Fluid monitor and fluid monitor assembly

Abstract

The invention discloses a fluid monitor and a fluid monitor assembly. A fluid monitor for measuring a flow of a fluid includes: a housing including a housing including a lower end for mating with a pipe; an insert plate configured to be mounted in the housing by being inserted from a lower end; a monitor circuit board may be disposed between the insert board and the housing, where the insert board and an interior portion of the housing may be configured such that a periphery of the insert board is in contact with the interior portion of the housing, thereby forming a fluid-tight connection when the insert board may be installed in the housing, a fluid-sealed cavity for accommodating the monitor circuit board is formed; wherein, in the mounted configuration, the insert plate is at a distance from the lower end of the housing, providing a lower volume for receiving a conduit. The fluid monitor assembly comprises a fluid monitor and a pipeline block. The pipeline block comprises a pipeline used for allowing fluid to flow; and a connection surface configured to matably attach to a corresponding connection surface of the lower end of the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fluid monitor for measuring the flow of a fluid. Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fluid monitor assembly. Background Art

[0002] Water monitors that include electronic monitors that monitor flow at a building water inlet point are known. Also, point-of-entry water filtration systems that have some basic electronic functions, such as backflow, are known. However, these monitors and assemblies have limited functionality, such as measuring only flow, and their housings are cumbersome to handle when access to internal circuit boards is required for maintenance. In addition, although these monitors are used to measure water flow, some of them are not waterproof.

[0003] Therefore, a need exists to provide improved fluid monitors and monitor assemblies. Summary of the invention

[0004] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fluid monitor for measuring the flow of a fluid, such as water. The fluid monitor may include a housing including a shell. The shell may include a lower end for mating with a pipe, which may be open when not attached to the pipe. The pipe may be part of a conduit block (or "pipe segment") that may be inserted into an opening of the shell. The conduit block may include one or more valves and / or sensors.

[0005] The fluid monitor may include an embedding plate configured to be installed in the housing by insertion from the lower end. The embedding plate may be configured to hold the monitor circuit board. The embedding plate may be fixed to the housing by fastening means.

[0006] The fluid monitor may include a monitor circuit board that may be disposed between the insert plate and the housing. The monitor circuit board may be configured to be attached to the insert plate and placed within the housing as the insert plate may be inserted into the housing.

[0007] According to various embodiments, the embedded board and the inner part of the housing can be configured so that the periphery of the embedded board contacts the inner part of the housing, thereby forming a fluid-tight connection when the embedded board can be installed in the housing. Thus, a fluid-tight cavity for accommodating the monitor circuit board can be formed. The inner side of the embedded board and the housing can have a consistent geometry, for example, so that as the embedded board is pushed upward (i.e., into the housing), the gap between the periphery of the embedded board and the inner side of the housing (inner part) becomes smaller and the connection becomes tight.

[0008] According to various embodiments, the cross-section of the housing may become larger toward the lower end to facilitate insertion and removal of the insert plate.

[0009] According to various embodiments, the inner portion of the housing may include an inner portion for contacting the periphery of the embedded plate. The inner portion may taper in a direction away from the lower end, so that the inner cross-section decreases with distance from the lower end. This allows increasing the contact pressure between the periphery of the embedded plate and the housing during the insertion of the embedded plate into the housing.

[0010] In the installation configuration, the embedded plate can be at a distance from the lower end of the housing, thereby providing a lower volume for receiving the pipeline. Being at a distance can mean being spaced apart, for example, the distance can be greater than zero, and can include the meaning of being greater than 5cm, and can also include the meaning of being less than 30cm. The portion of the shell that is maintained between the fully inserted embedded plate and the opening of the shell is named as the overhang portion here. The overhang portion can provide one or more of the following: a lower volume for accommodating the pipeline, a lower volume for accommodating cables, additional separation of electronic devices from fluids, parts of valves and / or connectors that can protrude from the pipeline and / or from the embedded plate. Therefore, when the embedded plate is fully inserted and the shell is matingly attached to the pipeline, the embedded plate is spaced apart from the pipeline.

