GB2541102A

GB2541102A - Extension piece for drain hoppers

Info

Publication number: GB2541102A
Application number: GB1610875.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hecking Willi
Original assignee: Hans Sasserath GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Hans Sasserath GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2015-06-24
Filing date: 2016-06-22
Publication date: 2017-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 2036-06-22
Also published as: GB201610875D0; DE202015103322U1; GB2541102B

Abstract

An extension piece with a housing 12 for drain hoppers (24, fig 6), the housing comprises an upper connector 16, for connecting to a drain outlet, a lower connector 20, for installing above a drainage hopper, and a passage 22 extending between the connectors. The passage has a vertically extending conduit section, which is provided with a circumferential annular shoulder 28, which defines a plane whose surface normal is tilted with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vertical extending conduit section. The extension piece is provided with a bore hole (40, 42, fig 3) at the level of the lowest part 38 of the annular shoulder. Preferably, two separate electrodes (44, 46, fig 5) pass through the bore hole, where the ends outside the hole are connected with opposite poles of a voltage source. The electrodes may sense the flow of water and may be short circuited in a flow of water, generating acoustic, visual or digital warning signals.

Description

Extension piece for drain hoppers

Technical Field

The invention relates to an extension piece for drain hoppers with a housing, comprising (a) an upper connector, connectable to an drain outlet; (b) a lower connector for installing above a drainage hopper; and (c) a passage extending through the housing connecting the upper connector with the lower connector and is provided with at least one vertical extending conduit section.

Such an extension piece can be, in particular, a pipe section which is provided with a thread at either end. With such an extension piece a drain hopper can be connected to the outlet of a pipe.

Prior Art

For example, so-called P&T-valves are known from the DE 20 2012 104 167 Ul. Such valves serve as safety fittings for closed boilers, for example in a drinking water heater. If the pressure or the temperature in the container exceeds a threshold level, a safety valve opens and water is drained through a drain hopper. The pressure drops. If cold water flows in, the temperature is lowered. Depending on the threshold, it may be the case, that only small quantities of water flow to the drain outlet. Such small quantities flow past the inner surface of the drain passage to the hopper. At the lower edge the stream is possibly interrupted. Thereby, the flow paths are randomly distributed.

Known P&T-valves work fully automatically. The user has no influence on the process and does not need to take action to increase the pressure or temperature. A disadvantage of such known assemblies is that the user receives no information on when the valve opens. If the valve opens, this can indicate that the drinking water heater or parts of it are defective.

Disclosure of the invention

It is an object of the invention, to provide an extension piece for drain hoppers, which ensures a well-defined and foreseeable flow path to the drain hopper. Furthermore, it is object of the invention to design the opening of the safety valves displayable to the outside.

According to the invention this object is achieved, in that (d) the passage in the vertically extending conduit section is provided with a circumferential annular shoulder, which defines a plane, whose surface normal is tilted with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vertical extending conduit section; and (e) the extension piece is provided with a bore hole at the level of the lowest part (38) of the annular shoulder.

With the annular shoulder small quantities of water can be collected, which run down at the inner surface of the passage along random paths. First, the water flows to the annular shoulder. Subsequently, the water flows downward along the annular shoulder to the lowest portion of the annular shoulder. At this point, a housing bore hole is provided. A sensor, for example, can extend through the housing bore hole into the interior which recognizes, if, when and/or how much water is flowing through the passage. However, it is also possible to divert water outward and capture it outside of the housing. For this purpose the inclination of the plane defined by the annular shoulder does not require a large angle of inclination. A small inclination of less than 30 degrees, preferably of less than 15 degrees is enough to ensure that the water, in the case of low quantities, flows in the direction of the bore hole.

The invention is based on the finding that it is difficult to capture small quantities of water, when the flow paths are virtually spread out randomly along the inner surface. A diagonally extending annular shoulder ensures a defined flow path, wherein it can be determined if and possibly how much water flows to the drain hopper. It is clear that in a simple modification of the invention, the extension piece is tubular, however, it can also take on a different form that has a passage with a vertical section.

In a preferred modification of the invention the lowest portion of the annular shoulder (28) is further lowered with respect to the plane defined by the annular shoulder. In such a way a recess is generated. The sensor can be arranged in the recess and water can be collected. A particularly inexpensive modification of the invention provides that two separate electrodes that are led through the bore hole, which, on the one end, extend into the lowest portion of the annular shoulder and, on the other end, are connected with opposite poles of a voltage source. A direct current voltage source, such as a battery or an accumulator, is particularly well suited as a voltage source. The electrodes are connected with both poles of the voltage source, but not with one another. When water flows in the direction of the lowest portion of the annular shoulder, the electrodes are short-circuited over the water. There is electric current. This current can be used as a signal.

Preferably, the electrodes and the voltage source are arranged in a further housing part, which is detachably fixed to the housing of the extension piece. The extension piece can, therefore, be used, on a modular basis, with or without a further housing part as a sensor module for displaying the water flow. In particular, various sensor modules can be used or defect sensor modules can be exchanged without having to interfere with the outlet flow. The additional housing can, for example, be clipped on from the outside. However, other attachment options are also possible. The attachment is carried out in such a way that the electrodes or other sensors reach exactly the area of the bore hole. In the case of an alternative embodiment, the additional housing part is completely or partly integrated in the housing.

