GB2540585A

GB2540585A - Flood prevention system

Info

Publication number: GB2540585A
Application number: GB1512911.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fisher Barry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-07-22
Filing date: 2015-07-22
Publication date: 2017-01-25
Also published as: GB201512911D0

Abstract

A flood prevention system 2 for use with a liquid container such as a bath 10,110, which has a liquid inlet 115,117 and a liquid outlet 12,14, the flood prevention system comprising a liquid level sensor 4,104 adapted to be fixed to an interior wall of the container at a maximum height level; a controller 128 electrically connected to the level sensor 4; and a response apparatus controlled by the controller, wherein the response apparatus may prevent the overflow of water indirectly by activation of an audible alarm signal emitter 6 to alert the user, or directly by use of one or more motorised valves 130,132 for location upstream of the liquid container or a combination of the two.

Description

Flood Prevention System

The present invention relates to a flood prevention system and in particular to a flood prevention system which can be used in conjunction with bath tubs and similar liquid containers, such as pools, water butts, etc.. A problem with filling liquid containers, such as bath tubs (hereinafter "baths"), is that it is often a time consuming process and the user can become distracted during this time. The liquid containers often include overflow systems that allow liquid to escape in the event of the container becoming over-filled, but such overflow systems are typically unable to drain the liquid at a rate which is equal to or greater than the rate of the liquid entering the container. For example, if the taps on a bath are open, then the rate of the water entering the bath is likely to exceed the rate of water that the overflow system can remove from the bath, resulting in a net increase in the water volume with time. Such arrangements can lead to a flooding event, where the volume of water exceeds the capacity of the container.

Flooding by liquids can cause significant damage, especially in multi-floor buildings such as hotels and the like, where not only must the damaged rooms be repaired, but they also become non-usable until the repairs are complete, resulting in lost revenue in addition to the repair costs.

It is therefore desirable to prevent flooding from occurring, either directly or indirectly by alerting a user that the liquid level has reached a pre-determined threshold.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a flood prevention system for use with a liquid container which includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the flood prevention system including a liquid level sensor adapted to be fixed to an interior wall of the container at a pre-determined maximum height level; a controller electrically connected to the level sensor; and a response apparatus controlled by the controller, wherein the response apparatus is selected from an audible alarm, one or more motorised valves for location upstream of the liquid container and a combination thereof.

In the context of the present invention, the term "flood prevention system" includes systems which actively operate to prevent flooding and also to systems which minimise or reduce the risk of flooding by emitting an alert signal when a flooding event is imminent.

The present invention is able to detect when the liquid level reaches a pre-determined threshold value by the location of the liquid level sensor at that level. The sensor transmits a signal to the controller when the liquid level reaches the pre-determ ined threshold level and the controller activates a response by the response apparatus, which may be to activate an audible alarm to alert a user that the maximum liquid level has been reached. Additionally or alternatively, the response apparatus may operate actively to prevent a flood event by shutting off the liquid supply to the container. In this embodiment, the response apparatus comprises one or more motorised valves located upstream of the container. The or each valve may be energised to restrict or prevent the flow of the liquid into the container when the maximum permitted level of the liquid has been dispensed into the container.

The liquid is suitably water and the container may be a bath, a pool or a water butt, for example.

The liquid level sensor may be selected from a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor or a float chamber sensor. In the context of the present invention, a capacitive sensor is adapted to measure a capacitance which varies as the level of the liquid varies. For example, the capacitive sensor may include a pair of electrodes which define between them a gap. When the gap is an air gap (i.e. there is nothing except air between the electrodes, no signal current is able to flow between the electrodes. However, when a conductive liquid is located between the electrodes, a current is able to flow between them and the sensor detects this change in current flow.

In the optical sensor, an emitted light is received by a receiver. When there is no liquid between the light emitter and the light receiver, a light transmission through air is measured. However, when the liquid reaches the pre-determined level, the liquid is located between the light emitter and the light receiver such that the light transmission through the liquid is measured. Assuming that the light transmission through the liquid is different to the light transmission through air, the optical sensor is able to detect when the liquid reaches the pre-determined threshold by the difference in light transmission properties.