[0011] According to various embodiments, the side wall of the housing may include a flat section that extends as a plane from a position below the embedded board (i.e., closer to the lower end) to a position above the monitor circuit board. Thus, sufficient housing area is provided for fixing a through-type power connection, such as a connector.

[0012] According to various embodiments, the housing may include a socket that connects power from the outside to the fluid-sealed cavity. The socket may be arranged in the flat section and, optionally, above the monitor circuit board. The socket may be matable to receive a pair of pins or plugs that may be attached to the monitor circuit board.

[0013] According to various embodiments, the side wall of the housing may include a curved section extending from the flat section to the upper plate. The curved section may increase the structural stability of the upper portion and reduce the deformability of the upper portion. For example, during use, a user may lean on the fluid monitor or apply force when attaching / disconnecting the power connector or also the water connection during installation. In addition, pressure / tension may be applied when installing / removing the insert plate from the housing.

[0014] According to various embodiments, the insert plate may include an extraction anchor accessible from a lower end. The extraction anchor may be in the form of a hole, such as a blind hole. The extraction anchor may be in the form of a blind hole including an internal thread or other type of engageable feature.

[0015] According to various embodiments, the insert plate may include a base and a sealing element complementarily adapted to the base. The sealing element cooperates with the base such that the sealing element is held in place relative to the base when the insert plate is inserted into the housing.

[0016] According to various embodiments, the complementary fit may be provided by a protrusion in one of the base and the sealing element and a groove in the other of the base and the sealing element.

[0017] According to various embodiments, the sealing element may include ribs extending along the perimeter.

[0018] According to various embodiments, the top portion may include a mark. The mark may be formed by a translucent area of ​​the top portion. The term translucent includes the meaning of allowing light from the LED from the inside to be seen on the outside. Therefore, the wall of the top portion (i.e., the top portion thickness) can be made thinner than the lateral wall (or shell) of the housing to allow transparency, which can be at least partially compensated by the increased structural stability provided by the curved section of the shell. In an example, the top can be made thinner to provide transparency, and / or the top can be welded on, so that a different material can be provided as an opaque side wall.

[0019] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fluid monitor assembly including a fluid monitor according to various embodiments, and a pipe block. The pipe block may include a pipe for allowing fluid flow. The pipe block may include a connection surface that is configured to be matably attached to a corresponding connection surface at the lower end of the housing. The pipe may include one or more of the following: a fluid channel, an inlet / outlet, a sensor, a filter socket. The fluid monitor assembly may include a pipe block and a fluid monitor attached to each other.

[0020] According to various embodiments, the fluid monitor assembly may further include a sensor and / or a valve, wherein the sensor and / or the valve is or may be electrically connected to the monitor circuit board via a cable disposed within the lower volume of the housing.

[0021] According to various embodiments, the pipe block may further comprise a first connecting element on its underside for receiving a water filter.

[0022] According to various embodiments, the water filter may comprise a second connecting element for connecting to the first connecting element, optionally by means of a screw connection or a bayonet connection.

[0023] According to various embodiments, the fluid monitor assembly may further include a water filter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The attached figure shows:

[0025] Figure 1is a fluid monitor 100 according to various embodiments;

[0026] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A cross section of the fluid monitor 100 taken along line AA';

[0027] Figure 2B It is an enlarged portion for the purpose of understanding the installation configuration of the embedded plate 120 in the housing 112;

[0028] Figure 3A is an enlarged portion of the insert plate 120 showing the top side of the blind hole forming the extraction anchor point 160;

[0029] Figure 3B is an enlarged portion of the portion of the protrusion 127 that interlocks and fits between the sealing element 126 and the base 121; and

[0030] Figure 4 The fluid monitor assembly 10 includes a fluid monitor 100 and a pipe block 200 installed in the fluid monitor 100 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Figure 1 A fluid monitor 100 is shown according to various embodiments. The fluid monitor 100 may include a housing 110 including a shell 112. The shell may include a lower end 114 for mating with a pipe. The lower end may be open when not attached to the pipe. The pipe may be part of a pipe block that may be inserted into an opening in the shell. The pipe block may include one or more valves and / or sensors.

