Check valve, water leakage protector having the same, and water leakage detection and protection method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a check valve and a water leakage protector and a water leakage detection and protection method having the same. The check valve includes a valve seat, a check valve core and a first impeller. The valve seat is provided with a main flow channel and a secondary flow channel. Both the main flow channel and the secondary flow channel are connected to the water inlet side and the water outlet side of the valve seat. The secondary flow channel includes an installation cavity and an inlet flow channel. One end of the inlet flow channel is connected to the water inlet side of the valve seat, and the other end is connected to the installation cavity. The installation cavity is connected to the water outlet side of the valve seat. The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet flow channel connected to one end of the installation cavity is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main flow channel. The check valve core is arranged in the main flow channel, and can open or close the main flow channel according to the change of the water flow pressure difference between the front and rear sides of the check valve core. The first impeller is rotatably arranged in the installation cavity. The check valve proposed by the present invention can be used in a water leakage detection device or a water leakage protector for water leakage detection, and is conducive to improving the sensitivity of small flow water leakage detection such as dripping and seepage.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] At present, it is common to install a leakage detection device or a leakage protector with an impeller flowmeter in the water inlet pipe of the water use system to detect water leakage, so as to detect the water flow size and / or the continuous flow time of the water flow in the water inlet pipe through the impeller flowmeter, and determine whether there is a leakage problem in the water use system by whether the water flow size exceeds the set maximum water flow size, or whether the continuous flow flow size of the water flow exceeds the set maximum continuous water use flow size, or whether the continuous flow time of the water flow exceeds the set maximum water use time, etc. Although this leakage detection method can realize leakage detection to a certain extent, for leakage such as dripping and seepage with small water flow (water flow size less than 1L / h) in the water use system, since the flow velocity of the water flow in the water inlet pipe is extremely slow, it is difficult to drive the impeller in the impeller flowmeter to rotate, and thus such leakage will be difficult to detect. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a check valve, which can be used in a water leakage detection device or a water leakage protector for water leakage detection, and is conducive to improving the sensitivity of small flow water leakage detection such as dripping and leakage.

[0004] The present invention also provides a water leakage protector having the above-mentioned check valve and a water leakage detection and protection method applied to the water leakage protector.

[0005] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the check valve comprises a valve seat, a check valve core and a first impeller, the valve seat is provided with a main flow channel and a secondary flow channel, both of which are connected to the water inlet side and the water outlet side of the valve seat, the secondary flow channel comprises an installation cavity and an inlet flow channel, one end of the inlet flow channel is connected to the water inlet side of the valve seat, and the other end is connected to the installation cavity, the installation cavity is connected to the water outlet side of the valve seat, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet flow channel connected to one end of the installation cavity is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main flow channel; the check valve core is arranged in the main flow channel, and can open or close the main flow channel according to the change of the water pressure difference on the front and rear sides of the check valve core; the first impeller is rotatably arranged in the installation cavity.

[0006] The check valve according to the first aspect of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0007] The check valve of the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to a water leakage detection device or a water leakage protector. When a small flow rate leakage such as dripping or seepage occurs in the water use system, the check valve core will keep the main channel closed due to the small water pressure difference on the front and rear sides of the check valve core at this time, and the water will flow through the secondary channel in the water inlet pipe to the user's water use system. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the water inlet channel in the secondary channel connecting one end of the installation cavity is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main channel, the water flow entering the installation cavity at this time will be able to have a relatively high water flow rate and can drive the first impeller to rotate. The water flow condition in the secondary channel can be known by sensing the rotation condition of the first impeller, and thus it can be detected when a small flow rate leakage occurs in the water use system, which is beneficial to improve the sensitivity of water leakage detection.

[0008] According to the check valve of some embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the main flow channel includes a front flow channel and a rear flow channel arranged in sequence, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the rear end of the front flow channel is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the front end of the rear flow channel, the check valve core includes a mounting bracket and a water stop member connected to the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket is arranged on the inner wall of the valve seat, the water stop member includes a mounting portion and a water blocking portion connected to the mounting portion, the mounting portion is connected to the mounting bracket, when the check valve core closes the main flow channel, the water blocking portion blocks the rear end of the front flow channel, and the water blocking portion can move rearward or deform under water flow pressure to connect the front flow channel with the rear flow channel.

[0009] According to the check valve of some embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting bracket is arranged in the rear flow channel, and a mounting hole that slidably cooperates with the mounting part is provided in the middle, and a compression spring is provided between the water blocking part and the mounting part.

[0010] According to the check valve of some embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting bracket is provided with a hollow hole connecting the front and rear sides of the mounting bracket to allow water to flow through the mounting bracket.

[0011] According to the check valve of some embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the main flow channel includes a transition flow channel arranged between the front flow channel and the rear flow channel, the water blocking portion is arranged in the transition flow channel, and the transition flow channel is provided with a guide cone surface for resetting and guiding the water blocking portion.

[0012] According to the check valve of some embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the installation cavity is provided with an opening for connecting to the transition flow channel or the rear flow channel; or, the secondary flow channel includes an outlet flow channel, one end of the outlet flow channel is connected to the installation cavity, and the other end is connected to the outlet side of the valve seat.

