WO2015063373A2

WO2015063373A2 - Flood alarm assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2015063373A2
Application number: PCT/FI2014/050817
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harri Huovinen; Lasse Lehto; Annu ROKKANEN
Original assignee: Harri Huovinen; Lasse Lehto; Rokkanen Annu
Priority date: 2013-11-04
Filing date: 2014-10-31
Publication date: 2015-05-07
Also published as: WO2015063373A3

Abstract

The flood alarm assembly for a drainage system that includes an assembly line and/or drain well for rainwater, storm water or another sewage water, whereby the drain well is the well part of the drainage system, such as a roof well, floor well, drainage well or a corresponding. According to the invention, the flood alarm assembly comprises • a tubular body casing (10), which is a portion or connected to the assembly line or drain well of the drainage system or in a close vicinity thereof, and which defines an internal cavity space; (13); and • a transmitter/sensor unit (2, 4), which detects a flood situation, i.e. a rise in water level, and which generates an alarm in response to the detected rise and elevation in water level independently or by means of a separate alarm unit (5) connected with the same.

Description

FLOOD ALARM ASSEMBLY

Present invention relates to drainage systems for rainwater, storm water and other sewage water. More specifically, the present invention relates to flood alarm systems of such drainage systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a flood alarm assembly for a drainage system with an assembly line and/or any drain well for rainwater, storm water or other sewage water, the drain well being preferably a drainage system related drain well, such as a roof well, a floor well, a drainage well or a corresponding. Storm waters are rainwaters and melt waters flowing from streets, yards and roofs. Also dewateri rig water of foundations are driven to the storm water drains. Such storm waters are treated hardly as they are relatively clean in comparison with actual waste water, often cold, and flow rate variations are large. Industrial plants, storage sites and the like are exceptions: storm water flowing therefrom has to lead to the waste water drains, i.e. mixed drainage systems must be applied whereby sewage waters and storm waters are lead to the same drain. Such mixed drainage systems remain in the old urban centres. However, there are attempts to get rid of the mixed drainage systems, because the same will cause problems at wastewater treatment plants: large flow variations and low temperatures hamper the cleaning process and due to the storm waters pools of the treatment plants must be dimensioned large. The treatment of storm waters and runoff waters has the special feature that the waters are passed through pipe or property sewers, which have a size typically varying between 50 - 160 mm and which are meant to collect storm waters and sewage waters from the buildings and properties, into a collector well and/or collector sewer, which has a diameter that may exceed 1000 mm and which is typically associated with either trunk sewer a public sewerage network. Sewers are as such typically gravity sewers, i.e. a flow takes place naturally and downwardly by gravity. Typically, the sewers are made of plastic, metal or concrete. When there is a rainwater well or f.ex. a rainwater drainage at the roof it can become blocked due to leaves or other litter, whereby water may begin to accumulate in the collecting pipe into the well or on the roof. Hereinafter, the rainwaters, runoff waters and other sewage waters different drainage systems comprising rain waters, storm waters or sewage waters assembly line and/or the drain well, which is the drainage system of the roof well, the floor well, the drainage well or the like of the drainage system, is referred to by definitions as the drain, the drain pipe and the drain well, respectively. Tank surface level or surface height measurement and monitoring as well as alerting relating to the same is as such known security technology. An alarm unit outputting the alarm can be equipped with GSM transmission or with another wireless data transmission supporting an alarm transfer unit, with a relay or alike, for transferring the alarm to a desired alarm receiving location or device. It is previously known in the market, for example, Tank- Check and Tank-Check RF- 410 which is a water tank fulfilling alarm or a surface alarm that generates an alarm when the water level in the tank hits the water sensor of fulfilling alarm or surface level watch. This unit operates on AC power or more preferably 12 V battery. A water sensor may be connected with the transmitter unit of the device by wires or wirelessly. Previously, it is also known in the market even a water leakage detector, EL-2661/868, which warns about an existing water or moisture leakage. The detector applies 30 seconds delay for generating an alarm, and a microprocessor- based signal processing is powered by a lithium battery.

