JP2009167666A - Rainwater using device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rainwater using device which contributes to cost reduction of water resources by making effective use of rainwater, and is especially suitable for car washing. <P>SOLUTION: According to the structure of the rainwater using device 1, out of the entire rainwater collected by a water collecting tap 2 mounted on a rain gutter, for collecting rainwater, a rainwater portion that has been stored in an initial rainwater storage tank 10 where rainwater at the beginning of raining and containing much dust etc. is stored via a water collecting pipe 4, and overflows the initial rainwater storage tank 10, i.e. the rainwater portion that does not contain much dust etc. due to the lapse of time after raining, is stored in a filtering tank 20 via a branch pipe 8. The rainwater portion stored in the filtering tank 20 permeates a filter 16 due to difference in water pressure to be filtered, and then it is stored in a rainwater storage tank 30 via a connection pipe 8. Then a nozzle 26 is connected to the rainwater storage tank 30 via a hose 24 at a location sufficiently lower than the tank, and based on a drop between the tank and the nozzle, the rainwater portion stored in the rainwater storage tank 30 is sprayed via the nozzle 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rainwater utilization device that enables rainwater to be utilized.

Water has become an important resource essential for human life.
In recent years, water and sewage systems have been developed, and tap water can be easily used in factories and households. For example, in ordinary households, tap water may be used for daily life such as cooking, washing, or bathing, for example, watering gardens and fields, and car washing.

Although the use of rainwater has been proposed in the past (see, for example, Patent Document 1), for example, it is not so popular in ordinary households.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-111983

However, for example, in a general household, if tap water is used for various purposes as described above, the water charge is increased and the burden increases.
For example, when tap water is used in a car wash, there are the following problems.

  If you wash your car with tap water and do not wipe it thoroughly, chlorine in the tap water may remain, and white spots may remain on the car body after drying. Therefore, in order to prevent white spots from remaining on the vehicle body after washing, it is necessary to carefully wipe the surface to prevent chlorine from remaining. However, wiping is very laborious and labor intensive, and is a heavy burden. From this point of view, it can be said that the use of tap water in car washing is not appropriate.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a rainwater utilization device that can effectively use rainwater to reduce the cost of water resources and that is particularly suitable for car washing.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1,
Water collecting means for collecting rainwater;
A water collecting pipe for guiding rainwater collected by the water collecting means;
A first storage means comprising a hermetically sealed container, connected to the water collecting pipe and storing rain water guided by the water collecting pipe;
A branch pipe provided in a branching path between the water collecting means and the first storage means in the water collecting pipe, and for introducing rainwater stored in the water collecting pipe;
A second storage means connected to the branch pipe and storing rainwater guided by the branch pipe;
Filtering means for filtering rainwater stored in the second storage means;
Third storage means for storing rainwater after being filtered by the filtration means;
A water hose for guiding rainwater stored in the third storage means;
A nozzle connected to the side opposite to the one end connected to the third storage means of the water hose, and capable of discharging rainwater guided by the water hose;
The rainwater utilization device is configured such that rainwater stored in the third storage means can be discharged from the nozzle using a head from the third storage means to the nozzle. .

  In the rainwater utilization apparatus according to the first aspect, the rainwater is collected by the water collecting means, and the collected rainwater is stored in the first storage means including the sealed container through the water collecting pipe.

  A branch pipe branches off from the middle of the water collection pipe, and a second storage means is connected to the end of the branch pipe. When rainwater is stored in the water collecting pipe, the stored rainwater is stored in the second storage means via the branch pipe.

  According to such a configuration, when there is rain, rainwater at the initial stage of the rain is stored in the first storage means. Then, rainwater that cannot be stored in the first storage means is stored in the water collecting pipe, and further stored in the second storage means via the branch pipe. By the way, there is a concern that the rainwater at the initial stage of rainfall takes in a lot of dust and dirt in the atmosphere. That is, there is a possibility that rainwater in the early stage of rainfall contains a lot of dust and dust and has a high degree of contamination.

  In this regard, in the rainwater utilization apparatus according to the first aspect, the rainwater at the initial stage of rainfall is stored in the first storage means, and the rainwater after a while has passed since the rain is stored in the second storage means. . For this reason, relatively clean rainwater is stored in the second storage means as compared with the initial stage of rainfall.

In the rainwater utilization apparatus according to the first aspect, the rainwater stored in the second storage means is filtered by the filtering means, and the rainwater after being filtered is stored in the third storage means.
As described above, in the rainwater utilization apparatus according to the first aspect, dirty rainwater at the initial stage of rainfall is stored in the first storage means, and rainwater after a while from the rain is stored in the second storage means. At the same time, rainwater stored in the second storage means is filtered. In other words, rainwater dirt is removed in two stages. For this reason, sufficiently clean rainwater can be obtained.

