EP3788206A1

EP3788206A1 - Manhole anti-intrusion system

Info

Publication number: EP3788206A1
Application number: EP16831841.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cosimo Sarno
Original assignee: Russo Giovanna; Sarno Antonio; Sarno Marianna; Sarno Sara
Current assignee: Russo Giovanna; Sarno Antonio; Sarno Marianna; Sarno Sara
Priority date: 2015-10-29
Filing date: 2016-10-28
Publication date: 2021-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2036-10-28
Also published as: EP3788206B1; ITUB20155680A1; ES2927272T3; WO2017072809A1

Abstract

To eliminate both the leakage of bad odors and the proliferation and passage of insects and mice through drains and manholes, it is provided a system comprising a septum partition (1) which has to be installed within the well (2) of the drain or the manhole; said septum (1) dividing the well (2), in the horizontal direction, into an upper an a lower part (7,8); said septum (1) having a hole (5) which represents the seat of a floating element (6); the septum (1) forming a barrier between the upper part (7) and the bottom part (8) of the well. The float (6) is surmounted by a protective element in the shape of a dome (10), said dome (10) being preferably shaped as an octopus. The float is bound to the dome (10) by means of a membrane (25) and/or a guide (12), for reducing the noise generated by the float moving within and possibly hitting the dome (10). The internal surface of the dome (10) defines the volume within which the float can move (6), and in the lower region of the dome (10) the passage of water is allowed; the hole (5), by means of a duct (18), is in fluid communication with the water possibly present in the lower part of the well (2), said duct (18) forming a siphon with said water.

Description

Manholes anti-intrusion system.

Description

The subject of this invention is an anti-intrusion system and anti-emptying system for manholes in their different forms.

State of the Art

The manholes are elements, situated on the surface of the roads, with the function of collecting the rain water and convey them to the purifiers via an underlying water network. Therefore the manholes are elements connecting the road surface with a wet and unhealthy underground network from which they come out bad smells, where insects (mosquitoes) reproduce themselves and which is the ideal, protected habitat for mice, coackroaches, All the above mentioned animals are annoying, harmful and disease-carrying animals.

On the market, there are solutions using barriers which divide the wells in a top and bottom part. These barriers are constituted of elements with hinges and counterweights or springs, which open under the action of weight (e.g. rain water).

The main problems linked to such solutions are due to the fact that when they open under the action of a weight, together with the water, they let through any element which rests on them. They are also subject to wearing, to jamming for excessive waste and for oxidation of the hinges, thus requiring a difficult maintenance, and finally they do not lend them to being used as a siphon.

Particularly, a patent is known EP 0 952 263 A2 (STRUFE UDO.KOWOL EWALD (DE))1999-10-27 which provides an annular floating body which can move vertically in an annular chamber when the water flows. A gas-tight apron is connected inferiorly, to seal, with the floating body and above an odour filter.

In this patent, the floating body is not protected from the entrance, by the grate of the manhole, of solid elements, with possible malfunction of the mechanism; furthermore the floating body closes externally at the level of the mouth of the reflux of water. This would enable coackroaches and mice which rise from the bottom of the small well, to position themselves on it.

Something that would be very difficult if the floating element was a sphere which would shut the housing opening, internally..

The patent GB 2 432 596 A (JANITOR LTD (GB)) 2007-05-30 is applied to the urinals, thus a different field from the manholes. A sleeve acts as a duct with a closing spheric float for a fluid. The sleeve has a dome cover. In this patent the water flow which comes from above invests the float on its entire surface, and in the case in which the dirt is accidentally deposited on all of its surface, it might prevent its movement. This would not happen if the flow of the water, along with any dirt, passes under the ball.

The patent WO 02/092926 A1 (WOO KYUNG SEO (KR)) 2002-11-21 is applied in a different field from the manholes i.e. to the small wells for domestic use to eliminate bad smells and noises.

The device comprises: a grate, constituted by a plate with a plurality of oblong holes, fixed with a pin, beneath and centrally, to a guide dome, a discharge pipe with an enlarged chamber and an oval float.

In this patent the dome and the grate are all one and not separate elements, therefore in case of lack of coaxiality between the dome and the hole, would lead to a system malfunction with the float that would not sit on the site or hole. This would not be the case when the grating and the dome are indipendent elements, for which the coaxiality is still guaranteed).

