A water leakage protector and a water leakage detection and protection method

Abstract

This invention discloses a leak protector and a method for leak detection and protection. The leak protector includes a housing, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, a valve module, and a control module. The housing includes a first pipe and a second pipe, which are interconnected. The first pipe has an inlet, and the second pipe has an outlet. The first pressure sensor is mounted on the first pipe, and the second pressure sensor is mounted on the second pipe. The valve module controls the flow of water. The control module includes a timing device and is electrically connected to the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, and the valve module. The leak protector can determine whether a leak has occurred in the inlet pipe based on the duration of the pressure difference between the two pipes. According to the leak protector and leak detection and protection method of this invention, leaks in the inlet pipe can be detected without affecting the user's water usage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of water treatment, and in particular to a water leakage protector and a water leakage detection and protection method. Background Art

[0002] As people's living standards improve, more and more people choose to install water leakage protectors in their home water inlet pipes to detect whether there is a water leakage in the home water inlet pipes. At present, the water leakage protectors on the market that detect water leakage through pressure sensors can generally only detect whether the pipe is leaking when the user closes the water outlet of the water inlet pipe. If the water inlet pipe leaks when the user is using water, the water leakage protector that detects water leakage through pressure sensors will find it difficult to detect the water leakage in the water inlet pipe, which will cause great economic losses to the user. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a water leakage protector, which can detect whether a water inlet pipe leaks by detecting pressure when a user uses water.

[0004] A water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes: a shell, the shell includes a first pipe and a second pipe, the first pipe and the second pipe have different pipe diameters, the first pipe is connected to the second pipe, the first pipe is provided with a water inlet, and the second pipe is provided with a water outlet; a first pressure sensor, the first pressure sensor is arranged on the inner side wall of the first pipe; a second pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor is arranged on the inner side wall of the second pipe; a valve module, the valve module is arranged on the inner side of the shell, the valve module is used to control the water flow interruption; a control module, the control module includes a timing device, the timing device is used to time the time when the pressure difference between the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor continues, and the control module is electrically connected to the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor and the valve module.

[0005] The invention also provides a water leakage detection and protection method.

[0006] The water leakage protector according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following technical effects: the water leakage protector can detect whether there is a water leakage in the water inlet pipe by detecting the pressure when the user uses water. Specifically, the water leakage protector is arranged between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe. When the user uses water or the water inlet pipe leaks, the liquid will flow through the water leakage protector and pass through the first pipe and the second pipe in the water leakage protector in sequence. Since the diameters of the first pipe and the second pipe are different, the speed of the liquid when passing through the first pipe and the second pipe is different. According to the Bernoulli equation, when the liquid passes through the first pipe and the second pipe at different speeds, the pressure caused to the first pipe and the second pipe is unequal. The first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor continuously detect the pressure of the first pipe and the second pipe. When a pressure difference occurs between the first pipe and the second pipe, the control module controls the timing device to start timing. When the pressure difference lasts for more than the first preset time of the timing device, the control module determines that the water inlet pipe is leaking, and then controls the valve module to close, cuts off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, and the timing device is reset. When the pressure difference lasts for less than the first preset time of the timing device, the control module determines that there is no water leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the timing device is reset. The first preset time is generally greater than the maximum water extraction time of the user. When the user uses water normally, he only needs to close the outlet end of the water inlet pipe within the first preset time, and the liquid stops flowing. The pressure difference between the first pipe and the second pipe will disappear, and the leakage protector will not misjudge that there is a leak in the water inlet pipe.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the valve module is disposed between the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the valve module includes a ball valve, a transmission rod and an actuator, the ball valve is connected to the actuator via the transmission rod, and the actuator is electrically connected to the control module.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a one-way valve is further included, and the one-way valve is arranged between the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control module further includes an input device and a display device.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control module further includes a communication device, and the communication device is used to receive or send signals.

[0012] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the water leakage detection and protection method includes the following steps: detecting the pressure in two sections of pipes with different diameters and interconnected in the water inlet pipe; when the pressure difference between the two sections of the pipe lasts for more than a first preset time, controlling the valve on the water inlet pipe to close.