  And the water supply hose which has a nozzle at one end is connected to the 3rd storage means, The rainwater stored in the 3rd storage means is discharged from a nozzle using the head from a 3rd storage means to a nozzle. It is configured as possible. According to this, the user can discharge and use rainwater freely just by opening and closing the nozzle, which is simple. Moreover, it is economical that it is not necessary to use a pump or the like for water discharge.

Here, the rainwater utilization apparatus according to claim 1 may be configured as in claim 2.
The rainwater utilization apparatus according to claim 2 is the rainwater utilization apparatus according to claim 1,
The first storage means and the second storage means have a drain port and a drain valve at a lower part thereof, and are configured to be able to drain rain water from the drain port by opening the drain valve, The first storage means is configured to be detachable from the water collecting pipe, and the second storage means is configured to be detachable from the branch pipe.

  According to such a rainwater utilization apparatus of claim 2, the drainage valves provided in the first storage means and the second storage means are opened, so that they are stored in the first storage means and the second storage means. Since the rainwater to be drained can be easily drained, for example, dust or the like stored in the first storage means and the second storage means can be easily discharged.

  Moreover, since the 1st storage means is comprised so that attachment or detachment with respect to the water collection pipe is possible, it can also be easily removed and wash | cleaned the 1st storage means. Further, since the second storage means is configured to be detachable from the branch pipe, the second storage means can be easily removed and cleaned. For this reason, usability and maintainability are improved.

Next, the rainwater utilization apparatus according to claims 1 and 2 may be configured as in claim 3.
The rainwater utilization apparatus according to claim 3 is the rainwater utilization apparatus according to claims 1 and 2,
The second storage means comprises a sealed container, and is connected to the third storage means via a connection pipe for introducing rainwater at a position lower than the upper end of the branch pipe,
The filtering means has a configuration in which a fiber filter for filtering impurities mixed in rainwater is wound around a porous tube in which a large number of holes are formed in a cylindrical tube whose both ends are closed. The porous tube is connected to the connecting pipe through a connection port for connecting to the connecting pipe.

  In such a rainwater utilization apparatus according to claim 3, filtration means (specifically, impurities mixed in rainwater are filtered into a porous tube in which a large number of holes are formed in a cylindrical tube whose both ends are closed). Since the fiber filter is provided inside the storage space of the second storage means, when rainwater is stored inside the storage space of the second storage means, water pressure acts on the outer periphery of the filtering means. . For this reason, rainwater permeates into the filtering means. This ensures that rainwater is filtered.

  In addition, since the upper end of the branch pipe is higher than the connection pipe, rainwater introduced from the branch pipe to the second storage means penetrates into the filtering means even by a water pressure difference. Further, due to the water pressure difference, rainwater inside the second storage means passes through the filtering means and the connecting pipe and is stored in the third storage means.

  In other words, rainwater stored in the second storage means is reliably stored in the third storage means through the filtering means. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a filtered clean rainwater. Moreover, since rainwater circulates using a water pressure difference, it is not necessary to circulate rainwater using a pump etc., and it is economical.

Next, the rainwater utilization apparatus according to claim 4 is the rainwater utilization apparatus according to claims 1 to 3,
The water collecting means is provided along a house and attached to a rain gutter that guides rain water to a desired location, and a plate-like member is cross-shaped to block the rain water flowing through the rain gutter and guide the water to the water collecting pipe. It has the damming part formed in the type | mold, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  If the water collecting means can be attached in the rain, it is preferable because it can be easily used in ordinary households.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a rainwater utilization apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
The rainwater utilization apparatus 1 includes a water collection tap 2, a water collection pipe 4, a branch pipe 6, a connection pipe 8, an initial rainwater storage tank 10, a filtration tank 20, a rainwater storage tank 30, and drain valves 12 and 14. A filter 16, a water discharge pipe 22, a hose 24, and a nozzle 26.

  The water collecting tap 2 is attached to the rain gutter. The rain is a tubular device that is provided inside or outside the house, for example, and collects rainwater from the roof and guides it to a desired location (for example, the ground or the sewer).

FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the water collecting tap 2.
The water collecting tap 2 is made of, for example, plastic, and is attached so as to be inserted through an attachment hole provided in the rain gutter. More specifically, a female screw is cut in the rain, a male screw is cut in the water collecting tap 2, and the water collecting tap 2 is fixed to the rain by screwing. In addition, in the water collection tap 2, the external thread is formed in the upper part (connection part with the dam member 2a) of the water guide member 2c mentioned later.

