GB2409887A

GB2409887A - Adapter for conveying a substance from a container into a central heating system

Info

Publication number: GB2409887A
Application number: GB0500386A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Robertson Drummond; David William Armfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-01-08
Filing date: 2005-01-10
Publication date: 2005-07-13
Also published as: GB0500386D0

Abstract

The adapter is used for conveying a substance, eg for chemical treatment of the water, from a container 40 via a non-return valve 50 into a central heating system. The adapter is connected either to a filling loop or directly to the non-return valve to which a filling loop would normally be connected. The filling loop connector may have a flexible conduit 24, a container connector 22 in the form of a spout 28 with interior threads and a filling loop connector 26 in the form a spout 32 with exterior threads. The exterior threads may be parallel or tapered. The part of the filling loop connector having the exterior threads may have a constant or tapered outer diameter. Alternatively, fig. 3, the adapter 60 may have a female connector 62 in the form a spout 64 with interior threads for direct engagement with the one-way valve 50.

Description

1 2409887 1 "Central heating system adapter" 3 The invention relates to an

adapter for use in 4 conveying a substance from a container to a non return valve of a central heating system, especially 6 but not exclusively a sealed pressurised system.

8 A domestic central heating system comprises a boiler 9 (or other heating device) for heating the water, a number of radiators to which the hot water may be 11 transferred (usually by being pumped), and 12 associated pipes appropriately connecting the boiler 13 to the radiators and the radiators to each other, to 14 form a closed circuit. In general the boilers used for this purpose have cast iron, or steel, sections 16 within which the water is heated, the radiators are 17 mild steel, and the pipes are either copper or a 18 plastic. Central heating systems of this kind 19 suffer from a number of problems, including corrosion of the materials (particularly any iron or 21 steel parts) from which the system is made, the 22 deposit of scale, and the formation of "sludge".

1 All these can be dealt with by providing appropriate 2 chemicals in the circulating "process" water.

3 Chemical treatment can remove commissioning 4 residues, control sludge, remove scale, inhibit corrosion, inhibit microbiological growth, control 6 boiler noise and seal internal leaks.

8 Sealed pressurized central heating systems typically 9 comprise a closed reservoir adjacent to the boiler.

The reservoir is sealingly divided into two parts by 11 a flexible membrane, one part being connected to the 12 system's pipework (and so being full of system 13 water; this water is pumped into the system through 14 a non-return valved filling loop when the system is first constructed and commissioned) and the other 16 being filled with compressed gas (typically air or 17 nitrogen) to pressurise the entire system.

19 One problem is how to get the chemicals from the container in which they are supplied (which might 21 range from a simple bottle to a tubular cartridge 22 used in a dispensing gun) into the system in a 23 clean, tidy and controllable manner.

One way of adding the chemicals is through the 26 filling loop (similarly to how the system was 27 originally filled with water). Closed central 28 heating systems are filled from tile "mains" water 29 supply by the filling loop, which is attached to the mains via a non- return valve, which prevents 31 contamination of the mains supply. A typical 1 filling loop is shown in Fig l, and will be 2 described in more detail later.

4 GB 2,342,417 discloses a connector for attachment to a filling loop. This connector has a number of 6 disadvantages. Firstly, Lie connector may be 7 complicated for an inexperienced person to use, 8 having two different exterior threaded portions, one 9 end having interior threads, and the other end having a spout. To use this connector with a 11 filling loop, it first needs to be adapted, by 12 cutting off one end of the connector. Secondly, the 13 connector is a single piece; it is relatively solid, 14 inflexible and cannot he extended. This means that the chemical container must be positioned very close 16 to the end of the filling loop, which can cause 11 problems in confined spaces. Furthermore, GB 18 2,342,417 does not disclose an adapter which can 19 connect directly to a non-return valve of a central heating system.

22 According to a first aspect of the present invention 23 there is provided an adapter for conveying a 24 substance into a central heating system, the adapter comprising: 26 first connection means for connecting to a 27 container; and 28 second connection means for connection to a 29 filling loop of a central heating system or a non return valve of a central heating system; 31 wherein a flexible midportion is provided 32 between the first and the second connection means.

2 Typically, the flexible midportion of the adapter 3 comprises a bendable conduit.

Having a flexible midportion gives the user more 6 choice in where to position the container. The 1 flexible conduit can be made so long as is desired, 8 and can be made to turn corners, if required.

Typically, the second connection means is provided 11 with male threads for connection to a filling loop.

13 Typically, the male threads have a constant height.

14 Alternatively, the male threads have a varying height. The "height" of the threads is defined by 16 the distance between the thread root and the 17 radially outermost portion of the thread.

19 Optionally, the male threads are provided on a cylindrical portion of the second connection means, 2l the cylindrical portion having a bore extending 22 therethrough. If male threads of constant height 23 are provided on a cylindrical portion, then the 24 outer thread diameter is constant.

