GB2366648A - Rain or flood water detector and alarm system - Google Patents

Abstract

A device that senses the presence of a liquid such as rain water has been designed to sense and catch the first fall of small rain droplets so that a warning may be given to the user via an alarm system. The detector comprises two conductive plates 1 that sit adjacent to each other with a small gap 3 in between. These angled plates can be connected to an alarm system, 9v or mains driven, via insulated electrical wire from each plate. When water falls on one of the two collector plates, it runs downwards to the gap where 'bridging' occurs and the alarm will sound. The device can be inverted and used as a flood alarm. The detector can be attached to an existing alarm system such as a smoke alarm or be manufactured as a single function unit, i.e. rain only, for people with washing on the line. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 5, a single bent plate 5 may be spaced from a second bent plate 7 by an insulating support 6.

Description

2366648 WATER/RAIN DETECTOR AND ALARM The water/rain detector has been

designed primarily to assist people who have washing out on the line when rain may be threatening. The detector is connected to an alarm system that can be switched 'on' or 'off and allows the owner to go about their daily duties without continually watching the skies.

Prior art in similar alarm systems tend to concentrate on the detection of smoke as in the event of home fires, and detection of burglars' etc. Certainly, water detectors are not new but this inventive step aims to introduce a new type of sensor that when coupled to a standard alarm, offers the user two early warning systems. This would be a'deluxe' rain/smoke alarm that could warn against smoky garden fires as opposed to the 'standard' rain only alarm. The 'standard' system would only require a siren, delay chip, battery and switch placed inside a water proof housing with rain sensor on top. By contrast, the same water sensor maybe inserted into a tube and placed in gardens where flooding occurs. This early warning device could alert the sleeping owner of the impending threat should nearby rivers burst their banks.

In the event of rain, the detector may contain two copper collector plates or similar conductors that are bonded to non-conductive base pads where a gap of 0. 1 mm between the plates creates an open circuit. An insulated electrical wire runs from each conductive collector plate where one wire goes to the alarm system and the other travels through a simple on/off switch. When the switch is in the 'on' position, the alarm remains silent until a droplet of rain falls on one of I the two collector plates and runs downwards to the gap where 'bridging' occurs. The 'open' ci rcuit then becomes 'bridged' and the alarm sounds.

Each detector plate is so angled to give an optimum inclusive angle of 900. This gives a maximum capture area while also allowing sufficient slope for the droplet to run down to the 'bridging' gap via gravity. It is envisaged that sometimes a droplet according to its mass and velocity may on impact burst into several smaller droplets therefore increasing the likelihood of detection through the act of dispersal and consequential 'bridging. The optimum angle of 900 maybe decreased or increased and therefore would be obvious to anyone in the art.

The two non-conductive support pads have a circular recess just below the bonded plates so that when the rain has stopped, excess water maybe cleared away using the edge of a piece of paper. This recess, seen in Fig 1, allows ease of water clearing so enabling the alarm to be reset without sounding.

These detectors can be made in any size but the longer they become, so their effectiveness increases in droplet detection. Alternatively, several smaller detectors can be used in tandem on the alarm housing or set as far from the house wall as possible.

This detector maybe incorporated into an existing alarm system at manufacture such as a smoke alarm therefore creating a dual function. In this case, the rain detector positioned on the outer windowsill would be controlled by an on/off switch. This switch on the alarm does not interfere with the smoke detector function at any time. Therefore, the smoke alarm is still active at all times and would be best placed in a utility room or similar place of convenience.

While the smoke alarm itself is not a new idea, the concept of its use in detecting nearby garden fires is so. Therefore, permission for its use in such an alarm as described would be sort from the patent holder/holders. In this case, the whole alarm would be of the transportable type and placed in an outside position where smoke detection could be most effective.

The complete alarm systems could come in at least three styles with a variation on sensor design as well as the way in which they are connected to the main waterproof housing. These variations can be seen in the illustration section. Therefore, the three main systems are as follows. Firstly, a sensor and sender that is placed on the washing line and is activated by remote or radio control from some position in the home. These remote control devices are already on the market and are not a new concept. The second option is for the alarm to be permanently positioned next to the inside of a window and where the sensor leads are so small that they pass in between the window and its frame even in the closed position. A variation on this is that the two sensor wires pass out through a predrilled hole in the wall. The sensor then seats on the outer windowsill or similar position. Thirdly, a complete and transportable system that hangs by one or two strategically placed hooks as see in Fig 9. Since this concept involves hanging the whole alarm out on the line, if rain is detected, the alarm will sound for thirty seconds followed by silence. Resounding will repeat in the same fashion until the owner retrieves the washing and alarm, The sounding could be longer or shorter and this fact will be obvious to anyone in the art.