[0032] The fluid monitor 100 may include an insert plate 120 configured to be installed in the housing 110 by being inserted from the lower end 114. The insert plate 120 may be configured to hold a monitor circuit board 130. The insert plate 120 may be fixed to the housing 110 by fastening means.

[0033] The fluid monitor 100 may include a monitor circuit board 130 that may be disposed between the insert board 120 and the housing 112. The monitor circuit board 130 may be configured to be attached to the insert board 120 and may be further configured to be placed within the housing 110 as the insert board may be inserted into the housing 112.

[0034] The embed plate 120 and the interior portion 116 of the housing 112 can be configured such that a periphery 125 of the embed plate 120 contacts the interior portion 116 of the housing 112, thereby forming a fluid-tight connection when the embed plate 120 is installed in the housing 112, thereby forming a fluid-tight cavity 118 for accommodating the monitor circuit board 130.

[0035] In the mounted configuration, the insert plate 120 can be at a distance from the opening (the lower end of the housing). Being at a distance means being spaced apart, where the distance can be greater than zero, and can include meanings greater than 5 cm, and can also include meanings less than 30 cm. An overhanging portion of the housing that overhangs downwardly on the insert plate toward the lower end 114 (the opening of the housing) of the housing 110 provides a lower volume 119, such as for receiving portions of pipes, cables, additional separation of electronics and fluids, and / or valves and connectors that may protrude from the pipe and from the insert plate. Thus, when the housing 110 is matingly connected to the pipe, the insert plate 120 is spaced apart from the pipe.

[0036] According to various embodiments, the cross-section of the housing 112 becomes larger toward the lower end 114 to facilitate insertion and removal of the insert plate 120 .

[0037] According to various embodiments, the internal portion of the shell 112 may include an internal portion 116, also referred to herein as a circumferential contact surface, for contacting a periphery 125 of the embed plate 120, and wherein the internal portion 116 may gradually taper in a direction away from the lower end 114 (e.g., an internal cross-section decreases with distance from the lower end) to increase the contact pressure between the periphery 125 of the embed plate 120 and the shell 112 during the process of inserting the embed plate 120 into the shell 112.

[0038] According to various embodiments, the side wall of the housing 112 may include a flat section 140 that extends as a plane 140 from a position below the embedment plate 120 (i.e., closer to the lower end) to a position above the monitor circuit board 130. The flat portion above the monitor circuit board provides sufficient area for securing pass-through power connections and / or connectors.

[0039] According to various embodiments, the side wall of the housing 112 may include a curved section 150 extending from the flat section 140 to the upper plate. The curved section 150 may increase the structural stability of the upper portion and reduce the deformability of the upper portion. For example, during use, a user may lean on the fluid monitor 100 or apply force when attaching / disconnecting a power connector or also a water connection during installation to a pipe (which in turn transmits force to the fluid monitor 100). In addition, pressure / tension may be applied when installing / removing the insert plate 120 from the housing 112.

[0040] According to various embodiments, the top portion may include indicia 182. In an example, the indicia 182 may be formed by a translucent area of ​​the top portion 180, thus allowing light from the LEDs from the inside to be seen on the outside. Thus, the walls of the top portion 180 (i.e., the top portion thickness) may be made thinner than the lateral walls of the housing (or shell 112) to allow for transparency, which may be at least partially compensated by the increased structural stability provided by the curved section 150 of the shell. In an example, the top portion 180 may be made locally thinner to provide transparency, and / or the top portion 180 may be welded on, thus providing a different material as the opaque side walls.

[0041] Figure 2A Picture shows Figure 1 A cross section taken along AA' of the housing 110 of the fluid monitor 100. Only a portion of the overhang is shown. In the cut-away view, the thickness of the wall of the housing 112 can be seen. The insert plate 120 can be seen in the inserted configuration. In the inserted configuration, the insert plate 120 can be in a topmost position, for example, as determined by stops 120.1 and 120.3, which can also serve as screw guides for screws 120.2 and 120.4. The screws help to secure the insert plate 120 in place, thereby ensuring isolation of the fluid-tight cavity 118 from water and / or moisture. The number of stops and / or screws is not limited to 2.