[0013] The water leakage detection and protection method according to the second embodiment of the present invention has at least the following technical effects: the method can detect whether the water inlet pipe is leaking by detecting the pressure without cutting off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe. Specifically, in the method, the pressure in two sections of pipes with different pipe diameters and interconnected in the water inlet pipe is continuously detected, and whether the water inlet pipe is leaking is determined based on whether there is a pressure difference between the two sections and the duration of the pressure difference. When a pressure difference occurs between the two sections and the duration of the pressure difference exceeds a first preset time, the control module will determine that a water leak has occurred in the water inlet pipe.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the valve on the water inlet pipe is controlled to be closed, specifically, the valve is first controlled to be partially closed, and when the pressure difference between the two sections of the pipe continues to exceed a second preset time, the valve on the water inlet pipe is controlled to be completely closed, otherwise the valve on the water inlet pipe is controlled to be completely opened.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the water leakage detection and protection method also includes the following steps: after the valve is closed, detecting the pressure change of the water inlet pipe within a third preset time, if the pressure continues to drop and / or the pressure drop exceeds a preset value, keeping the valve closed, otherwise controlling the valve to open.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the valve is arranged between the two sections of the pipeline, and when it is detected that the pressure value of any section of the two sections of the pipeline exceeds a preset maximum value, the valve is controlled to close; when the pressure value detected in the pipeline in front of the valve is lower than the preset maximum value, the valve is controlled to open.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of a water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Reference numerals:

[0022] The first pipeline 110 , the water inlet 111 , the second pipeline 120 , the water outlet 121 , the first pressure sensor 210 , the second pressure sensor 220 , the valve module 300 , the ball valve 310 , the transmission rod 320 , the actuator 330 , and the one-way valve 400 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limitations of the present invention.

[0024] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., and orientations or positional relationships indicated are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0025] In the description of the present invention, if there is a description of first and second, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing the technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0026] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in combination with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0027] Reference below Figure 1 to Figure 2 A water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0028] For example, Figure 1 to Figure 2As shown, the water leakage protector according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: a shell, the shell includes a first pipe 110 and a second pipe 120, the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120 have different pipe diameters, the first pipe 110 is connected to the second pipe 120, the first pipe 110 is provided with a water inlet 111, and the second pipe 120 is provided with a water outlet 121; a first pressure sensor 210, the first pressure sensor 210 is arranged on the inner side wall of the first pipe 110; a second pressure sensor 220, the second pressure sensor 220 is arranged on the inner side wall of the second pipe 120; a valve module 300, the valve module 300 is arranged on the inner side of the shell, and the valve module 300 is used to control the water flow interruption; a control module, the control module includes a timing device, the timing device is used to time the time when the pressure difference between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 continues, and the control module is electrically connected to the first pressure sensor 210, the second pressure sensor 220 and the valve module 300.

[0029] like Figure 1 to Figure 2 As shown, the water leakage protector includes a shell, a first pressure sensor 210, a second pressure sensor 220, a valve module 300 and a control module, wherein the shell includes a first pipe 110 and a second pipe 120, the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120 are connected, and the diameter of the first pipe 110 is larger than the diameter of the second pipe 120, the first pressure sensor 210 is arranged on the inner wall of the first pipe 110, the second pressure sensor 220 is arranged on the inner wall of the second pipe 120, the valve module 300 is arranged on the shell for controlling the on-off of the liquid between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, the control module includes a timing device, and the control module is also electrically connected to the first pressure sensor 210, the second pressure sensor 220 and the valve module 300.

