Rain gauge

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a rain gauge, comprising a water inlet funnel, a water storage container (21), a liquid level sensor, a control system (70), a housing (11) and a base (30), wherein the housing is formed into a substantially cylindrical cavity structure, a support plate (40) is horizontally arranged in the housing, the support plate is connected between the water inlet funnel and the base via a connecting rod (50), the two ends of the connecting rod respectively abut against the bottom of the water inlet funnel and the top of the base, and the water storage container and the control system are fixed above the support plate. Through the above technical scheme, the water inlet funnel, the water storage container and other components of the rain gauge are respectively arranged in the housing, and the structure is compact. By arranging the support plate, the water storage container and the control system can be stably arranged in the housing. In addition, since the support plate divides the cavity formed by the housing into two parts for placing different components respectively, the wiring (such as water pipes, electric wires) between the various components will not affect each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to precipitation detection, in particular to a rain gauge. Background Art

[0002] A rain gauge is an instrument used in meteorological and hydrological monitoring to measure precipitation over a specific area over a period of time. Most rain gauges measure in millimeters, though sometimes measurements are also given in inches or centimeters. Common types include siphon rain gauges, weighing rain gauges, tipping bucket rain gauges, solid-state storage rain gauges, simple rain gauges, and digital rain gauges. The frequency of observations can vary depending on specific needs. Existing rain gauges suffer from low sensitivity and poor stability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a rain gauge to solve the problem of low stability of currently used tipping bucket rain gauges and other rain gauges.

[0004] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present disclosure provides a rain gauge, including a water inlet funnel, a water storage container, a liquid level sensor, a control system, a shell and a base. The shell is formed into a generally cylindrical cavity structure. A support plate is horizontally arranged in the shell. The support plate is connected between the water inlet funnel and the base through a connecting rod. The two ends of the connecting rod respectively abut the bottom of the water inlet funnel and the top of the base. The water storage container and the control system are fixed above the support plate.

[0005] Optionally, a spirit level is provided on the support plate.

[0006] Optionally, the water inlet funnel includes a first funnel and a second funnel stacked from top to bottom, and the first funnel is fixedly connected to the shell.

[0007] Optionally, a filtering device is provided in the first funnel.

[0008] Optionally, the liquid level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, which extends vertically from the top of the water storage container. The rain gauge is provided with a beam structure so that the ultrasonic sensor receives reflected waves from directly below.

[0009] Optionally, the ultrasonic sensor includes a sensor body, the beam wave structure includes a beam wave tube fixed at the front end of the sensor body, the beam wave tube is formed as a hollow cylindrical structure, and the aperture of the hollow cylinder is smaller than the aperture of the front end of the sensor body.

[0010] Optionally, the beam wave structure includes an ultrasonic wave absorbing layer adhered to the inner wall of the water storage container.

[0011] Optionally, a water inlet pipe is connected between the water storage container and the water inlet funnel, the upper part of the water inlet pipe is connected to the water inlet funnel, and the lower part of the water inlet pipe is obliquely connected to the lower part of the water storage container; a drain pipe is connected to the bottom of the water storage container, and the drain pipe is connected to the outside world.

[0012] Optionally, a first solenoid valve and an exhaust structure are provided on the water inlet pipe, and the exhaust structure is located below the first solenoid valve and is connected to the air.

[0013] Optionally, the base is suspended by a supporting device, and the drain pipe can pass through the base to drain rainwater to the bottom of the base.

[0014] Through the above technical solution, the rain gauge's water inlet funnel, water storage container, and other components are separately housed within the housing, resulting in a compact structure. The support plate allows the water storage container and control system to be stably positioned within the housing. Furthermore, because the support plate divides the cavity formed by the housing into two sections for accommodating different components, wiring between components (e.g., water pipes and electrical wires) is prevented from interfering with each other, thereby improving the stability of the rain gauge.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the following detailed description, they are used to explain the present disclosure but do not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a rain gauge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a water inlet device of a rain gauge in the embodiment shown;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The structure of the water amount detection device of the rain gauge in the embodiment shown is a schematic diagram.