[0013] A water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention comprises a check valve, a tube body, a control processing module, a sensor and a valve module as in the above-mentioned embodiment of the first aspect; the tube body is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet, and the check valve and the valve module are both arranged on the tube body; the sensor is arranged corresponding to the first impeller, and together with the first impeller constitutes a first water flow detection device, and the first water flow detection device is used to detect the water flow state in the secondary flow channel; the valve module and the sensor are both electrically connected to the control processing module, and the valve module is used to control the on and off of the water flow in the tube body.

[0014] A water leakage protector according to the second aspect of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0015] By setting the check valve of the first aspect embodiment in the tube body of the water leakage protector and setting a sensor corresponding to the position of the first impeller, when a small flow rate leakage such as leakage or dripping occurs in the water use system, the water flow can also drive the first impeller to rotate and can be sensed by the sensor. Therefore, even if a small flow rate leakage such as leakage or dripping occurs in the water use system, it can be detected by the first water flow detection device, and subsequently the control processing module can be used to control the valve module to cut off the water flow in the tube body to achieve water leakage protection.

[0016] According to a water leakage protector of some embodiments of the second aspect of the present invention, a magnet is arranged on the first impeller, and the sensor is a Hall sensor and is arranged on the outer wall of the tube body at a position corresponding to the first impeller.

[0017] A water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention also includes a filtering device, which is arranged in the pipe body and located between the check valve and the water inlet, so that the water flow inside the pipe body can be filtered by the filtering device before entering the check valve; the filtering device includes a filter net for filtering the water flow, and the mesh area of ​​the filter net is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the secondary flow channel.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the second aspect of the present invention, a water leakage protector further includes a second water flow detection device, which is arranged on the pipe body and is used to detect the water flow condition flowing through the pipe body.

[0019] A water leakage detection and protection method according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention is applied to the water leakage protector of the embodiment of the second aspect, and includes the following first water leakage detection and protection steps:

[0020] Detecting the water flow condition in the secondary flow channel by means of a first water flow detection device, and issuing a first alarm if it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds a first set time;

[0021] After the first alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the secondary flow channel is detected again by the first water flow detection device. If it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds the second set time, the valve module is controlled to close.

[0022] A water leakage detection and protection method according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0023] By adopting the leakage protector of the above-mentioned second aspect embodiment, leakage protection can be achieved even when a small flow rate leakage such as dripping or seepage occurs in the water use system, and by issuing a first alarm after detecting that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds the first set time, the user can be reminded of a suspected leakage problem. At this time, if the user's normal water use time exceeds the first set time due to accidental, the user can close and reopen the water use end (such as turning on and off the faucet) within the second set time after the first alarm is issued, so that the water flow in the secondary flow channel stops flowing, thereby preventing the continuous flow of water from exceeding the second set time, so as to prevent the valve module from closing and affecting the user's normal water use; and when the first alarm is issued, if it is detected that the water flow continues to flow beyond the second set time, it can be judged that a leakage has occurred, such as pipe damage, leakage, and the user forgets to close the faucet, etc. At this time, controlling the valve module to close can avoid long-term continuous leakage.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, a water leakage detection and protection method includes the following second water leakage detection and protection steps:

[0025] The water flow condition in the pipe body is detected by the second water flow detection device. If it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body exceeds the third set time, or if it is detected that the continuous flow flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body reaches the first set flow rate, a third alarm is issued;

[0026] After the third alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the pipe body is detected again by the second water flow detection device. If it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body exceeds the fourth set time, or if it is detected that the continuous flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body reaches the second set flow rate, the valve module is controlled to close.

[0027] A water leakage detection and protection method according to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0028] The water flow condition in the pipe body is detected by the second water flow detection device. If the second water flow detection device can detect the existence of water flow in the pipe body, the second water leakage detection and protection step is executed, otherwise the first water leakage detection and protection step is executed.

[0029] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] 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:

[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a check valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the check valve shown;

[0033] Figure 3 It is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a check valve according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a check valve according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a check valve according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a first type of water leakage protector in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The cross-sectional structural diagram of the water leakage protector shown;

[0038] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a second type of water leakage protector in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig. 9 A flow chart of a water leakage detection and protection method applied to a first type of water leakage protector;

[0040] Fig.10 The present invention is a flow chart of a water leakage detection and protection method applied to a second style of water leakage protector. Description of the drawings:

[0042] Check valve 100, valve seat 110, water inlet side 110a, water outlet side 110b, installation cavity 111, water inlet channel 112, water outlet channel 113, front channel 114, rear channel 115, transition channel 116, opening 118, connecting port 119, first impeller 120, installation bracket 130, water stop 140, installation part 141, water blocking part 142, compression spring 150; tube body 200, water inlet 210, water outlet 220, control processing module 300, sensor 400, valve module 500, filter device 600, second impeller 710. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments 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 cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0044] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientation, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, 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, rather than indicating or implying 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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 based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0047] The following is the attached Figure 1 To Attachment Figure 5 , describing a check valve 100 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The check valve 100 of this embodiment includes a valve seat 110, a check valve core and a first impeller 120. The valve seat 110 is provided with a main flow channel and a secondary flow channel, both of which are connected to the water inlet side 110a and the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110. The secondary flow channel includes a mounting cavity 111 and an inlet flow channel 112. One end of the inlet flow channel 112 is connected to the water inlet side 110a of the valve seat 110, and the other end is connected to the mounting cavity 111. The mounting cavity 111 is connected to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110. The cross-sectional area of ​​one end of the inlet flow channel 112 connected to the mounting cavity 111 is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main flow channel. The check valve core is arranged in the main flow channel, and can open or close the main flow channel according to the change of the water pressure difference between the front and rear sides of the check valve core. It should be understood that the front and rear referred to in this article are determined by the flow direction of the water flow. The first impeller 120 is rotatably arranged in the mounting cavity 111.