[0030] The water leakage protector according to the embodiment of the present invention can detect whether the water inlet pipe is leaking by detecting the pressure when the user uses water. Specifically, the diameter of the first pipe 110 is larger than the diameter of the second pipe 120, so the speed of the liquid passing through the first pipe 110 will be slower than that of the second pipe 120. According to the Bernoulli equation, when the liquid flows in the water leakage protector, the pressure caused to the first pipe 110 will be greater than the pressure caused to the second pipe 120. The first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 continuously detect the pressure at the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120: when the liquid is stationary, the pressure at each place in the water leakage protector is equal, and the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 is also equal; when the user uses water or the water inlet pipe leaks, the liquid will continue to flow through the water leakage protector, and the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 will be greater than the pressure detected by the second pressure sensor 220, and a pressure difference will occur between the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120. The control module collects the pressure values ​​in the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 in real time. When a pressure difference occurs in the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120, the control module will control the timing device to start timing: when the pressure difference lasts for more than the first preset time preset by the timing device, the control module will determine that the water inlet pipe is leaking, and then control the valve module 300 to close, cut off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, and the timing device is reset; when the pressure difference lasts for less than the first preset time preset by the timing device, the control module will determine that there is no leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the timing device is reset. The first preset time preset by the timing device should be greater than the maximum water extraction time of the user at one time, so as to prevent the leakage protector from misjudging the pipe leakage when the user is using water normally, and then closing the valve module 300 to cause inconvenience to the user's water use.

[0031] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the valve module 300 is disposed between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220. Figure 1As shown, the valve module 300 is arranged between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220. By arranging the valve module 300 between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220, when the valve module 300 is closed, the second pressure sensor 220 near the water outlet 121 can perform pressure detection on the water inlet pipe again to determine again whether the water inlet pipe is leaking, thereby improving the accuracy of the leakage protector in detecting leakage; the first pressure sensor 210 is arranged at a position near the water inlet 111, and a high pressure protection value is arranged in the control module. The control module collects the pressure value of the first pressure sensor 210 in real time. When the first pressure sensor 210 is closed, the second pressure sensor 220 near the water outlet 121 can perform pressure detection on the water inlet pipe again to determine again whether the water inlet pipe is leaking, thereby improving the accuracy of the leakage protector in detecting leakage; the first pressure sensor 210 is arranged at a position near the water inlet 111, and a high pressure protection value is arranged in the control module. The control module collects the pressure value of the first pressure sensor 210 in real time. When a pressure sensor 210 detects that the pressure in the first pipe 110 is higher than the high-pressure protection value, the control module will control the valve module 300 to close, cut off the connection between the water supply pipe and the water inlet pipe, and prevent high-pressure liquid from pouring into the water inlet pipe and damaging the water inlet pipe. The first pressure sensor 210 continuously detects the pressure at the first pipe 110. When the first pressure sensor 210 detects that the pressure in the first pipe 110 is lower than the high-pressure protection value, the control module will control the valve module 300 to open, and the liquid can continue to enter the water inlet pipe from the water supply pipe.

[0032] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the valve module 300 includes a ball valve 310, a transmission rod 320 and an actuator 330. The ball valve 310 is connected to the actuator 330 through the transmission rod 320, and the actuator 330 is electrically connected to the control module. Figure 1 As shown, the valve module 300 includes a ball valve 310, a transmission rod 320 and an actuator 330. The ball valve 310 is arranged at the connection point between the first pipeline 110 and the second pipeline 120, and a sealing gasket is provided at the contact portion between the ball valve 310 and the first pipeline 110 and the second pipeline 120. The actuator 330 is arranged above the ball valve 310 and connected to the ball valve 310 through the transmission rod 320. When the valve module 300 is working, the actuator 330 drives the ball valve 310 to rotate through the transmission rod 320, so as to control the on and off of the liquid in the water inlet pipeline and the water supply pipeline. The actuator 330 and the transmission rod 320 are detachably connected. When the actuator 330 fails and cannot drive the ball valve 310 to work normally, the user can remove the actuator 330, replace it with a new actuator 330, or manually operate the opening and closing of the ball valve 310.

[0033] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a one-way valve 400 is further included, and the one-way valve 400 is disposed between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220. Figure 1As shown, the one-way valve 400 is arranged on the inner side of the ball valve 310, and the liquid can only flow from the water inlet 111 side to the water outlet 121 side, and the one-way valve 400 is arranged between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 to also play a role in amplifying the pressure difference. The liquid will be further accelerated after passing through the one-way valve 400. When the liquid leaks at a slower speed, the accelerated water flow after passing through the one-way valve 400 can still generate a pressure difference in the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120 that is sufficient to be detected by the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220, thereby effectively improving the detection accuracy of the water leakage protector.

