Modular water flow sensing device and method of forming same

Abstract

The application discloses a modular water flow sensing device and a forming method thereof. The method comprises the following steps: forming a first flap support with a first magnet; installing a flap with a second magnet and a rotating shaft on the first flap support to form a flap support assembly; butting the flap support assembly and a second flap support to form a flap assembly; arranging an upper part of the flap assembly in a control box with a reed control circuit; fixing the bottom of the two flap supports in the flap assembly through a support base to form a modular water flow sensing device which can be used for radial water flow or axial water flow in an electric pump pipeline; when the modular water flow sensing device is arranged in the pipeline of the electric pump, if no water flow passes through the pipeline, the flap is reset under the repulsion of the first magnet to the second magnet, so that the reed control circuit is not conducted. The device has high precision, large flow, low failure rate and long service life, can be used in axial and radial water flow directions, and has low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household electric pump technology, and in particular to a modular water flow sensing device that is compatible with household electric pumps and can realize automatic start and stop functions, and a method for forming the same. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, water flow sensing devices (also known as water flow switches) are widely used in the market. They can be roughly divided into water flow sensing devices used in axial flow mode and radial flow mode. These two types of water flow sensing devices can adopt the following structures respectively:

[0003] Type A, such as Figures 1-7 As shown, this is a baffle-type structure used in the traditional axial flow mode, which includes a reed switch I 101, a control box 102, a limiting and clamping block 103, a magnet 104, a flap gate 105, a flap gate limiting plate 106, a return spring 107, and a base 108. When water is used, the water flow in the pipe along the pipe's axial direction pushes open the baffle. The baffle, under the action of the rotating shaft, drives the magnet, and the reed switch conducts under the influence of the magnetic field. When water use ends and there is no water flow in the pipe, the baffle closes under the action of the return spring, at which point the reed switch loses its magnetic field and disconnects.

[0004] Type B, such as Figures 7-13 As shown, this is a plunger reciprocating structure used in the traditional radial flow mode, which includes a reed switch II 110, a locking control block 111, a spring 112, a magnetic ring 113, a sliding plunger 114, and a plunger sealing gasket 115. When water is used, the water flow in the pipe flows radially upwards, pushing up the plunger (as shown). Figure 12 As shown, along with the magnetic ring on the plunger, the reed switch is turned on by the magnetic field; when the water is used up and there is no water flow in the pipe, the plunger will fall under the action of the spring's restoring force, and at this time the reed switch will disconnect due to the loss of the magnetic field.

[0005] Both types of water flow sensing devices have different structures. Type A, using a lever principle, can push open the baffle at lower flow rates, enabling the reed switch to operate at lower flow rates, thus achieving high detection accuracy. However, due to the presence of the return spring in Type A, the opening degree of the flap gate is limited, preventing it from fully opening and thus restricting the maximum flow rate of the pipe.

[0006] Type B pumps use a plunger structure, which can be easily designed for single-phase backflow prevention to achieve internal pressure holding. However, because all the forces in Type B pumps are concentrated on the plunger, it obstructs the water flow, requiring a larger flow rate to activate the reed switch, resulting in low opening accuracy.

[0007] Furthermore, since both types require a reset spring, these springs are susceptible to rust and entanglement with impurities in water, leading to a high failure rate and affecting the lifespan of the water flow sensor. Additionally, Type A can only detect axial water flow, and Type B can only detect radial water flow; they are not interchangeable, significantly limiting their use and increasing operating costs. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a modular water flow sensing device and its forming method. The modular water flow sensing device has high accuracy, large flow rate, low failure rate, long service life, and can be used in both axial and radial water flow directions. It has a wide range of applications and low manufacturing and use costs.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives of the present invention, one aspect of the present invention provides a method for forming a modular water flow sensing device, comprising:

[0010] Forming a first flap gate support with a first magnet;

[0011] A flap gate with a second magnet and a rotating shaft is mounted on a first flap gate bracket with a first magnet, and the magnetic poles of the first magnet and the second magnet are the same, forming a flap gate bracket assembly with a flap gate and a first magnet.

[0012] Connect the flap gate bracket assembly and the second flap gate bracket to form a flap gate assembly that allows the flap gate to rotate relative to the two flap gate brackets;

[0013] The upper part of the flapping gate assembly, including the first magnet, is placed in a control box with a reed switch control circuit, and the bottom of the first flapping gate bracket and the second flapping gate bracket in the flapping gate assembly are fixed by the bracket base to form a modular water flow sensing device that can be used in an electric pump pipe for radial or axial water flow.

[0014] When the modular water flow sensing device is installed in the pipeline of the electric pump, if there is no water flow in the pipeline, the flap gate will return to its original position under the repulsive force of the first magnet against the second magnet, so that the reed switch control circuit will not be turned on, and the power supply to the electric pump will be automatically disconnected.

[0015] The flap gate, which includes a second magnet and a rotating shaft, comprises:

[0016] A flap gate is formed, which has a flap magnet mounting cavity, a magnet anti-detachment component, and a rotating shaft;

[0017] The second magnet is placed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity of the flap gate, and the second magnet is fixed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity using the magnet anti-detachment component.

[0018] Preferably, the magnet anti-detachment component is one or more protrusions disposed on the outer periphery of the flap gate magnet mounting cavity.

[0019] Preferably, the flap magnet mounting cavity is located above the rotating shaft.

[0020] The first flap gate support with the first magnet includes:

[0021] A first flap gate bracket with a support magnet mounting cavity is formed;

[0022] The first magnet is placed inside the magnet placement cavity of the first flap gate bracket.

[0023] Preferably, the first flap gate bracket includes an upright part, arc-shaped baffles located on both sides of the lower part of the upright part, and an insertion part located on the upper part of the upright part, wherein the bracket magnet mounting cavity is disposed on the insertion part.

[0024] Preferably, the insertion portion of the first flap gate bracket includes:

[0025] A shell with a semi-circular outer wall and a semi-circular bottom plate;

[0026] A rotating shaft insertion part is set at the symmetrical center of the base plate and extends radially;

[0027] A semi-enclosed cover is set close to one side of the semi-circular outer wall, and has the bracket magnet placement cavity inside.