[0042] Figure 2B The illustration shows an enlarged portion of the insert plate 120 for ease of understanding the installation configuration in the housing 112. As can be seen, the leftmost side of the insert plate 120 has a perimeter 125 formed by a sealing element 126 that contacts an interior portion of the housing 112.

[0043] According to various embodiments, the housing 112 may include a socket 135 that connects power from the outside to the fluid-sealed cavity 118, the socket 135 being arranged in the flat section 140 and optionally above the monitor circuit board 130 [in a direction away from 114 and being matable to receive a pair of pins or plugs 136 that can be attached to the board 130].

[0044] Figure 3A An enlarged portion of the insert plate 120 is shown, illustrating its top side. It can be seen that the top side of the blind hole sleeve forms an extraction anchor point 160. The blind hole sleeve can be attached to the bottom side of the base 121 of the insert plate 120 to allow access, and can be integrally formed with the base 121 of the insert plate 120 including the bottom. The blind hole sleeve can be further attached to one or more support ribs that extend from the sleeve to one side of the base 121. For example, the ribs can be integrally formed with the sleeve and the base 121 during the same injection molding process.

[0045] According to various embodiments, the insert plate 120 may include a base 121 and a sealing element 126 that is complementarily, for example, interconnectedly, fitted to the base 121 .

[0046] According to various embodiments, the complementary fit may be provided by a protrusion 127 of one of the base 121 and the sealing element 126 and a groove 128 of the other of the base 121 and the sealing element 126 .

[0047] According to various embodiments, the sealing element 126 may include ribs extending in a vertical direction along the peripheral undulating profile.

[0048] Figure 3A Also illustrated is a sealing element 126 that is disconnected from the base 121 and can be inserted into the base 121 in the direction of the arrow. The sealing element 126 includes a protrusion 127 that is complementary to the groove 128 of the base 121. When the sealing element 126 is inserted into the base 121, the protrusion 127 fits (e.g., fits tightly) into the groove 128. The groove and the protrusion form a complementary fit and can be provided in reverse, that is, the protrusion can be in the base 121 and the groove can be in the sealing element 126. More generally and according to various embodiments, the sealing element 126 is attached to the base 121 by a positive locking connection formed by the interlocking of connecting partners (such as complementary protrusions and grooves). Figure 3A In the example shown, the protrusion 127 cannot slide to one side away from the base 121 because the two are interlocked at the edge.

[0049] Figure 3B An enlarged portion of the protrusion 127 is shown, which is part of the interlocking fit between the sealing element 126 and the base 121.

[0050] According to various embodiments, the insert plate 120 may include an extraction anchor point 160 accessible from the lower end 114, optionally in the form of a blind hole, which may further optionally include threads or other types of reengageable features while still being fluid-tight.

[0051] According to various embodiments, the embedding plate 120 may include a structure for receiving and holding the monitor circuit board 130 in place, such as a screw hole 131 , which may protrude from the bottom of the base 121 .

[0052] According to various embodiments, the insert board 120 may include one or more electrical transmission points 224, such as electrical sockets, each including at least two wires, to allow connection between the monitor circuit board 130 and the sensors and / or valves.

[0053] Figure 4The fluid monitor assembly 10 is illustrated in a cross-sectional schematic diagram and includes a fluid monitor 100 and a piping block 200 installed in the fluid monitor 100 .

[0054] As seen, the housing 112 includes a lower end 114 for mating with (eg, receiving) a conduit 204 , in this example within a conduit block 200 .

[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, the side wall of the housing 112 may include a curved section 150 extending from the flat section 140 to a top portion 180 (also named as an upper plate herein). The top portion 180 may be a plate welded to the housing 112. This allows the housing 112 and the top portion 180 to be produced by different methods, thereby providing more freedom in production. For example, the top portion 180 may be much thinner than the wall thickness of the housing 112, and therefore, the wall of the top portion 180 (i.e., the top portion thickness) may be made thinner than the lateral wall of the housing (or the housing 112) to allow for transparency. The top portion 180 may include an opaque layer including an interruption defining a marking 182.