[0049] It should be understood that the check valve 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can be arranged in a water leakage protector or a water leakage detection device. When a small flow rate leakage such as dripping or seepage occurs in the water use system, since the water pressure difference between the front and rear sides of the check valve core is small at this time, the check valve core will remain in a closed state of the main channel, and the water will flow through the secondary channel to the user's water use system in the water inlet pipe. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the water inlet channel 112 in the secondary channel connecting one end of the installation cavity 111 is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main channel, the water flow entering the installation cavity 111 at this time will be able to have a relatively high water flow rate (relative to directly installing the first impeller 120 in the main channel or directly installing it in the pipe body 200 to be mentioned below), and can drive the first impeller 120 to rotate. By sensing the rotation state of the first impeller 120, the water flow state in the secondary channel can be known, and then small flow rate leakage in the water use system can also be detected, which is beneficial to improve the sensitivity of leakage detection.

[0050] It should be understood that when the water system is in normal use, the water pressure difference on the front and rear sides of the check valve core is relatively large, the check valve core will remain in the state of opening the main channel, and the water will be able to flow through the secondary channel and the main channel at the same time, so that the water-using equipment can obtain a sufficiently large water flow, thereby preventing the check valve 100 from affecting the user's normal water use.

[0051] It should be understood that when a large amount of water leakage occurs in the water system, similar to when the water system is in normal use, the water pressure difference on the front and rear sides of the check valve core is large, and the check valve core remains in an open state for the main channel. The water will continue to flow through the secondary channel and the main channel at the same time, so that by sensing the rotation condition of the first impeller 120, water leakage detection can also be achieved. For example, it is sensed that the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120 exceeds the set value, that is, with the help of the first impeller 120, it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water in the secondary channel exceeds the set value, thereby detecting a water leakage.

[0052] It can be understood that the first impeller 120 is rotatably mounted on the cavity wall of the installation cavity 111. When water flows into the installation cavity 111 through the water inlet channel 112, it will drive the first impeller 120 in the installation cavity 111 to rotate. Therefore, by knowing the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120, the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel can be known, and by knowing the rotation speed of the first impeller 120, the water flow rate in the secondary flow channel can be known.

[0053] In order to know the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120 or the rotation speed of the first impeller 120, a magnet may be arranged on the first impeller 120, and then the change of the magnetic field around the first impeller 120 may be detected by the Hall sensor 400 to know the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120 or the rotation speed of the first impeller 120. Alternatively, in some embodiments, one end of the rotating shaft of the first impeller 120 may be extended to the outside of the installation cavity 111, and a baffle or a light-transmitting hole may be arranged at the portion where the rotating shaft of the first impeller 120 extends to the outside of the installation cavity 111, and a photoelectric sensor 400 may be arranged accordingly to detect the light blocking by the baffle or the light passing through the light-transmitting hole by the photoelectric sensor 400, so that the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120 or the rotation speed of the first impeller 120 may be known.

[0054] Reference Figure 2 It can be understood that in order to enable the check valve core to open or close the main flow channel when the water pressure difference between the front and rear sides thereof changes, in the present embodiment, specifically, the main flow channel includes a front flow channel 114 and a rear flow channel 115 arranged in sequence, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the rear end of the front flow channel 114 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the front end of the rear flow channel 115, the check valve core includes a mounting bracket 130 and a water stop member 140 connected to the mounting bracket 130, the mounting bracket 130 is arranged on the inner wall of the valve seat 110, the water stop member 140 includes a mounting portion 141 and a water blocking portion 142 connected to the mounting portion 141, the mounting portion 141 is slidably connected to the mounting bracket 130, when the check valve core closes the main flow channel, the water blocking portion 142 blocks the rear end of the front flow channel 114, and the water blocking portion 142 can move rearward under the water pressure to connect the front flow channel 114 with the rear flow channel 115.

[0055] Reference Figure 3 It can be understood that, in some other embodiments, the water blocking portion 142 can be configured to be fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 130 through the mounting portion 141, and the water blocking portion 142 can be made of elastic materials such as rubber or silicone, so that when the water pressure on the front and rear sides of the water blocking portion 142 changes, the water blocking portion 142 will be able to undergo elastic deformation. For example, the water blocking portion 142, at a position farther from the mounting portion 141, will bend toward the side of the rear flow channel 115, thereby connecting the front flow channel 114 with the rear flow channel 115.

[0056] Furthermore, it should be understood that in order to achieve that one end of the water inlet channel 112 is connected to the water inlet side 110a of the valve seat 110, in this embodiment, Figure 2 A protrusion is formed on the inner wall of the front flow channel 114 , wherein one end of the water inlet flow channel 112 extends to the protrusion, so that the water inlet flow channel 112 can be connected to the water inlet side 110a of the valve seat 110 through the front flow channel 114 .

[0057] It is understandable that in some other embodiments, reference Figure 4 The water inlet channel 112 may also be configured to extend directly along the side wall of the front channel 114 to the water inlet side 110 a of the valve seat 110 , so that one end of the water inlet channel 112 can be connected to the water inlet side 110 a of the valve seat 110 .