[0028] Preferably, the opening of the rotating shaft insertion part is located near the diameter edge of the base plate.

[0029] The second gate support is connected to the first gate support through an alignment structure.

[0030] Preferably, the bracket base is connected to the bottom of the two flap gate brackets via a docking structure.

[0031] The support base is either a radial support base for connecting to a pipe through which radial water flows or an axial support base for connecting to a pipe through which axial water flows.

[0032] In addition, the present invention also provides a modular water flow sensing device formed by the above method.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the modular water flow sensing device and its forming method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0034] The modular water flow sensing device formed by the method of this invention has a flap gate assembly. Through the reasonable flow design of the flap gate assembly, the detection accuracy of water flow in the electric pump pipeline is guaranteed. The flap gate is reset by the mutual repulsive force of two magnets, which solves the problems of rust and impurity generation of traditional reset springs, greatly reducing the failure rate of the water flow sensing device and improving its service life. Furthermore, by eliminating the traditional reset spring, the space occupied by the original spring in the pipeline is freed up, increasing the flow area of ​​the pipeline and allowing for a larger water flow rate when the pipeline inner diameter is fixed. The modular design of each component enables various installation methods to meet the different installation requirements of axial and radial water flow pipelines, improving the flexible expansion function of the water flow sensing device.

[0035] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is the front view of a traditional axial water flow sensing device;

[0037] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Left view of the water flow sensing device in the central axis;

[0038] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Right view of the water flow sensing device in the central axis;

[0039] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the axial water flow using a water flow sensor AA.

[0040] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A AA-direction view of the axial water flow using a water flow sensor (when no axial water flow passes through);

[0041] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A AA-direction view of the axial water flow using a water flow sensor (when there is axial water flow);

[0042] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 Exploded view of the axial water flow using a flow sensing device BB;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a front view of a traditional radial water flow sensing device;

[0044] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Left view of the radial water flow sensing device;

[0045] Figure 10 yes Figure 8Exploded view of radial water flow using a water flow sensor AA;

[0046] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 A radial water flow view from the AA direction using a water flow sensor (when no radial water flow is present);

[0047] Figure 12 yes Figure 8 A radial water flow view from the AA direction using a water flow sensor (when radial water flow is present);

[0048] Figure 13 yes Figure 9 Exploded view of radial water flow using a flow sensing device BB;

[0049] Figure 14 This is a front view of the modular water flow sensing device of the present invention when used for radial water flow;

[0050] Figure 15 yes Figure 14 Left view of the radial water flow sensing device;

[0051] Figure 16 yes Figure 14 Right view of the radial water flow sensing device;

[0052] Figure 17 yes Figure 14 Exploded view of radial water flow using a water flow sensor AA;

[0053] Figure 18 yes Figure 14 A radial water flow view from the AA direction using a water flow sensor (when no radial water flow is present);

[0054] Figure 19 yes Figure 14 A radial water flow view from the AA direction using a water flow sensor (when radial water flow is present);

[0055] Figure 20 This is a top view of the modular water flow sensing device for radial water flow according to the present invention;

[0056] Figure 21 yes Figure 15 Exploded view of radial water flow using a flow sensor in the BB direction;

[0057] Figure 22 This is a front view of the modular water flow sensing device of the present invention when used for axial water flow;

[0058] Figure 23 yes Figure 22 Left view of the water flow sensing device in the central axis;

[0059] Figure 24 yes Figure 22 Right view of the water flow sensing device in the central axis;

[0060] Figure 25 yes Figure 22 Top view of the water flow sensing device in the central axis;

[0061] Figure 26 yes Figure 22 An exploded view of the axial water flow using a water flow sensor AA.

[0062] Figure 27 yes Figure 22 A AA-direction view of the axial water flow using a water flow sensor (when no axial water flow passes through);

[0063] Figure 28 yes Figure 22 A AA-direction view of the axial water flow using a water flow sensor (when there is axial water flow);

[0064] Figure 29 yes Figure 23 Exploded view of the BB direction view of the central axis water flow using a water flow sensor;

[0065] Figure 30 This is a half-section perspective view of the modular water flow sensing device of the present invention when used for composite radial water flow;

[0066] Figure 31 This is a half-sectional view of the modular water flow sensing device of the present invention used in a composite radial water flow pipe;

[0067] Figure 32 This is an exploded view of the flap gate bracket of the present invention from one perspective;

[0068] Figure 33 This is an exploded view of the flap gate bracket of the present invention from another perspective;

[0069] Figure 34 This is a perspective view of the support base of the present invention when used for radial water flow;

[0070] Figure 35 This is a perspective view of the flap gate, buffer pad, magnet, and other components of the present invention;

[0071] Figure 36 This is a perspective view of the control box of the present invention from one angle;

[0072] Figure 37 This is a perspective view of the control box of the present invention from another angle;

[0073] Figure 38 yes Figure 31 Half-section view of radial pipe;

[0074] Figure 39 This is a flowchart of the method for forming a modular water flow sensing device according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0075] like Figure 39 The diagram shows a flowchart of the method for forming a modular water flow sensing device according to the present invention. As can be seen from the diagram, the method of the present invention includes:

[0076] A first flap gate bracket 7 with a first magnet 3 is formed;

[0077] A flap gate 4 with a second magnet 6 and a rotating shaft is mounted on a first flap gate bracket with a first magnet, and the magnetic poles of the first magnet and the second magnet are the same, forming a flap gate bracket assembly with a flap gate and a first magnet.

[0078] Connect the flap gate bracket assembly and the second flap gate bracket 5 to form a flap gate assembly that can rotate relative to the two flap gate brackets;

[0079] The upper part of the flapping gate assembly, including the first magnet, is placed in the control box 2 with a reed switch control circuit, and the bottom of the first flapping gate bracket and the second flapping gate bracket in the flapping gate assembly are fixed by the bracket base to form a modular water flow sensing device that can be used in an electric pump pipe for radial or axial water flow.