[0056] According to various embodiments, the top portion 180 may be at an angle A greater than 90 degrees relative to the axis X of the housing 112. The axis X is a vertical line from the lower end to the upper end. This allows for easier viewing of the markings when the fluid monitor is installed.

[0057] The interior portion of the housing 112 is configured to receive an insert board 121, which may be configured as a carrier and support for the monitor circuit board 130. The insert board 120 and the interior portion of the housing 112 may be configured such that a perimeter 125 of the insert board 120 contacts the interior portion of the housing 112, thereby forming a fluid-tight connection when the insert board 120 is installed in the housing 112, thereby forming a fluid-tight cavity for accommodating the monitor circuit board 130. The perimeter may be formed by a sealing element 126. The sealing element 126 may be attached to the base 121 of the insert board 120, such as by an interlocking connection.

[0058] As shown, the cross-section of the housing 112 increases toward the lower end 114 to facilitate insertion and removal of the insert plate 120 .

[0059] According to various embodiments, the pipe block 200 may include a pipe 204 for allowing fluid to flow. For example, the pipe 204 may be a horizontal hole (eg, a borehole) that includes an inlet and an outlet and allows water to pass through.

[0060] According to various embodiments, the duct block 200 may include a connection surface, such as a peripheral surface 202 , configured to be matably attached to a corresponding connection surface, such as a corresponding peripheral surface of a lower end of the housing 110 .

[0061] According to various embodiments, in addition to the pipes 204 , the pipe block 200 may include other fluid passages, inlets / outlets, sensors, and / or filter receptacles.

[0062] According to various embodiments, the fluid monitor assembly 10 may further include a sensor and / or valve 220, wherein the sensor and / or valve 220 is or may be electrically connected to the monitor circuit board 130 via a cable 222 disposed within the lower volume 119 of the housing 110. The electrical connection may pass through the base 121 via a cable or coupling 224 (e.g., a connector).

[0063] The monitor circuit board 130 can be attached to the embedding plate 120, and the embedding plate is installed in the housing 112 at a predetermined position so that the position of the LED 191 included in the monitor circuit board 130 matches the position of the mark. In one example, each LED 191 can have an associated light guide 192 for transmitting its light to the mark. In another example not shown, an opaque partition wall can separate the light of each LED to avoid light leakage into non-corresponding marks. These two examples can be combined, or other methods can be used to provide light to the mark.

[0064] According to various embodiments, the side wall of the housing may include a flat section that extends as a plane from a position below the embedded board (i.e., closer to the lower end) to a position above the monitor circuit board, thereby providing sufficient housing area for fixing a through-type power connection (e.g., a connector).

[0065] According to various embodiments, power to the monitor circuit board 130 may be provided by a pass-through power connection 190 . Figure 4 The through-type power connection 190 is illustrated at one of the sides of the housing, in this case the back side (right in the figure) for ease of explanation. In another example, the through-type power connection 190 can be provided at a lateral side lateral to the front side, the front side (left in the figure) being the side where the user can see the markings better. Providing at the side allows for easier replacement of the power plug, for example, where the through-type power connection 190 is provided as a connector (e.g., a socket).

[0066] According to some embodiments, the pass-through power connection 190 can be connected to the monitor circuit board 130 via a cable, such as by using a jumper cable. In other embodiments, an internal socket 135 can be provided, which cooperates with pins 136 attached to the monitor circuit board 130, so that when the circuit board 130 (with the embedding board 120) is inserted into the installation position, the pins 136 connect to the socket 135, thereby closing the power connection from the outside of the housing to the circuit board 130.

