JP2014232014A - Leak detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a leak detection device capable of detecting a medium leaked from a member to be detected without depending on a leakage point.SOLUTION: A leak detecting device 1 comprises a supporting unit 10, a detection unit 20 and a notification unit 30. The supporting unit carries a medium leaked from a member to be detected for circulating the medium. The detection unit detects the medium supported by the supporting unit. The notification unit notifies detection of the medium by the detection unit.

Description

  The present invention relates to a leak detector that detects a medium leaked from a member to be inspected.

  Conventionally, for example, when a pipe for supplying water deteriorates over time or an impact is applied to the pipe, the pipe may be cracked. In such a case, the water inside the piping leaks to the outside through a crack. Water leaking outside the pipe may accumulate on the floor and contaminate surrounding objects, or may leak downstairs or under the floor, deteriorating the structure of the building.

  Therefore, for example, a technique has been disclosed in which a water leak detection sensor is attached to a water pipe and water leaked from the water pipe is detected by the water leak detection sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-71643

  However, since the above-described water leakage detection sensor has a sensor disposed at the upper part of the water pipe, there is a possibility that water leaking from the side or lower part of the water pipe cannot be detected sufficiently. In addition, when a sensor is attached to a part of the outer peripheral surface of a water pipe that stands vertically, if the leaked part that has occurred in the water pipe is separated from the sensor, the water leaked from the leaked part drops downward. And it does not reach the sensor.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and can detect a medium (for example, water) leaked from a member to be inspected (for example, drainage piping) without depending on the leakage location. The purpose is to provide a leak detector.

  The leak detector according to the present invention that achieves the above object includes a carrier, a detector, and a notification unit. The carrying unit carries the medium leaked from the member to be inspected through which the medium flows. The detection unit detects the medium carried on the carrying unit. The notification unit notifies the detection of the medium by the detection unit.

  According to the leak detector configured as described above, the detection unit can detect the medium leaked from the member to be inspected via the supporting unit that supports the medium while absorbing or propagating the medium. Therefore, the leakage detector can expand the detection area of the medium by the detection unit by the carrying unit. That is, the leak detector can detect the medium leaking from the member to be inspected without depending on the leak location.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the use condition of the leak detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the leak detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a side view which shows the leak detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a side view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the principal part of the leak detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the detection method of the leak using the leak detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other application example 1 of the leak detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other application example 2 of the leak detector which concerns on embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. The size and ratio of each member in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual size and ratio.

(Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the leak detector 1 is attached to the drainage pipe 120 of the washing machine 110 placed on the waterproof pan 100, for example, and detects the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120.

  The leak detector 1 includes a carrier unit 10, a detection unit 20, and a notification unit 30. The supporting unit 10 supports a medium leaked from a member to be inspected (for example, the drainage pipe 120) through which the medium (for example, water W) flows. The detection unit 20 detects the medium carried on the carrying unit 10. The notification unit 30 notifies the detection of the medium by the detection unit 20.

  The leak detector 1 may have a configuration including a control unit 40 and a housing unit 50 in addition to the above configuration. The control unit 40 controls the operation of the detection unit 20 and the notification unit 30. The housing unit 50 holds the constituent members of the carrying unit 10, the detection unit 20, the notification unit 30, and the control unit 40.

  The configuration of the leak detector 1 (the support unit 10, the detection unit 20, the notification unit 30, the control unit 40, and the housing unit 50) will be described in order with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the leak detector 1. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the leak detector 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded side view showing the main part of the leak detector 1.

  The carrier 10 carries the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 through which the water W is circulated while absorbing or propagating.

  Such a carrier 10 includes a belt 11 as shown in FIGS. The belt 11 is made of, for example, a material in which a synthetic fiber such as nylon is knitted and rubber is contained, and is formed in a long shape. The belt 11 is anchored to a pair of anchoring pins 53 of the housing portion 50 in a state where the belt 11 is in contact with a detection element 21 of the detection unit 20 described later. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the belt 11 is wound around a drainage pipe 120 and used. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 5, the belt 11 carries the water W leaking from the drain pipe 120 while absorbing it. The belt 11 diffuses the absorbed water W while penetrating it.

  The detection unit 20 detects the water W carried on the carrying unit 10.

