US 12,378,978 B2
Diagnostic valve island
Francesca Aryee-Dematteis, Birmingham (GB); Ronald Bennett, Birmingham (GB); Ray Last, Birmingham (GB); Christopher Patient, Birmingham (GB); Anna Wicik, Birmingham (GB); Lee Keeling, Birmingham (GB); George Bell, Birmingham (GB); and Gary Manning, Birmingham (GB)
Assigned to Norgren Limited, Lichfield (GB)
Appl. No. 18/015,352
Filed by Norgren Limited, Lichfield (GB)
PCT Filed Jul. 9, 2021, PCT No. PCT/GB2021/051760
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 10, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/008926, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 13, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2010671 (GB), filed on Jul. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0341068 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. F15B 13/08 (2006.01); F15B 19/00 (2006.01); F16K 27/00 (2006.01); F16K 37/00 (2006.01)
CPC F15B 13/0817 (2013.01) [F15B 13/0807 (2013.01); F15B 13/0821 (2013.01); F15B 13/0825 (2013.01); F15B 13/0835 (2013.01); F15B 13/0882 (2013.01); F16K 27/003 (2013.01); F16K 37/005 (2013.01); F16K 37/0083 (2013.01); F16K 37/0091 (2013.01); F15B 13/0832 (2013.01); F15B 13/0867 (2013.01); F15B 19/005 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A modular valve island comprising:
a plurality of valves;
a plurality of sub-bases, wherein each one of the plurality of valves is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-bases;
a supply exhaust module;
a data communication module; and
a diagnostic module,
wherein at least one of the plurality of valves has at least one integrated sensor, wherein the at least one integrated sensor is configured to detect an operating condition of the modular valve island, wherein the at least one integrated sensor is electrically connected to the diagnostic module to send sensor signals thereto,
wherein the diagnostic module is configured to receive and process the sensor signals therein to identify the operating condition, and
wherein the modular valve island is configured to provide data relating to the operating condition of the modular valve island via at least one of:
(i) a user interface provided in the diagnostic module,
(ii) an industrial Ethernet link, or
(iii) a wireless network and/or cloud communication link,
wherein the at least one integrated sensor is provided on a sensor unit, the sensor unit located between the plurality of valves and the plurality of sub-bases,
wherein the sensor unit comprises:
a housing adapted to be electrically connected between a valve and a sub-base of the modular valve island, the sensor unit defining a plurality of passages between the valve and the sub-base of the modular valve island to allow fluid flow therebetween, the sensor unit including the at least one integrated sensor, wherein the at least one integrated sensor comprises a pressure sensor, and wherein the pressure sensor is fluidly connected to a passage of the plurality of passages of the sensor unit, and wherein the sensor unit further comprises (i) a sensing chamber via which the pressure sensor senses pressure level, and (ii) a gasket that defines, at least in part, a fluid connection between the passage and the sensing chamber.