[0080] When the modular water flow sensing device is installed in the pipe 11 of the electric pump, if there is no water flow in the pipe, the flap gate will return to its original position under the repulsive force of the first magnet against the second magnet, so that the reed switch control circuit will not be connected and the power supply of the electric pump will be automatically disconnected.

[0081] The modular water flow sensing device formed by the method of this invention has a flap valve assembly. Through the reasonable flow design of the flap valve assembly, the detection accuracy of water flow in the electric pump pipeline is guaranteed. The flap valve is reset by the mutual repulsive force of two magnets, which solves the problems of rust and impurity generation of traditional reset springs, greatly reducing the failure rate of the water flow sensing device and improving its service life. Furthermore, by eliminating the traditional reset spring, the space occupied by the original spring in the pipeline is freed up, increasing the flow area of ​​the pipeline and allowing for a larger water flow rate in the pipeline with a fixed inner diameter.

[0082] The present invention employs different support bases for different flow directions of water flowing towards the flap gate in the pipeline, and different support bases can be adapted to the above-mentioned components. That is, each component adopts a modular design, thereby realizing diverse installation methods, meeting different installation requirements of axial and radial water flow pipelines, and thus improving the flexible expansion function of the water flow sensing device.

[0083] The method for forming a modular water flow sensing device according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0084] S01, Forming a first flapper bracket with a first magnet

[0085] The present invention forms a first flap gate bracket having a first magnet by the following steps:

[0086] A first flap gate bracket with a support magnet mounting cavity is formed;

[0087] The first magnet is placed inside the magnet placement cavity of the first flap gate bracket.

[0088] The first flap gate bracket, which forms the support magnet mounting cavity, can be formed using existing technologies, such as injection molding, extrusion molding, calendering, or thermoforming, and the material used can be plastic, etc. Regardless of the molding method used, the formed first flap gate bracket should have a support magnet mounting cavity for mounting the first magnet and covering half of the first magnet. In addition, it should also have a pivot insertion part for rotating and supporting the flap gate pivot.

[0089] like Figures 17-21 , Figures 25-33 As shown, the first door support 7 includes an integrally formed upright part 70, an arc-shaped baffle part 74 located on both sides of the lower part of the upright part, and an insertion part 71 located on the upper part of the upright part. A support magnet mounting cavity 76 is provided on the insertion part.

[0090] Specifically, such as Figure 32 As shown, the upright part of the first gate support 7 is arc-shaped, and its height is reasonably determined according to the size of the electric pump pipeline, extending along the pipeline diameter. A pair of arc-shaped baffles are formed integrally with the upright part on both sides of the lower part of the upright part. The radius of the pair of arc-shaped baffles is the same as the radius of the upright part, forming a semi-circular ring with the lower part of the upright part. Furthermore, the height of the arc-shaped baffles gradually decreases from the connection point with the upright part towards the direction away from the upright part.

[0091] The insertion part is located at the top of the upright part. The insertion part includes: a housing with a semi-circular outer wall and a semi-circular bottom plate; a pivot insertion part 75 located at the symmetrical center of the bottom plate and extending radially; and a semi-enclosed cover provided close to one side of the semi-circular outer wall, which has a support magnet mounting cavity 76 inside.

[0092] The lower surface of the shell base plate is connected to the top of the upright section. A semi-circular outer wall of the shell is arranged around the edge of the base plate. The center of the semi-circular outer wall is on the same straight line as the center of the arc-shaped baffle and the upright section, and the radius of the semi-circular outer wall is larger than the radius of the upright section and the arc-shaped baffle. A pivot insertion part is provided at the symmetrical center of the shell base plate, extending radially. The opening of its central hole is located near the edge where the diameter of the base plate is located. During manufacturing, a notch extending radially is also opened at the center of the shell base plate, and the opening of the central hole of the pivot insertion part communicates with the notch.

[0093] A semi-enclosed cover is formed on the semi-circular outer wall of the shell, extending from the outer wall into the shell. The height of the semi-enclosed cover is equal to the height of the shell, and the opening is located on the longitudinal section passing through the diameter side of the shell, where the rotating shaft is inserted. Preferably, two stepped surfaces are also formed inside the semi-enclosed cover along the height direction of the shell. The upper stepped surface abuts against the inner top wall of the semi-enclosed cover, and the lower stepped surface and the inner top wall of the semi-enclosed cover form a support magnet mounting cavity. The height of the mounting cavity is approximately equal to the thickness of the first magnet.

[0094] Furthermore, lateral grooves are formed on the inner side of the semi-circular outer wall of the housing and / or on the side wall of the semi-enclosed cover away from the outer wall of the housing. These grooves have a bottom flush with the lower step surface and a top abutting the inner wall of the top of the semi-enclosed cover. This allows the first magnet to be positioned by the lateral grooves and the step surface, preventing it from wobbling within the magnet mounting cavity of the support. The step surface within the magnet mounting cavity not only defines the position of the first magnet but also enhances the strength of the semi-enclosed cover.

[0095] When placing the first magnet in the magnet mounting cavity of the bracket, insert one half of the first magnet onto the stepped surface, leaving the other half exposed outside the housing.

[0096] A square receiving cavity is formed between the semi-enclosed cover side surface of the housing and the inner wall of the housing. This receiving cavity is used to accommodate the magnet mounting part of the flap gate and to provide space for the flap gate to rotate.

[0097] It should be noted that when forming the first flap gate bracket with the bracket magnet mounting cavity, the same method is used to form a second flap gate bracket 5 with the same structure as the first flap gate bracket. The two flap gate brackets can be joined together to form a complete flap gate bracket. That is, the outer wall of the upper shell part after splicing is circular, and the lower arc-shaped baffle part after splicing is annular, so as to support the flap gate by rotation.

[0098] In order to ensure that the first gate bracket 7 and the second gate bracket 5 can be stably connected together after being spliced, the second gate bracket and the first gate bracket are connected by an alignment structure.