[0058] It is understandable that in order to facilitate the installation of the mounting bracket 130, in this embodiment, reference is made to Figure 2 Specifically, the mounting bracket 130 is arranged on the rear flow channel 115, and a mounting hole is provided in the middle part thereof for slidingly cooperating with the mounting part 141. A compression spring 150 is provided between the water blocking part 142 and the mounting part 141, so that the water blocking part 142 can be driven to automatically reset to the state of closing the main flow channel through the compression spring 150, that is, the compression spring 150 is used to drive the water blocking part 142 to move toward the side of the front flow channel 114, so that the water blocking part 142 can block the rear end of the front flow channel 114 under the elastic force of the compression spring 150; it can be understood that in this embodiment, the elastic force of the compression spring 150 will determine the minimum value of the front and rear pressure difference of the check valve core when the water blocking part 142 opens the main flow channel. In addition, in order to prevent the mounting bracket 130 from affecting the flow of water in the main channel, in this embodiment, specifically, a hollow hole connecting the front and rear sides of the mounting bracket 130 is provided on the mounting bracket 130 to allow water to flow through the mounting bracket 130.

[0059] Reference Figure 2 Specifically, in this embodiment, the mounting bracket 130 is connected to the rear side wall of the rear flow channel 115 by a threaded connection, so that when installing the check valve core, the compression spring 150 can be first sleeved on the mounting portion 141 of the water stop member 140, and then the mounting portion 141 of the water stop member 140 is inserted into the mounting hole in the middle of the mounting bracket 130, and finally the mounting bracket 130 is rotated and threadedly connected to the rear side wall of the rear flow channel 115.

[0060] It should be understood that in some other embodiments, reference Figure 3 and Figure 5The mounting bracket 130 can also be optionally configured to be integrally formed with the valve seat 110. For example, the mounting bracket 130 can be configured to be integrally formed on the rear end side wall of the front flow channel 114, and the mounting portion 141 of the water stop member 140 is fixedly connected to the mounting hole in the middle of the mounting bracket 130, and the water blocking portion 142 of the water stop member 140 is made of elastic material.

[0061] It can be understood that, in this embodiment, referring to Figure 2 Specifically, the main flow channel includes a transition flow channel 116 arranged between the front flow channel 114 and the rear flow channel 115, the water blocking portion 142 is arranged in the transition flow channel 116, and the transition flow channel 116 is provided with a guide cone surface for resetting and guiding the water blocking portion 142. With the help of the guide cone surface, the transition flow channel 116 can be trumpet-shaped, and the inner diameter of the transition flow channel 116 close to the front flow channel 114 is smaller than the inner diameter of the transition flow channel 116 close to the rear flow channel 115, so that the rear end of the front flow channel 114 can be accurately blocked during the process of the water blocking portion 142 resetting and moving toward the front flow channel 114, thereby closing the main flow channel.

[0062] It can be understood that, in this embodiment, referring to Figure 2 In order to enable the installation cavity 111 to communicate with the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110, the secondary flow channel includes a water outlet channel 113 arranged on the side wall of the valve seat 110, one end of the water outlet channel 113 is connected to the installation cavity 111, and the other end is connected to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110; specifically, the side wall of the water outlet channel 113 is provided with a connecting port 119 at the end away from the installation cavity 111, and the connecting port 119 is connected to the rear flow channel 115, so that the installation cavity 111 can be connected to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110 through the water outlet channel 113, the connecting port 119 and the rear flow channel 115.

[0063] It should be understood that, in other embodiments, by adjusting the axial position of the installation cavity 111 and the water outlet channel 113 on the valve seat 110, the connecting port 119 on the side wall of the water outlet channel 113 can also be connected to the transition channel 116; or, in other embodiments, the water outlet channel 113 extends from the side wall of the installation cavity 111 to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110, so that the installation cavity 111 can be directly connected to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110 through the water outlet channel 113.

[0064] It is understandable that in some other embodiments, reference Figure 5, an opening 118 for connecting to the transition flow channel 116 can also be directly provided on the cavity wall of the installation cavity 111, so that the installation cavity 111 can be connected to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110 through the transition flow channel 116 and the rear flow channel 115, so that when the check valve core is in a state of closing the main flow channel, the water flow can flow to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110 through the water inlet flow channel 112, the installation cavity 111, the transition flow channel 116 and the rear flow channel 115 in sequence; it should be understood that in some other embodiments, by adjusting the position of the installation cavity 111, the opening 118 provided on the cavity wall of the installation cavity 111 can also be connected to the rear flow channel 115, so that the water flow can flow to the water outlet side 110b of the valve seat 110 through the water inlet flow channel 112, the installation cavity 111 and the rear flow channel 115 in sequence.

[0065] It can be understood that in this embodiment, in order to make the cross-sectional area of ​​the water inlet channel 112 connecting one end of the installation cavity 111 smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main channel, specifically, the water inlet channel 112 is configured as a water inlet hole with a fixed inner diameter in its extension direction, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the water inlet hole is configured to be much smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the front channel 114 at the narrowest position.

[0066] The following is the attached Figure 6 To Attachment Figure 8 , describing a water leakage protector according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention.

[0067] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 The water leakage protector of this embodiment includes a check valve 100, a pipe body 200, a control processing module 300, a sensor 400 and a valve module 500 as in the first embodiment described above; the pipe body 200 is provided with a water inlet 210 and a water outlet 220, and the check valve 100 and the valve module 500 are both arranged on the pipe body 200; the sensor 400 is arranged corresponding to the first impeller 120, and together with the first impeller 120 constitutes a first water flow detection device, and the first water flow detection device is used to detect the water flow state in the secondary flow channel; the valve module 500 and the sensor 400 are both electrically connected to the control processing module 300, and the valve module 500 is used to control the on-off of the water flow in the pipe body 200.