[0020] Description of Reference Numerals

[0021] 11 housing 12 first funnel

[0022] 13 Second funnel 14 Screen

[0023] 15 filter 16 cover

[0024] 21 Water storage container 22 Sensor body

[0025] 23 beam wave tube 24 water inlet pipe

[0026] 25 Drain pipe 26 Overflow pipe

[0027] 27 First solenoid valve 28 Second solenoid valve

[0028] 29 Three-way valve 30 Base

[0029] 40 Support plate 50 Connecting rod

[0030] 60 Anchor bolt 70 Control system

[0031] 211 Ultrasonic wave absorbing layer DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following describes the specific embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0033] In this disclosure, unless otherwise indicated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" refer to the upper and lower positions of the rain gauge in normal use. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" in this disclosure are used only to distinguish one element from another and do not have any order or importance.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the rain gauge provided by the present disclosure includes a water inlet device and a water level detection device. The water inlet device includes a downward-pointing water inlet funnel, and the water level detection device includes a water storage container 21 and a liquid level sensor. The water inlet funnel collects rainwater and drains it into the water storage container 21 through an inlet pipe 24. The liquid level sensor can monitor the liquid level in the water storage container 21 in real time. The water storage container 21 is also connected to a drain pipe 25 to drain the rainwater after rainfall detection.

[0035] like Figure 1As shown, the rain gauge provided by the present disclosure is formed as a cylindrical cavity structure as a whole. A cylindrical shell 11 is mounted on the outer periphery of the main body of the rain gauge to form the above-mentioned cavity, and various components are firmly arranged in the cavity. Specifically, the shell 11 includes a base 30; a horizontally placed support plate 40 located above the base 30, and the above-mentioned water storage container 21 and a control system 70 are arranged above the support plate 40, wherein the control system 70 is electrically connected to the liquid level sensor for receiving the liquid level information in the water storage container 21 and transmitting the rainfall signal to the outside world in real time; the water inlet funnel is located above the cavity; the upper end of the water inlet pipe 24 is connected to the bottom of the water inlet funnel, and the lower end is connected to the water storage container 21; the upper end of the drain pipe 25 is connected to the bottom of the water storage container 21, and the lower end is connected to the outside world, so that water can be discharged at a faster speed and completely. In this way, the rain gauge is roughly formed into three sections in the vertical direction. The upper section is the part of the water inlet funnel that is connected to the outside world. The middle section is located between the water inlet funnel and the support plate 40, and is used to place the main components such as the water storage container 21, the control system 70 and the water inlet pipe 24. The lower section is located between the support plate 40 and the base 30, and is used to place components such as the drainage pipe 25.

[0036] It should be noted here that, in the present disclosure, the top and bottom of the water storage container 21 refer to the top surface and bottom surface of the water storage container 21, and the upper part and lower part of the water storage container 21 refer to the upper side and lower side of its side wall.

[0037] The specific structure of each component in this embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] In this embodiment, the base 30 can be suspended above a foundation, such as a horizontal support frame or concrete platform, by means of multiple support assemblies spaced circumferentially. This allows the lower end of the drain pipe 25 to pass through the base 30 and drain to the outside through the gap below the base 30, without increasing the radial dimensions of the overall structure. These support assemblies can include anchor bolts 60, which not only stabilize the base 30 but also allow for adaptive height adjustment. The anchor bolts 60 can be evenly distributed around the circumference of the base 30.