  Such a detection unit 20 includes, for example, a detection element 21 as shown in FIGS. The detection element 21 corresponds to, for example, an element for measuring electric resistance. The detection element 21 projects a pair of terminals 22 and 23. The detection element 21 is mounted on a substrate 41 of the control unit 40 described later. The pair of terminals 22 and 23 are exposed to the outside through a pair of holes 51b and 51c opened in the housing member 51 of the casing unit 50 described later, and are brought into contact with the belt 11 of the carrying unit 10 described above. The detection unit 20 detects the state in which the belt 11 is dry and the state in which the belt 11 absorbs water W and is wet based on the difference in electrical resistance in the detection element 21. Specifically, the detection element 21 includes a case where the belt 11 is dry and the electric resistance value is high via a pair of terminals 22 and 23, and a case where the belt 11 is wet and the electric resistance value is low. Are detected at a certain threshold. The threshold value is set in consideration of the characteristics of the belt 11 that gets wet by condensation or the like regardless of whether or not the water W leaks.

  The notification unit 30 notifies the detection of the water W by the detection unit 20.

  Such a notification unit 30 includes, for example, a buzzer 31 as shown in FIG. The buzzer 31 notifies the leakage of the water W from the drain pipe 120 with a warning sound. The buzzer 31 is mounted on a substrate 41 of the control unit 40 described later. The buzzer 31 propagates a warning sound to the outside through an opening 54a formed in a lid 54 of the casing unit 50 described later. A warning sound is emitted by the buzzer 31 to notify the leakage location of the water W. Even if the leak detector 1 is disposed, for example, under the floor that is difficult to visually recognize, the leaking point of the water W can be easily recognized by the warning sound emitted from the buzzer 31.

  The control unit 40 controls the operation of the detection unit 20 and the notification unit 30.

  Such a control unit 40 includes, for example, a substrate 41, a controller 42, and a battery 43, as shown in FIG. The substrate 41 is made of, for example, glass epoxy resin, and the buzzer 31, the controller 42, and the battery 43 are mounted on one surface, and the detection element 21 is mounted on the other surface facing the one surface. The board 41 makes the mounted members conductive. The controller 42 includes a ROM, a CPU, a RAM, and the like. A ROM (Read Only Memory) stores a control program for the detection element 21 and the buzzer 31. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) controls the operations of the detection element 21 and the buzzer 31 based on the control program. A RAM (Random Access Memory) temporarily stores data associated with the operation of the detection element 21 and the buzzer 31. The battery 43 corresponds to, for example, a storage battery, and supplies predetermined power to the detection element 21, the buzzer 31, and the controller 42.

  The casing unit 50 holds the constituent members of the carrier unit 10, the detection unit 20, the notification unit 30, and the control unit 40.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, such a housing part 50 includes, for example, an accommodation member 51, a support member 52, an anchoring pin 53, and a lid 54. The accommodating member 51 accommodates the substrate 41 in the accommodating portion 51a formed in a concave shape. The substrate 41 to be stored is mounted with the detection element 21, the buzzer 31, the controller 42, and the battery 43. The housing member 51 is made of, for example, non-conductive plastics and is formed in a box shape. The pair of terminals 22 and 23 of the detection element 21 are inserted through a pair of rectangular holes 51b and 51c opened on the bottom surface of the housing 51a. A pair of support members 52 are provided on opposite sides of the housing member 51 to support the mooring pins 53. The support member 52 is made of non-conductive plastics and is formed in a rectangular shape. The support member 52 is integrally formed with the housing member 51. The mooring pins 53 moor the belt 11. The mooring pin 53 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the pair of support members 52. The lid 54 seals the housing part 51 a of the housing member 51. The lid 54 is made of, for example, non-conductive plastics and is formed in a plate shape. The lid 54 is formed with an opening 54a to propagate the sound emitted from the buzzer 31 to the outside.

  A detection method of the leak detector 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a leak detection method using the leak detector 1.