  The water collecting tap 2 has a damming member 2a for guiding rainwater to the mounting hole so as to dam the rainwater flowing through the rain gutter, a connecting member 2b for connecting the water collecting tap 2 and the water collecting pipe 4, A water guiding member 2c for reliably guiding rainwater to the connecting member 2b.

  The dam member 2a has a structure in which a plate-like member is formed in a cross shape, dams rainwater flowing through the rain gutter by the wall surface, and guides the rainwater to the mounting hole or the water guide member 2c. Rainwater is guided to the water collecting pipe 4 through the water guiding member 2c and the connecting member 2b. Then, rainwater is guided to the initial rainwater storage tank 10 connected to the water collecting pipe 4 through the water collecting pipe 4.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the water collecting pipe 4 extends vertically downward, and an initial rainwater storage tank 10 is provided at one end below the water collecting pipe 4. The material of the water collection pipe 4 is vinyl. Here, the material of the branch pipe 6 and the connecting pipe 8 is also vinyl. In addition, the material of the water collection pipe 4, the branch pipe 6, and the connection pipe 8 may be rubber, Teflon (registered trademark), or an equivalent thereof.

  The initial rainwater storage tank 10 is made of, for example, a plastic sealed container. A drain valve 12 for draining rainwater inside the initial rainwater storage tank 10 is provided near the bottom of the initial rainwater storage tank 10. Although not shown in the drawing, the initial rainwater storage tank 10 is provided with a drain outlet for allowing rainwater to be drained by the drain valve 12. Specifically, a water pipe is attached to the drain port, and the drain valve 12 is provided in the middle of the water pipe.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the initial rainwater storage tank 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, the initial rainwater storage tank 10 is a cap-type sealed container. The water collecting pipe 4 is inserted into the initial rainwater storage tank 10 through the cap 10a. The cap 10a can be removed from the main body of the initial rainwater storage tank 10 (note that the cap 10a is a screw type). That is, the water collecting pipe 4 is also detachable from the initial rainwater storage tank 10.

  Returning to FIG. 1, in the rainwater utilization apparatus 1, a branch pipe 6 is provided so as to branch in a substantially horizontal direction from a route in the middle of the water collection pipe 4. The branch pipe 6 is bent vertically downward from the horizontal direction, and has a substantially L shape. A filtration tank 20 is provided on the opposite side of the branch pipe 6 connected to the water collection pipe 4.

  The filtration tank 20 consists of a plastic sealed container, for example. A drain valve 14 is provided near the bottom of the filtration tank 20 as in the case of the initial rainwater storage tank 10. The description of the drain valve 14 is the same as that of the drain valve 12, and is omitted here.

A filtration filter 16 is provided inside the filtration tank 20.
Although not shown, the filtration filter 16 is specifically configured such that a fiber filter is wound around a cylindrical plastic tube having closed ends and a large number of holes formed on the outer periphery and outer wall. have. The fiber filter filters impurities mixed in rainwater.

A connecting pipe 8 is connected to the upper end of the filtration filter 16. The connecting pipe 8 extends outside the filtration tank 20.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the filtration tank 20.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the filtration tank 20 is a cap-type airtight container. The branch pipe 6 and the connecting pipe 8 are inserted into the filtration tank 20 through a cap 20a. The cap 20a can be detached from the main body of the filtration tank 20 (note that the cap 20a is a screw type). That is, the branch pipe 6 and the connection pipe 8 are also detachable from the filtration tank 20. A valve (for example, a manual type) is provided in the middle of the connecting pipe 8.

  Returning to FIG. 1, a rainwater storage tank 30 is provided on the opposite side of the connection pipe 8 that is connected to the filtration filter 16. The path of the connecting pipe 8 is configured to be lower than the upper end portion of the branch pipe 6.

  The rainwater storage tank 30 is made of, for example, a plastic sealed container. An overflow water distribution pipe is provided in the vicinity of the upper end of the rainwater storage tank 30 to prevent rainwater from being stored more than a certain amount. Further, near the bottom of the rainwater storage tank 30, a water discharge pipe 22 for connecting to the hose 24 is provided.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the rainwater storage tank 30.
The rainwater storage tank 30 has an upper lid 30a, and is a container that can be opened and closed by the upper lid 30a.

Returning to FIG. 1, a nozzle 26 is provided on the opposite side of the hose 24 connected to the water discharge pipe 22. The nozzle 26 has a mechanism that can discharge water in the form of a mist.
The nozzle 26 is operated by a person, and is used at a position sufficiently lower than the bottom surface of the rainwater storage tank 30. In other words, devices such as the initial rainwater storage tank 10 including the rainwater storage tank 30 and the filtration tank 20 are installed at a sufficiently high position with respect to the position where the nozzle 26 is normally used.