[0039] The support plate 40 in this embodiment can be fixed between the base 30 and the water inlet funnel by a connecting rod 50. Specifically, the support plate 40 can be firstly placed on the connecting rod 50 and fixedly connected to the connecting rod 50, with the two ends of the connecting rod 50 respectively abutting between the base 30 and the water inlet funnel. The connecting rod 50 can be a plurality of evenly spaced circumferentially arranged rods; or the connecting rod 50 can be divided into a first connecting rod supported between the base 30 and the support plate 40, and a second connecting rod supported between the water inlet funnel and the support plate 40, so that the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the support plate 40 can be independently assembled and disassembled. The present disclosure does not specifically limit the arrangement of the connecting rod. The arrangement of the support plate 40 can ensure that the various components are arranged stably, and because the support plate 40 divides the cavity of the rain gauge into two parts for placing different components respectively, the wiring between the various components (such as water pipes and electrical wires) will not affect each other.

[0040] Furthermore, a level (not shown) can be provided above the support plate 40. The operator can observe the level to ensure that the support plate 40 remains level, thereby preventing the tilt of the water storage container 21 from affecting the rainfall detection result. The level can be a simple bubble level to save costs.

[0041] In this embodiment, the water container 21 is fixed to the support plate 40. The lower end of the water inlet pipe 24 can be connected to the lower portion of the water container 21. This ensures that the liquid level in the water container 21 remains essentially constant during water inflow, preventing measurement accuracy. Furthermore, the lower end of the water inlet pipe 24 can be connected to the lower portion of the water container 21 at an angle, preventing water from accumulating in the pipe and enhancing measurement accuracy. An overflow pipe 26 can also be provided at the upper portion of the water container 21. One end of the overflow pipe 26 is connected to the upper portion of the water container 21, while the other end is open to the outside world. This prevents excessive liquid levels in the water container 21 from affecting the function of other components. Similar to the drain pipe 25 described above, the overflow pipe 26 can pass through the base 30 and drain water from a gap at the bottom of the base 30. Furthermore, the upper portion of the overflow pipe 26 is connected to the upper portion of the water container 21 at an angle to prevent water from accumulating in the overflow pipe 26.

[0042] Furthermore, a first solenoid valve 27 is provided on the water inlet pipe 24, and a second solenoid valve 28 is provided on the drain pipe 25. When the liquid level in the water storage container 21 reaches a certain height, the first solenoid valve 27 is automatically controlled to close and the second solenoid valve 28 is automatically controlled to open, draining the rainwater collected in the water storage container 21. Therefore, the rain gauge is suitable for measuring a wide range of rainfall, from light rain to heavy rain. The first solenoid valve 27 and the second solenoid valve 28 can be electrically connected to a control system 70 for automatic control, resulting in a safe and reliable structure. In one embodiment, to reduce the frequent opening and closing of the solenoid valves, the first solenoid valve 27 can be a normally open solenoid valve to ensure that the water inlet pipe 24 is conductive during the measurement process, and the second solenoid valve 28 can be a normally closed solenoid valve to ensure that the drain pipe 25 is closed during the measurement process. This configuration is based on the fact that during the measurement process, the water inlet pipe 24 should be as open as possible and the drain pipe 25 should be as closed as possible to ensure that rainwater is stored in the water storage container 21 as much as possible. In this way, by reducing the number of times the solenoid valves are opened and closed, the service life of the solenoid valves can be greatly improved.

[0043] Furthermore, the water inlet pipe 24 may be provided with an exhaust structure, which is located below the first solenoid valve 27 and is connected to the air. By providing the exhaust structure, when rainwater enters the device, especially when it enters slowly, it can avoid the gas inside the first solenoid valve 27 from forming an obstruction, causing the rainwater that initially enters to accumulate inside the water inlet funnel, thereby preventing the phenomenon that the rainwater can only flow in when it reaches a certain amount or when the first solenoid valve 27 is actuated. Specifically, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the exhaust structure can be a three-way valve 29, one connector of which is connected to the air, and the other two connectors are respectively connected to the water inlet pipe 24. The three-way valve has the advantages of simple structure and low cost. In other embodiments, the exhaust structure can also be other devices, which are not specifically limited in this disclosure, as long as they can connect the water inlet pipe 24 to the air and allow rainwater to flow in smoothly.