[0034] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the control module also includes an input device and a display device. The input device and the display device are arranged above the shell, and the user can set various parameters in the water leakage protector through the input device, and confirm various parameters in the water leakage protector through the display device. Specifically, the user can modify the preset time of the timing device in the water leakage protector through the input device. When the user needs to use a large amount of water at one time, the first preset time can be extended through the input device to adapt to the user's water demand, which effectively prevents the user from misjudging the water leakage protector during the water use process, affecting the user's water use experience. In addition, the user can also manually control the on and off of the valve module 300 through the input device.

[0035] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the control module also includes a communication device, which is used to receive or send signals. By setting a communication device in the water leakage protector, the communication device can send information such as whether a water leakage occurs in the water leakage protector to the user's mobile terminal. In addition to sending signals directly to the user's mobile terminal, the communication device can also send signals to the user's mobile terminal through an external server, and the user can also remotely control the working state of the water leakage protector through the communication device. Specifically, the user sends a signal to the communication device through the mobile terminal, and the communication device will feed it back to the control module after receiving the signal, and the control module will then make corresponding control of the water leakage protector according to the received signal. The communication device can be a Bluetooth transmission module, a WIFI transmission module, a 5G communication module, a 4G communication module, a 3G communication module, a 2G communication module, a NB-IoT communication module, a LoRa communication module, an eMTC communication module or a Sigfox communication module, but is not limited to one of these.

[0036] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a pH sensor is further included. The pH sensor is arranged on the inner wall of the housing, and the pH sensor is electrically connected to the control module. By arranging the pH sensor in the water leakage protector, the user can know the pH value of the liquid in the water inlet pipe. Specifically, the control module collects the pH value detected by the pH sensor in real time, and the user can know the pH value of the liquid in the water inlet pipe in real time through the display device.

[0037] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a TDS value sensor is further included, and the TDS value sensor is arranged on the inner wall of the housing, and the TDS value sensor is electrically connected to the control module. By arranging the TDS value sensor in the water leakage protector, the user can know the total dissolved solids of the liquid in the water inlet pipe. Specifically, the control module collects the total dissolved solids detected by the TDS value sensor in real time, and the user can know the total dissolved solids of the liquid in the water inlet pipe in real time through the display device.

[0038] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a temperature sensor is further included. The temperature sensor is arranged on the inner side wall or the outer side wall of the housing, and the temperature sensor is electrically connected to the control module. The temperature sensor can be arranged on the inner side wall of the housing or the outer side wall of the housing. By arranging the temperature sensor in the water leakage protector, the user can know the temperature of the liquid in the water inlet pipe. Specifically, the control module collects the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in real time, and the user can know the temperature of the liquid in the water inlet pipe in real time through the display device.

[0039] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a filter device is further included. The filter device is arranged inside the housing and is used to filter out impurities in the liquid flowing through the water leakage protector. When the liquid passes through the water leakage protector, the filter device will first filter the liquid to filter out impurities in the liquid to improve the water quality. By arranging the filter device in the water leakage protector, the water quality of the liquid entering the water inlet pipe can be effectively improved.

[0040] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the water leakage detection and protection method includes the following steps: detecting the pressure in two sections of pipes with different diameters and interconnected in the water inlet pipe; when the pressure difference between the two sections of the pipe lasts for more than a first preset time, controlling the valve on the water inlet pipe to close.

