The present invention relates to the field of measuring the contents of containers, such as propane cylinders, and more particularly to an electronic scale that estimates the remaining time that gas may last in a wide range of propane cylinders (e.g., cylinders with capacities that range from 4.25 to 60 pounds of propane).
Currently, refillable propane cylinders are being marketed as designed to hold a recommended maximum tare weight of propane of 4.25, 5, 10, 11, 14, 20, 30, 40, 43.5 50 and 60 pounds. Tare weight refers to the weight of a container with a substance net of the empty weight of the container, such as a cylinder holding propane gas. These cylinders may be used for gas grills, outdoor mosquito control devices, portable heaters, fish fryers, turkey fryers, brush burners, fork lifts, propane powered generators, portable horse washers, camp stoves and patio heaters to name a few.
There is a need to be able to accurately gauge the amount of gas remaining in a cylinder as well as the remaining time that gas remains in the cylinder so that the cylinder is not refilled before necessary. Users have attempted to estimate the amount of gas remaining in the cylinder and therefore estimate the remaining time that gas remains in the cylinder using various devices, such as pressure gauges, exterior cylinder magnetic strips, and mechanical scales attached to gas grills. None of these devices accurately gauge the amount of gas remaining in a cylinder for a wide range of cylinders (e.g., 4.25, 5, 10, 11, 14, 20, 30, 40, 43.5, 50 and 60 pounds) as well as accurately estimate the remaining time that gas remains in the cylinder as discussed below.
A pressure gauge may be used to measure the reduced or increased pressures in a cylinder, such as a propane cylinder. One type of pressure gauge may be connected between the propane cylinder and a device, such as a regulator, on a gas grill. The operating instructions to use this pressure gauge inform the user to use the propane for at least five minutes before checking for low gas levels. The operating instructions further state that in extremely cod weather, the propane in the cylinder may not vaporize as rapidly as needed, and, consequently, the gauge will read the cylinder as having low gas when it does not. The operating instructions further state that water can condense under the gauge dial thereby making it difficult to read the gauge. Another type of pressure gauge currently being marketed uses a movable screen that includes a reading for a hot day, a cool day and a cold day thereby recognizing that the gas pressure in a cylinder can be different depending on the temperature where the cylinder resides. These pressure gauges are not designed to measure the exact amount of gas in a cylinder; rather, they are intended to measure the pressure in a cylinder and show the level of pressure. Users may attempt to derive an estimate of the remaining amount of gas in the cylinder based on the measured pressure. However, the measure of the remaining pressure can be influenced by the temperature and therefore not provide an accurate reading. As a result, the estimate of the remaining gas in the cylinder may be inaccurate.
Alternatively, users may use magnetic strips in an attempt to estimate the remaining gas level in the cylinder. These magnetic strips may be designed to attach to the outside of a propane cylinder near the bottom of the cylinder and out of direct sunlight. Typically, the propane needs to be turned on for two to five minutes before the magnetic strip attempts to measure the level of gas remaining in the container. If the gas level is within the range of the magnetic strip, the magnetic strip is designed to illustrate bars that shift indicating the level of gas in the cylinder. However, it is not easy to interpret the bars on the magnetic strip and deduce a level of propane remaining in the cylinder. Further, the bars have to be interpreted differently depending on the size of the cylinder. For example, for a 4.25 pound propane cylinder, the bar could be interpreted as one level; whereas, the exact same bar could be interpreted as another level for a 40 pound propane cylinder since the bottom part of the 40 pound cylinder represents a larger difference in percentage of total maximum propane in comparison to the 4.25 pound cylinder.