26 Alternatively, the second connection means is 27 provided at one end of the adapter and the male 28 threads are provided on a tapered portion of the 29 second connection means, the diameter of the tapered portion decreasing towards that end of the adapter.

1 Optionally, the second connection means is provided 2 with female threads for connection to male threads 3 provided on a non-return valve of the central 4 heating system.

6 Although in the below exemplary embodiments, the 7 second connection means (corresponding in the 8 examples to the radially enlarged portions 34, 66) 9 has either female or male threads, in other embodiments (not shown) the second connection means 11 could be provided with both male and female threads.

13 Typically, the first connection means, the second 14 connection means and the flexible midportion are provided as separate components which engage with 16 each other. In this case, the first connection 17 means and the second connection means are optionally 18 each provided with a spout for engagement in a bore 19 of the flexible midportion. Each spout may have at least one protrusion on its outer surface to help 21 maintain the spout in the bore.

23 Alternatively, the adapter is formed as a single 24 piece.

26 According to a second aspect of the present 27 invention there is provided a method of conveying a 28 substance into a central heating system using an 29 adapter having a first end, a second end and a flexible midportion, including the steps of: 1 connecting the first end of the adapter to a 2 container containing the substance to be conveyed) 3 and 4 connecting the second end of the adapter to a non-return valve of a central heating system) 6 and conveying the subs-lance from the container 7 into tile central heating system.

9 It should be noted that "connecting the second end of the adapter to a non-return valve" does not 11 necessarily mean a direct connection. For example, 12 the second end of the adapter could be connected to 13 the non-return valve via a filling loop and/or 14 further conduits.

16 Typically, the second end of the adapter is 17 connected to the non-return valve via a filling 18 loop. Optionally, the second end of the adapter is 19 modified before connection to the filling loop.

Optionally, the second end of the adapter is tapered 21 such that the diameter of the second end of the 22 adapter decreases towards the end of the adapter, 23 and the modification comprises cutting off the end 24 of the second end of the adapter.

26 Alternatively, the second end of the adapter is 27 directly connected to the non-return valve.

29 According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a filling loop connector having a 31 bore extending therethrough and a spout provided on 32 a first end portion, wherein male threads are 1 provided on a second end portion adapted to connect 2 to a filling loop.

4 Typically, the second end portion is cylindrical.

Alterna-tivoly, the diameter of the second end 6 portion tapers inwardly in the direction of the 7 second end.

9 Typically, the male threads have a constant height.

Alternatively, the male threads decrease in height 11 towards the second end of the filling loop 12 connector.

14 Embodiments of the invention will now be described, l5 by way of example only and with reference to the 16 following drawings, in which: 18 Fig 1 shows a filling loop; Fig 2 shows an adapter having a male connector for 21 attachment to a filling loop; and 23 Fig 3 shows a further embodiment of an adapter 24 having a female connector for attachment to a non return valve of a central heating system.

27 Referring now to the drawings, Fig] shows a filling 28 loop 10 which comprises a pipe 12 with metal braid 29 protection and female 0.5 inch (12.7mm) parallel BSP (British Standard Pipe) fittings 14. The fittings 31 14 are substantially cylindrical in shape and have a 32 bore thorethrough. The bore of each fitting 14 1 connects with the inside of the pipe l2. The mouth 2 of the bore of each fitting 14 has an enlarged 3 portion with an interior (female) thread. One 4 fitting 14 is adapted to attach to a non-return valve of the central heating system; a non-return 6 valve 50 is shown in Fig 3. The non-return valve 50 7 includes a nozzle portion with male threads which 8 engage with the female BSP threads of the filling 9 loop 10.

11 Fig 2 shows an adapter 20 which comprises a 12 container connector 22, a flexible conduit 24, and a 13 filling loop connector 26.

The container connector 22 has a bore extending 16 therethrough. The container connector 22 has a 17 spout 28 at one end with circumferential ridges 18 along the length of the spout. The spout 28 is 19 adapted to fit within the bore of the flexible conduit 24, and the ridges help to keep the spout 28 21 fixed in the bore. The container connector 22 has a 22 radially enlarged portion 30 at the end opposite 23 from the spout 28. The radially enlarged portion 30 24 has interior female threads.

26 The filling loop connector 26 has a bore extending 27 therethrough. The filling loop connector comprises 28 a spout 32 at one end and a radially enlarged 29 portion 34 at the other end. The spout 32 is similar to the spout 28, also being adapted to fit 31 within the bore of the conduit 24, and having 32 circumferential ridges to hold it in the bore. The 1 end of the radially enlarged portion has a mouth 27.