[0068] It can be understood that the water flow conditions in the secondary flow channel can include the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel, and can also include the water flow rate in the secondary flow channel (water flow rate per unit time), the total amount of water flowing during the continuous flow of the water flow, etc.

[0069] It can be understood that the water leakage protector of this embodiment can be connected to the user's water inlet pipe through the tube body 200. Since the check valve 100 of the first embodiment mentioned above is arranged in the tube body 200 of the water leakage protector, and a sensor 400 corresponding to the position of the first impeller 120 is arranged, when a small flow leakage such as leakage or dripping occurs in the water use system, the water flow can also drive the first impeller 120 to rotate and can be sensed by the sensor 400. Therefore, even if a small flow leakage such as leakage or dripping occurs in the water use system, it can be detected by the first water flow detection device, and subsequently the control processing module 300 can be used to control the valve module 500 to cut off the water flow in the tube body 200 to achieve water leakage protection.

[0070] It can be understood that in the present embodiment, specifically, a magnet is provided on the first impeller 120, and the sensor 400 is a Hall sensor 400, which is provided on the outer wall of the tube body 200 at a position corresponding to the first impeller 120. When the first impeller 120 rotates, the magnetic field around the first impeller 120 will change periodically, and then the Hall sensor 400 can detect the change of the magnetic field around the first impeller 120, so as to know the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120 or the rotation speed of the first impeller 120, and then know the water flow conditions such as the continuous flow time and the water flow rate in the secondary flow channel.

[0071] It should be understood that in some other embodiments, in addition to the Hall sensor 400, the sensor 400 may also adopt other types of sensors 400 such as a photoelectric sensor 400, as long as it can know the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120, wherein the continuous rotation time of the first impeller 120 is the interval from the start of rotation of the first impeller 120 to the stop of rotation of the first impeller 120.

[0072] It can be understood that, in the present embodiment, a filter device 600 is also included, and the filter device 600 is arranged on the pipe body 200 and is located between the check valve 100 and the water inlet 210, so that the water flow inside the pipe body 200 can first be filtered by the filter device 600 and then enter the check valve 100; the filter device 600 includes a filter screen for filtering the water flow, and the mesh area of ​​the filter screen is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the secondary flow channel; by setting the above-mentioned filter device 600, not only can impurities such as rust entering the user's water system be filtered to improve the cleanliness of the water, but also along the flow direction of the water, by setting the filter device 600 on the front side of the check valve 100, and making the mesh area of ​​the filter screen smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the secondary flow channel, it is possible to prevent impurity particles in the water flow from entering the secondary flow channel, thereby preventing the secondary flow channel from being blocked. It should be understood that in this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the water inlet hole in the secondary flow channel is the smallest. Therefore, in order to ensure that the mesh area of ​​the filter is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the secondary flow channel, the aperture of the water inlet hole is larger than the aperture of the mesh.

[0073] It is understandable that, referring to Figure 8 In some embodiments, the water leakage protector further includes a second water flow detection device, which is disposed in the pipe body 200 and is used to detect the water flow condition flowing through the pipe body 200. Through the second water flow detection device disposed in the pipe body 200, when the user is using water normally or a large flow of water is leaking in the water system, the water flow velocity in the pipe body 200 is relatively large, and thus the second water flow detection device disposed in the pipe body 200 can detect the water flow condition in the pipe body 200. Therefore, the detection capability of the water leakage protector can be further improved with the help of the second water flow detection device, for example, it can be detected whether the water leakage is a large flow leakage or a small flow leakage.

[0074] In order to improve space utilization, specifically, the second water flow detection device is arranged at the position where the pipe body 200 is connected to the filter device 600, so that the water flows through the filter device 600, the second water flow detection device and the check valve 100 in sequence, thereby reducing the impurities in the water adhering to the second water flow detection device to avoid affecting the sensitivity of the second water flow detection device.

[0075] It should be understood that in some other embodiments of the present invention, the second water flow detection device can also be selected to be set at other positions of the tube body 200, as long as it can be used to detect the water flow conditions in the tube body 200. For example, along the flow direction of the water flow, the second water flow detection device can be set between the water inlet 210 and the filter device 600, or the second water flow detection device can be set between the check valve 100 and the water outlet 220.

[0076] It can be understood that the water flow conditions in the tube body 200 may include the continuous flow time of the water flow in the tube body 200, and may also include the water flow rate in the tube body 200 (water flow rate per unit time), the total amount of water flowing during the continuous flow of the water flow, etc.

[0077] It can be understood that in this embodiment, similar to the first water flow detection device, the second water flow detection device includes a second impeller 710, and the second impeller 710 is rotatably installed on the side wall of the tube body 200. When the water flows in the tube body 200, it will drive the second impeller 710 to rotate, so that by knowing the continuous rotation time of the second impeller 710, the continuous flow time of the water in the tube body 200 can be known, by knowing the rotation speed of the second impeller 710, the water flow rate in the tube body 200 can be known, and by knowing the angle through which the second impeller rotates during the continuous rotation, the continuous flow rate of the water in the tube body 200 can be known.