  The leak detector 1 is attached to a drainage pipe 120. Here, if the drainage pipe 120 deteriorates over time or an impact is applied to the drainage pipe 120, a crack 120 a may be generated in the drainage pipe 120. In such a case, the water W in the drainage pipe 120 leaks to the outside through the crack 120a. The water W leaked from the crack portion 120a is absorbed by the belt 11 wound around the drainage pipe 120. The water W absorbed by the belt 11 diffuses while penetrating into the belt 11 and changes the electrical resistance between the pair of terminals 22 and 23 of the detection element 21 in contact with the belt 11. That is, the electrical resistance detected by the detection element 21 is reduced by changing the belt 11 from a dry state to a wet state. Based on the detection result of the detection element 21, the control unit 40 determines that the water W is leaking from the drainage pipe 120 and operates the buzzer 31 to notify the surroundings of the water leak.

  According to embodiment mentioned above, there exists an effect by the following structures.

  The leak detector 1 includes a carrier unit 10, a detection unit 20, and a notification unit 30. The carrier 10 carries the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 through which the water W flows. The detection unit 20 detects the water W carried on the carrying unit 10. The notification unit 30 notifies the detection of the water W by the detection unit 20.

  According to such a configuration, the detection unit 20 can detect the water W leaking from the drainage pipe 120 via the carrying unit 10 that carries the water W while absorbing or propagating the water W. Therefore, the leak detector 1 can expand the detection area of the water W by the detection unit 20 by the carrying unit 10. That is, the leak detector 1 can detect the water W leaking from the drain pipe 120 without depending on the leak location.

  Furthermore, you may form the support part 10 from the fiber provided with the liquid absorptivity.

  According to such a configuration, even if the leakage location of the water W in the drain pipe 120 and the arrangement position of the detection element 21 of the detection unit 20 are considerably separated from each other, the water 11 is discharged by the belt 11. By absorbing, leakage of water W from the drainage pipe 120 can be reliably detected. In particular, even when the detection unit 20 is disposed above the leakage point of the water W in the drainage pipe 120, the water W penetrates upward as well as below the belt 11. The leakage of the water W can be detected. Furthermore, when the belt 11 absorbs the water W, it is possible to prevent the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 from being scattered around and to prevent the water W from dripping onto the floor. Therefore, the water W scatters to the side and pollutes the side walls, the water W accumulates on the floor and pollutes the surrounding objects, or the water W leaks downstairs or under the floor and deteriorates the structure of the building. Can be prevented.

  Furthermore, the carrier 10 may be configured to carry water W leaked from the plurality of drain pipes 120.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to carry water W leaked from the plurality of drain pipes 120 by using one carrying part 10. Therefore, the cost required for detecting the water W leaking from the plurality of drain pipes 120 can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the carrier 10 may be configured to include a long belt 11 that wraps around the drainage pipe 120 and carries the water W.

  According to such a configuration, the belt 11 having a simple and general-purpose configuration can be used to carry the water W regardless of the location where the water W leaks in the drain pipe 120. Therefore, for example, in a case where water W leaks from a part of the drainage pipe 120 provided upright and flows downward, the detection unit 20 is directly below the water W leaking. Even if the detection element 21 is not provided, the water W can be detected via the belt 11.

  Further, the belt 11 may be configured such that its length can be adjusted.

  According to such a configuration, the belt 11 can be attached to the drainage pipe 120 without depending on the size and shape of the drainage pipe 120. For example, the belt 11 does not need to be formed with its length individually corresponding to the diameter of the drainage pipe 120. Further, the belt 11 can be arbitrarily attached to a plurality of pipes having different specifications.

  Furthermore, at least one of the detection unit 20 or the notification unit 30 may be arranged above the carrier unit 10 in use.

  According to such a configuration, the detection unit 20 or the notification unit 30 can prevent getting wet by the water W carried by the carrying unit 10. Therefore, the detection unit 20 or the notification unit 30 can prevent a failure due to a short circuit of the electrical system due to the water W. Furthermore, since the detection part 20 or the alerting | reporting part 30 does not need to be set as the waterproof structure provided with airtightness, it can reduce manufacturing cost.

(Other application example 1 of embodiment)
Another application example 1 of the leak detector 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another application example 1 of the leakage detector 1.