[0099] like Figure 32 , Figure 33As shown, the alignment structure includes a first alignment structure, comprising: one or more insertion holes 72 formed on the end face of the first flapper bracket 7 housing portion and extending in a direction parallel to the radius, the end face being used to mate with the second flapper bracket 5 housing portion; and one or more insertion posts 54 disposed on the end face of the second flapper bracket 5 housing portion and extending outward, the dimensions of the insertion posts being adapted to the insertion holes, and the position of each insertion post corresponding to the position of an insertion hole. During manufacturing, the insertion holes and insertion posts can be disposed on both sides of the corresponding housing portion end face.

[0100] In addition, the alignment structure may also include a second alignment structure, which includes: an insertion hole 73 provided on the end face of each arc-shaped stop portion of the first gate bracket 7 and extending in a direction parallel to the radius, the end face being used to mate with the corresponding arc-shaped stop portion end face of the second gate bracket 5; and an insertion rod 53 provided on the end face of each arc-shaped stop portion of the second gate bracket 5 and extending outward, the size of the insertion rod being adapted to the insertion hole, and the position of the insertion rod corresponding to the position of the insertion hole.

[0101] Alternatively, in the above alignment structure, the insertion hole can be set on the end face of the housing part of the second gate bracket 5, the insertion post can be set on the end face of the housing part of the first gate bracket 7, the insertion hole can be set on the end face of the arc-shaped baffle part of the second gate bracket 5, and the insertion rod can be set on the end face of the arc-shaped baffle part of the first gate bracket 7.

[0102] The alignment structure allows the housing parts of the two flap gate brackets to be joined together with the arc-shaped baffle, which is convenient for both manufacturing and assembly.

[0103] S02. The flap gate with a second magnet and a rotating shaft is installed on the first flap gate bracket with a first magnet, and the magnetic poles of the first magnet and the second magnet are the same, forming a flap gate bracket assembly with a flap gate and a first magnet.

[0104] After forming the first flapper bracket with a first magnet and a pivot insertion part, a flapper with a second magnet and a pivot needs to be installed on the first flapper bracket with the first magnet. The process of forming the flapper with the second magnet and the pivot includes:

[0105] A flap gate is formed, which has a flap magnet mounting cavity, a magnet anti-detachment component, and a rotating shaft;

[0106] The second magnet is placed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity of the flap gate, and the second magnet is fixed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity using the magnet anti-detachment component.

[0107] When forming the flap gate with a magnet mounting cavity, a magnet anti-detachment component, and a rotating shaft, the same method as the first flap gate support can be used, such as injection molding, extrusion molding, calendering, or thermoforming. The material used can also be plastic. Regardless of the molding method, the formed flap gate should have a magnet mounting cavity, a magnet anti-detachment component, and a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the flap gate support so that when water flows through, it can rotate relative to the flap gate support under the push of the water flow, thus conducting the reed switch control circuit and enabling the electric pump to operate. The second magnet is placed in the magnet mounting cavity and half of the second magnet is covered. The magnet anti-detachment component fixes the second magnet inside the magnet mounting cavity.

[0108] Specifically, such as Figure 21 , Figure 29 , Figure 35 As shown, the flap gate 4 includes an integrally formed pivot portion 42, a magnet mounting portion 41 located above the pivot portion, and a baffle portion 40 located below the pivot portion.

[0109] The pivot is cylindrical, with a middle section and a pair of protruding sections. The middle section is integrated with the magnet mounting section and the baffle section, respectively. The pair of protruding sections extend from the middle section to both sides, forming a pair of pivots that are suspended and inserted into the pivot insertion sections of the first and second flapping gate brackets.

[0110] The baffle is a thin plate, circular at the top and bottom. Specifically, the baffle includes a semi-circular portion at the bottom, a square portion seamlessly connected to the side end face of the semi-circular portion, and a connecting portion that extends slightly beyond the square portion and is seamlessly connected to the center of the top side end face of the square portion. This connecting portion is also square and seamlessly connected to the middle portion of the rotating shaft portion. Its width can be the same as the width of the middle portion, and the normal of the aforementioned side end face intersects perpendicularly with the central axis of the rotating shaft portion.

[0111] The magnet mounting section includes a connecting section seamlessly connected to the middle section of the rotating shaft section and an outer shell section seamlessly connected to the top surface of the connecting section. The outer shell section is square with an opening at the top, and its interior is hollow, forming a flap magnet mounting cavity for mounting a second magnet therein. The bottom surface of the outer shell section is inclinedly connected to the middle section of the rotating shaft section via the connecting section, and the inclination angle is determined according to the rotation angle of the flap gate relative to the flap gate support. Since the flap magnet mounting cavity is located above the rotating shaft, the magnet does not occupy the internal area of ​​the pipe when assembling the sensing device, thereby ensuring the flow area of ​​the pipe.

[0112] To prevent the second magnet from becoming loose due to the rotation of the flap gate after it is placed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity of the magnet mounting part, a magnet anti-detachment component is also provided on the magnet mounting part to secure the second magnet. The magnet anti-detachment component can be one or more protrusions provided on the outer periphery of the flap magnet mounting cavity; that is, one or more outwardly extending protrusions are provided on the top surface of the outer casing. Preferably, such as… Figure 35 As shown, a protrusion is provided on each side of the top surface of the outer shell. During manufacturing, the protrusion can be a tab made of the same material as the outer shell and protrudes from the top of the outer shell. The tab can be elongated or other shapes, such as claw-shaped.

[0113] After the second magnet is placed in the flap gate magnet mounting cavity, the convex piece can be softened, bent, and inverted onto the upper surface of the second magnet by heating, thereby firmly fixing the magnet to the top of the flap gate.

[0114] After the second magnet is fixed to the top of the flap gate, the flap gate is mounted on a first flap gate bracket with the first magnet, ensuring that the opposing magnetic poles of the first and second magnets are identical, thus forming a flap gate bracket assembly with the flap gate and the first magnet. Specifically, when the second magnet is placed in the flap gate magnet mounting cavity and the first magnet is placed in the bracket magnet mounting cavity, the opposing magnetic poles of the first and second magnets should be identical so that when the induction device is working, the repulsive force between the two magnets can be used to rotate the flap gate relative to the flap gate bracket to return to its original position.