To make the sensor more attractive, the collector plates can be profiled so that the overall effect visually is that of a 'butterfly' as seen in Fig 4. Therefore each plate becomes a wing and in fact the shape could also be fly-like or bee-like etc. Attachment and positioning onto the nonconductive supports in this case would be as seen in Fig 1.

A more sophisticated 'butterfly' sensor would be as seen in Fig 5 where the wings are actually made from one piece of conductive material. If the plate or material is bent centrally along the body access, then the formed 900 inclusive wings present realism and more importantly, effective droplet capture. An insulated 3 electrical wire would be attached by soldering or similar process to this wing set and will be the 'positive' side. A second conductive plate that is bent at right angles and inverted seats onto a non-conductive separator block. This inverted conductor plate also has a wire attached to its underside through soldering or similar process and becomes known as the 'negative' path. This negative insulated wire passes through a hole in the non-conductive separator block and bent wing section hole where it then sits beside the 'positive' wire. Once assembly has occurred, the 'negative' inverted section sits within 0. 1 mm distance of the 'positive' wing section on both sides. The inverted section also serves to give body shape and so has this dual function. The three assembled parts are then put onto a mounting block with through wire hole that allows seating and bonding of mating faces Ref. Fig 8. The whole sensor is then secured to the alarm housing via a threaded boss that projects out from the underside of the mounting block. In some cases, the mounting block will be a part of the unit that houses the alarm system and so the butterfly assembly shall be placed directly onto this as an alternative.

The alarm housing itself may be round for simplicity or more intricate in the case of a house, cottage or windmill, etc. These will be made through the plastic moulding process and by design be tough and completely waterproof. Fig.9 demonstrates the version where a bungalow-style housing contains all the unseen, though necessary electronics, to operate/activate the alarm system.

For those threatened by floodwater, the sensor in Fig 1 is placed upside down in a tough waterproof tube. The tube is sealed at the top end to prevent rainwater from setting the alarm off accidentally and the whole unit may be secured to the outer building wall where twin wires run into the house alarm. In this case, the tough inverted tube is placed in a predetermined position where rising water will be sensed. A hole in the tube wall and adjacent to the inverted sensor allows the trapped air to escape the inner section as water rises. This tube is basically a receptorlhousing and can be any shape that is obvious to anyone in the art.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 shows in perspective the mirror image water/rain detector plate 1 with non-conductive base supports 2. Also seen is the water clearance recess 3.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the detector with conductive collector plates 1 that demonstrate the water droplet catchment area and the bridging gap X.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the detector with conductive collector plate 1 seated amid the two bonded non-conductive base pads 2.

Figure 4 shows the plan view of the 'butterfly' wing detector plate 4 and its mirror image wing that would be bonded and placed as seen in Fig 1, 2 & 3.

Figure 5 shows how the 'butterfly' wing set 5 can be made out of one piece. The second conductive plate 7 seats on the intermediate nonconductor separator 6.

Figure 6 shows an exploded view of thebufterfly' sensor in which holes 8 & 9 in conductor 5 and separator 6 accept the'positive' and 'negative' electrical wires.

Figure 7 shows the front view of the'bufterfly' sensor with wing section 5 seated about the alternative securing threaded separator 13. An electrical wire 12 hangs through. Also seen is the indicated position for sectional view X-X.

Figure 8 shows the through section X-X taken from Figure 7. The nonconductive separator 6 seats onto the wing 5 that in turn is positioned on the non-conductive support block 10. The electrical wire 11 is attached to the wing set 5 and second electrical wire 12 to conductor plate 7.

Figure 9 shows the tough plastic housing 16 that contains the electrical components/alarm. The mirror image hooks 17 allow the housing to hang from the washing line in a balanced fashion and here the sensor plates 14 seat on the side of the roof section via integral moulding 15.

Figure 10 shows the tough plastic cube 18 that houses the water sensor as seen in Fig I but now in an inverted fashion. The mirror image lug 19 contains the screw hole 20 where attachment maybe to a house wall or wooden post in a lower garden position. The line X-X shows the point of section.

Figure 11 demonstrates clearly the through section X-X of cubed housing 18 taken from Fig 10. The inverted water sensor 21/22 with mirror image detector plates 1 are positioned at the predetermined distanceX that is less than 1 cm from ground level. An independent insulated electrical wire attaches to mirror image solder points 22 before passing out through the air vent 23. The through slot 24 allows the rising water internal access and where the alarm will sound once 'bridging' occurs across the conductive mirror image detector plates 1.