[0041] Through the above detection method, the water leakage protector can detect whether the pipeline is leaking by detecting pressure without the user closing the water outlet of the water inlet pipeline. Specifically, the first pressure sensor 210 is arranged on the inner wall of the first pipeline 110, and the second pressure sensor 220 is arranged on the inner wall of the second pipeline 120. The first pipeline 110 and the second pipeline 120 have different pipe diameters, and the valve module 300 is arranged between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220. When the user does not use water or the water inlet pipe does not leak, the liquid in the water leakage protector is stationary, the pressures in the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120 are equal, and the values ​​detected by the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 are equal; when the user uses water or the water inlet pipe leaks, the liquid will continue to pass through the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120. Since the diameter of the first pipe 110 is different from that of the second pipe 120, the speed of the liquid flowing through the first pipe 110 is different from that of the liquid flowing through the second pipe 120. According to the Bernoulli equation, when the liquid flows through the water leakage protector, the pressure caused by the liquid on the first pipe 110 is different from the pressure caused by the liquid on the second pipe 120, that is, there will be a pressure difference between the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120, and the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 will be different from that detected by the second pressure sensor 220. When the pressure difference occurs, the control module controls the timing device to time the duration of the pressure difference. When the duration of the pressure difference exceeds the first preset time of the timing device, the control module will determine that the water inlet pipe is leaking, and then control the valve module 300 to close, cut off the connection between the water supply pipe and the water inlet pipe, and reset the timing device; when the duration of the pressure difference does not exceed the first preset time of the timing device, the control module will determine that there is no water leakage in the water inlet pipe, and reset the timing device. The user can set the first preset time of the timing device through the control module to adapt to different water use occasions, to prevent the user from misjudging the water inlet pipe from leaking during the water use process, and then cut off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe to affect the user's normal water use. For example, the first preset time in the timing device is 5 minutes. If the user needs to use water for more than 5 minutes at a time, the first preset time can be extended through the control module.

[0042] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the valve on the water inlet pipe is controlled to be closed. Specifically, the valve is first controlled to be partially closed. When the pressure difference between the two sections of the pipe continues to exist for more than a second preset time, the valve on the water inlet pipe is controlled to be completely closed. Otherwise, the valve on the water inlet pipe is controlled to be completely opened.

[0043] Through the above detection method, the water leakage protector can remind the user when the user's water use exceeds the first preset time. Specifically, in addition to the first preset time, the timing device is also provided with a second preset time. When the user's water use time exceeds the first preset time in the timing device, the control module will control the valve module 300 to be partially closed, and the timing device will continue to time the duration of the pressure difference. After the valve module 300 is partially closed, the user can clearly feel that the water flow rate of the water inlet pipe is reduced. At this time, the user only needs to temporarily close the water outlet end of the water inlet pipe within the second preset time to stop the liquid in the water leakage protector from flowing, and the pressure difference between the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120 disappears. The control module will determine that there is no leakage in the pipe, and then fully open the valve module 300, and the water flow rate of the water inlet pipe will return to normal value, and the timing device will be reset; if the water inlet pipe leaks, when the pressure difference lasts for more than the first preset time and the second preset time, the control module will control the valve module 300 to be completely closed, cut off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, and the timing device will be reset. Compared with a water leakage protector that does not have a second preset time, the present method can remind the user when the user's water usage time exceeds the first preset time. After being reminded, the user only needs to temporarily close the water outlet end of the water inlet pipe to reset the timing device, thereby preventing the water leakage protector from misjudging that the water inlet pipe is leaking and then closing the valve module 300 to affect the user's normal water use, thereby improving the convenience of the user when using water for a long time.

[0044] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the water leakage detection and protection method also includes the following steps: after the valve is closed, the pressure change of the water inlet pipe within a third preset time is detected. If the pressure continues to drop and / or the pressure drop exceeds a preset value, the valve is kept closed, otherwise the valve is controlled to open.

[0045] Through the above detection method, the second pressure sensor 220 can perform pressure detection on the water inlet pipe again after the valve module 300 is closed to determine whether water leakage occurs, which further improves the accuracy of detection. Specifically, after the control module determines that the water inlet pipe is leaking and controls the valve module 300 to be closed, it will also control the second pressure sensor 220 set behind the valve module 300 to detect the pressure in the water inlet pipe for a period of time, and determine whether water leakage occurs in the water inlet pipe again according to the detection result of the second pressure sensor 220. If the second pressure sensor 220 detects that the pressure in the water inlet pipe remains stable within the third preset time, the control module will determine that there is actually no water leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the control module will control the valve module 300 to open; if the second pressure sensor 220 detects that the pressure in the water inlet pipe continues to drop or the pressure change exceeds the preset value within the third preset time, the control module will determine that there is a water leakage in the water inlet pipe and keep the valve module 300 closed. The leakage detection and protection method adopted in this scheme first predicts whether a water inlet pipe is leaking by detecting whether there is a pressure difference between two pressure sensors and the duration of the pressure difference, then closes the valve module 300 when a water leak is predicted, and uses the second pressure sensor 220 to detect the pressure in the water inlet pipe for a period of time to determine whether a water leak occurs in the water inlet pipe. The double detection effectively improves the accuracy of leakage detection of the leakage protector.