According to the present invention, one object is to eliminate or at least substantially reduce the weaknesses of the prior art, and a second object of the present invention is to provide a substantially new flood alarm assembly that may be applied to different draining needs for detecting a rise in water level and for outputting an alarm in response to the detected rise in the water level rise or to the flooding of the drain. This object has been achieved by the flood alarm assembly disclosed in the beginning, having specific features defined in the independent claim of the attached set of patent claims. In this case, the assembly according to the invention essentially comprises in general: a tubular body casing which is a part of or connected to the assembly line or drain well of the drainage system and which defines the internal cavity; and a

transmitter/sensor unit or a measuring unit which detects any flood situation, i.e. a rise in a water level in the said cavity, and which independently or by means of a related alarm unit generates an alarm in response to the detected rise in water level in the cavity.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, flood alarm assembly is a flood alarm assembly due to the flooding of the rainwater drain or well, which is meant to be installed on a roof surface, that a body casing is attached from its bottom edge to the roof surface by means of a mounting element, such water may enter from outside into the cavity through at least one of the opening/ hole in the body casing, and that the cavity has provided with the sensor unit and the transmitter unit for detecting a water level in the cavity and for sending or outputting an alarm or an alarm signal. The alarm can be implemented as a local alarm, i.e. at the place of the flood detection, or the alarm can be transmitted via an appropriate wired or wireless communication link or network to the desired receiving device or system or service, for example a cloud service, from where the user of the service will be informed of the flood situation and possibly also its location. This kind of flood alarm assembly intended to be installed on the roof can be used in new and old blocks of flats, terraced houses and detached houses and office buildings, to alert of water accumulation into the roof well or on the roof due to the flooding, In particular, the flood alarm assembly is suitable for flood alerts in the case of a flat roof. The flood alarm assembly according to the invention is protected against rainwater, so that the rainwater cannot access the assembly. Flood alert assembly is inexpensive and very easy to be installed directly onto the surface of the roof or covering structure, whereby the flood alarm assembly according to the invention can be sold as ready-installable product and in desired colour by wholesalers and hardware retailers of HVAC industry. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a flood alarm assembly is a flood alarm assembly of a rainwater drain and/or of a storm water drain, wherein the body casing of the flood alarm assembly is made of HST (acid proof steel), wherein any rainwater, storm water or other sewage water coming into the drainage system flows by gravity and passes the flood alarm assembly, when there is no blockage in the drain, but the water level begins to rise in the cavity in a situation, when the flow of rainwater, storm water or sewage water is blocked due to a blockage, and the rising water enters the branch pipe, wherein the transmitter/sensor unit detects the rise of water level, i .e. the flood situation, and outputs an alarm.

The significant advantages of this flood alarm assembly intended for a drain can be mentioned the following. Flood alarm assembly can be installed in existing or new drains, and it can be adapted to be compatible with drainage types made of different sizes and different materials by means of a suitable selection of the size of the tubular body casing. In practice, the flood alarm assembly according to the invention is easy to install by utilizing accompanying clamping/ /joint bands. Costs of flood alarm assembly are affordable for flood alerting and a service thereof is effortless due to an easily replaceable transmitter/sensor unit which detects the flooding and transmits an alarm to the alarm unit or a control room or a controller. The product according to the invention can be sold to the customer as units and as a product or model functioning as such by wholesalers and hardware retailers of HVAC. Other specific features of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims of the set of claims and described in detail in the following specific part of the description.

The invention will be described in the following specific part of the description by means of one preferred embodiment thereof and by means of an example that relates to a roof well with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein

Figure Fig. l presents schematically and partly in cross-section a first embodiment of the present invention, which is a flood alarm system for rainwater drainage and/or well meant for installation on a roof surface, and

Figure FIG. 2 shows schematically and partly in cross-section of the present invention a second embodiment, which is meant to be mounted in an assembly line, a vent line, drain well for rainwater, storm water or other sewage water or meant to be mounted to form a part of the same.