[0115] In addition, when installing the flap gate on the first flap gate bracket, the lower edge of the flap gate baffle should be located inside the arc-shaped baffle of the first flap gate bracket.

[0116] S03. Connect the flap gate bracket assembly and the second flap gate bracket to form a flap gate assembly that can rotate relative to the two flap gate brackets;

[0117] After mounting a flap gate with a second magnet onto a first flap gate bracket with a first magnet to form a flap gate bracket assembly, the flap gate bracket assembly and the second flap gate bracket are joined together to form a flap gate assembly in which the flap gate can rotate relative to the two flap gate brackets.

[0118] When connecting the flap gate bracket assembly and the second flap gate bracket, the insertion part of the first flap gate bracket should be aligned with the insertion part of the second flap gate bracket, and the arc-shaped stop part of the first flap gate bracket should be aligned with the arc-shaped stop part of the second flap gate bracket. The half of the second magnet installed on the flap gate and the flap gate's rotating shaft should be aligned with the flap gate magnet mounting cavity and the rotating shaft insertion hole on the second flap gate bracket, respectively. Then, the two flap gate brackets are connected together and joined together by the alignment structure to form the flap gate assembly.

[0119] When two flapper brackets are connected together to form a flapper assembly, the magnet mounting part on the flapper extends into the square receiving cavity formed by the insertion parts of the two flapper brackets. The pivot of the flapper is rotatably connected to the pivot insertion parts of the two flapper brackets, so that the flapper can rotate relative to the flapper brackets connected together under the action of external force.

[0120] S04. The upper part of the flapping gate assembly, including the first magnet, is placed in a control box with a reed switch control circuit, and the bottom of the first flapping gate bracket and the second flapping gate bracket in the flapping gate assembly is fixed by the bracket base to form a modular water flow sensing device that can be used in an electric pump pipe for radial or axial water flow.

[0121] After the flapping gate assembly is formed, the upper part of the flapping gate assembly, including the first magnet, needs to be placed in a control box with a reed switch control circuit.

[0122] When forming the control box of the present invention, the control box should have the following characteristics: Figure 36 , Figure 37 The structure shown includes: a control box connector 21, comprising an upper portion including a first magnet, detachably connected to a water supply pipe inside the electric pump and used to house a flap valve assembly; and a device mounting cover integrally formed with the upper surface of the control box connector 21, which houses a reed switch 1 (see [reference]). Figure 21 , Figure 29 The control box includes a reed switch control circuit (not shown in the figure). The control box can also be made of materials such as plastic and manufactured by injection molding. Furthermore, the upper part of the control box is equipped with a top cover 24 for detachable connection (such as threaded connection or plug-in connection) to the top of the device mounting cover.

[0123] The control box connector can be square, and the device mounting cover can be circular. Both are hollow structures, and the external dimensions of the control box connector are larger than those of the device mounting cover. The control box connector and the device mounting cover are separated by a circular partition, which is a thin-walled partition that seals the bottom of the device mounting cover.

[0124] A grid plate 23, with an inner diameter equivalent to that of the device mounting cover, is provided on the upper surface of the partition facing the device mounting cover. The grid plate increases the strength of the device mounting cover and the control box. Furthermore, since the control box is also made of plastic and molded by the aforementioned injection molding method, the grid plate prevents shrinkage of the device mounting cover.

[0125] During assembly, the reed switch and the circuit board with the reed switch control circuit are mounted on the grid plate using existing technology. In order to prevent the reed switch from being in close contact with the circuit board with the reed switch control circuit and causing loss of the magnetic field of the magnet, an elongated limiting groove 22 is provided in the middle of the grid plate (i.e., along the diameter of the partition). The reed switch 1 is inserted into the limiting groove, and the position of the reed switch 1 is limited by the limiting groove so that it always maintains a gap of about 0.5 cm with the circuit board.

[0126] The hollow inner cavity of the control box connector is a circular cavity, which forms an insertion cavity 25 for inserting the insertion part in the flap assembly. The height of the insertion cavity is greater than the height of the insertion part, and the diameter is equivalent to the outer contour diameter of the insertion part.

[0127] To prevent the insertion part from rotating relative to the insertion cavity after being inserted, one or more anti-sway ribs integrally formed with the control box connector can be provided on the inner wall of the insertion cavity of the control box connector. These anti-sway ribs extend in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the control box connector. Correspondingly, one or more anti-sway grooves (such as...) are provided on the outer wall of the insertion part of the first door bracket 7 and / or the second door bracket 5 to mate with the anti-sway ribs. Figure 32 (Anti-sway groove 51 shown). Alternatively, anti-sway ribs may be provided on the outer wall of the insertion part, and anti-sway grooves may be provided on the inner wall of the insertion cavity of the control box connector.

[0128] The control box connector has through holes at its four corners, which are used to connect the control box connector to the pipe by bolts or screws passing through the through holes. The connection method between the control box connector and the pipe is the same as that of the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0129] Before or after the upper part of the flapping gate assembly is placed in the control box with the reed switch control circuit, the bottom of the first flapping gate bracket and the second flapping gate bracket in the flapping gate assembly can also be fixed by the bracket base to form a modular water flow sensing device that can be used in an electric pump pipe for radial or axial water flow.

[0130] The support base is determined based on the water flow in the internal pipe of the electric pump to which the modular water flow sensing device is applied. Specifically, when the water flow through the pipe is radial, the support base adopts the following design: Figure 29 The axial support base 9 is shown. When the water flow through the pipe is axial, the support base adopts the following... Figure 21 , Figure 34 The radial support base 8 is shown.

[0131] The structure of the support base of the present invention will now be described in detail.