Alternatively, the user may use a mechanical scale attached to a gas grill to estimate the remaining gas level in the cylinder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,505 teaches a mechanical scale that is designed to mount to the bottom of a gas grill with a default weight of an empty cylinder of 18 pounds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,617 teaches a similar mechanical scale with a default weight of an empty cylinder of 18.5 pounds. Both of these scales can be physically adjusted to approximate the weight of the cylinder by placing the empty cylinder on the scale and turning a screw until the scale registers at a recommended point. The scale of U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,617 allows for an approximate adjustment of 1.5. pounds but this total adjusted cylinder weight of 20 pounds would not cover a cylinder that weighs 21 pounds or more. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,668 teaches a similar mechanical scale with a default weight of a cylinder using a standard-sized portable fuel tank. These scales are generally designed for use with a 20 pound propane cylinder and all either mount to a gas grill and/or they are secured to the cylinder. Neither of these scales are designed to gauge the propane in a wide variety of cylinders with capacities that range from 4.25 to 60 pounds of propane. Further, many cylinders that are being weighed are replacements. Typically, the user takes the empty cylinder to the store and replaces the empty cylinder with a full cylinder. The empty cylinder is not returned to the buyer. This replacement cylinder may have a different empty weight than the one that was exchanged and if that is the case, there will be an error in the indicated weight of the propane on the scale since the scale was adjusted to the empty weight of the cylinder which is not the one being used.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved scale for measuring gas in pressurized cylinders that have a wide range of capacities.
The problems outlined above may at least in part be solved in some embodiments by the electronic scale calculating an actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder using the total weight of the cylinder with the gas and the weight of the cylinder when empty. The remaining time that gas remains in the cylinder may be calculated by the electronic scale using the flow rate of the gas and the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder. The flow rate of the gas may either be inputted to the electronic scale by a user or calculated by the electronic scale by estimating the change in tare weight of the gas over time. By estimating the remaining time that gas remains in the cylinder in this manner, the electronic scale is able to measure gas in pressurized cylinders over a wide range of capacities (e.g., cylinders with capacities that range from 4.25 to 60 pounds of propane). Further, the electronic scale does not require that propane be turned on for 2 to 5 minutes to measure the level of propane unless the flow rate is to be calculated by the timer. Additionally, the electronic scale can be used in all weather conditions, including being used in direct sunlight.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for calculating a remaining time that gas remains in a cylinder comprising the step of receiving a weight of the cylinder when empty. The method further comprises calculating a total weight of the cylinder with the gas. The method further comprises calculating an actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder using the total weight of the cylinder with the gas and the weight of the cylinder when empty. The method further comprises calculating the remaining time the gas remains in the cylinder using a flow rate of the gas and the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder.
The foregoing has outlined rather generally the features and technical advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which may form the subject of the claims of the invention.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
Even though the following discusses the present invention in connection with propane cylinders, the principles of the present invention may be applied to cylinders holding other types of gasses. A person of ordinary skill in the art would be capable of applying the principles of the present invention to cylinders holding other types of gasses. Further, embodiments covering such cylinders holding other types of gasses would fall within the scope of the present invention.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details considering timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
The present invention discloses an electronic scale used to measure the remaining gas, such as butane and propane, in a pressurized cylinder. The electronic scale may calculate the tare weight of the gas and then use this tare weight to calculate the remaining percentage of gas compared to a full cylinder. The scale may further receive or calculate the flow rate of the gas. The scale may use the flow rate of the gas to calculate a remaining time the gas will last until it reaches a predetermined level and the cylinder needs to refilled or exchanged. It is believed that the percentage of remaining gas in a cylinder and the estimated remaining time the gas will last is a more useful indication of the amount of gas in a pressurized cylinder than just weight or pressure.
The scale may be a suspension unit or a platform based unit as illustrated in
Referring to
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Implementations of the invention include implementations as a computer system programmed to execute the method or methods described herein, and as a computer program product. According to the computer system implementations, sets of instructions for executing the method or methods may be resident in the random access memory 205 of one or more computer systems configured generally as described above. Until required by system 200, the set of instructions may be stored as a computer program product in another computer memory, for example, in disk unit 208. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the physical storage of the sets of instructions physically changes the medium upon which it is stored so that the medium carries computer readable information. The change may be electrical, magnetic, chemical or some other physical change.
It is noted that system 200 of
Returning to
Scale 100 may further include a display 210 (
It is noted that scale 100 of
As discussed above, the scale may be a suspension unit or a platform based unit.