[0044] The liquid level sensor in this embodiment can be an ultrasonic sensor, which is arranged above the water storage container 21 and can obtain accurate liquid level information by emitting ultrasonic signals toward the liquid surface of the water storage container 21 and receiving ultrasonic signals reflected from the liquid surface. Figure 1 As shown, the front end of the ultrasonic sensor extends vertically from the top into the water storage container 21, emitting and receiving ultrasonic signals. Furthermore, a beam structure is incorporated into the water level detection device to ensure that the ultrasonic sensor receives reflected waves directly below, preventing the sensor from receiving information from other materials that can reflect ultrasonic waves (such as the inclined liquid surface or the sidewalls of the water storage container 21), which could affect measurement accuracy.

[0045] Furthermore, the ultrasonic sensor body 22, the beam structure may include a beam tube 23 fixed to the front end of the sensor body 22, the beam tube 23 is formed into a slender hollow cylindrical structure, the aperture of the hollow cylinder is smaller than the aperture of the sensor body 22, which can reduce the range of ultrasonic emission and reception. That is, the ultrasonic signal is emitted from a sharp mouth toward the liquid surface, and the feedback signal is also received from the sharp mouth. In this way, as mentioned above, it can avoid the sensor receiving other material information that can reflect ultrasonic waves, affecting the measurement accuracy. Furthermore, the front end of the hollow cylindrical structure can be formed with an inclined cutout, that is Figure 3 The structure shown in part A can play a beaming role, further making the ultrasonic signal transmitted and received at a fixed point to avoid scattering. It should be noted that the front end of the above sensor is defined according to the usage habits of the sensor. Specifically, Figure 1 In the figure, the front end of the sensor is at the bottom.

[0046] Furthermore, the beam structure may include an ultrasonic wave absorbing layer 211 attached to the inner wall of the water storage container 21. This prevents ultrasonic waves received by the sidewall of the water storage container 21 from being reflected, thereby preventing interference with the accuracy of ultrasonic signal measurement. Specifically, the ultrasonic wave absorbing layer 211 may be a silicone sheet attached to the inner wall of the water storage container 21, or an absorbent coating applied to the inner wall of the water storage container 21. Ultrasonic wave absorption methods are well known to those skilled in the art, and this disclosure does not limit their specific form.

[0047] The water inlet funnel in this embodiment may include a first funnel 12 and a second funnel 13 stacked one above the other. The first funnel 12 is fixed to the cylindrical housing 11. A gap may be left between the first funnel 12 and the second funnel 13. Rainwater first passes through the first funnel 12 and then through the second funnel 13. The walls of the first funnel 12 and the second funnel 13 may have a vertical section and an inclined section, respectively. Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, the top end of the first funnel 12 is fixed to the housing 11, and the vertical funnel wall of the first funnel 12 is spaced apart from the housing 11, so that the vertical funnel wall of the second funnel 13 can be inserted into the gap between the first funnel 12 and the housing 11. Since the first funnel 12 and the housing 11 are formed as one body, they can serve as the top cover of the rain gauge. In this way, when rainwater falls, it can completely enter the second funnel 13 and will not flow into the gap between the second funnel 13 and the housing 11, causing damage to components such as the control system 70. This also makes the measurement more accurate.

[0048] A cover plate 16 may be provided above the housing 11. When the rain gauge is not in use, the cover plate 16 may be placed above the housing 11 to prevent impurities from entering. When the rain gauge needs to be used, the cover plate 16 may be removed, which is convenient to operate.

