amounts) can be detected. In one exemplary arrangement, contacts  32  and  34  are located on the lower side of the faucet  10  opening away from the user, but offset approximately 10-15 degrees to the side so that small leaks remain detectable but a small independent normal residual water droplet would not cause a false positive. This is intended to illustrate one exemplary position of contacts  32  and  34 . It is understood that other positions of contacts  32  and  34  may be used within the context of the present arrangement. 
         [0030]    Turning now to the leak detection circuit, in one arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a leak detection circuit  50  is shown. In Circuit  50 , R 1 , R 2 , &amp; R 3  are resistors calibrated to control flow of the electric current in circuit  50 . T 1  &amp; A 1  are a transistor and an amplifier respectively, wired as a high gain compound pair. The Power Supply is a low voltage power supply for powering circuit  50 . The term “contacts” in  FIG. 6  refer to contacts  32  and  34  of leak detection washer  30 . The term “output” in  FIG. 6  refers to the terminal points of circuit  50  that is connected to the micro-processor, discussed in more detail below. 
         [0031]    In this circuit  50  a low voltage power supply is used. The transistor and amplifier are advantageously wired as a high gain compound pair. The current gain will be the product of each of their beta. The fluid which passes a minimum current of 4 μA will activate the relay as it crosses contacts  32  and  34 . This is easily achieved with tap water. 
         [0032]    In one exemplary arrangement, circuit  50  is low powered with substantially (1.5 to 5 volts) and the electronic components of circuit  50  are preferably within 200 feet from the water service. For example, a microprocessor (discussed below) may be housed at a remote location (locations in larger buildings) near the fuse boxes and the like (management office, storage closet, etc. . . . ) Adjustments can be made to power and processor location for circuit  50  based on the communication mode (RFID, hard wire) to ensure necessary signal strength. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 7 and 8  shows the same circuit  50  with coupling to contacts  20  and  22  used to control circuit  50  in active mode (as opposed to passive mode—both described in detail below. It is understood from this, that contacts  20  and  22  may be placed in the context of any potential source of a water leakage situations including bathtub spouts, washbasins, outdoor garden hose faucets etc. . . . . 
         [0034]    Also, as noted above, such a system as described herein may be incorporated into new faucets  10  or other water fixtures or retrofitted into existing structures. In both cases the wires needed to attach circuit  50  to the contact components in the faucet  10  are hidden as best as possible. In retrofit designs these wires would be tucked away and hidden as best as possible behind the physical structures. In newer designs that include the present system from inception, cavities may be formed in the physical components of faucet  10  to hold such wires internally. 
         [0035]    Turning to the processor,  FIG. 9  shows an exemplary microprocessor  100  for use in controlling one or more leak detection circuits  50 , implemented for example at various faucets  10  within a building (e.g. apartment building, office building etc. . . . ) In this arrangement, processor  100  is a programmable micro-chip that receives a signal from circuit  50  when contacts  32  and  34  are closed via a water leak, and based on the programmed options issues appropriate actions. Such connection with circuit  50  may be implemented using a phone line, Blue Tooth Wireless, or wired connection to micro-processor  100 , connected via internet to the outside world, or a network of other processors  100 .  FIG. 10  shows an alternative arrangement, where a plurality of processors  100  are linked together via a router  102  and therefrom into a larger server  104  for monitoring larger numbers of leak detection circuits, for example in the case of larger multi dwelling units. 
         [0036]    In the present example shown in  FIG. 9 , processor  100  is a Multi-Signal Processor that can monitor up to 8 input signals and up to 8 output ports to control the shut-off valves and/or simply provide detection alarms depending on the complexity/electronic capabilities or controls of faucets  10 . In one arrangement, processor  100  has a wired TCP/IP web interface that allows a user to access and program the board using any standard web browser. 
