초록 ▼

The present invention provides a flow apparatus (10) having a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18) and an actuator (20) for moving said obturator (16) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (B-L), characterised by a valve po

The present invention provides a flow apparatus (10) having a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18) and an actuator (20) for moving said obturator (16) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (B-L), characterised by a valve position monitor (21) for monitoring the position of the valve (12) and comprising a plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28e) associated with a plurality of open positions (B-L) of said valve for monitoring the presence or absence of one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12). The arrangement may be used to monitor the valve position and such monitoring may be of use in the prediction of the amount of fluid remaining within a cylinder (32) to which it has been attached.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure comprising: a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18), and an actuator (20) for moving said aperture obturator (18) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (A-L)

1. A flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure comprising: a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18), and an actuator (20) for moving said aperture obturator (18) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (A-L),a valve position monitor (21) for monitoring the position of the valve (12), said monitor (21) comprising a plurality of members (26) movable with said valve (12) and a plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28d) associated with a plurality of open positions of said valve (12) for monitoring the presence or absence of said one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12), andsaid actuator comprises a handle (22) connected to a spindle (24),wherein said plurality of said members (26) are in the form of discrete members (26a to 26e) housed within said handle (22) connected to said spindle (24), and said members move with said handle as said handle is moved, and wherein said plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28d) are fixedly mounted relative to said housing (12) such that movement of the actuator (20) causes said members (26) to move relative to said sensors (28) and allow for detection of said movement through detection of said members (26) by said sensors (28a to 28d). 2. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator (20) is a rotational valve actuator (20) and said members (26) are circumferentially spaced relative to each other and positioned for rotation with said spindle (24) and said sensors (28) are circumferentially spaced around said members (26). 3. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator (20) is an indexable (click-stop) multi-position actuator having multiple stop positions and wherein said sensors (28a to 28d) are positioned adjacent one or more stop positions. 4. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said monitor (21) has an odd number of said members (26) and an even number of said sensors (28). 5. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said members (26) are arranged in two groups (G1, G2), said first group (G1) comprising a plurality of magnets spaced from each other by an amount equal to a spacing S1 between said sensors (28), and said second group (G2) being circumferentially spaced from said first group (G1) by an amount greater than twice the spacing S1 and being circumferentially spaced from each other by an amount equal to twice the spacing S1. 6. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more different combinations of said members (26) align with one or more different combinations of said sensors (28) at each of multiple open positions of said actuator (20). 7. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein none of said members (26) align with any of said sensors (28) at a closed position of said valve. 8. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensor reader (104) which is connected by position transmitters (102a-102d) to each of said sensors (28) for detecting the presence or absence of an output from each sensor (28). 9. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an analyser (114) for analysing outputs sensed by said sensor reader (104), and for determining the position of said valve (12) from the resultant analysis. 10. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a processor (114) for processing data relating to the position of said valve (12) over time and for calculating the flow rate of fluid through said valve (12). 11. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus (10) is positioned on a vessel (34) for receiving a fluid to be dispensed, and said apparatus (10) further comprises a processor (114) for processing data relating to the position of said valve (12) over time and for calculating the flow rate of fluid through said valve (12) and the amount of fluid remaining or the amount of time remaining at a set flow-rate. 12. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a display (118) for displaying a visual indication of the time remaining before exhaustion of fluid within the vessel (34) based on a determination of flow rate over time derived from detection of the valve (12) position. 13. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of members (26) comprise magnetic members and said sensors (28) comprise hall effect-sensors. 14. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of members (26) comprise transmitter coils for emitting a magnetic field and said sensors (28) comprise coils for generating an eddy current when in the proximity of said emitted magnetic field. 15. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of members (26) comprise a light source for transmitting light and said sensors (28) comprise light detectors. 16. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of members (26) comprise a first portion of capacitive member and said sensors (28) comprise a sensor for sensing a change in capacitance between said first portion and a second portion of said capacitive member. 17. A flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of members (26) comprise a protrusion and said sensors (28) comprise a contact sensor positioned to contact said protrusion when it is in a desired position. 18. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a primary on/off valve (32) between a cylinder (34) for receiving fluid to be dispensed and said flow control valve (12), and a display (118) for displaying a warning in the event that said primary on/off valve (32) is not fully open. 19. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed claim 8, further comprising an internal temperature sensor (48) for sensing the temperature of fluid within a vessel (34) and a temperature transmitter (106a) for transmitting a temperature reading to said sensor reader (104), in addition to the valve position data transmitted to said sensor reader (104) by position transmitters (102a-102d), for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). 20. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an internal pressure sensor (48) positioned for determining the pressure within a vessel (34) and a pressure transmitter (106b) for transmitting a pressure reading to said sensor reader (104), in addition to the valve position data transmitted to said sensor reader (104) by position transmitters (102a-102d), for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). 21. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an external temperature sensor (108) for sensing the ambient temperature and a temperature transmitter (110a) for transmitting a temperature reading to said sensor reader (104), in addition to the valve position data transmitted to said sensor reader (104) by position transmitters (102a-102d), for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). 22. A flow apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an external pressure sensor (108) positioned for determining the pressure outside of a vessel (34) and a pressure transmitter (110b) for transmitting a pressure reading to said sensor reader (104), in addition to the valve position data transmitted to said sensor reader (104) by position transmitters (102a-102d), for use in determining the time before expiry of the contents remaining within the vessel (34). 23. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 18, wherein said primary on/off valve (32) includes a secondary member (36), a secondary receiver (38) and a handle portion (40) having a first guide slot (74) provided therein for receiving a first portion of said secondary member (36), and a second guide slot (78) for receiving a second portion of said secondary member (36), wherein said first guide slot (74) comprises a spiral groove within a surface of said handle portion (40) which extends around an axis of rotation X2 thereof between a first inner position (74i ) and a second, outer, position (74o) and wherein said second guide (78) comprises a radially extending groove extending away from said axis of rotation X2 between a first inner position (78ii ) and a second, outer, position (78o) at which said secondary receiver (38) is located, such that, upon rotation of the handle portion (40) from an off position to an open position said secondary member (36) is caused to slide along both the first and second guides (76,78) between said inner positions (76i, 78i) and said outer positions (76o, 78o) and thus allow said secondary receiver (38) to detect the presence of said secondary member (36) when said primary on/off valve is fully open. 24. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensors (28) are polled at a given frequency. 25. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus has a sleep mode in which one or more of the sensors (28) are not used until one or other of the remaining sensors (28) detects movement of the valve. 26. A flow control apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 25, wherein during any sleep mode the frequency of use of any sensor (28) being used is reduced. 27. A flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure comprising: a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18), and an actuator (20) for moving said aperture obturator (18) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (A-L),a valve position monitor (21) for monitoring the position of the valve (12), said monitor (21) comprising one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12) and a plurality of discrete sensors (28ato 28d) associated with a plurality of open positions of said valve (12) for monitoring the presence or absence of said one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12),a primary on/off valve (32) between a cylinder (34) for receiving fluid to be dispensed and said flow control valve (12), anda display (118) for displaying a warning in the event that said primary on/off valve (32) is not fully open. 28. A flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure comprising: a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14), an aperture (16), an aperture obturator (18), and an actuator (20) for moving said aperture obturator (18) between a first closed position and multiple open positions (A-L),a valve position monitor (21) for monitoring the position of the valve (12), said monitor (21) comprising one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12) and a plurality of discrete sensors (28a to 28d) associated with a plurality of open positions of said valve (12) for monitoring the presence or absence of said one or more members (26) movable with said valve (12), andwherein said apparatus has a sleep mode in which one or more of the sensors (28) are not used until one or other of the remaining sensors (28) detects movement of the valve.