Electronic counter for fluid flow tools
View Patent ↗A counter to monitor an amount of tool use that includes a fluid passage ( 23 ) with an inlet ( 21 ) and an outlet ( 22 ). A piston ( 30 ) and sensor target ( 50 ) (e.g., magnet) are positioned along the passage and are biased towards a first position by a biasing member ( 40 ). When the tool is not in operation, the piston and sensor target are located at a first position due to the biasing force. When the tool is in operation, fluid moves along the fluid passage. A force applied by the moving fluid on the piston and sensor target overcomes the force applied by the biasing member and moves the piston and sensor target along the fluid passage to a second position. A sensor is configured to sense the sensor target at the second position. A processing circuit ( 62 ) determines the tool usage based on the detection of the sensor target at the second position by the sensor.
1. A counter for a fluid-powered tool that includes fluid that moves along a fluid line when the tool is in operation, the counter comprising:
a body with a fluid passage comprising an inlet and an outlet that is configured for the fluid to move through the passage from the inlet to the outlet when the tool is in operation;
a piston with a first end and a second end, the piston positioned within the passage between the inlet and the outlet, the piston comprising a smaller cross-sectional size than the passage to be movable along the passage;
a sensor target attached to the piston and positioned within the passage, the sensor target sized to be movable along the passage with the piston;
a non-contact proximity sensor configured to detect when the sensor target is in a predetermined range of the sensor along the passage;
a processing circuit configured to monitor when the sensor detects the sensor target within the predetermined range of the sensor; the processing circuit configured to at least one of:
determine an amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on a count of a number of times that the sensor detects that the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the count is greater than one; and
determine the amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on an amount of time that the sensor detects the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the amount of time is from each of at least two distinct time intervals that are non-contiguous in time; and
a biasing member that applies a first force to the piston to bias the sensor target away from the predetermined range,
the first force of the biasing member positioning the sensor target away from the predetermined range when the tool is not in operation;
the first force being less than a force applied by the fluid moving, along the fluid line when the fluid-powered tool is in operation with the sensor target being positioned in the predetermined range.
2. The counter of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on the count of the number of times that the sensor detects that the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the count is greater than one.
3. The counter of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on the amount of time that the sensor detects the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the amount of time is from each of the at least two distinct time intervals that are non-contiguous in time.
4. The counter of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is positioned within the passage.
5. The counter of claim 1 , further comprising a stop positioned along the passage between the inlet and the predetermined range of the sensor, the stop extending into the passage to limit an, extent of movement of the piston upstream from the predetermined range.
6. The counter of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member biases the piston in a direction upstream from the predetermined range of the sensor.
7. The counter of claim 1 , wherein the sensor target is a magnet; and wherein the piston is non-magnetic and includes a greater length measured along the passage than the sensor target.
8. A counter for a fluid-powered tool that includes fluid that moves along a fluid line when the tool is in operation, the counter comprising:
a body with a fluid passage comprising an inlet and an outlet that is configured for the fluid to move through the passage from the inlet to the outlet when the fluid-powered tool is in operation;
a piston movably positioned within the passage between the inlet and the outlet;
a sensor target attached to the piston;
a non-contact proximity sensor configured to detect when the sensor target is within a predetermined range along the passage;
a processing circuit configured to at least one of:
determine an amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on a count of a number of times that the sensor detects that the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the count is greater than one, and
determine the amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on an amount of time that the sensor detects the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the amount of time is from each of at least two distinct time intervals that are non-contiguous in time.
9. The counter of claim 8 , further comprising a biasing member positioned in the passage that applies a first force to the piston to bias the sensor target away from the predetermined range.
10. The counter of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on the count of the number of times that the sensor detects that the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the count is greater than one.
11. The counter of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the amount of usage of the fluid-powered tool based on the amount of time that the sensor detects the sensor target is with the predetermined range of the sensor, wherein the amount of time is from each of the at least two distinct time intervals that are non-contiguous in time.
12. The counter of claim 8 , further comprising a stop positioned along the passage between the inlet and the predetermined range of the sensor, the stop extending into the passage to limit an extent of movement of the piston upstream from the predetermined range.
13. The counter of claim 8 , wherein the sensor target is a magnet; and wherein the piston is non-magnetic and includes a greater length measured along the passage than the sensor target.