Figure 12 shows the bottom view of the cubed housing 18 where the mirror image detector plates 1 sit bonded about twin non-conductive base pads 21.

Figure 13 shows how the individual units come together to form the alarm system. The siren 25 is connected to the sensor 27 via a semiconductor/timer 26 where a 9v battery 29 then provides power through a simple 'on/off switch. The semiconductor/timer 26 is type NE555/556 or similar that when coupled to known resistors and capacitors will give a siren tone of a certain duration before cutout. i.e. 30 seconds 9' Figure 14 shows how the individual components come together to form the alarm system in a more simplified manner than as explained in Figure 13. The key difference is the omission of the semiconductor/timer 26. Therefore, the siren 25 will sound once the sensor 27 has detected water and shall remain 'sounding' until the user isolates the battery 29 via the switch 28.

Figure 15 demonstrates how the sensor 28 maybe connected into an existing smoke alarm unit 30. This is the standard type as purchased for the home and once connected then turns the alarm into a twin function unit where the smoke alarm is always 'on' but that the water detecting side maybe turned 'on' or'off independently as and when required.

WATERIRAIN DETECTOR AND ALARM

Claims (15)

1 A water/rain detector containing two angular catchment plates that are spaced apart from each other to form a 'bridgi ng gap' and connected to an alarm system either through direct wire contact or radio transmission. These conductive plates are bonded onto a non-conductive base pad/pads that may contain a pre-manufactured recess for water clearance or drainage after the rain event. The detector or multiples of are then used in connection with an alarm system that maybe housed in a tough waterproof housing.

2. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 1 that has at least two conductive plates/strips set adjacent to each other and at an inclusive angle of 900. Greater variation than +/- 10 degrees would be less efficient and obvious to anyone in the art.

3. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 1 that has at least two conductive plates/strips set apart with a gap of 0. 1 mm. This maybe increased to a maximum of 1 mm for rain but efficiency in detection of smaller droplets will then decrease. Inverted rising water detectors may have a bridging gap ranging from 0.1mm to infinity.

4. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 1 that has one insulated electrical wire connected to each conductive plate/strip and of which one goes to the alarm'on/ofr switch while the other joins into the alarm circuit.

IF

5. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 2 that may use profiled collector plates that once assembled look like a'butterfly'. In fact any similar profile such as a fly, bubble-bee, or bird in flight would be obvious to anyone in the art and could be used.

6. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 5 that may also have the'butterfly' profile but this time manufactured out of one piece of conductive material. In this event, the wings are set in the 900 inclusive condition. A second inverted conductor sits on a non-conductive separator above the wing set to look like the body and completes the sensor.

7. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 6 that when assembled may locate onto a threaded non-conductive separator with through hole. This through hole and the second one in the main wing set create a passage for the soldered sensor wires.

8. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 1 that sits on the roof c(I a tough plastic housing containing the necessary electronics to enable the system. The detector/detectors can be placed around the housing and this would be obvious to anyone in the art. Therefore the shape could be a house, cottage, shed, windmill, or even circular like a bird feeder.

9. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 1 that maybe placed up sidedown in a tough plastic housing and once secured next to a house wall at ground level will provide the owner with early detection of flood water.

10. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 1 that in the first instance may use a simple electrical circuit with siren, sensor, switch and a battery as indicated in Fig 14.

9

11. A rain/water detector as claimed in claim 10 who's circuit could contain a semiconductorltimer chip NE555/556 or similar so that the alarm only sounds for a limited period i.e. 30 seconds. The'resounding' could be such that it reoccurs until the owner retrieves the washing. Therefore changing the sounding duration and 'in between' silence duration would be obvious to anyone in the art.

12. A water/rain detector as claimed in claim 8 who's housing could contain a a standard smoke alarm for the detection of garden fires but also be connected to the rain sensor. Therefore the unit would give the owner warning of two independent events.

13. A rain/water detector as claimed in claim 11 that if a water detector against rising water/flooding would not need the 'timer chip' as the urgency to react would be greater. However, the alarm tone would be different to that of the smoke alarm to avoid panic in the middle of the night.

14. A rain/water detector as claimed in claim 13 who's tough plastic housing may be secured against the house wall at ground level via twin screw holes or placed at a lower point in the garden where earlier detection shall result. Connection to the base unit in the home maybe via two wires or a radio transmitter/receiver.

15. A water/rain detector and alarm system substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.