2 The radially enlarged portion 34 is provided with 3 threads on its outer surface (i.e. male threads).

4 The male threads are adapted to engage with the female threads of one of the BSP fittings 14 of the 6 filling loop lO.

8 As shown in Fig 2, in this embodiment, the threads 9 of the radially enlarged portion 34 are parallel and the radially enlarged portion 34 is cylindrical with 11 a bore extending therethrough; i.e. the diameter of 12 the radially enlarged portion 34 is constant. Such 13 embodiments have the advantage that the size of the 14 mouth 27 is not reduced. This is particularly useful when the adapter is used in conjunction with 16 modern filling loops that have a nipple seated 17 inside the fitting 14 with an o-ring seal around the 18 nipple. Ef the diameter of the mouth of the 19 radially enlarged portion 34 is too small, then it will not fit properly over the nipple, and may need 21 to be specially adapted, e.g. by cutting off the end 22 of the radially enlarged portion 34.

24 However, in alternative embodiments, the male threads on the radially enlarged portion 34 may be 26 tapered. ['he taper may be caused by the thread 27 height (distance between the thread root and the 28 radially outermost portion of the thread) varying 29 and/or the radially enlarged portion itself varying in diameter. The taper typically increases with 31 distance from the mouth 27. The tapering is not 32 necessarily very substantial) in some embodiments, 1 the tapering is very slight, so that the threads are 2 almost parallel. In some embodiments, the radially 3 enlarged portion 34 decreases in diameter towards 4 the mouth 27 (so that the radially enlarged portion itself tapers inwardly, in addition to the tapering 6 of the threads), so that the diameter of the mouth 7 27 is reduced compared to embodiments having a 8 cylindrical radially enlarged portion 34 with 9 parallel sides.

11 Therefore, the radially enlarged portion 34 may be 12 cylindrical or tapered. The threads may either be 13 parallel (i.e. with a constant outer diameter) or 14 their outer diameter may decrease towards the mouth 27. The thread height (defined by the distance 16 between the thread root and the radially outermost 17 portion of the thread) may be constant, or it may 18 vary. If the thread height varies, it typically 19 decreases towards the mouth 27. The radially enlarged portion 34 itself may also have a constant 21 or tapered outer diameter.

23 Also shown in Fig 2 is a chemical container 40, 24 which is provided with a nozzle having exterior (male) threads. The chemical container 40 holds the 26 particular chemical/substance that it is desired to 27 introduce into the central heating system. The 28 chemical container 40 may be pressurized for the 29 purpose of injecting the chemical/substance into the central heating system. The female threads of the 31 radially enlarged portion 30 are adapted to engage 1 the male threads on the nozzle of the chemical 2 container 40.

4 In use, one of the fittings 14 of the filling loop 10 is screwed onto the nozzle of the non-return 6 valve 50 of the central heating system. The adapter / 20 is assembled as shown in Fig 2 by inserting the 8 spouts 28, 32 of the connectors 22, 26 into the bore 9 of the flexible conduit 24.

11 The other fitting 14 of the filling loop 10 is then 12 screwed into connection with the threads of the 13 radially enlarged portion 34 of the filling loop 14 connector 26. A container (e.g. container 40) is then screwed into the female screw threads of the 16 container connector 22. The chemicals can now be 17 poured from the container 40, through the adapter 20 18 and into the central heating system via the non 19 return valve 50.

21 The flexible conduit 24 may have any suitable 22 length; therefore the cor-tainer 40 does not have to 23 be positioned close to the filling loop 10. The 24 flexibility of the conduit 24 provides potential for the container 40 to be used from any suitable 26 location.

28 A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig 29 2. This differs from the Fig 1 embodiment in that the filling loop 10 is not required, as the adapter 31 connects directly to the non-return valve 50.

1 Fig 3 shows a non-return valve 50, which is provided 2 with a threaded nozzle at one end. Fig 3 also shows 3 an adapter 60. The adapter 60 comprises a flexible 4 conduit 24 and a container connector 22i these components are exactly the same as those shown in 6 Fig 2, so the same refcrer-ce numbers have been used.

7 Fig 3 also shows a chemical container 40, which is 8 the same as the chemical container of Fig 2.

However, in the place of the filling loop connector 11 26, the adapter 60 has a female connector 62. The 12 female connector 62 has a spout 64 at one end, which 13 is similar to spouts 28, 32, and a radially enlarged 14 portion 66 at the opposite end. The radially enlarged portion 66 has interior (female) threads, 16 which are adapted to connect to the outer threads on 17 the nozzle of the non-return valve 50.