Here, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the initial rainwater storage tank 10, the filtration tank 20, and the rainwater storage tank 30.
As shown in FIG. 6, the initial rainwater storage tank 10, the filtration tank 20, and the rainwater storage tank 30 are installed close to each other. In addition, it is installed at a position lower than rain.

Next, the effect | action of the above rainwater utilization apparatuses 1 is demonstrated. Here, it demonstrates using FIG.
When there is rain, the rainwater that falls on the roof flows in the rain. In the rain, a large amount of rainwater collects and flows.

A part of the rainwater flowing through the rain gutter is collected by the water collecting tap 2 and accumulated in the initial rainwater storage tank 10 through the water collecting pipe 4.
The initial rainwater storage tank 10 is sealed, and when the interior of the initial rainwater storage tank 10 is filled with rainwater, rainwater that does not enter the initial rainwater storage tank 10 is then stored in the filtration tank 20 via the branch pipe 6. To do.

  Here, the rainwater that is first taken in by the water collecting tap 2 is rainwater at the beginning of the rain, so dust or dust in the atmosphere is taken in, or dust, dust, or mud collected on the roof or raindrops. I'm taking it in. In this regard, in the rainwater utilization apparatus 1, the rainwater that is first taken in by the water collecting tap 2 is stored in the initial rainwater storage tank 10 and is relatively free of dust, dust, mud, etc. after a while from the rain. Less rainwater is stored in the filtration tank 20.

  That is, in the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, dust, dust, mud or the like at the beginning of rainfall is accumulated only in the initial rainwater storage tank 10, and dust, dust, mud or the like is prevented from collecting in the filtration tank 20. Can do.

  A filtration filter 16 is provided inside the filtration tank 20. When rainwater is stored inside the filtration tank 20, water pressure acts on the outer periphery of the filtration filter 16. For this reason, rainwater stored in the filtration tank 20 from the branch pipe 6 penetrates into the filtration filter 16 due to its water pressure.

  A connecting pipe 8 is connected to the filtration filter 16, and the connecting pipe 8 extends to the rainwater storage tank 30. The connecting pipe 8 is provided below the upper end of the branch pipe 6 (the part connected to the water collecting pipe 4). For this reason, the hydraulic head pressure of the branch pipe 6 becomes larger than the hydraulic head pressure of the connecting pipe 8. According to this, rainwater flows from the branch pipe 6 to the filtration tank 20, and rainwater inside the filtration tank 20 permeates the filtration filter 16 and flows from the filtration filter 16 through the connection pipe 8 to the rainwater storage tank. In this way, the rainwater after being filtered by the filtration filter 16 is stored in the rainwater storage tank 30.

  The rainwater storage tank 30 is installed at a position sufficiently higher than the nozzle 26, and a large water pressure acts on the nozzle 26 via the water discharge pipe 22 and the hose 24. That is, water can be discharged from the nozzle 26 simply by opening the nozzle 26 using the head from the rainwater storage tank 30 to the nozzle 26.

  Thus, in the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 of this embodiment, rainwater can be efficiently and reliably filtered and used effectively. For this reason, the cost of water resources can be reduced. Specifically, for example, by using rainwater supplied by the rainwater utilization device 1 instead of tap water, water and sewage charges can be saved.

Further, it is economical because the rainwater circulates in the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 without using a pump or the like and can be used.
And if rainwater (henceforth apparatus supply rainwater) supplied by the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 is utilized for a car wash, there exist the following advantages.

  As described above, the apparatus-supplied rainwater is sufficiently filtered by the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 and does not contain dust, dust, or the like. Also, unlike tap water, it does not contain chlorine. For this reason, if the rainwater supplied from the apparatus is used for washing in a car wash, it is possible to avoid problems such as chlorine and impurities remaining after drying and white spots on the vehicle body. For example, when tap water is used, it has been necessary to carefully wipe the water in order to avoid such a problem. On the other hand, if the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 of this embodiment is used, it will not be necessary to wipe off from the above reasons. For this reason, the burden on the person who washes the car can be greatly reduced.

  By the way, such a rainwater utilization apparatus 1 presupposes that it is used, for example in a general household, a condominium, etc. For example, in a general household, it is assumed that the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 is installed on the second floor veranda or the like. The user can discharge the water by operating the nozzle 26 in a garden or the like. For example, rainwater supplied by the rainwater utilization device 1 can be used for watering a garden, car washing, and the like. Note that the greater the difference between the rainwater storage tank 30 and the nozzle 26, the easier it is to discharge the rainwater in the rainwater storage tank 30 and the convenience is improved.