[0132] like Figure 34 As shown, it is applicable to Figure 31 or Figure 19The radial support base 8 shown is for a pipe through which radial water flows, comprising: a pipe connection part; a cylinder 85 having a central hole as a water passage hole; and a first baffle 83 and a second baffle 84 that are arranged parallel to each other and protrude radially outward from the outer wall of the cylinder. The bottom of the arc-shaped baffle part of the flap support rests on the first baffle 83 (during manufacturing, the width of the arc-shaped baffle part should be equivalent to the width of the first baffle), while the second baffle 84 is used to connect to the radial pipe; and a water baffle 80 provided on the upper surface of the pipe connection part, which extends upward from the upper end of the cylinder 85 and then bends to change the direction of water flow in the pipe. Specifically, the water baffle is hollow inside and connects to the water passage hole at the pipe connection point. The bent end face of the water baffle has a beveled outlet 82 for water supply. The bend of the water baffle changes the direction of the water flow entering the cylinder; that is, the water flow entering the cylinder is perpendicular to the direction of the water flow exiting through the outlet of the water baffle, thus making the radial water flow entering the cylinder become the axial water flow exiting through the outlet. Correspondingly, when the flap valve in the assembled flap valve assembly is in its initial state (i.e., when there is no radial water flow in the pipe), the baffle of the flap valve needs to block the outlet 82. Therefore, during the design, the angle between the baffle and the magnet mounting part in the flap valve and the inclination angle of the water baffle outlet must be reasonably determined. In addition, the size of the outlet is determined based on the outer contour size of the baffle when in contact with the baffle, so that when there is no water flow in the pipe, a seal can be achieved between the baffle and the outlet 82, satisfying the one-way check valve requirement (i.e., the water flow cannot flow back to the incoming side). Preferably, the outer side of the radial support base 8 located between the water outlet of the baffle and the first baffle of the pipe connection can be set as a gradually descending stepped placement area so as to cooperate with the flap gate support and the bottom of the flap gate.

[0133] To prevent the flap gate from impacting the radial support base during reset, thus reducing the service life of the radial support base and affecting the sealing performance between the flap gate and the radial support base, a buffer pad mounting seat 44 can be installed on the side of the flap gate baffle facing the direction of water flow (referred to as the incoming flow side). Figure 35 As shown, a locking groove is formed between the buffer pad mounting base and the incoming flow side surface of the flap gate baffle. The buffer pad 10, made of an elastic material (such as rubber), is fitted outside the locking groove. The buffer pad has a contact portion for contacting the outlet of the radial support base, a bent portion seamlessly connected to one end of the contact portion and for locking within the locking groove, and a circular pad portion seamlessly connected to the other end of the contact portion. The outer surface of the contact portion is an arc-shaped surface with a gradually increasing diameter, and the direction of this increase is consistent with the direction of the incoming flow (i.e., gradually increasing from the pad portion to the bent portion). Correspondingly, the outlet of the baffle is a circular or arc-shaped outlet with a size comparable to the outer surface size of the buffer pad contact portion, and the size of the outlet is comparable to the outer edge size of the contact portion to facilitate unidirectional backflow prevention of water in the pipe.

[0134] Since the radial support base is used to connect with and fix the bottoms of the first and second gate supports, a docking structure is also provided between the radial support base and the bottoms of the two gate supports. For example... Figure 34 As shown, the docking structure includes: one or more inserts 81 disposed on the pipe connection portion of the radial support base, extending in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the pipe connection portion; during manufacturing, the inserts are disposed on the first stop 83 of the pipe connection portion; and slots disposed on the outer wall of the bottom of the upright portion of the two flapper supports (e.g., Figure 32 The first slot 52 in the middle, such as Figure 33 (The second slot 77 in the middle). In the design, the size of the insertion platform and the slot are adapted. Alternatively, the mating structure can also be a slot set on the pipe connection part of the radial support base, or an insertion platform set on the bottom outer wall of the upright part of the two flap gate supports.

[0135] The axial support base 9 for the pipe through which axial water flows can adopt the pipe connection part of the radial support base 8 described above. That is, the axial support base 9 has a cylindrical body with a water passage hole in the center and a first and second baffle that are arranged around the outer wall of the cylindrical body and protrude radially outward. The bottom of the arc-shaped baffle of the two flap valve brackets rests on the first baffle, and the second baffle is used to connect with the axial pipe. In addition, after the flap valve assembly is assembled with the axial support base, when the flap valve in the flap valve assembly is in the initial state (i.e., when there is no axial water flow in the pipe), the baffle of the flap valve needs to block the outlet. That is, during assembly, when the flap valve is in the initial state, the bottom of the flap valve baffle is located in the stepped placement area.

[0136] In order to cooperate with the axial support base or the radial support base, a matching connection structure is provided on the axial water flow pipe or the radial water flow pipe. The connection structure is described below with the radial water flow pipe as an example.

[0137] like Figure 38 As shown, a lower step 110 is provided on the inner wall of the side of the pipe 11 that is used to connect with the bracket base. During assembly, the second stop of the bracket base is placed on the lower step. A connecting seat 111 with a through hole or threaded hole is provided on the other side of the pipe that is used to connect with the control box. The connecting seat has a through hole in the center, and the inner diameter of the through hole is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flap insertion part. Alternatively, an upper step 112 is provided on the inner wall of the connecting seat. The minimum inner diameter of the upper step 112 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flap insertion part. During assembly, the bottom of the control box is placed on the connecting seat and connected to it with bolts.

[0138] During manufacturing, the structure of the lower step is determined based on whether the water flow inside the pipe is radial or axial. For example, when the water flow is radial, a water passage hole penetrating the thickness of the pipe is provided at the center of the lower step for water to flow through (e.g., Figure 38 , Figure 19 , Figure 31 (as shown); however, when axial water flows through the pipe, no water passage is provided at the bottom of the lower step, meaning that the inner wall of one side of the pipe is not penetrated (as shown). Figure 28 (As shown).

[0139] The present invention fixes the bottom of the first and second flapper brackets in the flapper assembly with a bracket base, which can prevent the two flapper brackets from separating, thereby forming a modular water flow sensing device that can be used in electric pump pipes for radial or axial water flow.