In general, in Figures 1 and 2, flood alarm assembly, which is in the drain or for the drain that comprises an assembly line, rising line, vent line or drain well of the drainage system for rainwater, sewage water or the like, comprises: a tubular body casing 10, which is a part of or joined to the assembly line or rising line, vent line or drain well of the drainage system on purpose to define an internal cavity 13; and a transmitter/sensor units 2, 4, which detects a flood situation, i.e. a rise in the water level in the said cavity, and which independently or by means of a related alarm unit 5 generates an alarm in response to the detected rise in water level.

Referring to an embodiment option shown in Fig.1, which is a flood alarm assembly for a rainwater drain or roof well and is intended for installation on a roof surface, wherein a diameter of the tubular body casing 10 may be e.g. 1 10 mm or 160 mm. A lower part 1 1, which widens conically to a desired diameter and towards the roof surface 30 or the mounting element 14, is associated to the tubular part of the body casing. In order to provide the cavity 13 closed from below, the lower edge of the widening lower part 11 is intended for attachment e.g. by gluing to the roof surface 30, or the mounting element 14 is attached to the lower edge of the widening lower part 1 1, which is intended for attachment e.g. by gluing to the roof surface 30. For protecting or for covering the cavity space 13 from above and thus for protecting the cavity space against rain and snow the top part of the flood alarm assembly is a detachable or open turnable cap part 20. It is preferred that the cap part 20 has an opening or openings with which prevent formation of an air pocket into the cavity space 13. Flood alarm assembly of Figure Fig.1 has a rainwater-proof internal cavity space 13 with a sensor unit 4, which detects in the cavity 13 the water level entered through at least one inlet

hole/opening 12 of the body casing 10. The body casing 10, which defines circumferentially the cavity space 13, has one or several openings/holes 12 near the roof surface 30 with a small height dimension above the roof surface, such that water may access the cavity space 13 from outside of the flood alarm assembly through at least one opening/hole that is in the body casing. A preferred station for the flood alarm assembly of Figure Fig.1 is in connection of the roof well. In this case, it is preferred that the distance of the flood alarm assembly from the roof well is about 0.5-1 meters.

Another alternative embodiment of the flood alarm assembly of Figure Fig.1, a conical body casing 10, 11 and the mounting element 14, which is at the lower end thereof and which enables attachment of the flood alarm assembly to the roof surface 30, are formed from one part, which defines circumferentially and from below the internal cavity space 13. In this alternative embodiment example, the lower part 1 1 of the body casing 10, which defines circumferentially the cavity space 13, has one or more openings/holes 12 near the roof surface 30, with a small height dimension from the roof surface such that water may enter from outside of the flood alarm configuration inside the cavity space 13 through at least one opening/hole of the body casing. In order to close the cavity space 13 also from above and for protecting the cavity space against rain and snow, the flood alarm assembly has as a top part a detachable or an open tumable cap part 20 that functions in the flood alarm assembly as a lid. A preferred station of this alternative embodiment example of the flood alert configuration is in a connection of the roof well. In this case, it is preferred that the distance of the flood alarm assembly from the well is about 0.5-1 meters

The outwardly visible parts of the flood alarm assembly of Figure Fig.l, i.e. the cap part 20, the body casing 10 and the optional mounting element 14, can be made of a suitable polymer, e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride. In the embodiment of Figure Fig.1, the cavity space 13 is provided with a sensor unit 4 and a transmitter unit 2, which detects the rise in the water level in the cavity space 13 and which independently generates a signal for triggering an alarm or sends a generated signal further to a reception site, system or service, in response to the detected rise in water level. The

sensor/transmitter unit 4, 2, or measuring unit can be equipped with an alarm signal transfer unit, a relay or a corresponding that supports a wired or wireless communication in order to transfer the alarm to the desired alarm collection point or unit of 5, system or service.