  In the present embodiment, the water collecting tap 2 corresponds to the water collecting means, the water collecting pipe 4 corresponds to the water collecting pipe, the branch pipe 6 corresponds to the branch pipe, and the connection pipe 8 corresponds to the connection pipe. The rainwater storage tank 10 corresponds to the first storage means, the filtration tank 20 corresponds to the second storage means, the rainwater storage tank 30 corresponds to the third storage means, and the drain valves 12 and 14 serve as drain valves. Correspondingly, the filtration filter 16 corresponds to the filtering means, the hose 24 corresponds to the water guiding hose, and the nozzle 26 corresponds to the nozzle.

As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various form can be taken within the technical scope of this invention.
For example, in the said embodiment, the material of the initial rainwater storage tank 10, the filtration tank 20, and the rainwater storage tank 30 is not restricted to a plastic, A metal etc. may be sufficient.

  Moreover, the magnitude | size of the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 whole including the initial rainwater storage tank 10, the filtration tank 20, and the rainwater storage tank 30 is not ask | required. The size should be determined appropriately according to the installation location.

In the above embodiment, a plurality of filtration tanks 20 may be provided. That is, rainwater may be further filtered twice or triple.
Further, a plurality of hoses 24 and nozzles 26 may be connected to the rainwater storage tank 30. In this way, for example, a plurality of people can use rainwater supplied by the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 at the same time.

It is a schematic block diagram of the rainwater utilization apparatus 1 of this embodiment. It is a block diagram of the water collection tap. It is an enlarged view of the initial rainwater storage tank. 2 is an enlarged view of a filtration tank 20. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a rainwater storage tank 30. FIG. It is a figure showing the positional relationship of the initial rainwater storage tank 10, the filtration tank 20, and the rainwater storage tank 30. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rainwater utilization apparatus, 2 ... Water collection tap, 2a ... Damping member, 2b ... Connection member, 2c ... Water conveyance member, 4 ... Water collection pipe, 6 ... Branch pipe, 8 ... Connection pipe, 10 ... Initial rainwater storage tank, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10a ... Cap, 12, 14 ... Drain valve, 16 ... Filtration filter, 20 ... Filtration tank, 20a ... Cap, 22 ... Drain pipe, 24 ... Hose, 26 ... Nozzle, 30 ... Rainwater storage tank, 30a ... Top cover.

Claims (4)

Water collecting means for collecting rainwater;
A water collecting pipe for guiding rainwater collected by the water collecting means;
A first storage means comprising a hermetically sealed container, connected to the water collecting pipe and storing rain water guided by the water collecting pipe;
A branch pipe provided in a branching path between the water collecting means and the first storage means in the water collecting pipe, and for introducing rainwater stored in the water collecting pipe;
A second storage means connected to the branch pipe and storing rainwater guided by the branch pipe;
Filtering means for filtering rainwater stored in the second storage means;
Third storage means for storing rainwater after being filtered by the filtration means;
A water hose for guiding rainwater stored in the third storage means;
A nozzle connected to the side opposite to the one end connected to the third storage means of the water hose, and capable of discharging rainwater guided by the water hose;
A rainwater utilization apparatus configured to be able to discharge rainwater stored in the third storage means from the nozzle using a head from the third storage means to the nozzle. In the rainwater utilization apparatus of Claim 1,
The first storage means and the second storage means have a drain port and a drain valve at a lower portion thereof, and are configured to be able to drain rain water from the drain port by opening the drain valve, The rainwater utilization apparatus, wherein the first storage means is configured to be detachable with respect to the water collecting pipe, and the second storage means is configured to be detachable with respect to the branch pipe. In the rainwater utilization apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 2,
The second storage means comprises a sealed container, and is connected to the third storage means via a connection pipe for introducing rainwater at a position lower than the upper end of the branch pipe,
The filtering means has a configuration in which a fiber filter for filtering impurities mixed in rainwater is wound around a porous tube in which a large number of holes are formed in a cylindrical tube whose both ends are closed. The rainwater utilization apparatus is provided in a storage space of the storage means, and the porous pipe is connected to the connection pipe through a connection port for connection to the connection pipe. The rainwater utilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The water collecting means is provided along a house and attached to a rain gutter that guides rain water to a desired location, and a plate-like member is cross-shaped to block the rain water flowing through the rain gutter and guide the water to the water collecting pipe. A rainwater utilization device comprising a damming portion formed in a mold.