Goods & Services

Downloadable computer software and mobile applications for monitoring water usage and detecting plumbing leaks inside buildings Software as a service (SAAS) services featuring software for monitoring water usage and detecting plumbing leaks inside buildings

Abstract

A method for determining whether water contained within a water pipe system in a building is at risk of freezing is disclosed. The method is carried out by a detector device comprising a processor. The method comprises determining a plurality of pipe temperature measurements using a temperature sensor. The processor analyses the pipe temperature measurements to detect whether a water draw has occurred. An exterior building environment temperature is compared to a predetermined freeze alert threshold. If the processor detects that (i) a water draw has not occurred; and (ii) the indicative temperature of the exterior building environment is lower than the predetermined freeze alert threshold, an alert is transmitted.

IPC Classes  ?

• E03B 7/07 - Arrangement of devices, e.g. filters, flow controls, measuring devices, siphons or valves, in the pipe systems
• E03B 7/04 - Domestic or like local pipe systems
• E03B 7/10 - Devices preventing bursting of pipes by freezing
• G01K 1/02 - Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• G08B 21/18 - Status alarms
• G01K 1/143 - SupportsFastening devicesArrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations for measuring surface temperatures

Abstract

L based upon the recorded pressure loss in the system in the known period of time t.

IPC Classes  ?

• E03B 7/04 - Domestic or like local pipe systems
• E03B 7/00 - Water main or service pipe systems
• G01M 3/28 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipes, cables, or tubesInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipe joints or sealsInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for valves

Abstract

The present application generally relates to fluid flow detection apparatuses and methods for detecting a water leak in a pipe system of a building. A method may: determine that a low flow is present, if absolute values of temperature differences between ambient and pipe temperatures of respective samples of a first monitoring period are above a difference threshold; and perform a high flow test by estimating a temperature profile of water entering the pipe, based on identifying at least one temperature difference maximum of a second monitoring period, wherein each said difference maxima is a maximum temperature difference between ambient and pipe temperatures of a received sample, and determining that a high flow is present by detecting, based on the received pipe temperatures of the second monitoring period, if the pipe temperature is approaching the estimated water temperature profile.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01M 3/00 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures
• G01M 3/28 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipes, cables, or tubesInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipe joints or sealsInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for valves
• G01P 13/00 - Indicating or recording presence or absence of movementIndicating or recording of direction of movement
• G01K 1/143 - SupportsFastening devicesArrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations for measuring surface temperatures
• G01K 13/02 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow

Abstract

A flow detector for detecting flow rates of fluid in pipes by measuring the temperature of the pipe and the ambient temperature and determining from the signals whether there is a flow in the pipe, by the shape of the temperature signals without providing any heat input to the pipe or fluid.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01K 13/02 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• G01M 3/00 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures
• G01M 3/28 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipes, cables, or tubesInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipe joints or sealsInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for valves
• G01P 13/00 - Indicating or recording presence or absence of movementIndicating or recording of direction of movement
• G01K 1/143 - SupportsFastening devicesArrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations for measuring surface temperatures
• G01M 3/32 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for containers, e.g. radiators
• G01M 3/24 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations

Goods & Services

Leak detection apparatus; water leakage detection alarms. Water leak detection within buildings; water leak detection outside buildings.

Abstract

A location (100) is including an installation (120) associated with a site (102). At the site (102) is a house. A water main (110) forms part of a water distribution network and is buried approximately 1 m below the surface (112) of a road. A ferrule (114) extends from an upper part of the water main pipe and is in fluid communication with a first portion (116) of a service pipe at depth of typically approximately 0.75 m and which extends from the water main (110) to underneath a pavement (118). An outside stop-tap or meter chamber (122) is provided below pavement (118) and includes a pilotable cover (124), which can be opened to provide access to the interior of the chamber (122). A first connector (126) is provided on an upstream side of the chamber and a second connector (128) is provided on a downstream side of the chamber. A stop-tap or stop-tap and meter assembly (130) is provided within the chamber and in fluidic communication with the first and second connectors. An insulating member (134), for example in the form of a piece of polystyrene, extends across the interior of the chamber (122) and acts to insulate the lower part of the chamber from the environment above. A temperature logging device (160) is located on the insulating member (134) and includes a first temperature sensor (162). Optionally the temperature logging device may also include a second temperature sensor (164). The temperature of a part of a water supply system between a water main (110) and the site is recorded as a function of time. The recorded temperature as a function of time is analysed to determine a property indicative of the water consumption at the site.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01M 3/00 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures
• G01F 1/68 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using thermal effects
• G01K 13/02 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• G01M 3/26 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors

Abstract

A flow detector for detecting flow rates of fluid in pipes by measuring the temperature of the pipe and the ambient temperature and determining from the signals whether there is a flow in the pipe, by the shape of the temperature signals without providing any heat input to the pipe or fluid.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01M 3/00 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures
• G01M 3/28 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipes, cables, or tubesInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipe joints or sealsInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for valves
• G01P 13/00 - Indicating or recording presence or absence of movementIndicating or recording of direction of movement
• G01K 1/14 - SupportsFastening devicesArrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• G01K 13/02 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow

Goods & Services

Leak detection apparatus; water leakage detection alarms. Water leak detection within buildings; water leak detection outside buildings.

Goods & Services

Leak detection apparatus; water leakage detection alarms. Water leak detection within buildings; water leak detection outside buildings.

Abstract

Water leakage may not give rise to visible effect or be too small to be reliably detected by acoustic techniques. Further, some water flow that a water utility considers to be leakage using current analytical and measurement techniques, may in fact be flows into storage cisterns and tanks etc. which is subsequently used or consumed. As fresh leaks can occur at any time, prior art acoustic techniques are expensive, and the scale of the water supply system prohibits exhaustive searching a requirement exists to easily identify likely locations where water is being lost or wasted by methods other than via acoustic techniques. Accordingly, the invention exploits measurements of the temperature as a function of time for a part of the water supply system to determine the likely water consumption of a site. Other properties of the water consumption by the site can also be determined.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01F 15/07 - Integration to give total flow, e.g. using mechanically-operated integrating mechanism
• G01M 3/28 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipes, cables, or tubesInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipe joints or sealsInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for valves

Goods & Services

(Based on Use in Commerce) leak detection apparatus for plumbing; electronic water leakage detection alarms for plumbing (Based on 44(e)) inspection services, namely, detection of plumbing leaks inside of buildings; inspection services, namely, detection of plumbing leaks on the outside of buildings

Goods & Services

Leak detection apparatus; water leakage detection alarms. Water leak detection within buildings; water leak detection outside buildings.

Goods & Services

Leak detection apparatus; water leakage detection alarms. Water leak detection within buildings; water leak detection outside buildings.