It is preferred that the cap part 20 may comprise a specific installation site for the transmitter unit 2. The sensor unit 4 and the transmitter unit 2 can also form a one-piece measuring unit that may be associated with a separate alarm unit 5 by means of a wireless or wired signalling connection 3 The alarm unit 5 can be remotely located, for example, at a cloud service, a control room, or any other desired location or device. Further, the sensor unit 4, a transmitter unit 2 and the receiver unit can be integrated into a single control unit, which performs the necessary

measurements and generates the appropriate alarm. The alarm is then local or the alarm can be sent further from an integrated unit 2, 4, 5 to the desired alarm reception site or system or service.

One preferred reception site of the embodiment of Figure Fig. 1 is the roof described above. It should be noted that open floor wells and waste water wells are essential parts of buildings drainage systems for wet rooms and basements and garages. One preferred station of the embodiment of Figure Fig.1 is close to such a floor well. In this case, it may complement a drain pump insert of a floor well.

Reference is made to embodiment of Figure Fig.2, which is a flood alarm assembly of a drainage system for rain water, sewage water or the like, comprising: a tubular body casing 10, which is a part of or connected to an assembly line, vertical line, vent line of the drainage system, or which defines the internal cavity space 13, and a transmitter/sensor unit 2, 4 that detects a flood situation, i.e. a rise in the water level in the said cavity space 13 defined by the tubular body casing 10, and which independently or by means of a related alarm unit 5 generates an alarm in response to the detected rise in water level in the cavity space 13.

In the flood alarm assembly according to Figure Fig.2, a transmitter/sensor unit 4, 2 discloses or alerts about the said flood situation by generating an alarm in response to the detected rise in the water level in the cavity space 13 and sends an alarm signal to the central or alarm unit 5 or control station, which is associated with the sensor/the transmitter unit 4, 2 via a wireless or wired signalling connection 3. The sensor/transmitter unit 4, 2 and an operating principle of the associated sensor unit 4 unit and the structure can be chosen freely, suitable sensors are different kinds of pressure sensors, mechanical sensors, capacitive sensors, ultrasonic sensors, microwave sensors, optical sensors, and conductivity measure sensors and other applicable existing sensor technologies and equipment.

In order to identify the flood situation, a flood alarm assembly according to Figure Fig.2 has a branch pipe 15, which branches from tubular body casing 10, and which is preferably made of a special brass, and which is attached to a tubular body casing by connection collar 7, by welding, by a threaded connection or by another appropriate attachment solution. The sensor/transmitter unit 4, 2 is placed at the end of the branch pipe, where it detects water rising into the branch pipe 15. Alarm unit 5 outputting the alarm because of the flooding may be integrated with the sensor/transmitter unit 4, 2 or the alarm unit 5 or the remote host or device receiving the alarm signal is connected to the sensor/transmitter unit 4, 2 via a wired signalling connection 3.

Signalling connection 3 to the alarm unit 5 may also be wireless if the sensor/transmitter unit 4, 2 is equipped with an alarm signal transfer unit, relay, etc. that support a wired or wireless for transmitting the alarm to the desired alarm reception site or alarm unit 5. In the flood alarm assembly of Figure Fig.2, water risen into the cavity space 13 can be discharged out from the assembly line, the vertical line, the vent line or from the drain well body casing 10 of the flood alarm assembly via the branch pipe 15, which is provided with the sensor and transmitter unit 4, 2, or via a second outlet or overflow pipe 9 that branches from the tubular body casing 10. Then it is advantageous that the branch pipe 15 and/or the outlet or overflow pipe 9 is equipped with drain valve 6, the mode of which is controlled by the sensor/transmitter unit or measuring unit of the flood alarm assembly.