[0078] In order to know the continuous rotation time of the second impeller 710 or the rotation speed of the second impeller 710, a magnet can be set on the second impeller 710, and then the change of the magnetic field around the second impeller 710 can be detected by the Hall sensor 400 to know the continuous rotation time of the second impeller 710 or the rotation speed of the second impeller 710 or the angle of continuous rotation of the second impeller. It should be understood that in some embodiments, one end of the rotation axis of the second impeller 710 can also be extended to the outside of the tube body 200, and a baffle or a light-transmitting hole is set at the part where the rotation axis of the second impeller 710 extends to the outside of the tube body 200, and a photoelectric sensor 400 is set accordingly to detect the light blocking or transmission of the baffle or the light-transmitting hole through the photoelectric sensor 400, that is, the continuous rotation time of the second impeller 710 or the rotation speed of the second impeller 710 or the angle of continuous rotation of the second impeller can be known.

[0079] It can be understood that, in addition to the above-mentioned form of the second impeller 710, the second water flow detection device may also adopt other types of water flow detection devices in other embodiments. For example, a differential pressure water flow detection device may be selected to detect the water flow condition in the tube body 200 by detecting the difference between the water pressure near the water inlet 210 of the tube body 200 and the water pressure near the water outlet 220.

[0080] It should be understood that the water leakage protector of the present invention can be configured in the following two different forms; Figure 7 The first type of water leakage protector is provided with the check valve 100 and the first sensor 400 of the first embodiment, but is not provided with the second water flow detection device described above. It mainly realizes water leakage detection through the first water flow detection device; Figure 8 The second type of water leakage protector is provided with the check valve 100 and the first sensor 400 of the above-mentioned first aspect embodiment, and is also provided with the second water flow detection device described above. It mainly realizes small flow water leakage detection through the first water flow detection device, and realizes large flow water leakage detection through the second water flow detection device.

[0081] The following reference Fig. 9 and attached Fig.10 , describing the water leakage detection and protection method of the third aspect embodiment of the present invention, which is applied to the water leakage protector of the second aspect embodiment mentioned above; and based on the two different styles of water leakage protectors mentioned above, two embodiments of water leakage detection and protection methods will be provided below.

[0082] Reference Fig. 9 The following describes a water leakage detection and protection method of a first embodiment of the water leakage protector of the first style mentioned above, which includes the following first water leakage detection and protection steps:

[0083] S100a, detecting the water flow condition in the secondary flow channel by means of a first water flow detection device, and issuing a first alarm if it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds a first set time.

[0084] S200a, after the first alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the secondary flow channel is detected again by the first water flow detection device; if it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds the second set time, the valve module 500 is controlled to be closed.

[0085] It should be understood that the first set time can be set according to the user's water use situation. For example, under normal circumstances, the user's water use time (the interval between turning on the water-using device and starting to discharge water and turning off the water-using device and stopping the water flow) is usually relatively short. The first set time can be set to a maximum value greater than the normal water use time. For example, for an average household, the water-using device with the longest water use time is usually a bathtub, and its water use time is roughly within 10 minutes. Therefore, the first set time can be set to 15 minutes. When the water flow continues to flow for more than 15 minutes, that is, exceeds the first set time, it can be determined that there is a suspected water leakage. At this time, the first alarm can be issued to remind the user. Assuming that the user is using water normally for some reason (that is, the water system has no leakage), the user can be alerted. If a water leak occurs) exceeds the first set time, the user can temporarily stop the water flow in the secondary flow channel within the second set time by temporarily closing the water-using equipment and then opening it again, so that the continuous flow time of the water flow detected by the first water flow detection device after the first alarm is issued will be within the second set time, thereby avoiding closing the connection between the water system and the external water supply pipeline through the valve module 500 due to misjudgment of a water leak, thereby avoiding affecting normal water use; when the first alarm is issued, if the water system does leak or the user forgets to close the faucet and other water-using equipment, water will continue to flow in the secondary flow channel and the water flow time will exceed the second set time, and by controlling the valve module 500 to close, the connection between the external water supply pipeline and the user's water system can be cut off, thereby achieving water leakage protection.

[0086] It should be understood that in step S200a, when the valve module 500 is controlled to be closed, a second alarm may be issued simultaneously to remind the user that the water system is leaking.

[0087] It should be understood that the second set time can also be selected and set according to actual conditions, and the second set time should not be set too short or too long. If the time is too short, it will be difficult for the user to detect the first alarm and turn off and restart the water-using equipment, while if the time is too long, leakage will occur for a long time. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second set time is set to about 5-10 minutes.

[0088] It is understandable that the first alarm and the second alarm can have various forms. For example, the first alarm and the second alarm can be sound and light alarms. A buzzer or an alarm light electrically connected to the control processing module 300 can be provided on the water leakage protector, so that the first alarm and the second alarm are issued through the buzzer or the alarm light; or, the first alarm and the second alarm can also be alarm messages sent to terminals such as user mobile phones through a wireless communication module provided on the water leakage protector.

[0089] Reference Fig.10 The following describes a water leakage detection and protection method of a second embodiment of the water leakage protector of the second style described above, which includes the first water leakage detection and protection step in the above embodiment and also includes the following second water leakage detection and protection step:

[0090] S100b, detecting the water flow condition in the pipe body 200 by the second water flow detection device, and issuing a third alarm if it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body 200 exceeds a third set time;

[0091] S200b, after the third alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the pipe body 200 is detected again by the second water flow detection device. If it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body 200 exceeds the fourth set time, the valve module 500 is controlled to be closed.