[0049] Furthermore, a filtering device is provided within the first funnel 12 to prevent impurities from entering the rain gauge. The filtering device may include the screen 14 and filter 15 described below. Specifically, a screen 14 is provided substantially horizontally within the first funnel 12, aligned with the inner wall thereof, to prevent impurities such as leaves from clogging the water inlet pipe 24 and thereby affecting measurement accuracy. A filter 15 may also be inserted into the pointed end of the first funnel 12 to prevent impurities from entering the water inlet pipe 24. The filter 15 may be a hollow cylindrical filter. The screen 14 and filter 15 can be used in conjunction to achieve secondary filtration, resulting in more reliable measurement data.

[0050] In addition, dividing the water inlet funnel into a two-layer structure can facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the rain gauge, which is beneficial to equipment maintenance. Specifically, the second funnel 13 is fixedly connected to other components inside the rain gauge, and the first funnel 12 is fixed on the outer shell 11. The outer shell 11 is detachably mounted on the outside of the second funnel 13, the water storage container 21 and other components. When the equipment needs to be repaired, it is only necessary to take out the first funnel 12 together with the outer shell 11, without destroying the second funnel 13 and other structures inside the rain gauge.

[0051] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the technical concept of the present disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0052] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any appropriate manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the present disclosure will not further describe various possible combinations.

[0053] In addition, the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be arbitrarily combined, and as long as they do not violate the concept of the present disclosure, they should also be regarded as the contents disclosed by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A rain gauge, comprising a water inlet funnel, a water storage container (21), a liquid level sensor, a control system (70), a housing (11) and a base (30), characterized in that: The housing is formed into a substantially cylindrical cavity structure. A support plate (40) is horizontally arranged inside the housing (11). The support plate (40) is connected between the water inlet funnel and the base (30) via a connecting rod (50). Two ends of the connecting rod (50) respectively abut against the bottom of the water inlet funnel and the top of the base (30). The water storage container (21) and the control system (70) are fixed above the support plate (40). The water inlet funnel comprises a first funnel (12) and a second funnel (13) stacked from top to bottom, the top of the first funnel (12) being integrally fixedly connected to the outer shell (11), the vertical funnel wall of the first funnel (12) being spaced apart from the outer shell (11), the vertical funnel wall of the second funnel (13) being inserted into the gap between the first funnel (12) and the outer shell (11), and the outer shell (11) being detachably mounted on the outer sides of the second funnel (13), the water storage container (21) and at least a portion of the base (30).

2. The rain gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that A level is provided on the support plate (40).

3. The rain gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that A filtering device is provided in the first funnel (12).

4. The rain gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that The liquid level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, which extends vertically from the top of the water storage container (21), and a beam wave structure is provided in the rain gauge so that the ultrasonic sensor receives reflected waves from directly below.

5. The rain gauge according to claim 4, characterized in that The ultrasonic sensor comprises a sensor body (22), the beam wave structure comprises a beam wave tube (23) fixed at the front end of the sensor body (22), the beam wave tube (23) is formed as a hollow cylindrical structure, and the aperture of the hollow cylinder is smaller than the aperture of the front end of the sensor body (22).

6. The rain gauge according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The beam wave structure comprises an ultrasonic wave absorbing layer (211) adhered to the inner wall of the water storage container (21).

7. The rain gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that A water inlet pipe (24) is connected between the water storage container (21) and the water inlet funnel, the upper portion of the water inlet pipe (24) is connected to the water inlet funnel, and the lower portion of the water inlet pipe (24) is obliquely connected to the lower portion of the water storage container (21); a drainage pipe (25) is connected to the bottom of the water storage container (21), and the drainage pipe (25) is in communication with the outside.

8. The rain gauge according to claim 7, characterized in that The water inlet pipe (24) is provided with a first solenoid valve (27) and an exhaust structure, wherein the exhaust structure is located below the first solenoid valve (27) and is in communication with the air.

9. The rain gauge according to claim 7, characterized in that The base (30) is suspended in the air by means of a supporting device, and the drainage pipe (25) can pass through the base (30) to drain rainwater to the bottom of the base (30).

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