  The leak detector 1 can be used by being wrapped around a drainage pipe 120 disposed in a place where it cannot be visually recognized from the outside. Specifically, the drainage pipe 120 shown in FIG. 6 has a gap between the floor material 130 on which the waterproof pan 100 is placed and the support material 150 installed below the floor material 130 via the support column 140. It is attached to the drainage pipe 120 and used. The leak detector 1 detects the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 via the belt 11 wound around the drainage pipe 120. Thus, the leak detector 1 is attached to the piping inside the floor (between the upper floor room and the lower floor room) or the piping inside the side wall (between adjacent rooms on the same floor). It can also be used. Even if the leak detector 1 is wound around the drainage pipe 120 in a place where it cannot be visually recognized in a normal state, the leaking point of the water W can be accurately recognized by the warning sound of the buzzer 31.

(Other application example 2 of embodiment)
Another application example 2 of the leak detector 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating another application example 2 of the leakage detector 1.

  The leak detector 1 can be used by being disposed below the drainage pipe 120 disposed in a place where it cannot be visually recognized from the outside. Specifically, the drainage pipe 120 shown in FIG. 7 has a gap between the floor material 130 on which the waterproof pan 100 is placed and the support material 150 installed below the floor material 130 via the support column 140. It is placed on the support material 150. The leak detector 1 detects the water W leaking from the drainage pipe 120 and dripping and collecting on the support material 150 via the belt 11 in contact with the support material 150. Thus, the leak detector 1 can be used by being placed on the support member 150 located below the drain pipe 120. Even if the leak detector 1 is disposed below the drain pipe 120 in a place where it cannot be visually recognized in a normal state, the leak point of the water W can be accurately recognized by the warning sound of the buzzer 31. The leak detector 1 can also be used by being placed on a visually recognizable floor.

  As described above, the carrying unit 10 includes the long belt 11 that is disposed below the drain pipe 120 and carries the water W.

  According to such a configuration, the leaked water W can be carried below the drainage pipe 120 using the belt 11 which is a simple and general-purpose configuration. In particular, if the shape of the belt 11 is adjusted below the drainage pipe 120, the detection area of the leaked water W can be arbitrarily set. That is, the larger the shape of the belt 11, the easier it is to detect the leaked water W. In addition, when there is an inclined surface or a step where water W easily flows under the drain pipe 120, the water W can be detected efficiently if the belt 11 is placed on the inclined surface or step. .

  In addition, the present invention can be variously modified based on the configurations described in the claims, and these are also within the scope of the present invention.

  For example, the leak detector 1 is not limited to the detection of the water W leaked from the member to be inspected. That is, the leak detector 1 may be used, for example, for detecting oil or organic solvent leaked from the member to be inspected.

  Moreover, the leak detector 1 is not limited to the detection of the medium leaked from the drainage pipe 120. That is, the leak detector 1 may be used for detecting a medium leaked from the water supply pipe.

  Moreover, the leak detector 1 is not limited to the detection of the medium leaked from the crack part 120a of the drainage pipe 120. That is, the leak detector 1 may be used, for example, to detect a medium leaked from an attachment portion between the washing machine 110 and the drain pipe 120.

  Moreover, the leak detector 1 is not limited to the detection of the medium which leaked from the to-be-inspected member like the drainage piping 120 formed in the cylindrical shape. That is, the leak detector 1 may be used, for example, to detect a medium leaking from a water storage tank made of a rectangular parallelepiped or a semi-cylindrical pipe having a concave cross section with an open top.

  Moreover, in the leak detector 1, the carrying | support part 10 is not limited to the structure which absorbs and carries the water W which leaked from the piping 120 for drainage. That is, the leak detector 1 uses, for example, a belt that does not have liquid absorbency or poor liquid absorbency, and blocks the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 to cause the water W to be detected by the detection unit 20. It is good also as a structure to detect.

  Moreover, in the leak detector 1, the alerting | reporting part 30 is not limited to the structure which alert | reports the leak of the water W using the buzzer 31. FIG. For example, the alerting | reporting part 30 is good also as a structure which alert | reports the leak of the water W using a light emitting element or a monitor. For example, even if it is difficult for the leak detector 1 to be close to each other and hear the warning sound, or it is difficult to hear the warning sound due to noise from the surroundings, etc., the leakage of the water W The location can be easily detected. Even when a plurality of leak detectors 1 are arranged in a high-rise building, the leak location of the water W can be easily detected from information displayed on the liquid crystal monitor in the security room.