[0140] In summary, the assembly of the modular water flow sensing device of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0141] Step 1: Insert the second magnet into the plastic box at the top of the flap gate (i.e., the flap gate magnet mounting cavity of the magnet mounting part), use a soldering iron of appropriate temperature to heat and soften the two protrusions (or protrusions) on the plastic box, and bend them into the plastic box to prevent the second magnet from falling off.

[0142] Step 2: Insert the first magnet and the flap gate assembled in Step 1 into the corresponding positions of the first flap gate bracket, and then connect them to the second flap gate bracket to form the flap gate assembly, thus completing the assembly of the main parts of the water flow sensor.

[0143] Step 3: Insert the upper parts of the two flap gate brackets from the assembled flap gate assembly into the control box, so that the lower part of the flap gate insertion part is exposed outside the control box. Then, insert the bracket base into the lower part of the two flap gate brackets to prevent the flap gate brackets from separating, thus forming a modular water flow sensing device.

[0144] The working principle of the modular water flow sensing device of the present invention applied to electric pump pipelines with radial and axial water flow is described below:

[0145] The principle of axial water flow in an electric pump pipeline: such as Figures 22-29 As shown, the axial support base is installed on the inner wall of one side of the axial pipe through which the axial water flows, and the control box is locked to the other side of the pipe with four screws. The vertical movement of the water flow sensor is limited by the size of the pipe. When no water flows through the pipe, the flap gate equipped with the second magnet resets under the action of gravity and the repulsive force of the first magnet on the second magnet (as shown). Figure 27(As shown). At this time, due to the characteristics of the reed switch: the induced magnetic field formed by the second magnet is located in the middle of the glass tube or far away from the glass tube, it will not cause the reed switch control circuit to close. In the reset state of the flap, the second magnet on the flap is just located in the middle of the glass tube of the reed switch. At this time, the reed switch control circuit is in the open state and the circuit is not conductive. When water flows along the axial direction of the pipe, the water flow pushes the flap with the second magnet. Under the restriction of the rotating shaft, the second magnet also moves in the opposite direction to the water flow. The induced magnetic field formed by the second magnet moves from the middle of the reed switch to the side of the soft magnetic reed. When the magnetic field moves to the vicinity of the soft magnetic reed, that is, when the second magnet is close to the first magnet (as shown). Figure 28 As shown, the soft magnetic reed will be magnetized under the action of a magnetic field, and the reed will be attracted. At this time, the reed switch control circuit is in a closed state and the circuit is conducting.

[0146] The principle of radial water flow within an electric pump pipeline: (e.g.) Figures 14-21 As shown, the axial support base is installed on the inner wall of one side of the axial pipe through which the axial water flows, and the control box is locked to the other side of the pipe with four screws. The vertical movement of the water flow sensor is limited by the size of the pipe. When no water flows through the pipe, the flap gate equipped with the second magnet resets under the action of gravity and the repulsive force of the first magnet on the second magnet (as shown). Figure 18 (As shown). Due to the characteristics of the reed switch, the induced magnetic field formed by the second magnet will not cause the reed switch control circuit to close when it is located in the middle of the glass tube or far away from the glass tube. Therefore, in the reset state of the flap gate, the second magnet on the flap gate is just located in the middle of the glass tube of the reed switch. At this time, the reed switch control circuit is in the open state and the circuit is not conductive. When water flows radially along the pipe, the water flow direction is changed to axial flow under the guidance of the curved flow channel of the water baffle of the radial support base. The water flow pushes the flap gate equipped with the second magnet. Under the restriction of the rotating shaft, the second magnet also moves in the opposite direction to the water flow direction. The induced magnetic field formed by the second magnet moves from the middle of the reed switch to the side of the soft magnetic reed. When the magnetic field moves to the vicinity of the soft magnetic reed, that is, when the second magnet is close to the first magnet (e.g. Figure 19 As shown, the soft magnetic reed will be magnetized under the action of a magnetic field, and the reed will be attracted. At this time, the reed switch control circuit is in a closed state and the circuit is conducting.

[0147] In addition to providing the method for forming a modular water flow sensing device described above, this invention also provides a modular water flow sensing device formed by the above method. This modular water flow sensing device includes: a first flapper bracket 7 having a first magnet 3; a flapper 4 having a second magnet 6 and a rotating shaft, for mounting on the first flapper bracket having the first magnet to form a flapper bracket assembly having a flapper and a first magnet, wherein the opposing magnetic poles of the first and second magnets are the same; a second flapper bracket 5 for docking with the flapper bracket assembly to form a flapper assembly where the flapper can rotate relative to the two flapper brackets; a control box 2 having a reed switch control circuit for housing the upper part of the flapper assembly including the first magnet; and a bracket base installed at the bottom of the first and second flapper brackets in the flapper assembly to form a modular water flow sensing device usable in an electric pump pipe through which radial or axial water flow passes. When the modular water flow sensing device is installed in the electric pump pipe 11, if no water flows through the pipe, the flapper returns to its original position under the repulsive force of the first magnet against the second magnet, causing the reed switch control circuit to de-conduct and the electric pump power supply to automatically disconnect.

[0148] The first flapping door bracket 7 with the first magnet 3, the flapping door 4 with the second magnet 6 and the rotating shaft, the second flapping door bracket 5, the control box 2 with the reed switch control circuit, and the bracket base all adopt the structure formed by the above method, which will not be repeated here.

[0149] In summary, compared with traditional water flow sensing devices, the modular water flow sensing device and its manufacturing method of the present invention solve the following technical problems:

[0150] 1. The modular water flow sensing device of the present invention adopts a baffle gate type. Through reasonable flow design and lever principle, the baffle of the gate can be pushed open when the water flow velocity is low, and the reed switch control circuit can be activated under a small flow rate, that is, to achieve high-precision water flow detection.