         [0037]    A Computer code (that is supported by Micro-processor  100 ) to assess the signal transmitted by circuit  50  and issue appropriate actions such as shutting down the valve, accumulating system condition, and issuing alerts based on user configuration may include the following capabilities
       Send signal to an external processor.   Send Pre-Configured Text Messages.   Call recipient on the phone and broadcast pre-programmed voice message regarding nature and location of the leak/drip.   Issue a pre-programmed text message regarding nature and location of the leak/drip to recipient texting device.   Issue a pre-programmed email message regarding nature and location of the leak/drip to recipient mail account inviting him/her to visit the web interface for additional control.   Issue a signal to a shut-off valve to stop the water supply.       
 
         [0044]    In one arrangement, such an application for processor  100  may be implemented as a web application presented via Micro-Processor  100  allowing the user to configure the system functional preferences using a personal computer that is connected with Internet. 
         [0045]    Using the above described equipment, there are two modes of detection that may be implemented by circuit  50  and processor  100  upon the detection of water at contacts  32  and  34 . 
         [0046]    In a first arrangement, active monitoring is used. In this implementation, the “on” triggering event is when contacts  20  and  22  are connected when faucet  10  is in a closed position. In other words circuit processor  50 / 100  monitors leak/drip condition at contacts  32  and  34  when the power is triggered on by closure of valve  10 . To achieve this, the power supply for circuit  50  is routed through valve  10  as shown for example in  FIG. 7 . Once valve  10  is closed, contacts  20  and  22  meet and sensor contacts  32  and  34  are powered and any continuous presence of water at contacts  32  and  34  will trigger processor  100  to issue an alarm. 
         [0047]    In this arrangement of circuit  50  with the power supply routed through valve  10  (stem  12  and seat  18 ) activation relay only occurs when faucet  10  is closed. The transistor and amplifier of circuit  50  are wired as a high gain compound pair. The current gain in this arrangement is a product of transistor and amplifier betas. The fluid drip/leak which is being detected is such to passes a current (eg. 4 μA minimum) across contacts  32  and  34  to activate the relay. This is easily achieved with tap water. In the case of an alarm, as noted above, shut off valve  10  may be optionally installed to allow programmed/automated shut off of the water supply to faucet  10 . 
         [0048]    In a second arrangement, a passive monitoring is used. In this implementation circuit  50  is constantly powered to monitor for leakage/dripping through contacts  32  and  34 . The arrangement identifies leak/drip condition when the water presence is more than a pre-configured duration. In this model the program at processor  100  plays the major role in leak detection. This arrangement is shown for monitoring a toilet as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0049]    In circuit  50  the power supply activates the relay of contacts  32  and  34  at all times. As with the prior active monitoring mode the remaining settings are the same. This arrangement is useful where a normal shutoff even is supposed to happen within a given time frame (e.g. 5 minutes) after the valve is opened, for example when a toilet is flushed. In this passive mode, when a valve open condition processor  100  starts a timer and if water across contacts  32  and  34  is detected by circuit  50  after that time then an alarm indication is given. 
         [0050]    Once an alarm/leak condition is met according to the prior described arrangement,  FIG. 11  shows a flow chart of various actions that may be taken by processor  100 . The top of the flow chart simply shows detection of an active leak at contacts  32  and  34  in either passive or active modes. At step  200 , processor  100  stores the alarm condition and depending on the user settings and abilities of the faucet (water valve)  10 , and then does any one or more of the following: shut off of the valve ( 202 ); sound a buzzer/alarm ( 204 ); send a notification e-mail ( 206 ); and/or send a voice/telephone notification ( 208 ). 
         [0051]      FIG. 12  shows an exemplary system interface in a basic configuration panel as processed by processor  100 .  FIG. 13  shows a system interface for processor  100  that allows a user to configure the various settings for valves  10 , including the setting of active or passive modes for each.  FIG. 14  shows an exemplary system interface for processor  100  that shows a status warning for one of the connected valves  10  after circuit  50  detects a leak. It is understood that these are mere exemplary screen shots for presentation of the functions of processor  100  to a user. Any such display capable of showing the features of and allowing or control of the processor  100  and the various connected circuits  50  is within the contemplation of the present arrangement. 
         [0052]    While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.