In addition, in case of a new asphalt layer on the road surface, the position of the grate would raise with respect to the dividing surface of the small well, and the dome would lose its protective function toward the float. The patent CN 2771323 Y (SUN YUN (CN)) 2006-04-12 describes a siphon with sphere that achieves a unidirectional valve to prevent the escape of malodorous outflows from a sewerage pipeline

The surface that the sphere covers is only provided with a small opening, positioned below the surface of the level of the water, and the sphere has the function of a valve toward the flow coming from the bottom, as opposed to a manhole that has a different function and a different principle of operation.

The patent GB 2 286 207 A (PRE CON MARKETING PTE LTD (SG)) 1995-08-09 describes an application for small wells of domestic use, constituted by a hollow cylindrical body with a seat for a spherical floating valve and a lid.

When the stream is flowing down through the drain, the hydrostatic thrust lifts the valve, to allow the liquid to flow through the seat of the valve.

The spheric float is not protected by a dome and the water flows down vertically dipping the whole sphere, therefore what passes through the grate can lean on the float, producing the same disadvantages of the patent GB 2432596 A.

SCOPES and ADVANTAGES of the INVENTION

The innovation which is being proposed is a spheric-float mechanism, independent of the street grate, which allows the rain water, possibly mixed with mud or other solid elements and without that these are deposited on the float or interfere with it, to cross the manhole and get into the sewers, and at the same time, does not allow the passage of bad odors, insects and other animals.

In other words it isolates the outside environment from that consisting of the groundwater collection of rainwater pipes with an effective, simple and easy to maintain solution..

DESCRIPTION of DRAWINGS and WAYS OF REALIZING THE INVENTION The characteristics and advantages of the proposed invention will be more clear from the following descriptions and from the enclosed drawings provided for illustrative purposes and not limiting purposes, in which:

Figure 1 schematically shows, in a three-dimensional view, in cross-section, a manhole with well.

Figure 2 schematically shows, in a three-dimensional view, a first way of realizing the proposed invention.

Figure 3 schematically shows, in a three-dimensional sectional view, a first way of realizing the proposed invention.

Figure 4 schematically shows, in a sectional view, a second way of realizing the proposed invention provided with a dome.

Figures 5 and 6 schematically show, in a sectional view, a third way of realizing the proposed invention where the well acts as a siphon.

Figure 7 schematically shows, in a sectional view, a fourth way of realizing the proposed invention where the float has a hole through which can slide on an inner guide; in addition the float does not have a spherical shape.

Figure 8 schematically shows, in a sectional view, a fifth way of realizing the proposed invention in which the float has a non-through hole by means of which it can slide on an inner guide; in addition, the float does not have a spherical shape.

Figure 9 schematically shows, in a three-dimensional view, a sixth way of realizing the proposed invention to a manhole with a sidewalk (pavement) grate.

Figure 10 schematically shows, in a three-dimensional view, a seventh way of realizing the proposed invention to a manhole with an elongated street grate.

Figure 11 schematically shows, in a sectional view, all which is described by Figure 10.

Figure 12 schematically shows, in a sectional view, another way of realizing the proposed invention, in which the floating device has been shaped and provided with a flexible membrane. Figure 12 schematically shows, in a sectional view, another way of realizing the proposed invention in which the floating device has been fractionated.

Figure 14 schematically shows, in a sectional view, another way of realizing the proposed invention in which the floating device and its supporting hole has been made rough with grooves.

Figure 15 schematically shows, in a three-dimensional view, another way of realizing the proposed invention in which the device can be applied as a discharge siphon and in which the water comes from the grate above and from other various traditional manholes.

II meccanismo oggetto della presente invenzione consiste in una superficie (1) che divide in due il pozzetto (2) sotto la caditoia (3) o il tombino (4), in senso orizzontale, avente un foro (5) che costituisce la sede di appoggio di un elemento galleggiante (6) preferibilmente di forma sferica, owiamente piu leggero dell' acqua. La superficie divisoria (1) unita alia sfera (6), in assenza di pioggia e quindi di acqua, formano una barriera separando il pozzetto (2) in una parte superiore o alta (7) ed in una parte inferiore o bassa (8).