Electronic scale 300 includes a weighing base 301 that may be constructed of a molded or a metal housing capable of weighing either an empty cylinder or a cylinder with gas with attached gauges and a regulator, if any. Weighing base 301 may be configured to house weighing mechanism 213 (
Weighing base 301 and remote housing 302 may have a display 210 (
It is noted that scale 300 of
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In step 402, scale 100/scale 300 receives the weight of the cylinder when empty. In one embodiment, the user of scale 100/scale 300 inputs the weight of the cylinder when empty to scale 100/scale 300.
In step 403, scale 100/scale 300 receives a maximum tare weight of the gas for the cylinder. In one embodiment, the user of scale 100/scale 300 inputs the maximum tare weight of the gas for the cylinder to scale 100/scale 300.
In step 404, scale 100/scale 300 optionally receives the flow rate. In one embodiment, scale 100 receives the flow rate from flow meter 103. In one embodiment, scale receives the flow rate from flow meter 305. If scale 100/scale 300 does not receive the flow rate in step 404, then scale 100/scale 300 computes the flow rate as discussed further below in connection with step 407.
In step 405, scale 100/scale 300 calculates an actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder using the total weight of the cylinder with the gas and the weight of the cylinder when empty. In one embodiment, the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder is equal to the total weight of the cylinder with the gas minus the weight of the cylinder when empty.
In step 406, scale 100/scale 300 calculates a percentage of the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder with respect to the maximum tare weight of the gas for the cylinder. Scale 100/scale 300 may then be able to indicate the percentage of gas remaining in the cylinder in addition to or in lieu of indicating the amount of time that gas remains in the cylinder. The percentage of the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder with respect to the maximum tare weight of the gas for the cylinder is equal to the actual gas tare weight divided by the maximum tare weight of the gas for the cylinder.
In step 407, scale 100/scale 300 optionally calculates a flow rate of the gas using an amount of the tare weight of the gas declined and a time it took for the tare weight of the gas to decline that amount. That is, the flow rate could be estimated by calculating the change in tare weight of the gas over time. For example, system 200 may include a timer (hardware or software) that activates when scale 100/scale 300 is activated. If the gas tare weight dropped one tenth of a pound in five minutes, then the flow rate would be 1.2. pounds per hour. In another embodiment, the flow rate of the gas may be calculated by scale 100/scale 300 selecting from a programmed list of devices the cylinder containing the gas to be measured. For example, scale 100/scale 300 may be programmed to contain an estimated propane flow rate for large gas grills, medium sized gas grills, small gas grills, portable gas grills, patio heaters, portable heaters, mosquito control devices, fish fryers and other devices that use propane. For instant, a cylinder with 20 pounds of propane may contain about 430,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units) which would allow a mosquito control device to operate for about 21 days. However, that same amount of propane would run out much faster in a large gas grill or fish fryer that was burning at maximum output. Step 407 is optionally executed by scale 100/scale 300 if scale 100/scale 300 does not receive the flow rate in step 404.
In step 408, scale 100/scale 300 calculates the remaining time the gas remains in the cylinder using the flow rate of the gas and the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder. In one embodiment, the remaining time the gas remains in the cylinder is calculated by the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder divided by the flow rate of the gas.
In step 409, scale 100/scale 300 displays one or more of the following: remaining time the gas remains in the cylinder; the flow rate of the gas; the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder; the percentage of the actual tare weight of the gas in the cylinder with respect to maximum tare weight of the gas for the cylinder.
Method 400 may include other and/or additional steps that, for clarity, are not depicted. Method 400 may be executed in a different order presented and the order presented in the discussion of
Although the method, computer program product and system are described in connection with several embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
This application is related to the following commonly owned co-pending U.S. patent applications: Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/775,609, “Hand Held Electronic Scale, ” filed Feb. 21, 2006, and claims the benefit of its earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(e); and Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/819,837, “Electronic Scale For Weighing Gas,” filed Jul. 11, 2006, and claims the benefit of its earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(e).
Number | Date | Country | |
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60775609 | Feb 2006 | US | |
60819837 | Jul 2006 | US |