Electronically controlled valve actuator in a plumbed water line within a water conditioning management system

Abstract

An electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line within a water conditioning management system, having an at least one valve with a valve stem in a plumbed water line within the water conditioning management system, an at least one actuator, an at least one actuator housing, an at least one electronic controller in communication with the actuator, an at least one shaft coupled to the actuator and said valve; an at least one shaft encoding device; and an at least one user interface with multiple indicator elements indicating the position of valve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail by way of the drawings, where the same reference numerals refer to the same features.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of an exemplary embodiment of the instant invention.

FIG. 3 shows top down view of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface of the instant invention.

Claims

1. A method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water condition management system, the actuator being in line with the plumed water condition management system comprising the method steps of: Sensing a variable of the water treatment system with a sensor;Communicating this variable to a controller;Controlling and moving the position of a valve via an actuator based on the input of the sensing step; andDisplaying the valve position through an at least one user interface.

2. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 1, further comprising the method steps of programming the controller to adjust to an at least one data input and moving the actuator based on the data input.

3. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controlling step is performed by a master controller of the water condition management system.

4. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the master controller is part of the valve actuator.

5. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 2, wherein the step of programming the controller includes the step of adjusting the controller based on at least one data input from at least one of a pressure switch, flow switch, valve condition sensors, water condition sensors, temperature sensors, ph sensors, salinity sensors, chemical sensors, pressure sensors, overall chemical makeup sensors, and flow speed sensors input.

6. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 1, further comprising the method steps of overriding the controlling step and the controller via manual input from the at least one user interface and manually controlling the controller through the user interface.

7. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 1, further comprising the additional method step of programming an at least one custom set point by engaging the controller through an at least one user interface to put the system in a set mode and inputting the at least one custom set point through the at least one user interface while in the set mode.

8. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 7, further comprising the step of providing user input through the at least one user interface to control the position of the actuator manually when not operating in an automatic mode and the further step of displaying the direction and position of the valve on the at least one user interface.

9. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 8, wherein the step of displaying the valve position further comprises displaying the position of the valve through a circle of indicator elements, the indicator elements changing a display condition to indicate the position of the valve.

10. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 9, wherein the indicator elements are LED's and the method of displaying the position of the valve further comprises turning the LED's on or off or blinking to indicate the position of the valve.

11. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controlling step further comprises the method step of programming a first of an at least two set points and a second of an at least two set points.

12. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 11, wherein the controlling step further comprises controlling the position of the valve between the first of an least two set points and the second of an at least two set points.

13. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the valve position further comprises indicating a direction of traverse for the valve and indicating when the controller is communicating with external controllers or sensors and indicating the operating mode of the actuator in at least one of an automatic, manual, set point, and programming mode.

14. The method for electronically controlling and operating a valve actuator in a plumbed water treatment system of claim 9, further comprising the step of indicating a warning if the movement of the valve actuator in its traverse is through a safe zone.

15. An electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line within a water conditioning management system, comprising: an at least one valve with a valve stem in a plumbed water line within the water conditioning management system;an at least one actuator;an at least one actuator housing;an at least one electronic controller in communication with the actuator;an at least one shaft coupled to the actuator and said valve;an at least one shaft encoding device; andan at least one user interface with multiple indicator elements indicating the position of valve.

16. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 15, wherein the at least one user interface further comprises an at least one indicator element.

17. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 16, wherein the at least one indicator element is an LED.

18. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 17, wherein the LED is a plurality of LEDs arranged in a circle and triggered to light upon the passing of the valve through a designated position.

19. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 15, wherein the at least one user interface further comprises an at least one manual input for adjusting the at least one valve.

20. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 19, wherein the at least one manual input further comprises two manual inputs one associated with manual clockwise and the other associated with manual counterclockwise operation of the valve.

21. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 15, wherein the at least one user interface further comprises an at least one set point indicator.

22. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a first housing component, a second housing component and a chassis, the first housing component being coupled to the second housing component and the chassis being held therebetween, the housing further containing the controller and the actuator and being releasably sealed and watertight.

23. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 16, further comprising a warning indicator as part of the at least one user interface, the warning indicator indicating the passage of the valve into a restricted safe zone.

24. The electronically controlled actuator in a plumbed water line of claim 23, further comprising an at least one user interface, wherein the at least one user interface includes and override input which must be pressed to move the actuator into the restricted safe zone.

25. An electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with a brine tank, comprising: a housing;an at least one control input;an at least one shaft;an at least one motor coupled to and turning the shaft;an at least one shaft encoding device reading the position of the at least one shaft;a controller, wherein said controller activates the motor to turn the electronically controlled salt dispensing valve actuator based on an input from the at least one control input to direct water within the salt dispensing system.

26. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 25, wherein the control input is from an at least one pressure switch, flow switch, valve condition sensor, water condition sensor, temperature sensor, ph sensors, salinity sensor, chemical sensor, pressure sensor, overall chemical makeup sensor, and flow speed sensor.

27. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 25, the actuator switches the valve position to divert water to the brine tank within the salt dispensing system based on data input from the controller.

28. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 25, the actuator switches the valve position to withdraw brine from the brine tank within the salt dispensing system.

29. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 25, further comprising an at least one user interface having an at least one indicator element indicating the position of the valve.

30. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 29, wherein the at least one indicator element is an at least one LED arranged in a circular pattern.

31. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 30, wherein the at least one indicator element further comprises an indicator element indicating a direction of traverse for the valve, an indicator element indicating when the controller is communicating with external controllers or sensors, and an indicating element indicating the operating mode of the actuator in at least one of an automatic, manual, set point, and programming mode.

32. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 30, further comprising an at least one user input

33. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 30, wherein the at least one user input includes an at least one mode button, an at least one directional button, and a set button.

34. The electronically controlled salt dispensing system valve actuator within a salt dispensing system in communication with the brine tank of claim 30, further comprises an input line and 5 pin programming port for a user interface device for reprogramming the controller.