19 The elements of the Fig 3 embodiment are connected together in a similar manner to the above 21 description for Fig 2. The spout 64 of the female 22 connector 62 engages in the bore of the flexible 23 conduit 24, and the female threads of the female 24 connector 62 screw onto the male threads of the non return valve 5(). The non-return valve 50 is the 26 non-return valve to which a filling loop would 27 normally be attached. As in the Fig 2 embodiment, 28 the desired chemical is then poured into the central 29 heating system via the adapter 60 and the non-return valve 50. The flexible conduit 24 can be made as 3l long as desired, so that the chemical. container 40 32 does not have to be located directly next to the 1 non-return valve 40. This embodiment has the 2 advantage over the Fig 2 embodiment that the filling 3 loop i tself is not required, and therefore there are 4 fewer couplings, and hence the possihi lity of leakage i s reduced.

7 The adapt ers 20, 60 are typically made from one or 8 more thermoplastics, such as polypropylene. At 9 least a component of the adapters 20, 60 is typical! y in Section moulded. However, the invention 11 is not Limited to any particular material or manner 12 of manufacture.

14 Preferred embodiments of the invention have the advantage that the components are not overly 16 complex, and therefore can be produced with minimum 17 expense.

19 Improvements and modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

21 For example, in alternative embodiments, the conduit 22 24 could be rigid. There could also be further 23 conduits connected in either of the assemblies of 24 Fi gs 2 and 3. The male and female threads could in some cases be reversed. In alternative embodiments, 26 the connections are not by means of screw threads.

27 In alt c rnative embodiments, the components 22, 24, 28 26 coul d be formed as a single piece, instead of 29 three separate components; likewise for the components 22, 24, 62 of Fig 3.

1 In embodiments where tapered threads are provided on 2 the enlarged portion 34 and/or the radially enlarged 3 portion 34 itself is tapered, the end of the 4 radially enlarged portion 34 may be cut off (e.g. manually) before connection to the filling loop 10, 6 so that the radially enlarged portion 34 engages 7 better with the filling loop 10.

Claims

1 Claims 3 1. An adapter for conveying a substance into a 4 central

heating system, the adapter comprising: first connection means for connecting to a 6 container) and 7 second connection means for connection to a 8 filling loop of a central heating system or a non 9 return valve of a central heating system; wherein a flexible midportion is provided 11 between the first and the second connection means.

13 2. An adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 14 flexible midportion of the adapter comprises a bendable conduit.

17 3. An adapter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, 18 wherein the second connection means is provided with 19 male threads for connection to a filling loop.

21 4. An adapter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the 22 male threads have a constant height.

24 5. An adapter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the male threads have a varying height.

27 6. An adapter as cLairned in any of claims 3 to 5, 28 wherein the male threads are provided on a 29 cylindrical portion of the second connection means, the cylindrical portion having a bore extending 31 therethrough. l

1 7. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, 2 wherein the second connection means is provided at 3 one end of the adapter and wherein the male threads 4 are provided on a tapered portion of the second connectiormeans, the diameter of the tapered 6 portion decreasing towards that end of the adapter.

8 8. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim, 9 wherein the second connection means is provided with female threads for connection to male threads 11 provided on a nor-i-return valve of the central 12 heating system.

14 9. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first connection means, the second 16 connection means and the flexible midportion are 17 provided as separate components which engage with 18 each other.

10. An adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the 21 first connection means and the second connection 22 means are each provided with a spout for engagement 23 in a bore of the flexible midportion.

11. An adapter as claimed in claim 10, wherein each 26 spout has at least one protrusion on its outer 27 surface to help maintain the spout in the bore.

29]2. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the adapter is formed as a single piece.

1 l3. A method of conveying a substance into a 2 central heating system using an adapter having a 3 first end, a second end and a flexible midportion, 4 including the steps of: connecting the first end of the adapter to a 6 container containing the substance to be conveyed) 7 and 8 connecting the second end of the adapter to a 9 non-return valve of a central heating system) and conveying the substance from the container 11 into the central heating system.

13 l4. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the 14 second end of the adapter is connected to the non return valve via a filling loop.

17 15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the 18 second end of the adapter is modified before 19 connection to the filling loop.

21 16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the 22 second end of the adapter is tapered such that the 23 diameter of the second end of the adapter decreases 24 towards the end of the adapter, and the modification comprises cutting off the end of the second end of 26 the adapter.

28 17. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the 29 second end of the adapter is directly connected to the nor-return valve.

1 18. A filling loop connector having a bore 2 extending therethrough and a spout provided on a 3 first end portion, wherein the filling loop 4 connector is adapted to connect to a filling loop by means of male threads provided on a second end 6 portion.

8 19. A filling loop connector as claimed in claim 9 18, wherein the second end portion is cylindrical.

11 20. A filling loop connector as claimed in claim 12 18, wherein the diameter of the second end portion 13 tapers inwardly in the direction of the second end.

21. A filling loop connector as claimed in any of 16 claims 18 to 20, wherein the male threads have a 17 constant height.

19 22. A filling loop connector as claimed in any of claims 18 to 20, wherein the male threads decrease 21 in height towards the second end of the filling loop 22 connector.