The present invention is described above only by means certain preferred embodiments thereof This is not intended to limit the present invention by any means to relate only to such

embodiments but many modifications and variations in the details as well as functionally equivalent variants are possible within the scope protection defined in the attached claims. Thus, it is noted that the used dimensions, materials are not relevant to the functionality of the invention. Thus, the most essential is that the sensor detecting a rise in water level and outputting the alarm is arranged according to the invention inside a structural configuration of an assembly line, vertical line, vent line, drain well or roof well. Further, it should also be noted that principles and structure of a transmitter unit and an associated sensor unit and the sensor head as such can be chosen freely. In this case, signalling connection may be a wired or wireless link, whereby well the known data transmission technologies can be applied per se, and whereby suitable sensors include, for example different pressure sensors, mechanical sensors, capacitive sensors, ultrasonic sensors, microwave sensors, optical sensors, conductivity sensors, and other applicable sensor technologies and equipment. Flood alarm assembly can form a body casing of an assembly line, vertical line, vent line or drain well of a drainage system or be an accessory or spare part, intended to be installed or retrofitted in the body casing and includes the flood alarm assembly, 5 which comprises a branch pipe, which allows draining of water, rising in a flood situation in the tubular body casing, through the same. In this case the branch pipe is preferably equipped with a sensor unit and a transmitter unit, which constitute a measuring unit for detecting a flood situation basing to water coming into the branch pipe, and a drain valve, which may be for example a solenoid valve, which is controlled by the said measuring unit, to which the alarm unit 10 may connected fixedly or via a signalling link that may be a wired or wireless signalling

connection, in order to output an alarm basing to the detected flood situation.

List of reference numerals;

10, 11. Body casing

15 20. Cap part

3. Signalling connection

2. Transmitter unit

4. Sensor unit

5. Alarm unit

20 6. Drain valve

7. Connecting piece

12. Water opening/hole

13. Cavity space

14. Mounting element

25 15. Branch pipe

30. Roof surface

Claims

1. Flood alarm assembly for a drainage system with an assembly line and/or any drain well for rainwater, storm water or other sewage being preferably a drain well, such as a roof well, a floor well, an underdrain well or a corresponding, which is a part of the drainage system, characterized in that the flood alarm comprises:

- A tubular body casing (10) which is a part of or connected to the assembly line or drain well of drainage system and which defines ab internal cavity (13); and

- A transmitter/sensor unit (2, 4) or a measuring unit which detects any flood situation, i.e. a rise in a water level in the said cavity (13), and which independently or by means of a related alarm unit (5) generates an alarm in response to the detected rise in water level in the cavity (13).

2. Flood alarm assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flood alarm assembly is a flood alarm assembly for a rainwater drainage or a drain well intended to be mounted on a roof , wherein the bottom edge of the body casing (10) is attached to the roof surface (30) by means of a mounting element (14), such that the water gets from outside to inside of the cavity (13) through at least one opening/hole (12) that is in the body casing ( 10), and wherein the cavity (13) is provided with both the sensor unit (4) and the transmitter unit (2) for detecting the water level in the cavity and for transmitting or outputting an alarm or an alarm signal.

3. Flood alarm assembly according to claim 1 and/or 2, wherein the mounting element (14) is attached at the bottom edge of the body casing (10, 11) for attaching the flood alarm assembly to the roof surface (30), which mounting element closes the cavity (13) from below and is mounted/attached to the roof surface (30), e.g. by gluing, and wherein the cavity is protected and/or covered above by a cap part (20), which preferably functions as a removable or turnable cover for the flood alarm assembly.

4. Flood alarm assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein a lower part (1 1) widening conically towards the roof surface (30) or mounting element (14) is united with the body casing (10), the lower edge of the lower part being mounted / fixed to the roof surface (30) or to the mounting element which is mounted/attached to the roof surface (30), and wherein the top part of the flood alarm assembly comprises a removable or a turnable cap part (20) which is adapted to a lid for flood alarm assembly onto the body casing ( 10, 11).