Claims

1. A fluid monitor (100) for measuring the flow of a fluid, the fluid monitor comprising: A housing (110) comprising a shell (112) including a lower end (114) for mating with a pipe; an insert plate (120) configured to be installed in the housing (110) by being inserted from the lower end (114); a monitor circuit board (130) which can be arranged between the embedding board (120) and the housing (112), wherein the embedded board (120) and the inner portion (116) of the housing (112) are configured such that a periphery (125) of the embedded board (120) contacts the inner portion (116) of the housing (112), thereby forming a fluid-tight connection when the embedded board (120) is installed in the housing (112) and forming a fluid-tight cavity (118) for accommodating the monitor circuit board (130); Wherein, in the installed configuration, the insert plate (120) is spaced a distance from the lower end (114) of the housing (110) so as to provide a lower volume (119) for receiving the pipe.

2. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The cross-section of the housing (112) becomes larger toward the lower end (114) to facilitate the insertion and removal of the insert plate (120).

3. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The inner portion of the shell (112) includes an inner portion (116) for contacting the periphery (125) of the embedded plate (120), and wherein the inner portion (116) gradually tapers in a direction away from the lower end (114) to increase the contact pressure between the periphery (125) of the embedded plate (120) and the shell (112) during the process of inserting the embedded plate (120) into the shell (112).

4. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The side wall of the housing (112) includes a flat section (140) extending as a plane (140) from a position below the embedding plate (120) to a position above the monitor circuit board (130).

5. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 4, wherein: The housing (112) includes a socket (135) that connects power from the outside to the fluid-tight cavity (118), the socket (135) being arranged in the flat section (140) and, optionally, above the monitor circuit board (130).

6. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 4, wherein: The side wall of the housing (112) includes a curved section (150) extending from the flat section (140) to an upper plate.

7. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The insert plate (120) includes an extraction anchor point (160) accessible from the lower end (114), the extraction anchor point optionally being in the form of a blind hole, which may further optionally include threads.

8. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The insert plate (120) includes a base (121) and a sealing element (126) complementarily fitted to the base (121).

9. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 8, wherein: Complementary fit is provided by a protrusion (127) in one of the base (121) and the sealing element (126) and a recess (128) in the other of the base (121) and the sealing element (126).

10. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 8, wherein: The sealing element (126) includes ribs extending along the perimeter.

11. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The top portion includes indicia (182), and the indicia (182) is formed by a translucent area of ​​the top portion (180).

12. A fluid monitor assembly (10), comprising the fluid monitor (100) according to claim 1 and a pipe block (200), wherein the pipe block (200) comprises: i) a conduit (204) for allowing fluid flow; as well as ii) a connection surface configured to be matingly attached to a corresponding connection surface of the lower end of the housing (110).

13. The fluid monitor assembly (10) of claim 12, further comprising a sensor or a valve (220), wherein: The sensor or the valve (220) is electrically connected to the monitor circuit board (130) via a cable (222) disposed within the lower volume (119) of the housing (110).

14. The fluid monitor assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein: The pipe block (200) comprises a first connection element on its underside for receiving a water filter.

15. The fluid monitor assembly (10) of claim 14, further comprising the water filter, wherein: The water filter comprises a second connecting element for connecting with the first connecting element.

16. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 2, wherein: The inner portion of the shell (112) includes an inner portion (116) for contacting the periphery (125) of the embedded plate (120), and wherein the inner portion (116) gradually tapers in a direction away from the lower end (114) to increase the contact pressure between the periphery (125) of the embedded plate (120) and the shell (112) during the process of inserting the embedded plate (120) into the shell (112).

17. The fluid monitor (100) according to claim 2, wherein: The side wall of the housing (112) includes a flat section (140) extending as a plane (140) from a position below the embedding board (120) to a position above the monitor circuit board (130).

18. The fluid monitor assembly (10) of claim 12, further comprising a sensor and a valve (220), wherein: The sensor and the valve (220) are electrically connected to the monitor circuit board (130) via a cable (222) disposed within the lower volume (119) of the housing (110).

19. The fluid monitor assembly (10) of claim 2, wherein: The pipe block (200) comprises a first connection element on its underside for receiving a water filter.

20. The fluid monitor assembly (10) of claim 12, wherein: The pipe block (200) comprises a first connection element on its underside for receiving a water filter.

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