Self-contained hydrant monitoring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11619033-B2
Application number	US-202217735363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2022
Priority date	Jun 7, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

A sensing device for a hydrant, the sensing device including a housing defining a portion of an operating stem of the hydrant; a sensor located entirely within the interior cavity of the hydrant body and configured to measure a property of a fluid of the fluid distribution system; and an antenna in communication with the sensor and positioned within the housing.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A sensing device for a hydrant, the sensing device comprising:
a housing defining a portion of an operating stem of the hydrant;
a sensor located entirely within an interior cavity of a hydrant body of the hydrant and configured to measure a property of a fluid of a fluid distribution system; and
an antenna in communication with the sensor and positioned within the housing.

2. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

3. The sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor wire, the sensor being in electrical communication with the antenna via the sensor wire.

4. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing device further comprises a PCB in electrical communication with the sensor.

5. The sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery container enclosing at least one battery.

6. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a near-field communication antenna.

7. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is at least partially received within an antenna cavity defined in the housing.

8. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is isolated from fluid communication from any fluid surrounding the housing of the sensing device.

9. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is covered with an antenna cover assembly.

10. The sensing device of claim 9 , wherein the antenna cover assembly defines a pocket configured to receive a tip of the antenna therein.

11. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the antenna and an antenna cover assembly covering the antenna is received within a bore defined in a radially outer surface of the housing.

12. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a top end of a lower stem top end of the operating stem, the operating stem comprising an upper stem and a lower stem, the top end of the lower stem top end of the operating stem configured to receive a stem coupling configured to join the lower stem to the upper stem.

13. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing device comprises a radio configured to wirelessly relay data collected by the sensor via the antenna to a communications hub in a bonnet of the hydrant.

14. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is incapsulated in a flexible material, the flexible material exposed to any fluid surrounding the housing of the sensing device and configured to protect the antenna.

15. A method comprising:
measuring a characteristic of a fluid inside a hydrant of a fluid distribution system with a sensing device located entirely within an interior cavity of a hydrant body of the hydrant, the sensing device comprising:
a sensor;
at least one battery in communication with the sensor; and
an antenna in communication with the sensor; and

transmitting data corresponding to the characteristic of the fluid via the antenna to a communications hub positioned inside the hydrant.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the antenna is a first antenna mounted to a lower stem of a stem of the hydrant, the hydrant further comprising a second antenna mounted to a bonnet of the hydrant and in wireless communication with the sensing device, the method further comprising wirelessly transmitting the data from the first antenna to the second antenna.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the characteristic is a pressure of the fluid.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the communications hub is positioned in a bonnet of the hydrant.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising transmitting the data to the communications hub via a signal passing through an antenna plug of the bonnet, the antenna plug formed from a non-metallic material.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising transmitting the data to the communications hub via a signal passing through an antenna plug of the bonnet, the antenna plug comprising a non-metallic material.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Sitnikov Timofey
• Gifford Paul S
• Moreno Carlos Stephen
• Aguilera Diego
• Gibson Daryl Lee

Classifications

• A62C37/50

  Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment · CPC title

• E03B9/02 Primary

  Hydrants; Arrangements of valves therein; Keys for hydrants · CPC title

• G01F1/075

  with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device · CPC title

• A62C35/20

  Hydrants, e.g. wall-hoses, wall units, plug-in cabinets (hydrants in streets E03B9/02) · CPC title

• G01F15/18

  Supports or connecting means for meters · CPC title