5. Flood alarm assembly according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the body casing ( 10, 11) widens conically towards the roof surface (30), wherein the lower end of the body casing (10, 11) comprises the mounting element (14) such that the mounting element (14) and the body casing (10, 1 1) form an integral body which defines circumferentially and from below the internal cavity (13) and which is attachable through the mounting element to the roof surface, and wherein the top part of the flood alarm assembly is composed of the detachable or open turnable cap part (20) that is adapted to a lid for the on flood alarm assembly onto the body casing (10, 1 1).

6. Flood alarm assembly according to the any one of claims 1-5, wherein, for outputting an alarm, the sensor unit (4) is connected by wire or wirelessly to a transmitter unit (2), which is connected by wire or wirelessly to an alarm unit (5).

7. Flood alarm assembly according to claim 1 which is flood alarm assembly for any rainwater, sevage or the like, characterized in that the flood alarm assembly comprises:

- A tubular body casing (10), which is part of or connected to an internal cavity (13) defined by an assembly line, a vertical line, a vent line or the a drain well of the drainage system (13), and

- A transmitter/sensor unit (2, 4) or measuring unit which detects any flood situation, i.e. a rise in a water level in the said cavity (13) defined by the tubular body casing (10) and which independently or by means of a related alarm unit (5) generates an alarm in response to the detected rise in water level in the cavity (13).

8. Flood alarm assembly according to claim 1 and / or 7, wherein the body casing (10) of the flood alarm assembly is made of HST (acid proof steel), wherein any rainwater, storm water or other sewage coming into the drainage flows by gravity and passes the flood alarm assembly when there is no blockage in the drain, but in a situation when the rainwater, storm water or sewage flow is blocked due to a blockage the water level begins to rise in the cavity (13) and the rising water enters the branch pipe (15), wherein the transmitter/sensor unit (2, 4) detects the rise of water level, i.e. the flood situation, and outputs an alarm.

9. Flood alarm assembly according to claim 1 and 7-8, wherein the branch pipe (15) branches from tubular body casing (10) of the flood alarm assembly extends, the branch pipe being preferably made of special brass and connected to the tubular body part by a connecting collar (7), by welding, or by a rotary joint or by any other fastening solutions, wherein the end of the branch pipe end is provided with the transmitter/sensor unit (2, 4), which detects the rising of water in the branch pipe (15), and which independently or through a related alarm unit (5) generates the alarm in response to detection of water increase or rise in the branch pipe (15).

10. Flood alarm assembly according to any one of claims 1 and 7-9, wherein the flood alarm configuration allows, in the flood situation, draining of water rising in the tubular body casing via the branch pipe (15) comprising the sensor unit (4) and the transmitter unit (2), or via a second outlet or overflow pipe (9) which branches from of the tubular body casing, whereby the branch pipe (15) and/or outlet/overflow pipe (9) is provided with drain valves (6), the mode of which are controlled by the sensor/transmitter unit (4, 2) and/or by the alarm unit (5) of the flood alarm assembly.

1 1. Flood alarm assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

sensor/transmitter unit (4, 2) that is arranged at the assembly line, the vertical line, the vent line or the drain well sewage the drainage system header is provided with an alarm signal transfer unit, a relay or the like, which supports a wired or wireless data transmission, for transferring the alarm to a desired alarm reception location or device (5).

12. Flood alarm assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flood alarm assembly is an equipment or spare part which is intended to be installed or retrofitted in the body casing (10) of the assembly line, the vertical line, the vent line or the drain well of the drainage system and which forms the flood alarm assembly that includes the branch pipe (15) which allows, in a flood situation, draining of the water rising in the tubular body casing and coming into the branch pipe out through the same, whereby the branch pipe is provided with:

- A sensor unit (4) and the transmitter unit (2) that form the measuring unit (4, 2) for detecting a flood situation basing to water coming into the branch pipe, and

- A drain valve (6), which may be for example a solenoid valve, which is controlled by the said measuring unit, which may be connected to an alarm unit (5) may be connected fixedly or by signalling connection means (3), which can be a wired or wireless signalling connection.