[0046] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a valve is arranged between two sections of a pipeline. When it is detected that the pressure value of any section of the two sections of the pipeline exceeds a preset maximum value, the valve is controlled to close; when the pressure value detected in the pipeline in front of the valve is lower than the preset maximum value, the valve is controlled to open.

[0047] Through the above detection method, it is possible to effectively prevent the water pressure in the water inlet pipe from being too high and damaging the water inlet pipe. Specifically, a high pressure protection value is set in the control module, and the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 continuously detect the pressure inside the shell, and the control module collects the pressure values ​​detected by the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 in real time. When the pressure inside the water supply pipe surges, the pressure inside the shell will also increase accordingly. When the pressure inside the shell is greater than the high pressure protection value, when the first pressure sensor 210 or the second pressure sensor 220 detects that the pressure inside the water inlet pipe is greater than the high pressure protection value, the control module will control the valve module 300 to close, cut off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, and prevent the liquid from entering the water inlet pipe and damaging the water inlet pipe. After the valve module 300 is closed, the first pressure sensor 210 set at the front end of the valve module 300 continuously detects the internal pressure of the first pipe 110. When the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 is less than the high pressure protection value, the control module will control the valve module 300 to open and restore the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe. If the water leakage protector has detected a water leakage in the water inlet pipe and closed the valve module 300, the valve module 300 will not open even if the first pressure sensor 210 detects that the internal pressure of the first pipe 110 is less than the high pressure protection value.

[0048] According to the following Figure 1 to Figure 2 The water leakage protector according to the embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with a specific embodiment. It is worth noting that the following description is only an exemplary description and is not a specific limitation of the invention.

[0049] like Figure 1 to Figure 2As shown, the water leakage protector includes a housing, a first pressure sensor 210, a second pressure sensor 220, a valve module 300, a one-way valve 400, a filter device, a pH value sensor, a TDS value sensor, a temperature sensor and a control module. The housing includes a first pipe 110 and a second pipe 120, the diameter of the first pipe 110 is larger than the diameter of the second pipe 120, one end of the first pipe 110 is connected to one end of the second pipe 120, an end of the first pipe 110 away from the second pipe 120 is provided with a water inlet 111, and an end of the second pipe 120 away from the first pipe 110 is provided with a water outlet 121. The first pressure sensor 210 is arranged on the inner side wall of the first pipe 110, and the second pressure sensor 220 is arranged on the inner side wall of the second pipe 120. The valve module 300 includes a ball valve 310, a transmission rod 320 and an actuator 330. The ball valve 310 is arranged inside the shell and between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220. The actuator 330 is arranged above the shell and connected to the ball valve 310 through the transmission rod 320. The actuator 330 can drive the ball valve 310 to rotate through the transmission rod 320 to control the on-off of the liquid between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe. The one-way valve 400 is arranged on the ball valve 310 so that the liquid can only flow from the first pipe 110 to the second pipe 120, but cannot flow back from the second pipe 120 to the first pipe 110. The filter device is used to filter impurities in the liquid, the pH sensor is used to detect the acidity and alkalinity of the liquid inside the shell, the TDS sensor is used to detect the total dissolved solids of the liquid inside the shell, and the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the liquid inside the shell. The control module includes a timing device, an input device, a display device and a communication device. The timing device is used to time the duration of the pressure difference between the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220. The input device is used to set various parameters of the water leakage protector. The display device is used to display various parameters in the water leakage protector to the outside world. The communication device is used to receive or send signals. The control module is also electrically connected to the first pressure sensor 210, the second pressure sensor 220 and the actuator 330.