[0092] It can be understood that the water leakage detection and protection method in this embodiment also includes a first water leakage detection and protection step and a second water leakage detection and protection step. When the second water flow detection device can detect the water flow condition in the pipe body 200, the user's water system will be in a state of large flow leakage or a normal water use state. Therefore, in the second style of water leakage protector, the second water leakage detection and protection step is mainly for the step of large flow leakage or for the step of suspected large flow leakage, while the first water leakage detection and protection step is mainly for small flow leakage or suspected small flow leakage.

[0093] It should be understood that, similar to the above-mentioned first setting time, the third setting time can be set according to the user's water use situation. For example, in the present embodiment, the third setting time can be set to 15 minutes. When the third setting time is exceeded, it can be determined that a suspected water leakage occurs. At this time, the third alarm can be issued to remind the user. Assuming that the user exceeds the third setting time under normal water use for some reason, the user can temporarily stop the water flow in the pipe body 200 by temporarily closing the water-using device and then opening it again within the fourth setting time after the third alarm is issued, thereby The continuous flow time of water detected by the second water flow detection device after the third alarm is issued will be within the fourth set time, thereby avoiding closing the connection between the water use system and the external water supply pipeline through the valve module 500 due to misjudgment of water leakage, thereby avoiding affecting normal water use; when the third alarm is issued, if the water use system leaks or the user forgets to turn off the faucet or other water-using equipment, water will continue to flow in the pipeline and the water flow time will exceed the fourth set time, and by controlling the valve module 500 to close, the connection between the external water supply pipeline and the user's water use system can be cut off, thereby achieving water leakage protection.

[0094] It should be understood that, similar to the second set time, the fourth set time can also be selected and set according to actual conditions, and the fourth set time should not be set too short or too long. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second set time is set to about 5-10 minutes.

[0095] It should be understood that, similarly, in step S200b, when the control valve module 500 is closed, a fourth alarm may be issued synchronously to remind the user that the water system is leaking. Also, similar to the first and second alarms, the third and fourth alarms may also have multiple forms.

[0096] It should be understood that since the first water flow detection device can detect the presence of water flow in the secondary flow channel in the three states of small flow leakage, normal water use and large flow leakage, and the second water flow detection device can only detect the presence of water flow in the pipe body 200 when normal water use or large flow leakage occurs, when the second water flow detection device can detect the flow of water, it can be determined that there is no small flow leakage such as leakage and dripping in the water use system; therefore, whether the second water flow detection device can detect the water flow can be used as a basis for whether the leakage protector currently needs to perform the above-mentioned first leakage detection and protection step or the above-mentioned second leakage detection and protection step, so the leakage detection and protection method in this embodiment also includes the following steps:

[0097] S010. Detect the water flow condition in the pipe body 200 through the second water flow detection device. If the second water flow detection device can detect the existence of water flow in the pipe body 200, execute the second water leakage detection and protection step, otherwise execute the first water leakage detection and protection step.

[0098] Specifically, when the water use system is in the state of dripping, seepage or other small flow leakage; at this time, since the flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body 200 is too small, the second water flow detection device cannot detect the existence of water flow in the pipe body 200, and the first water flow detection device will be able to detect the flow of water, and the leakage protector will perform the above-mentioned first leakage detection and protection step; then, as the water use system continues to leak, the first water flow detection device will detect that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds the first set time, and the leakage protector will issue a first alarm to remind the user of suspected leakage, and then the first water flow detection device continues to detect the water flow in the secondary flow channel, and will detect that the continuous flow time of the water flow after the first alarm is issued exceeds the second set time, at this time the control processing module 300 controls the valve module 500 to close, thereby cutting off the connection between the water use system and the external water supply pipeline to achieve leakage protection, and at the same time the leakage protector can also synchronously issue a second alarm to remind the user of a leakage problem.

[0099] Specifically, when the water system is in the situation of burst pipes or water-using equipment such as faucets are not closed, that is, there is a large flow of water leakage; at this time, the water flow velocity in the pipe body 200 is relatively large and can be detected by the second water flow detection device, so the leakage protector performs the above-mentioned second leakage detection and protection step; then, as the water system continues to leak, the second water flow detection device will detect that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body 200 exceeds the third set time, and the leakage protector will issue a third alarm to remind the user of suspected leakage, and then the second water flow detection device continues to detect the water flow in the pipe body 200, and will detect that the continuous flow time of the water flow after the third alarm is issued exceeds the fourth set time. At this time, the control processing module 300 controls the valve module 500 to close, thereby cutting off the connection between the water system and the external water supply pipeline to achieve leakage protection. At the same time, the leakage protector can also synchronously issue a fourth alarm to remind the user of a leakage problem.

[0100] It should be understood that when a water system has a large flow leakage problem such as a burst pipe or forgetting to turn off the faucet, the water flow rate that continues to flow through the pipe body 200 will also exceed the water flow rate required for a single normal continuous water use. Therefore, when determining whether a large flow leakage occurs, the continuous flow rate of the water in the pipe body 200 can also be used as a criterion for judgment. Therefore, in some other embodiments, the following step S100c can also replace S100b in the above-mentioned second water leakage detection and protection step, and the following step S200c can also replace S200b in the above-mentioned second water leakage detection and protection step.