The mechanism which is the subject of the proposed invention consists of a surface (1) that divides the well in two parts (2) under the manhole (3) or the CLOSED

MANHOLEtombino (4), in an horizontal direction, having a hole (5) which forms the seat of a floating element (6) preferably of spherical shape, obviously lighter of water. The dividing surface (1) joined to the sphere (6), in the absence of rain, and therefore of water, forms a barrier separating the well (2) in an upper part (7) and a lower part (8) . rainy conditions the water enters the upper part (7) of the well (2) through the manhole and / or by ducts (9) coming from other discharges, raises the float (6) and flows in the lower part (8) of the well (2) i.e. towards the rainwater drainage network. The above is valid when the incoming water is clean but, in reality, dust, sand, leaves and other impurities end up in the manholes, together with incoming water which brings with it, a huge amount of dirt

All these foreign bodies can, once deposited on the float (6), prevent it from lifting itself in the presence of water, thus determining malfunction of the anti-intrusion manholes. To prevent all of this, it is necessary to introduce another element in the shape of a dome (10) which has the function of protecting the float from materials that leaning on it can prevent its movement, in other words, to ensure that the volume above the float remains clean even when different types of materials end up in the upper part of the well and, at the same time, to allow the passage of water through or underneath it.

This element (10) (which here will be called "piovra") is fixed to the grate or to any point of the upper part of the well, has its upper surface in the shape of a dome (which has a protective function), above the float ( 6), it contains and defines the volume within which it can move.

Therefore the proposed solution, essentially consists of three elements that added to a traditional well, confer to it the innovative features described above, these elements arc:

1 ) Surface (1 ) or perforated septum partition, (home of the float)

2) Float (preferably a sphere (6))

3) Piovra (10)

Obviously, there could be two types of weather conditions, dry climate or rain.

- In the first case of dry climate, the float (6), due to its weight, rests on its seat (1) separating the well into an upper part (7) and a bottom part (8), thus constituting a physical barrier to insects, mice and vapors.

- In the second case of rain, the water that enters the upper part of the well from the manhole and / or from other ducts (9), when reaching a certain level, raises the float and flows through the bottom part (8) of the well into the ducts (11) of the discharge network of the rain water. We have also seen that the float can move, in the presence of a flow of water, in a volume included between the bearing seat place (1) and the piovra (10). These movements can lead to shocks resulting in production of noise.

To overcome this issue it is possible to constrain the floating element (6) via guides; the guide is constituted by a rod (12) which starts from the top of the dome (10) and slips into a hole (13) made in the floating element (6). Such guidance could also come from the bottom and anchored either to the partition septum, or to the bottom of the manhole. With this solution the float is constrained to slide along the guide (12) and cannot hit the walls that constitute the piovra (10) with a consequent reduction of the noise.

Another solution, in order to eliminate bumps between the float and the piovra and which simultaneously gives the certainty that no material can slip between them, consists in the use of a thin (25) and very flexible membrane between the float and the piovra so as to constitute a barrier. This membrane must not be an impediment to the movement of the float, so it must also be very light and flexible and may be constituted by a simple net.

It is now described how the solution proposed in the present patent application can be extended to the various types of commonly used manholes.

Road on a hill: it simply uses an inclined manhole.

- Road and sidewalk grates: the road grate (14) or the sidewalk (pavement) grate (15) has an elongated shape and it is often thin; the system proposed according to the present invention can be placed under, respectively, the road (16) or the sidewalk (17), or at its side, receiving the water coming from the grate by means of a duct (9). The top can have a grate or can be closed.

- Well with reduced height: the proposed solution includes the use of a float that has a certain size in order to ensure the disposal of a certain water flow (the water flow to be disposed determines the diameter of the seat of the float and thus also the size of the float). If the well is low and there are problems in housing a float of large dimensions (the upper part of the proposed well has a height which is proportional to the size of the float used) it is possible to use several floats of reduced dimensions.

Siphon-well: if the well has also to function as a siphon, it is sufficient to connect a duct (18) that goes from the hole (5) that serves as the seat for the float (6) to the water which is present in the lower part (8) of the well ( 2).

The proposed system, subject of the present proposed invention, can also be used as a point in which is conveyed the water coming from different traditional manholes (19) in other words, it can represent their collection center (20), this solution may be useful when the manholes are located at short distance between each other.

