Flo Technologies, Inc.

Fortune Brands Water Innovations LLC

Lumo LLC

Other

Henry M Halimi

Jeffrey A Scilingo

Timothy Claver Brock

Mark Nourmand

A fluid control device includes a fluid pipe section including a fluid inlet and outlet connectable in series to a fluid pipe. A fluid valve is coupled in series within the fluid pipe section separating a fluid inlet and outlet side and controlling a fluid flow. An electric motor is mechanically connected to the fluid valve. A temperature sensor is connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a temperature of the fluid flow. A pressure sensor is connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a pressure of the fluid flow. A flow rate sensor is connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a flow rate of the fluid flow. A control device processor is electrically connected to the electric motor and electrically connected to the sensors. A communication device coupled to the control device processor is for wirelessly connecting to a remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system.

Fluid monitoring and control system

A water control device includes a valve pipe section with an inlet, an outlet and a lower diaphragm valve housing with an internally disposed fluid aperture. An upper diaphragm valve housing includes an extension with an adjustment screw opening for a flow adjustment screw. A diaphragm valve assembly seals and unseals to the fluid aperture by an electric motor driven mechanical actuation fluid pressure diverter assembly. The flow adjustment screw includes a tamper proof surface that can be engaged by a flow adjustment tool. A base structure and cover protect sensitive components and are removable via a cover nut that also has a tamper proof surface. A flow turbine assembly is also removably disposed within the valve pipe section. The entire water control device can be removed and replaced through the use of pipe stub fittings using connecting nuts to engage the inlet and outlet of the valve pipe section.

Water control device for agriculture

An electronic pressure and temperature sensor includes a chamber disposed within a housing. The pressure and temperature sensor are disposed at a chamber first end. An opening is disposed at a chamber second end, wherein the opening is configured to be in fluidic communication with the fluid media. A viscous gel is disposed within a portion of the chamber and encloses the pressure and temperature sensor apart from the fluid media. A second temperature sensor is at least partially disposed within the housing and is not disposed within the chamber. The first temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the viscous gel, where the temperature of the viscous gel configured for use in temperature compensation calculations used to determine the pressure of the fluid media. The second temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the flow of the fluid media.

Electronic pressure and temperature sensor for a fluid media

A flow sensor configured to detect a fluid flow of a liquid inside a pipe portion is disclosed. A thin film thermal mass flow sensor has a substrate defining a thickness from an upper side opposite a bottom side. The upper side of the substrate supports a resistive heating circuit, a first temperature sensor circuit and a second temperature sensor circuit. The resistive heating circuit is disposed between the first and second temperature sensor circuits. The circuits are electrically connected respectively to a plurality of leadwires configured to be attachable to electronic equipment. A thermally conductive membrane is configured to separate the fluid flow of the liquid inside the pipe portion from the thin film thermal mass flow sensor. A thermally conductive bond connects the bottom side of the substrate of the thin film thermal mass flow sensor to the thermally conductive membrane.

Thin film thermal mass flow sensor in fluid applications

A fluid metering system includes a first and a second fluidic pipe section disposed in parallel between a fluidic pipe inlet and outlet. The first fluidic pipe section includes a first flow control device and a first flow metering device each connected in fluidic series. The second fluidic pipe section includes a second flow metering device connected in fluidic series. The fluidic pipe inlet and the fluidic pipe outlet have the same cross-sectional area and/or flow rate capacity. The first fluidic pipe section has an equal or smaller cross-sectional area and/or flow rate capacity in comparison to the fluidic pipe inlet and outlet. The second fluidic pipe section has a smaller cross-sectional area and/or flow rate capacity in comparison to the cross-sectional area and/or flow rate capacity of the first fluidic pipe section. Alternatively, the second fluidic pipe section may include a second flow control device connected in fluidic series.

Use of multiple flow metering devices in parallel to monitor and control fluids through a pipe

A fluid control device includes an electric motor mechanically connected to a fluid valve and a sensor coupled to a fluid pipe section. The sensor may be a temperature, pressure or flow rate sensor. A control device processor is configured to enter into a pre-occupancy mode when powered and never previously wirelessly connected to a remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system. The pre-occupancy mode may close the fluid valve if at least one of the following occurs: exceeding a first preset threshold for a pressure decay test; exceeding a second preset threshold for a maximum flow rate; exceeding a third preset threshold for a maximum flow duration; exceeding a fourth preset threshold for a maximum flow volume; exceeding below a fifth preset threshold for a low temperature; exceeding above a sixth preset threshold for a high temperature; and/or exceeding above a seventh preset threshold for a high pressure.