[0101] Wherein, step S100c includes: detecting the water flow condition in the pipe body 200 by the second water flow detection device, and issuing a third alarm if it is detected that the continuous flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body 200 reaches the first set flow rate;

[0102] Step S200c includes: after the third alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the pipe body 200 is detected again by the second water flow detection device, and if it is detected that the continuous flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body 200 reaches the second set flow rate, the valve module 500 is controlled to close.

[0103] 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 check valve, It is characterized in that include: The valve seat is provided with a main flow channel and a secondary flow channel, the main flow channel and the secondary flow channel are both connected to the water inlet side and the water outlet side of the valve seat, the secondary flow channel includes a mounting cavity and an inlet flow channel, one end of the inlet flow channel is connected to the water inlet side of the valve seat, and the other end is connected to the mounting cavity, the mounting cavity is connected to the water outlet side of the valve seat, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet flow channel connected to one end of the mounting cavity is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area in the main flow channel; A check valve core is disposed in the main flow channel and can open or close the main flow channel according to a change in the water pressure difference between the front and rear sides of the check valve core; A first impeller is rotatably disposed in the mounting cavity; Among them, the main flow channel includes a front flow channel and a rear flow channel arranged in sequence, a protrusion is formed on the inner wall of the front flow channel, one end of the water inlet flow channel extends to the protrusion and is connected with the front flow channel, the secondary flow channel also includes an outlet flow channel arranged on the side wall of the valve seat, the outlet flow channel is connected with the installation cavity, and the side wall of the outlet flow channel is provided with a connecting port at the end away from the installation cavity, and the connecting port is connected to the rear flow channel.

2. A check valve according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The cross-sectional area of ​​the rear end of the front flow channel is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the front end of the rear flow channel, the check valve core includes a mounting bracket and a water stop member connected to the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket is arranged on the inner wall of the valve seat, the water stop member includes a mounting portion and a water blocking portion connected to the mounting portion, the mounting portion is connected to the mounting bracket, when the check valve core closes the main flow channel, the water blocking portion blocks the rear end of the front flow channel, and the water blocking portion can move rearward or deform under water flow pressure to connect the front flow channel with the rear flow channel.

3. A check valve according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The mounting bracket is arranged on the rear flow channel, and a mounting hole which is slidably matched with the mounting part is arranged in the middle part, and a compression spring is arranged between the water blocking part and the mounting part.

4. A check valve according to claim 2 or 3, It is characterized in that The mounting bracket is provided with a hollow hole communicating with the front and rear sides of the mounting bracket to allow water to flow through the mounting bracket.

5. A check valve according to claim 2 or 3, It is characterized in that The main flow channel includes a transition flow channel arranged between the front flow channel and the rear flow channel, the water blocking portion is arranged in the transition flow channel, and the transition flow channel is provided with a guide cone surface for resetting and guiding the water blocking portion.

6. A check valve according to claim 5, Features: The installation cavity is provided with an opening for communicating with the transition flow channel or the rear flow channel.

7. A water leakage protector, It is characterized in that It comprises a check valve, a tube body, a control processing module, a sensor and a valve module as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; the tube body is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet, and the check valve and the valve module are both arranged on the tube body; the sensor is arranged corresponding to the first impeller, and together with the first impeller constitutes a first water flow detection device, and the first water flow detection device is used to detect the water flow state in the secondary flow channel; the valve module and the sensor are both electrically connected to the control processing module, and the valve module is used to control the on and off of the water flow in the tube body.

8. A water leakage protector according to claim 7, Features: The first impeller is provided with a magnet, and the sensor is a Hall sensor, and is provided at a position of the outer wall of the tube body corresponding to the first impeller.

9. A water leakage protector according to claim 7, Features: A filtering device is also included. The filtering device is arranged on the pipe body and located between the check valve and the water inlet, so that the water flow inside the pipe body can be filtered by the filtering device before entering the check valve.

10. A water leakage protector according to claim 7, Features: It also includes a second water flow detection device, which is arranged on the pipe body and is used to detect the water flow condition flowing through the pipe body.

11. A water leakage detection and protection method, It is characterized in that The water leakage protector is applied to any one of claims 7 to 9, and includes the following first water leakage detection and protection steps: Detecting the water flow condition in the secondary flow channel by the first water flow detection device, and issuing a first alarm if it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds a first set time; After the first alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the secondary flow channel is detected again by the first water flow detection device. If it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the secondary flow channel exceeds the second set time, the valve module is controlled to close.

12. A water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 11, It is characterized in that The water leakage protector also includes a second water flow detection device, which is arranged on the pipe body and is used to detect the water flow condition flowing through the pipe body; The water leakage detection and protection method includes the following second water leakage detection and protection steps: The water flow condition in the pipe body is detected by the second water flow detection device, and if it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body exceeds a third set time, or if it is detected that the continuous flow flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body reaches a first set flow rate, a third alarm is issued; After the third alarm is issued, the water flow condition in the pipe body is detected again by the second water flow detection device. If it is detected that the continuous flow time of the water flow in the pipe body exceeds the fourth set time, or if it is detected that the continuous flow rate of the water flow in the pipe body reaches the second set flow rate, the valve module is controlled to close.

13. A water leakage detection and protection method according to claim 12, It is characterized in that The water leakage detection and protection method comprises the following steps: The water flow condition in the pipe body is detected by the second water flow detection device. If the second water flow detection device can detect the existence of water flow in the pipe body, the second water leakage detection and protection step is executed, otherwise the first water leakage detection and protection step is executed.

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