In an advantageous modification of the invention the voltage source can be activated from the outside. This can be effected, for example, by means of an actuating element, such as a switch or push button. An actuating element is preferably arranged behind a transparent and flexible cover. Then, the switch position can be recognized without water entering. As a result of the activation, the voltage source can be preserved and does not need to be exchanged as often.

Preferably, an acoustic and/or visual signal generator and/or a means for generating a digital warning signal is provided, which generates a signal in case of short-circuiting of the electrodes. A visual signal generator can, for example, be formed by an LED. Acoustic signals can be applied as an alternative or additionally, to indicate when water flows to the drain hopper. Alternatively or additionally, a digital warning signal can also be generated that is transmitted to further devices, such as a control unit or a smartphone, via a transmitter or a cable. The user then immediately sees, that water is flowing to the drain hopper and can inspect the installation. A drain hopper can be clipped on, screwed or attached in any other way to the lower connector. However, it is also possible to upgrade existing drain hoppers with an extension piece. In this case, the extension piece has a lower connector, which has the diameter of the connector at the drain hopper; and an upper connector, which, regarding to the diameters, is adapted to the pipe to which it is connected to. In other words: The extension piece can be installed between existing connectors.

Preferably, the drain hopper is provided with an odour trap. The odour trap can be formed in particular, by a spring loaded valve which opens in a downward direction. It can further be provided, that the lower connector has a splash guard made up of vertical, spaced-apart webs which are arranged annularly in several circles, whereby the webs of one circle are each arranged in an angle range, in which there are spaces between the webs of another circle.

Further modifications of the invention are subject matter of the sub claims. Embodiments are described below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an extension piece for drain hoppers.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the assembly of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a vertical cross section along the cutting plane A-A in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the assembly of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a separate view of a warning module with two electrodes that are inserted through the bore holes in the housing surface of the extension piece.

Fig.6 illustrates, how an extension piece of Fig. 1 can be connected to a drain hopper in an existing assembly.

Fig. 7 is a view from the front of the extension piece of Fig. 1.

Fig.8 is a side view of the extension piece of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a top view of the extension piece of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an extension piece analog to the extension piece with an integrated drain hopper of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 shows the extension piece with an integrated drain hopper similar to the one of Fig. 10 along a vertical cutting plane.

Fig. 12 shows the extension piece with an integrated drain hopper along the cutting plane D-D in Fig. 11.

Description of the embodiment

Figure 1 shows an extension piece for drain hoppers generally designated with numeral 10. The extension piece 10 has, essentially, a tubular housing 12 whose longitudinal axis extends in a vertical direction. At the upper end, the housing 12 is provided with a connector 16 with a coupling nut 18. A warning module 14, described in greater detail below, is clipped onto the housing 12. At the lower end, the housing 12 is provided with a connector 20.

Figures 2 to 9 show the extension piece 10 in detail. The extension piece 10 of the present embodiment is tubular formed and is provided with a continuous passage 22. The passage 22 can be well recognized in the cross-section in figures 2 and 3. The passage 22 has, in the present embodiment, a vertically extending longitudinal axis and extends from the upper connector 16 down to the lower connector 20. Although it is necessary that at least a part of the passage 22 extends in a vertical direction, it is not excluded that in complex assemblies another part also extends differently.

With the coupling nut 18 the extension piece 10 is attached to the drain of a P&T-valve, for example, or another fitting with a drain. A drain hopper 24 is attached to the lower end, which is also provided with a coupling nut 26 for this purpose. The diameters of the connectors 16 and 20 are chosen in such a way that the extension piece between the connector of the valve and an already existing drain hopper can be installed without any further modifications and adapters. Only the drain hopper 24 sits slightly deeper when the extension piece is used.

The passage has an annular shoulder 28 in the vertical extending conduit section. The annular shoulder 28 is formed between an upper conduit section 30 and a lower conduit section 32. The upper conduit section 30 has, for this purpose, a slightly bigger diameter than the lower conduit section 32. The annular shoulder is, in the top view, completely tubular and extends over the entire angular range. Thereby, the annular shoulder defines a plane in the mathematical sense. The surface normal 34 of this plane is recognizable in figure 2. The surface normal 34 forms an angle 36 with the longitudinal axis of the vertical conduit section of the passage 22. The annular shoulder 28 does, therefore, not run in a horizontal plane, but diagonally.

In the lowest range 38, the annular shoulder 28 is further lowered with respect to the plane with the surface normal 36. This can be well recognized in figure 3. At the level of the lowest area 38 lowered in such a way, the housing 12 is provided with two outwardly extending bore holes 40 and 42. Two electrodes 44 and 46, which are well recognizable in figure 5, extend through these bore holes 40 and 42.