An electronic sensor includes a housing having a distal end configured to be exposed to a flow of a fluid media opposite a proximal end configured not to be exposed to the fluid media. A chamber and connected passageway are disposed within the housing. The passageway is connected at one end to the chamber and connected at another end to an opening disposed at the distal end of the housing. The opening is configured to be in fluidic communication with the fluid media. A pressure sensor and a first temperature sensor are disposed within the chamber. A viscous gel is disposed within the chamber, the viscous gel separating on a first side both the pressure sensor and the first temperature sensor apart from the passageway on a second side of the viscous gel. The chamber can include a non-smooth surface to increase viscous gel adhesion.

Electronic pressure sensor for measurement of pressure in a fluid media

A low power consumption leak detection device for a toilet tank includes a water level switch disposed within the toilet tank having a float. The float moves with a water level within the toilet tank from a starting position to a lower position. An electronic circuit is configured to be electrically disconnected from a power source when the float is in the starting position. The electronic circuit is configured to be electrically connected to the power source when the float is in the lower position and activate a timer having a preset time limit, which if reached sends an alarm signal to an alarm indicator. The alarm indicator notifies a resident of a potential water leak problem that can be fixed. The lower power consumption leak detection device only uses power when the water level drops thereby greatly extending the life of the battery and usefulness of the device.

Low power consumption toilet tank leak detection device

A fluid control device connectable to a fluid pipe includes an electric motor mechanically connected to a fluid valve configured to open and close the fluid valve. A manual motor disengagement knob is at least partially accessible to a user and mechanically connected to the fluid valve. The knob is configured to manually disengage the mechanical connection between the electric motor and the fluid valve while still engaging the fluid valve allowing the user to manually close or open the fluid valve without the assistance or interference of the electric motor. This is accomplished by a manual over-ride primary shaft translatably connected to a clutch shaft and in turn to the fluid valve, where the shaft in a first position is mechanically connected to the electric motor and in a second position the shaft is not mechanically connected to the electric motor.

Manual control for actuated fluid monitoring and control device

A fluid monitoring and control system includes a central hub having a central processor, a user interface and an input/output port. A plurality of control devices communicate with the central hub. Each control device includes a fluid pipe section including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A fluid valve is coupled in series within the fluid pipe section and an electric motor is mechanically connected to the fluid valve. A temperature sensor, pressure sensor and flow rate sensor are coupled to the fluid pipe section monitoring a temperature, pressure and flow rate of the fluid flow within the fluid pipe section. A control device processor is controllably connected to the electric motor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor and flow sensor. A control device input/output port is coupled to the control device processor, the control device input/output port in communication with the input/output port of the central hub.

A retrofit motorized actuator assembly is attachable to a portion of a fluid pipe having a manually actuated valve connected in series. The valve includes a cantilevered valve handle manually rotatable about a valve axis. The retrofit motorized actuator assembly includes a motorized actuator including a drive shaft extension rotatably controllable by the motorized actuator about a drive shaft axis. A mounting assembly is configured to fixedly attach to the portion of the fluid pipe and also fixedly position the motorized actuator wherein the drive shaft axis of the motorized actuator is aligned with the valve axis. A quick connect clamp is configured to fixedly attach together both the drive shaft extension and the cantilevered valve handle. The quick connect clamp is configured to be attachable and removable with just the use of a user's hands without the need for auxiliary tools.

Retrofit motorized actuator for remote fluid control

An electronic pressure sensor includes a housing having a distal end configured to be exposed to a flow of a fluid media, the distal end opposite a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is configured not to be exposed to the fluid media. A chamber and connected passageway are disposed within the housing. The passageway is connected at one end to the chamber and connected at another end to an opening disposed at the distal end of the housing. The opening is configured to be in fluidic communication with the fluid media. A pressure sensor is disposed within the chamber. A first temperature sensor is disposed within the chamber. A viscous gel is disposed within the chamber, the viscous gel separating on a first side both the pressure sensor and the first temperature sensor apart from the passageway on a second side of the viscous gel.

A water pressure sensor assembly includes a water connection fitting attached to a housing, where the water connection fitting is configured to attach to a point of use in a plumbing system. A pressure sensor and an optional temperature sensor are disposed within the housing and configured to be in fluidic communication with the point of use in the plumbing system. Another temperature sensor measures the surrounding air temperature. An electronic microprocessor is disposed within the housing and in electrical communication with the pressure sensor and the temperature sensors. A power source is in electrical communication with the electronic microprocessor. A data transmission path is in electrical communication with the electronic microprocessor. A control device is in electrical communication with the electronic microprocessor through the data transmission path, the control device including a visual display and at least one user control configured to control the water pressure sensor assembly.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Henry M Halimi