The proposed system divides the well "hermetically", in the horizontal direction, into an upper part (7) and a bottom part (8). Due to such a division, variations of pressure (Pi) may occur in the lower part (8) with respect to the atmospheric pressure (Pa) present in the upper part (7). Three conditions can happen: Pi is equal, greater or lower than the atmospheric Pa. In the first case (Pi = Pa) there is no consequence.

In the second case (Pi higher than Pa) the float (being very light) is lifted from its seat and tends to balance the two pressures by letting air pass from the bottom part to the top part of the well.

In the third case (Pi less than Pa) the float is pushed on the seat by a force F due to the pressure difference between the upper and lower part of the well (F = (Pa-Pi) x area of the seat), this can lead to the failure of the system (the float does not go up to the upper part of the manhole, in the presence of water) therefore, in order to avoid all this, the following precautions may be taken::

To use a float which is not perfectly smooth.

The seat of the float has small grooves (21) and (21') or asperities.

Bothe the float and the seat of the float have small grooves (21) and (21') or asperities.

The seat of the float and the float do not fit perfectly together. The consequence of the grooves (21) or asperities which are present on the float (6) or on its seat (21 ') of support (5) let pass the air through, thus determining the balance between the pressures Pi and Pa and ensuring the functioning of that mechanism i.e. the floating of the float (6) in case of rain, provided that these measures, while making pass the air, are such that they do not let pass insects, and mice.

- absence of sharp reduction of vapours and bad odours coming from the manholes -elimination of the passage of animals and insects from the water drainage network to the inhabited area

-easy cleaning (the dirt can accumulate only on the upper part of the well, leaving clean its lower part)

-elimination of the disinfestation problem with obvious benefits for the environmental and the economic management of the network

-Also applicable to existing manholes by means of fixing the separating septum to the walls, generally made of concrete, of the well. The proposed mechanism can also be efficiently used to realize siphons and anti-emptying wells in the civil dwellings.Jn this case the function of the float (sphere) (6) is no longer to obstruct the passage to animals etc. but it is to prevent the emptying of the water of the siphon or of the siphon-well.

Claims

1) Anti-intrusion system for manholes constituted of a surface (1) which divides the well into two parts, in the horizontal direction (2) and which has a hole (5) representing the seat of a floating element (6) and which forms a barrier between the upper part (7) and the bottom part (8) of the well, characterized in that:

a) the float (6) is surmounted by a protective element in the shape of a dome (10) the surface of which forms the volume within which the float can move (6) and which allows the passage of water beneath itself;

b) the float is constrained to the dome (10) by means of a light and flexible membrane (25) that defines the volume between the float (6) and the dome (10).

c) the float (6) is constrained to move along a guide (12) fixed to the element in the shape of dome which is over the float (6);

d) the hole, which is the seat of the float, communicates with the water beneath through a duct (18) to form a siphon;

2) Anti-intrusion system manholes consisting of a surface (1) which divides the well into two parts, in the horizontal direction (2) and having a hole (5) which represents the seat of a floating element (6) and which forms a barrier between the upper part (7) and the bottom part (8) of the well, as per claim 1) characterized by the fact that the floating sphere (6) is surmounted by a protective element in the shape of a dome (10) the surface of which forms a volume within which the float can move (6) and allows the passage of water underneath itself.

3) Anti-intrusion for manholes as per claim 2) where the hole, seat to the float, communicates with the water beneath through a duct (18) to form a siphon.

4) Anti-intrusion system for manholes as per claims 1) and 2) characterized by the fact that the surface of the float and / or its seat are provided with grooves or asperities (21, 21 ') in order to prevent the hermetic closure between the upper part (7) and the bottom part (8) of the well (2).

5) Anti-intrusion system for manholes as per claims 1) and 2) characterized by the fact that in an anti-intrusion manhole, there is more than a device with all the related floating spheres (6) and domes (10).

6) Anti-intrusion system for manholes as per claims 1) and 2) characterized by the fact that the entry of the water happens in the upper part (7) of the well, also by means of ducts (9) from other manholes.

7) Anti-intrusion system for manholes as per claims 1) and 2) characterized by the fact that the entry of the water into the manhole (4) takes place exclusively via ducts (9) in the upper part of the well.