The electrodes 44 and 46 are connected with a direct voltage source (not shown) in form of a customary battery. One of the electrodes, for example the electrode 44 is connected to the positive pole therein and the other electrode, for example the electrode 46, is connected to the negative pole of the battery. The battery sits together with an electronic circuit in a housing 48 of the warning module 14. The housing 48 is connected with clips 50 to the upper and lower side, which can be well recognized in figure 4. The clips 50 engage into corresponding holders 52 and 54 at the housing 12, which can be well recognized in figure 4. With the clip connection, the warning module 14 can be attached to the housing 12 exactly so that the electrodes 44 and 46 extend through the bore holes 40 and 42 to the lowest part 38 of the annular shoulder 28. Furthermore, an LED is supplied by the battery in the warning module 14.

The described assembly works as follows:

If small portions of water enter the extension piece 10 through the upper connector 16, it flows along the inner surface of the passage 22 to the annular shoulder 28. The water accumulates at the annular shoulder and flows to the lowest part 38, which is lowered in the present embodiment. This way, the water path is also clearly defined for small water portions. The electrodes 44 and 46 are short-circuited by the little bit of accumulated water. This causes an electric current. The electric current is fed to the LED, so that it will light up. The warning module has a transparent cover on the side opposite to the housing 12, through which the LED is visible. The user can, therefore, recognize that water is flowing to the drain hopper by the lit up LED and can possibly take action.

In order to save the battery energy and to achieve a long battery life, it is further provided that the electrical circuit is only closed after operating a switch. In the present embodiment, the switch is shown as a push button that is arranged behind the flexible, transparent cover. If the switch is pressed and water flows at the same time, the electrical circuit closes and the LED glows.

It is understood that other sensors can also be used in the bore holes in order to detect the water flow and further acoustic or visual transducers can be provided.

With the described extension piece known drain hoppers can be upgraded. Figures 10 to 12 illustrate an alternative embodiment where the drain hopper is directly connected to the extension piece. In such embodiment the warning module 114, the tubular housing 112 and the annular shoulder 128 are designed in the same way as above. A two-part drain hopper 124 is integrated directly to the lower end of the housing 112. An upper part 160 forms a splashing guard. A lower part 162 forms the actual hopper with an odour trap 164. The splashing guard 160 is formed of webs which are arranged on two shifted, concentric circles with a different diameter. The webs are always arranged in the angular range where the other circle has a gap. In such a way the upper part is permeable for air. Splashing water, however, cannot or almost not exit towards the outside.

An odour trap 164 is arranged in the lower part 162 of the drain hopper 124. The odour trap 164 is provided with a valve plate 168 which is biased by the power of a spring 166. The valve plate 168 cooperates with a valve seat 170 which is connected to the inner wall of the lower part 162 by webs 172. If water flows into the drain hopper from above the valve plate 168 is pushed in a downward direction. The odour trap is opened. Otherwise the valve is closed and odours, such as from the sewage cannot exit towards the outside through the drain hopper.

The lower part 162 is clipped to the upper part 160 by a clips connection 174. For this purpose the upper part 160 is provided with a circumferential rim at the lower end adapted to have the clips pushed over the upper edge of the lower part 162.

The extension piece with an integrated drain hopper can, in particular, be used if the drain hopper is newly installed or an existing drain hopper is replaced.

Claims

1. Extension piece for drain hoppers with a housing, comprising: (a) an upper connector, adapted to be connected to an drain outlet; (b) a lower connector for installing above a drainage hopper; and (c) a passage extending through the housing the passage connecting the upper connector to the lower connector and provided with at least one vertically extending conduit section; characterized in that (d) the passage in the vertically extending conduit section is provided with a circumferential annular shoulder, which defines a plane, whose surface normal is tilted with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vertical extending conduit section; and (e) the extension piece is provided with a bore hole at the level of the lowest part of the annular shoulder.

2. Extension piece according to claim 1, characterized in that the lowest portion of the annular shoulder is further lowered with respect to the plane defined by the annular shoulder.

3. Extension piece according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that two separate electrodes that are led through the bore hole, which, on the one end, extend into the lowest portion of the annular shoulder and, on the other end, are connected with opposite poles of a voltage source.

4. Extension piece according to claim 3, characterized in that the electrodes and the voltage source are arranged in a further housing part, which is releasable fixed to the housing of the extension piece.

5. Extension piece according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the voltage source is adapted to be activated from the outside.

6. Extension piece according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that an acoustic and/or visual signal generator and/or a means for generating a digital warning signal is provided, which generate a signal in case of short-circuiting of the electrodes.

7. Extension piece according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a drain hopper can be clipped on, screwed or attached in any other way to the lower connector.

8. Extension piece according to claim 7, characterized in that the drain hopper is provided with an odour trap.

9. Extension piece according to claim 8, characterized in that the odour trap is formed in particular, by a spring loaded valve which opens in a downward direction.

10. Extension piece according to any of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the lower connector has a splash guard comprised of vertical, spaced-apart webs which are arranged annularly in a plurality of circles, whereby the webs of one circle are each arranged in an angular range, where there are spaces between the webs of another circle.

11. An extension piece for drain hoppers with a housing substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.