公开(公告)号：US20060245467A1

公开(公告)日：2006-11-02

申请号：US11399395

申请日：2006-04-07

申请人： Michael Casella ,  Keith Lipford ,  Brian Lipford

发明人： Michael Casella ,  Keith Lipford ,  Brian Lipford

IPC分类号： G01K17/06

CPC分类号： G01F1/115 ,  G01D4/002 ,  G01F15/005 ,  G01F15/063 ,  G01F15/0755 ,  G01F25/0007 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  H04Q9/00 ,  H04Q2209/43 ,  H04Q2209/60 ,  H04Q2209/886 ,  Y02B90/241 ,  Y02B90/245 ,  Y02B90/246 ,  Y02B90/248 ,  Y04S20/32 ,  Y04S20/40 ,  Y04S20/42 ,  Y04S20/52

摘要： The present invention relates to water use monitoring, recording and billing, and more particularly to monitoring, recording and billing for water use at both an individual fixture and dwelling unit-level in a multi-unit dwelling structure. In an embodiment, a module includes an inlet portion defining an inlet opening and adapted to be connected to and in fluid communication with a fluid inlet line; and a first flow conditioner in fluid communication with and adapted to receive and condition a fluid flowing through the inlet opening. The module also includes a flow measuring device in fluid communication with the first flow conditioner and adapted to measure the conditioned fluid as the conditioned fluid flows past the flow measuring device and to generate a signal representing an amount of the conditioned fluid flowing past the flow measuring device; and a power generator in fluid communication with the first flow conditioner and adapted to generate and supply power. The module further includes an electronic component adapted to receive and store the generated power from the power generator and to store the signal representing the measured amount of the conditioned fluid received from the flow measuring device using the power from the power generation component or flow sensing device and, when sufficient power is available, to transmit the stored signal representing the measured volume of the displaced conditioned fluid to a monitoring system; and an outlet portion defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with the flow measuring device and the outlet opening adapted to be connected to an outlet line and to allow the conditioned fluid that flows past the flow measuring device to exit the apparatus; where the apparatus is sized to completely fit and operate from inside one of a plurality of plumbing fixtures.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及水利用监测，记录和计费，更具体地涉及在多单元住宅结构中的个人固定装置和住宅单元级别的用水的监测，记录和计费。 在一个实施例中，模块包括限定入口开口并适于连接到流体入口管线并与流体入口管线流体连通的入口部分; 以及第一流动调节器，其与流体连通并且适于接收和调节流过入口的流体。 模块还包括与第一流动调节器流体连通的流量测量装置，并且适于在调节流体流过流量测量装置时测量经调节的流体，并且产生表示经过测量流量的调节流体的量的信号 设备; 以及与所述第一流量调节器流体连通并适于产生和供应电力的发电机。 该模块还包括电子部件，其适于从发电机接收和存储所产生的功率，并且使用来自发电部件或流量检测装置的功率来存储表示从流量测量装置接收的经调节的流体的测量量的信号 并且当有足够的功率时，将表示被测量的调节流体的测量体积的存储信号传送到监视系统; 以及限定与所述流量测量装置和所述出口开口流体连通的出口开口的出口部分，其适于连接到出口管线并允许流过所述流量测量装置的经调节的流体离开所述装置; 其中设备的尺寸被设计成从多个卫生设备中的一个内部完全配合和操作。