Systems and methods for detecting water leaks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11536624-B1
Application number	US-202117491425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A plumbing system may include a first conduit that supplies a fluid to a destination device. The plumbing system may also include a second conduit concentric to the first conduit. The second conduit includes an indicator material that changes one or more properties of the fluid supplied to the destination device when the fluid contacts the indicator material via an opening present in the first conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plumbing system comprising a plurality of conduits, comprising:
a first conduit comprising:
a first conduit layer configured to supply a fluid to a first destination device; and
a second conduit layer concentric about the first conduit layer, wherein the second conduit layer and the first conduit layer form a first space between each other, wherein the first space comprises a first indicator material configured to provide a first visual indication in the fluid supplied to the first destination device in response to contacting the fluid; and

a second conduit comprising:
a third conduit layer configured to supply the fluid to a second destination device; and
a fourth conduit layer concentric about the third conduit layer, wherein the fourth conduit layer and the third conduit layer form a second space between each other, wherein the second space comprises a second indicator material configured to provide a second visual indication in the fluid supplied to the second destination device in response to contacting the fluid.

2. The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first indicator material is configured to change a color of the fluid supplied to the first destination device using a first color in response to contacting the fluid; and
the second indicator material is configured to change the color of the fluid supplied to the second destination device using a second color in response to contacting the fluid.

3. The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein the second indicator material is configured to produce a smoke in response to contacting the fluid.

4. The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises water, a surface of the second conduit layer comprises an additional indicator material configured to produce a scent in response to water contacting the additional indicator material.

5. The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein the first indicator material comprises a liquid, solid, or powder-like material.

6. The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein the first indicator material is configured to provide the first visual indication in the fluid supplied to the first destination device in response to contacting the fluid via an opening present in the conduit.

7. The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein the second conduit layer is concentric about a first portion of the first conduit layer to form the first space.

8. The plumbing system of claim 7 , wherein the first conduit comprises a fifth conduit layer concentric about a second portion of the first conduit layer that is different from the first portion, wherein the fifth conduit layer and the second portion of the first conduit layer form a third space between each other, and wherein the third space comprises a third indicator material configured to provide a third visual indication in the fluid supplied to the first destination device in response to contacting the fluid.

9. The plumbing system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first indicator material is configured to indicate a first location of a leak from the first conduit layer based on providing the first visual indication in response to contacting the fluid; and
the third indicator material is configured to indicate a second location of the leak based on providing the third visual indication in response to contacting the fluid.

10. A leak detection system, comprising: a first conduit configured to fasten around a first portion of a first preexisting conduit configured to supply a fluid to a first destination device, wherein the first conduit and the first portion of the first preexisting conduit form a first space between each other, and wherein the first space comprises a first indicator material configured to produce a first visual effect in response to contacting the fluid; and a second conduit configured to fasten around a second portion of the first preexisting conduit, wherein the second conduit and the second portion of the first preexisting conduit form a second space between each other, and wherein the second space comprises a second indicator material configured to produce a second visual effect in response to contacting the fluid, wherein: the first indicator material is configured to change a color of the fluid supplied to the first destination device using a first color in response to contacting the fluid; and the second indicator material is configured to change the color of the fluid supplied to the first destination device using a second color different from the first color in response to contacting the fluid.

11. The leak detection system of claim 10 , wherein:
the first indicator material is configured to indicate a first location of a leak from the first preexisting conduit based on providing the first visual effect in response to contacting the fluid; and
the second indicator material is configured to indicate a second location of the leak based on providing the second visual effect in response to contacting the fluid.

12. The leak detection system of claim 10 , comprising a third conduit configured to fasten around a third portion of a second preexisting conduit configured to supply the fluid to a second destination device, wherein the third conduit and the third portion of the second preexisting conduit form a third space between each other, and wherein the third space comprises a third indicator material configured to produce a third visual effect in response to contacting the fluid.

13. The leak detection system of claim 10 , wherein the first indicator material comprises a liquid, solid, or powder-like material.

14. The leak detection system of claim 10 , comprising a third conduit configured to fasten around a third portion of the first preexisting conduit, wherein the third conduit and the third portion of the first preexisting conduit form a third space between each other, and wherein the third space comprises a third indicator material configured to produce a third visual effect in response to contacting the fluid.

15. The leak detection system of claim 14 , wherein the third portion of the first preexisting conduit is positioned between the first portion and the second portion of the first preexisting conduit, wherein the third visual effect is configured to indicate a location of a leak from the first preexisting conduit between the first portion and the second portion of the preexisting conduit.

16. A method, comprising: positioning a first conduit around a first portion of a first preexisting conduit to form a first space between the first conduit and the first portion of the first preexisting conduit, wherein the first preexisting conduit is configured to supply fluid to a first destination device, and wherein the first space comprises a first indicator material configured to provide a first visual indication in response to contacting the fluid; and positioning a second conduit around a second portion of the first preexisting conduit to form a second space between the second conduit and the second portion of the first preexisting conduit, wherein the second space comprises a second indicator material configured to provide a second visual indication in response to contacting the fluid, wherein: the first indicator material is configured to change a color of the fluid supplied to the first destination device using a first color in response to contacting the fluid; and the second indicator material is configured to change the color of the fluid supplied to the first destination device using a second color different from the first color in response to contacting the fluid.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising p

Assignees

• Usaa

Inventors

• Flachsbart Matthew
• Desai Snehal
• Graham Richard D

Classifications

• G01M3/2807 Primary

  for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01M3/04 Primary

  by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point · CPC title