In the float sensor, a chamber is provided which is open and which includes therein a float assembly. When the liquid is below the pre-determined threshold level, a float body of the float assembly is located at a first position in the chamber and a first signal is generated (which includes no signal being generated). However, when the liquid enters the chamber, the float body floats upwards to a second position and a second signal is generated. Thus, the float sensor may generate no signal when the float body is in its first position, but generate an electrical signal when it is in its second (floating) position; it may generate an electrical signal when the float body is in its first position, but generate no signal when the float body is in its second position; or it may generate a first electrical signal when the float body is in its first position and it may generate a second, different, electrical signal when the float body is in its second position. Thus, the chamber may include one or more electrical contacts and the float assembly may include one or more electrical contacts and the electrical contacts may be capable of electrical interengagement when the float body is in relative positions.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the liquid level sensor generates a first signal when the liquid level is below the pre-determined threshold level and generates a second signal when the liquid level is above the pre-determined threshold level, wherein the first and second signals are different and wherein the first signal or the second signal may be a zero signal.

The flood prevention system according to the invention may include a "reset" function. In such an embodiment, the response apparatus may be activated by the controller when the liquid level sensor detects that the liquid has exceeded the pre-determined threshold level, for example when the liquid level sensor generates the second signal. In this situation, an alarm may sound and/or the liquid supply may be interrupted. When the liquid level recedes below the predetermined threshold level (for example via liquid exiting the container via an overflow arrangement), the liquid level sensor may return to generating the first signal and the controller may automatically deactivate or reset the response apparatus. For example, the alarm may be silenced and/or the supply of liquid to the container may be resumed. Alternatively, the controller may need to be manually reset following the activation of the response apparatus.

The liquid level sensor is suitably secured to the container at a pre-determined maximum liquid height level. In such an embodiment, the liquid level sensor is located so as to minimise any impact on the function of the container. For example, where the container is a bath, the liquid level sensor is conveniently located such that it does not interfere with a user taking a bath.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid container including a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet and a flood prevention system according to the first aspect of the invention as defined anywhere herein, wherein the liquid level sensor is secured to the container at a pre-determined maximum liquid height level.

The liquid container is suitably selected from a bath, a pool and a water butt. It will be appreciated that the term "pool" is intended to include swimming pools, plunge pools, spa baths and hot tubs, such as those sold under the Jacuzzi trade mark and such like.

In an embodiment of the invention according to the second aspect, the liquid container includes at least one liquid inlet pipe and the response apparatus comprises a motorised valve attached to the or each pipe upstream of the container. In such an embodiment, the controller suitably controls the operation of the motorised valve such that the valve may be closed when the liquid level exceeds the pre-determined maximum height level as determined by the liquid level sensor. This then stops or interrupts the supply of the liquid to the container and thereby prevents a flood situation from developing.

Additionally or alternatively, the response apparatus may include an audible alarm located adjacent to or in the vicinity of the container.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the response apparatus may be automatically re-set when the liquid level recedes to a level below the pre-determined maximum level or the response apparatus may include a manual re-set system.

As with the first aspect of the invention, the liquid is suitably water.

The skilled person will appreciate that the features described and defined in connection with the above aspects of the invention and the embodiments thereof may be combined in any combination, regardless of whether the specific combination is expressly mentioned herein. Thus, all such combinations are considered to be made available to the skilled person.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a bath including a first embodiment of a flood prevention system according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the water level sensor used in the embodiment shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of a bath including a second embodiment of a flood prevention system according to the invention.

For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms "up", "down", "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "width", etc. refer to the orientation of the components as found in the examples when installed for normal use as shown in the Figures. A flood prevention system 2 is shown in Figure 1 which includes a water level sensor 4 (shown in more detail in Figure 2) and an alarm signal emitter 6 coupled to the sensor 4 via electrical wires 8a, 8b. The system 2 is connected to a bath 10 which is of a conventional design and includes a drain hole 12 and an overflow drain hole 14.

The water level sensor 4 is mounted to the bath 10 at a location which is adjacent to the overflow drain hole 14. It will be noted that the electrical wires 8a, 8b are shown in Figure 1 on the outside of the bath 10, but it will be appreciated that the wires may exit the water level sensor at the rear and pass through an aperture formed in the rear of the bath 10 so that they are not visible in use.

The alarm signal emitter 6 includes a controller which detects an alarm signal from the water level sensor 4 and in response to the alarm signal energises a sounder unit to emit an alarm signal indicating that the water level has exceeded a pre-determined threshold level. The alarm signal emitter may also include an LED (not shown) which provides a visual alarm signal.