[0050] The specific process of the water leakage protector detecting water leakage in the water inlet pipe and protecting it is as follows: when the user does not use water or there is no water leakage in the water inlet pipe, the liquid in the water leakage protector is stationary, and the pressure of the liquid on each part of the water leakage protector is equal, that is, the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 is consistent with the pressure detected by the second pressure sensor 220. When the user uses water or there is a water leakage in the pipe, the liquid will continue to flow through the water leakage protector. Because the diameter of the first pipe 110 is greater than the diameter of the second pipe 120, the flow rate of the liquid in the first pipe 110 will be less than the flow rate of the liquid in the second pipe 120. According to the Bernoulli equation, the pressure of the liquid on the first pipe 110 will be greater than the pressure of the liquid on the second pipe 120, the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 will be greater than the pressure detected by the second pressure sensor 220, and a pressure difference will appear between the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120. The timing device is provided with a first preset time and a second preset time. The timing device starts timing after a pressure difference occurs between the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120. If the duration of the pressure difference exceeds the first preset time or the second preset time, the control module will determine that the pipe may be leaking. Specifically, when the duration of the pressure difference does not exceed the first preset time of the timing device, the control module determines that there is no leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the timing device is reset; when the duration of the pressure difference exceeds the first preset time of the timing device, the control module determines that there may be leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the control module controls the valve module 300 to be partially closed to reduce the water flow rate of the water inlet pipe, and the timing device counts again the portion of the duration of the pressure difference that exceeds the first preset time. When the duration of the pressure difference exceeds the first preset time but does not exceed the second preset time of the timing device, the control module determines that there is no water leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the control module controls the valve module 300 to be fully opened, so that the water flow rate of the water inlet pipe returns to normal, and the timing device is reset; when the duration of the pressure difference exceeds the first preset time and exceeds the second preset time of the timing device, the control module determines that there may be water leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the control module controls the valve module 300 to be fully closed, cutting off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, and the timing device is reset. After the control module predicts that the water inlet pipe is leaking and completely closes the valve module 300, the second pressure sensor 220 set behind the valve module 300 detects the pressure in the water inlet pipe for a period of time, and determines again whether the pipe is leaking according to the detection result of the second pressure sensor 220. If the second pressure sensor 220 detects that the pressure in the water inlet pipe remains stable within the third preset time, the control module will determine that there is actually no water leakage in the water inlet pipe, and the control module will control the valve module 300 to be fully opened. If the second pressure sensor 220 detects that the pressure in the water inlet pipe continues to drop within the third preset time, the control module will determine that there is a water leakage in the water inlet pipe and keep the valve module 300 closed.In addition to the above-mentioned water leakage detection and protection method, the water leakage protector can also perform high-pressure protection on the water inlet pipe. Specifically, a high-pressure protection value is set in the control module, and the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 continuously detect the pressure inside the shell. The control module collects the pressure values ​​detected by the first pressure sensor 210 and the second pressure sensor 220 in real time. When the pressure inside the water supply pipe surges, the pressure inside the shell will also increase accordingly. When the pressure inside the shell is greater than the high-pressure protection value, the first pressure sensor 210 or the second pressure sensor 220 detects that the pressure inside the water inlet pipe is greater than the high-pressure protection value, the control module will control the valve module 300 to close, cut off the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe, and prevent the liquid from entering the water inlet pipe and damaging the water inlet pipe. After the valve module 300 is closed, the first pressure sensor 210 set at the front end of the valve module 300 continuously detects the internal pressure of the first pipe 110. When the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 is less than the high-pressure protection value, the control module will control the valve module 300 to open and restore the connection between the water inlet pipe and the water supply pipe. If the water leakage protector has detected a water leakage in the water inlet pipe and closed the valve module 300, the valve module 300 will not open even if the first pressure sensor 210 detects that the internal pressure of the first pipe 110 is less than the high pressure protection value.

