Remote-operated flushing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11725366-B2
Application number	US-202016930962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2020
Priority date	Jul 16, 2020
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Example aspects of a remote-operated flushing system and a method of operating a flushing system are disclosed. The remote-operated flushing system can comprise a fluid routing assembly comprising a valve, the valve configurable in an open configuration, wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid routing assembly, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid routing assembly; a control device configured to actuate the valve between the open configuration and closed configuration; a remote operation device wirelessly connected to the control device and configured to remotely operate the control device to control the actuation of the valve between the open configuration and closed configuration; and a sensor configured to detect a fluid property of the fluid within the fluid routing assembly, wherein the control device is configured to wirelessly send a signal representative of the fluid property detected by the sensor.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A remote-operated flushing system comprising:
a fluid routing assembly comprising a valve and a sampling port, the valve configurable in an open configuration, wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid routing assembly, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid routing assembly;
a control device configured to actuate the valve between the open configuration and closed configuration;
a remote operation device wirelessly connected to the control device and configured to remotely operate the control device to control the actuation of the valve between the open configuration and closed configuration;
a sensor configured to detect a fluid property of the fluid within the fluid routing assembly, wherein the control device is configured to wirelessly send a signal representative of the fluid property detected by the sensor; and
a housing comprising a sidewall enclosure, the sidewall enclosure defining an interior housing cavity external to and substantially surrounding the fluid routing assembly, wherein the valve, the sampling port, the sensor, and the control device are oriented within the interior housing cavity of the housing and the remote operation device is oriented outside of the interior housing cavity of the housing, and wherein the sampling port is configured to dispense a sample of the fluid out of the fluid routing assembly and into the interior housing cavity.

2. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the fluid in the fluid routing assembly, and wherein the control device is configured to send a pressure signal representative of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor.

3. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 2 , further comprising a pressure monitoring unit wired to the pressure sensor, the pressure monitoring unit comprising a processing unit and an antenna, the processing unit configured to process pressure data from the pressure sensor and to relay the pressure data to the antenna, the antenna configured to send the pressure signal.

4. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fluid in the fluid routing assembly, and wherein the control device is configured to send a temperature signal representative of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

5. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing comprises the sidewall enclosure, a base, and a lid:
the sidewall enclosure defines an access opening allowing access to the interior housing cavity; and
the lid is configurable in a closed configuration, wherein the lid covers the access opening, and an open configuration, wherein the lid is removed from the housing and the access opening is uncovered to permit access to the interior housing cavity.

6. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid routing assembly further comprises a backflow preventer configured to allow the fluid to flow in a first direction through the fluid routing assembly and to prevent the fluid from flowing in an opposite second direction through the fluid routing assembly.

7. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluid routing assembly further comprises an inlet pathway configured to route the fluid from a fluid system into the fluid routing assembly and an outlet pathway configured to route the fluid out of the fluid routing assembly;
the housing further comprises a base;
the inlet pathway comprises an inlet conduit extending into the interior housing cavity through an inlet opening in the base; and
the outlet pathway comprises an outlet conduit extending into the interior housing cavity through an outlet opening in the base.

8. A remote-operated flushing system comprising:
a fluid routing assembly comprising a valve and a sampling port, the valve configurable in an open configuration, wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid routing assembly, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid routing assembly; and
a pressure monitoring system, the pressure monitoring system comprising:
a pressure sensor mounted to the fluid routing assembly and configured to detect a pressure of the fluid within the fluid routing assembly; and
a pressure monitoring unit configured to wirelessly send a pressure signal representative of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor, the pressure monitoring unit further configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from a remote operation device and to actuate the valve between the open configuration and closed configuration in response to the control signal; and

a housing defining an interior housing cavity external to and substantially surrounding the fluid routing assembly, wherein the valve, the sampling port, and the pressure monitoring system are disposed within the interior housing cavity of the housing, wherein the sampling port is configured to dispense a sample of the fluid out of the fluid routing assembly and into the interior housing cavity.

9. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 8 , wherein the pressure monitoring unit comprises a processing unit and an antenna, the processing unit configured to process pressure data received from the pressure sensor and to relay the pressure data to the antenna, the antenna configured to send the pressure signal and to receive the control signal from the remote operation device.

10. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 8 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fluid in the fluid routing assembly, and wherein the pressure monitoring unit is configured to send a temperature signal representative of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

11. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a sidewall enclosure, a base, and a lid.

12. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 11 , wherein the pressure monitoring unit is mounted to the housing by a pressure monitor bracket, the pressure monitor bracket comprising a bracket wall, a fastener hole formed through the bracket wall, a fastener configured to extend through the fastener hole and to engage the housing to mount the pressure monitoring unit to the housing.

13. The remote-operated flushing system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid routing assembly further comprises a backflow preventer configured to allow the fluid to flow in a first direction through the fluid routing assembly and to prevent the fluid from flowing in an opposite second direction through the fluid routing assembly.

14. A method of operating a flushing system comprising:
providing a flushing system comprising a fluid routing assembly and a control device, the fluid routing assembly comprising a valve and a sampling port, the valve configurable in an open configuration, wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid routing assembly, and a closed configuration, wherein the fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fluid routing assembly;
remotely sending a control signal to a control device;
actuating the valve between the open configuration and closed configuration with the control device in response to the control signal;
detecting a pressure of the fluid with a pressure sensor; and
sending a signal with the control device, the signal representative of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor;
wherein the flushing system comprises a housing defining an interior housing cavity ext

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Bowman Clay Evan
• Mosley Harold Thomas
• Ervin Timothy Bain

Classifications

• E03B7/006 Primary

  Arrangements or methods for cleaning or refurbishing water conduits · CPC title

• B08B9/0325

  Control mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• C02F1/008 Primary

  Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F · CPC title

• C02F1/687

  Devices for dosing solid compounds · CPC title

• C02F1/70

  by reduction {(C02F1/4676 takes precedence)} · CPC title