In a further embodiment, the alarm signal emitter 6 may include a signal transmitter which is able to transmit an alarm activation signal to a remote monitoring station.

The water level sensor 4 is shown in more detail in Figure 2. The sensor 4 comprises a hollow cylindrical housing 16 which defines in its lower wall a water inlet aperture 18. Located within the housing 16 is a float 20 which carries on its uppermost surface a contact element 22 formed from a metal. The skilled person will appreciate that any metal which is not oxidised by moist environments, such as copper or aluminium, would be suitable as the contact element 22. A pair of spaced apart electrical contacts 24, 26 project through an upper wall of the housing 16. The electrical contacts 24, 26 are electrically connected to the alarm signal emitter 6 via the electrical wires 8a, 8b.

In use, a user fills the bath 10 as normal by inserting a plug (not shown) in to the main drain hole 12 and opening the tap or taps (again not shown). If the user forgets that the bath 10 is filling, the water level will eventually reach the overflow drain hole 14 and at the same time, the water level sensor 4. As the water enters the housing 16 via the opening 18, the float 20 begins to rise. As the float 20 rises, the contact element 22 contacts the pair of spaced apart electrical contacts 24, 26 and an electrical circuit is completed. The controller within the alarm signal emitter 6 detects the completed signal and generates an alarm signal in response, which in turn activates an audible alarm signal which is emitted by the alarm signal emitter 6.

It will be appreciated that alternative water level sensors may be used instead of the water sensor described hereinabove.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, a water level sensor 104, which is substantially identical to the water level sensor 4 described above, is secured to a bath 110.

In this embodiment, electrical wires 108a, 108b extend rearwardly through the bath 110 and are connected to a controller 128 mounted at the rear of the bath 110. As in the embodiment described above, the controller 128 detects when an electrical circuit is completed. The controller 128 is electrically connected to a first motorised valve 130 via cable 134, wherein the motorised valve 130 is fluidly coupled to a first water supply pipe 111. The controller 128 is also electrically connected to a second motorised valve 132 via cable 136, wherein the motorised valve 132 is fluidly coupled to a second water supply pipe 113.

The skilled person will appreciate that each motorised valve 130,132 includes a valve body which has an open configuration in which water is permitted to flow through the respective supply pipe 111, 113, and a closed configuration in which water flow is prevented, and an electrical motor which drives the valve body to move between the open and closed configurations.

In use, a user fills the bath 110 as normal by opening taps 115,117. With the electrical circuit in the water level sensor 104 not completed, the valves are in the open configuration and water is supplied to the bath via the pipes 111, 113. If the user forgets about the bath or is otherwise distracted, The water level sensor 104 will complete an electrical circuit as described above and the completion of the electrical circuit is detected by the controller 128. In response to the detection of the completed electrical circuit, the controller 128 energises the motors in the motorised valves 130,132 to move the valve bodies from their open configuration to their closed configuration, thereby shutting off the water supply to the taps 115, 117.

As the bath 110 in this embodiment is not capable of being over-filled, an overflow drain system is not required.

It will be appreciated that the motorised valves may be re-set to their open configurations when the electrical circuit in the water level sensor is broken or the motorised valves may need to be re-set manually or remotely.

Claims

1. A flood prevention system for use with a liquid container which includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the flood prevention system including a liquid level sensor adapted to be fixed to an interior wall of the container at a maximum height level; a controller electrically connected to the level sensor; and a response apparatus controlled by the controller, wherein the response apparatus is selected from an audible alarm, one or more motorised valves for location upstream of the liquid container and a combination thereof.

2. A flood prevention system according to Claim 1, wherein the liquid level sensor is selected from a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor or a float chamber sensor.

3. A flood prevention system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the liquid level sensor includes a first configuration in which an activate signal is sent to the controller in order to activate the response apparatus, and a second configuration in which a cancel signal is sent to the controller in order to deactivate the response apparatus.

4. A liquid container including a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet and a flood prevention system according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid level sensor is secured to the container at a pre-determined maximum liquid height level.

5. A liquid container according to Claim 4, wherein the liquid container is selected from a bath tub, a pool and a water butt.

6. A liquid container according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the liquid container includes at least one liquid inlet conduit and the response apparatus comprises a motorised valve attached to the or each conduit upstream of the container.

7. A liquid container according to any of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the response apparatus includes an audible alarm located adjacent to the container.