[0051] According to the leakage protector of the embodiment of the present invention, by such a setting, at least the following effects can be achieved. The leakage protector determines whether the water inlet pipe is leaking according to the duration of the pressure difference between the first pipe 110 and the second pipe 120, and can detect the leakage of the pipe without affecting the user's water use. When the user's water use time exceeds the first preset time and does not exceed the second preset time, the valve module 300 will be partially closed to reduce the water outlet flow of the water inlet pipe to remind the user that the leakage protector is about to predict that the water inlet pipe is leaking. At this time, the user only needs to close the water outlet end of the water inlet pipe within the second preset time, and the control module will determine that the water inlet pipe is not leaking and fully open the valve module 300, and the water outlet flow of the water inlet pipe will return to normal. After the control module predicts that the water inlet pipe is leaking according to the duration of the pressure difference, the pressure of the water inlet pipe will be detected again through the second pressure sensor 220 to determine whether the water inlet pipe is leaking. The leakage protector detects whether the water inlet pipe is leaking in two detection methods, which effectively improves the accuracy of the leakage protection device's leakage detection. The first pressure sensor 210 continuously detects the pressure at one end of the water supply pipe near the water leakage protector. When the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 210 is higher than the high-pressure protection value, the control module controls the valve module 300 to close, effectively preventing high-pressure liquid from entering the water inlet pipe and damaging the water inlet pipe. If the water leakage protector has detected a leak in the water inlet pipe and closed the valve module 300, even if the first pressure sensor 210 detects that the internal pressure of the first pipe 110 is lower than the high-pressure protection value, the valve module 300 will not open.

[0052] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0053] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water leakage detection and protection method, characterized in that: include: A water leakage protector, comprising a housing, a first pressure sensor (210), a second pressure sensor (220), a valve module (300) and a control module, wherein the housing comprises a first pipe (110) and a second pipe (120), the first pipe (110) and the second pipe (120) having different pipe diameters, the first pipe (110) being connected to the second pipe (120), the first pipe (110) being provided with a water inlet (111), and the second pipe (120) being provided with a water outlet (121); The first pressure sensor (210) is arranged on the inner wall of the first pipe (110); The second pressure sensor (220) is arranged on the inner wall of the second pipe (120); The valve module (300) is arranged inside the housing, and the valve module (300) is used to control the flow of water; The control module comprises a timing device, the timing device being used to time the duration of the pressure difference between the first pressure sensor (210) and the second pressure sensor (220), and the control module is electrically connected to the first pressure sensor (210), the second pressure sensor (220) and the valve module (300); Wherein, the water leakage detection and protection method also includes the following steps: Detecting the pressure in a first pipe and a second pipe having different pipe diameters and connected to each other in the water inlet pipe; When the time for which the pressure difference between the first pipeline and the second pipeline continues to exist exceeds a first preset time, the valve on the water inlet pipeline is controlled to close; Controlling the valve on the water inlet pipe to close, specifically, first controlling the valve to be partially closed, and when the time for which the pressure difference between the first pipe and the second pipe continues to exist exceeds a second preset time, controlling the valve on the water inlet pipe to be completely closed, otherwise controlling the valve on the water inlet pipe to be completely opened; The method further comprises the following steps: after the valve is closed, detecting the pressure change of the water inlet pipe within a third preset time, if the pressure continues to drop and / or the pressure drop exceeds a preset value, keeping the valve closed, otherwise controlling the valve to open; The valve is arranged between the first pipeline and the second pipeline. When it is detected that the pressure value of any section in the first pipeline and the second pipeline exceeds the preset maximum value, the valve is controlled to close; when the pressure value detected in the pipeline in front of the valve is lower than the preset maximum value, the valve is controlled to open.

2. The water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve module (300) is arranged between the first pressure sensor (210) and the second pressure sensor (220).

3. The water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve module (300) comprises a ball valve (310), a transmission rod (320) and an actuator (330); the ball valve (310) is connected to the actuator (330) via the transmission rod (320), and the actuator (330) is electrically connected to the control module.

4. The water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: A one-way valve (400) is also included, and the one-way valve (400) is arranged between the first pressure sensor (210) and the second pressure sensor (220).

5. The water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control module also includes an input device and a display device.

6. The water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control module also includes a communication device, and the communication device is used to receive or send signals.

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