  In the leak detector 1, the detection unit 20 is not limited to a configuration that detects the wetness of the belt 11 by a change in the electrical resistance of the detection element 21. For example, the detection unit 20 may be configured to detect the color of the belt 11 that changes color due to the absorbed water W using an optical sensor. Moreover, the detection part 20 is good also as a structure which detects the color of water W itself absorbed by the belt 11 with an optical sensor. Any of the above configurations is effective particularly when the water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 is colored due to contamination.

  Moreover, in the leak detector 1, the detection part 20 is good also as a structure which detects the wetness of the belt 11 by the structure which seals a part of belt 11 and detects the change of the humidity in the sealed space. When the belt 11 is wet, the humidity of the sealed space in which a part of the belt 11 is sealed increases. This is particularly effective when the amount of water W leaked from the drainage pipe 120 is very small.

  In the leak detector 1, the buzzer 31 of the notification unit 30 is not limited to a configuration that is electrically connected to the detection element 21 of the detection unit 20. For example, the buzzer 31 disposed at a location away from the detection element 21 may be operated by wireless communication using radio waves or infrared rays by the control unit 40. For example, even when a plurality of leak detectors 1 are arranged inside a building, the leak location of water W can be easily detected from information notified through the buzzer 31 in the security room.

  Further, the leak detector 1 may be configured to include a deformable hook-shaped hook that sandwiches the drainage pipe 120 via the belt 11. According to such a configuration, the hook clamps the belt 11 so that the belt 11 abuts against all or part of the outer periphery of the drainage pipe 120. Even when a part of the outer periphery of the drainage pipe 120 interferes with another structure, the hook can be attached to the drainage pipe 120 while avoiding the interference part. Further, when the hook is pressed against the drainage pipe 120, it can be attached to the drainage pipe 120 by being elastically deformed so that the arc becomes temporarily large. That is, the hook can be attached to or detached from the drainage pipe 120 with one hand.

  The leak detector 1 may have a configuration in which the belt 11 has the hook function. For example, the belt 11 is formed by weaving synthetic fiber such as nylon and curing it while containing hard rubber in a curved state. Such a belt 11 corresponds to a belt having a function of holding the drainage pipe 120 in addition to a function of supporting the water W.

  Moreover, the leak detector 1 is not limited to the structure which controls the action | operation of the detection part 20 and the alerting | reporting part 30 by the control part 40. FIG. For example, the detection element 21 of the detection unit 20 and the buzzer 31 of the notification unit 30 may be operated by a simple relay circuit.

  Moreover, the leak detector 1 is not limited to the structure which hold | maintains each structural member of the holding | maintenance part 10, the detection part 20, the alerting | reporting part 30, and the control part 40 by the housing part 50. FIG. For example, if the driving power of the detection element 21 of the detection unit 20 and the driving power of the buzzer 31 of the notification unit 30 are sufficiently small and are arranged so as not to be short-circuited by water W or the like, the housing unit 50 Is not necessarily required.

1 Leak detector,
10 carrying part,
11 belt,
20 detector,
21 sensing element,
22,23 terminals,
30 Notification section,
31 Buzzer,
40 control unit,
41 substrate,
42 controller,
43 battery
50 body part,
51 housing members,
51a housing,
51b, 51c holes,
52 support members,
53 mooring pins,
54 lid,
54a opening,
100 waterproof pan,
110 washing machine,
120 Drainage pipe (inspected member),
120a crack part,
130 flooring,
140 struts,
150 support material,
W Water (medium).

Claims (6)

A carrier for carrying the medium leaked from the member to be inspected for circulating the medium;
A detection unit for detecting the medium carried by the carrying unit;
A leak detector having a notifying unit for notifying the detection of the medium by the detecting unit.   The leak detector according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is formed of a fiber having liquid absorbency.   The leakage detector according to claim 1, wherein the carrier carries the medium leaked from the plurality of members to be inspected.   The said carrying | support part is wound around the said to-be-inspected member, or is arrange | positioned under the to-be-inspected member, and provided with the elongate belt which carry | supports the said medium. Leak detector.   The leak detector according to claim 4, wherein the belt is configured to be adjustable in length.   The leak detector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the detection unit or the notification unit is disposed above the carrying unit during use.