The present invention provides a flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure having a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14) and an outlet aperture (16) and further including a valve seat (18) and a sealing member (20) for sealing against said seat (18) such as to obturate s
The present invention provides a flow apparatus (10) for a vessel storing fluid under pressure having a flow control valve (12) having a housing (14) and an outlet aperture (16) and further including a valve seat (18) and a sealing member (20) for sealing against said seat (18) such as to obturate said outlet (16), said apparatus further including an actuator (22) connected to said sealing member (20) for moving it between an open position of the valve in which it unobturates the outlet aperture (16) and a closed position in which it obturates said outlet, characterized by an electrical switch (24) for controlling the supply of electrical current to one or more electrical components (25) and wherein said switch is operably connected to said sealing member (20) to allow for the passage of current when said valve (12) is in a first position and to restrict the flow of current when said valve (12) is in a second position. Such an apparatus may be used to control the flow of gas from a gas bottle and to ensure that electricity is only supplied when needed, thus prolonging battery life and reducing maintenance.
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1. A flow apparatus for a vessel storing fluid under pressure having a flow control valve having a housing and an outlet aperture and further including a valve seat and a sealing member for sealing against said seat such as to obturate said outlet, said apparatus further including an actuator connec
1. A flow apparatus for a vessel storing fluid under pressure having a flow control valve having a housing and an outlet aperture and further including a valve seat and a sealing member for sealing against said seat such as to obturate said outlet, said apparatus further including an actuator connected to said sealing member for moving said sealing member between an open position of the valve in which said sealing member unobturates the outlet aperture and a closed position in which said sealing member obturates said outlet, including an electrical switch for controlling a supply of electrical current to one or more electrical components and wherein said switch is operably connected to said sealing member, such that movement of the sealing member from the open position to the closed position causes the switch to shift between a first position and a second position, wherein a passage of full current is allowed to flow when said valve is in the first position and a limited or stand by current that is greater than zero is allowed to flow when said valve is in the second position, wherein at least one of said one or more electrical components has a fully operational mode and a standby mode and wherein said switch is connected thereto for allowing a first, higher, level of current to said component when in said fully operational mode and a second, lower, level of current to said component when in said standby mode. 2. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first position is the open position of the valve and said second position is the closed position of the valve. 3. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch. 4. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch and in which said base portion comprises said valve. 5. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch, and in which said base portion comprises said housing. 6. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch and said pivotal arm comprises a lost motion mechanism including a slot therein and wherein said actuator includes a pin mounted for movement therewith between the first position in which the pin is not engaged with said slot (34) and the second position in which the pin is engaged with said slot and causes said arm to rotate about said pivot point and cause said magnet to move towards said first position. 7. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch and said pivotal arm comprises a lost motion mechanism including a slot therein and wherein said actuator includes a pin mounted for movement therewith between the first position in which the pin is not engaged with said slot and the second position in which the pin is engaged with said slot and causes said arm to rotate about said pivot point and cause said magnet to move towards said first position and said lost motion mechanism comprises a Geneva mechanism. 8. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch, and including a biasing member for biasing said pivotal arm towards said second position. 9. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical switch is mounted on a base portion and a magnet is mounted on a pivotal arm having a pivot point and being pivotal between the first position in which the magnet is in close proximity to said switch and the second position in which the magnet is distanced from said switch, and including a biasing member for biasing said pivotal arm towards said first position. 10. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first position is the closed position of the valve and said second position is the open position of the valve. 11. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a hall sensor and said apparatus further includes a magnet movable with said sealing member between the first position in which the sealing member is in association with the hall sensor and indicates a first operable state of the valve and the second position in which the sealing member is not in association with the hall sensor and indicates a second operable state of the valve. 12. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said hall sensor is operable to restrict flow of current to said electrical components when said magnet is in said first position and allow full flow of current to said electrical components when in said second position. 13. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said hall sensor is operable to restrict flow of current to said electrical components when said magnet is in said second position and allow full flow of current to said electrical components when in said first position. 14. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a circuit board including said switch and being connected to a supply of electricity and said electrical component and wherein said circuit board is mounted on a surface of the housing. 15. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a circuit board including said switch and being connected to a supply of electricity and said electrical component and wherein said circuit board is mounted on a surface of the housing in which said circuit board comprises a substantially rigid portion on which said switch is mounted and a flexible portion between said rigid portion and said electrical component. 16. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve comprises a primary on/off control valve for a gas cylinder. 17. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve further includes a fully open position and a detector for detecting a fully open position of the valve. 18. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical component comprises a visual display unit for displaying gas flow information as determined by the detection of the position of the valve. 19. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said apparatus includes a circuit board including a position monitor and being connected to a supply of electricity and said electrical component and wherein said circuit board is mounted on a surface of a base portion. 20. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a second flow control valve downstream of said valve for controlling a rate of flow from the apparatus and wherein said second control valve includes a position monitor for monitoring the position thereof and wherein said position monitor is operably connected to a visual display unit for displaying gas flow information as determined by the detection of the position of the second control valve. 21. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said apparatus includes a circuit board including a position monitor and being connected to a supply of electricity and said electrical component and wherein said circuit board is mounted on a surface of a base portion. 22. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical components is operable to determine fluid flow information based on a position of the valve. 23. The flow apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the one or more electrical components is operable to display the fluid flow information.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (9)
Walker Daniel (Houston TX), Adjustable magnet carrier for a valve position indicator.
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