US 12,474,230 B2
Structure plumbing flow simulation apparatus
John R. Donovan, Bloomington, IL (US); and Richard Jan Tjaden, Bloomington, IL (US)
Assigned to STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Bloomington, IL (US)
Filed by STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Bloomington, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/233,153.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/521,923, filed on Jun. 20, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0426704 A1, Dec. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. G01M 3/28 (2006.01); G01M 13/003 (2019.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01); G01M 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 3/2876 (2013.01) [G01M 3/2815 (2013.01); G01M 13/003 (2019.01); G05D 7/0688 (2013.01); G01M 3/007 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hydraulic system for testing water shut off valves, comprising:
a reservoir configured to hold a set volume of a liquid;
a pump connected to the reservoir configured to pump the liquid;
a pressure source connected to the pump and configured to pressurize the liquid from the pump which flows to a water shut off valve downstream of the pressure source;
one or more pipes connected to the pressure source and adapted to be connected to the water shut off valve, wherein the one or more pipes are configured to simulate one or more plumbing flows across a structure; and
a pipette connected to the one or more pipes, wherein the pipette is configured to simulate a plumbing leak of the one or more pipes,
wherein the hydraulic system detects whether the water shut off valve accurately controls a flow rate of the liquid based upon one or more of: (i) the simulated one or more plumbing flows or (ii) the simulated plumbing leak.