[0151] 2. This invention utilizes the principle of interaction forces (like poles repel, unlike poles attract) of magnetic materials, and replaces the traditional return spring with the interaction of two magnets. Both magnets are enclosed and protected by independent magnet housing cavities, which solves the problems of rust and impurity entanglement of traditional return springs, greatly reduces the failure rate of water flow sensing devices, and improves their service life.

[0152] 3. In this invention, the first magnet used to reset the flap gate is inserted into the control box, which can free up the position of the reset spring in the conventional pipe. Therefore, the limitation of the opening of the baffle is reduced. When the pipe is fixed, the effective flow area in the pipe can be increased, thereby increasing the flow capacity of the water flow sensing device.

[0153] 4. This invention adopts a modular design. Under the condition that the main body (including control box, flap gate, flap gate bracket, etc.) is common, two different bracket bases can be used interchangeably, so as to meet the different installation requirements of axial water flow and radial water flow pipes. That is, one device can be used for different pipe installations. At the same time, when there is a one-way backstop requirement in the pipe, a sealing gasket can be installed on the baffle of the flap gate to realize the flexible expansion function of the water flow sensing device.

[0154] 5. The device of the present invention has a second magnet installed on the upper part of the flap gate, and two flap gate brackets that are separated in half are combined to form a complete flap gate bracket. When assembling the flap gate bracket, the first magnet is inserted into a reserved magnet placement cavity inside one of the flap gate brackets. After assembly, both magnets are isolated from the outside, so that the magnets will not attract impurities in the water, and there is no risk of the magnets falling off, thus ensuring the reliability of the device.

[0155] 6. The upper part of the control box of the present invention is mainly equipped with a reed switch control circuit composed of reed switches, thyristors and other devices, while the lower part is the magnetic induction area. The plastic wall of the partition between the two provides complete isolation between water and electricity, making it safe and reliable.

[0156] 7. The magnet mounting portion of the second magnet on the flap gate of this invention has protrusions that, after softening, can be bent and inverted to hold the magnet in place. This serves to fix the magnet and prevent it from falling off, solving the problem that if the magnet is fixed with glue, the glue will hydrolyze and become ineffective after being soaked in water for a long time. This problem does not occur when the plastic is heated and then bent.

[0157] 8. The flap gate bracket of the present invention serves two purposes. First, it supports the flap gate's pivot, allowing the flap gate to rotate freely around the pivot's centerline. This, in turn, causes the magnetic field generated by the second magnet to move closer to or further away from the reed switch, thereby controlling the on / off state of the control circuit. Second, the flap gate bracket is designed with a cavity for housing the first magnet. When the entire flap gate bracket is assembled, the first magnet is completely enclosed within the cavity of the flap gate bracket, eliminating the need for additional fixing support. This makes assembly convenient and quick.

[0158] 9. The bracket base of this invention is modularly designed. Different bracket bases can be interchanged according to different water flow pipes, realizing the sensing detection and sealing functions of different water flow directions. In addition, the bracket base also plays the role of restricting the separation of the two flap gate brackets.

[0159] Although the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make modifications based on the principles of the present invention. Therefore, all modifications made in accordance with the principles of the present invention should be understood as falling within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for forming a modular water flow sensing device, characterized in that, include: Each of the following components comprises an upright section, an arc-shaped baffle section, an insertion section with a support magnet mounting cavity and a rotating shaft insertion section, forming a first flapping gate bracket and a second flapping gate bracket. The first magnet is placed in the bracket magnet placement cavity of the first flapping gate bracket to form a first flapping gate bracket with the first magnet. A flap gate with a second magnet and a rotating shaft is mounted on a first flap gate bracket with a first magnet, such that one end of the rotating shaft is inserted into the rotating shaft insertion part of the first flap gate bracket, and the magnetic poles of the first magnet and the second magnet are the same, thus forming a flap gate bracket assembly with a flap gate and a first magnet. Connect the flapping gate bracket assembly and the second flapping gate bracket, so that the insertion part and the arc-shaped stop part of the first flapping gate bracket are respectively aligned with the insertion part and the arc-shaped stop part of the second flapping gate bracket, and the second magnet and the rotating shaft are respectively aligned with the magnet mounting cavity and the rotating shaft insertion part on the second flapping gate bracket, forming a flapping gate assembly that can rotate relative to the two flapping gate brackets. The upper part of the flapping gate assembly, including the first magnet, is placed in a control box with a reed switch control circuit and detachably connected to the water supply pipe. The bottom of the first flapping gate bracket and the second flapping gate bracket in the flapping gate assembly are fixed by the bracket base to form a modular water flow sensing device that can be used in an electric pump pipe for radial or axial water flow. The support base includes: a cylinder with a central hole for water passage; a first baffle and a second baffle arranged around the outer wall of the cylinder and parallel to each other vertically; the first baffle is used to support the bottom of the arc-shaped baffle of the two flap gate supports, and the second baffle is used to connect a radial pipe for radial water flow or an axial pipe for axial water flow. When the modular water flow sensing device is installed in the pipeline of the electric pump, if there is no water flow in the pipeline, the flap gate will return to its original position under the repulsive force of the first magnet against the second magnet, so that the reed switch control circuit will not be turned on, and the power supply to the electric pump will be automatically disconnected.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formation of a flap gate with a second magnet and a rotating shaft includes: A flap gate is formed, which has a flap magnet mounting cavity, a magnet anti-detachment component, and a rotating shaft; The second magnet is placed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity of the flap gate, and the second magnet is fixed inside the flap magnet mounting cavity using the magnet anti-detachment component.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The magnet anti-detachment component is one or more protrusions located on the outer periphery of the flap gate magnet mounting cavity.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The flap magnet mounting cavity is located above the rotating shaft.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The arc-shaped baffle is located on both sides of the lower part of the upright part, the insertion part is located on the upper part of the upright part, and the bracket magnet mounting cavity is set on the insertion part.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second gate support is connected to the first gate support through an alignment structure.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bracket base is connected to the bottom of the two flap gate brackets via a docking structure.

8. A modular water flow sensing device formed by the method of any one of claims 1-7.

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