Common water meter field rapid upgrading non-magnetic meter structure and upgrading method

Abstract

This invention discloses a structure and method for rapidly upgrading a conventional water meter to a non-magnetic meter. The conventional water meter includes a base meter with a washer and a metal cover on top. An annular groove for mounting a meter cover is formed between the washer and the metal cover. An adapter ring with an open annular structure includes a parallel insert and a retaining part, with an open, radially outward-facing groove between them. The thickness of the insert is adapted to the annular groove, and the width of the groove is adapted to the end thickness of the metal cover. The retaining part has a screw hole for mounting a wireless data terminal. This solution fully utilizes the existing structure of the conventional water meter. With the help of the adapter ring, a wireless data terminal can be installed at a very low cost without damaging the original lead seal, upgrading the meter to a non-magnetic meter. The construction difficulty is minimal, greatly improving the convenience of the upgrade and accelerating the overall upgrade process, resulting in significant economic benefits.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of rotary water meter structures, specifically relating to a non-magnetic meter structure and upgrade method for ordinary water meters that can be rapidly upgraded on-site. Background Technology

[0002] Rotary vane wet-type cold water meters (also known as ordinary water meters) are a common type of meter widely used in the market. They mainly consist of a non-magnetic base meter, a metal casing, and a meter cover. During use, users or water supply companies need to approach or open the meter cover to read the data. With the development of technology, online remote operation has become a trend in various industries. Therefore, rotary vane wet-type non-magnetic water meters (non-magnetic meters) have emerged. They mainly consist of a non-magnetic base meter and a wireless data terminal. This allows water supply companies to remotely monitor water usage and read data via the wireless data terminal.

[0003] Therefore, newly laid water supply pipelines are being equipped with non-magnetic meters. For existing pipelines, the conventional approach to upgrading water meters is to replace them entirely, either by removing and scrapping the original ordinary water meters or by recycling them and then disassembling and reusing the non-magnetic base meters separately. This significantly increases the cost of upgrading ordinary water meters, delays the upgrade process, and thus affects the development of water supply companies. In addition, given that ordinary water meters are still the dominant type on the market, and considering the possibility of future upgrades, it is necessary to plan for future upgrades in advance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a structure and method for rapidly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters on-site, in order to solve the problems in the prior art where upgrading ordinary water meters is cumbersome, costly, and affects the progress of current or subsequent upgrades.

[0005] The technical solution is as follows:

[0006] A novel on-site rapid upgrade structure for ordinary water meters using a non-magnetic meter is disclosed. The ordinary water meter includes a base meter with a washer and a metal cover on its top. An annular groove for mounting a meter cover is formed between the washer and the metal cover. The key feature is the inclusion of an open annular adapter ring. The adapter ring includes a parallel-arranged insert and a retaining portion, with an open, radially outward-facing groove between the insert and the retaining portion. The thickness of the insert is adapted to the annular groove, and the width of the groove is adapted to the end thickness of the metal cover. The retaining portion has screw holes for mounting a wireless data terminal.

[0007] By adopting the above solution, the existing structure of ordinary water meters can be fully utilized. Without damaging the lead seal structure of ordinary water meters, the adapter ring can be installed after removing the meter cover and meter lugs. Then, the wireless data terminal can be fixedly connected to the adapter ring, thus achieving the goal of quickly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters on site. The solution is ingenious, reduces the difficulty of on-site operation, and has extremely low implementation cost, which is conducive to promoting the upgrading process of ordinary water meters.

[0008] Preferably, the adapter ring and the washer / metal cover have a circumferential limiting structure that cooperates with each other. This solution prevents the wireless data terminal from rotating, ensuring that its built-in reading device corresponds to the position of the non-magnetic pointer in a standard water meter movement, preventing excessive relative offset that could cause the data terminal to fail to read or produce large errors.

[0009] Preferably, the washer has a protrusion extending into the annular groove along its thickness direction, the inner side of the protrusion having an inner tooth, and the outer side of the insert having an outer tooth adapted to the inner tooth. By employing this design, the engagement of the inner and outer teeth prevents rotation of the adapter ring, ensuring the accurate positioning of the wireless data terminal.

[0010] Preferably, the portion of the washer at the bottom of the annular groove has upwardly protruding teeth distributed along its axial direction, and the lower side of the insert has downwardly protruding teeth that correspond to the upwardly protruding teeth. Using this design, the meshing is more reliable than with internal and external teeth, although installation is slightly more difficult.

[0011] Preferably, the adapter retaining ring has countersunk holes at both ends near the opening, and is equipped with locking screws. Using this design, the adapter retaining ring is secured against the metal ring cover by the locking screws, ensuring its circumferential stability.

[0012] As a preferred option, the tooth spacing of the inner or upper convex teeth is less than or equal to 1.2mm. By adopting the above scheme, the error during the assembly of the adapter ring can be kept at around 1mm, which can ensure the sensing accuracy of the wireless data terminal.

[0013] Preferably, the wireless data terminal includes a base with an inner stop located radially inside the adapter ring, and the inner stop and the adapter ring having an axial limiting structure that cooperates with each other. This design improves the connection reliability between the wireless data terminal and the adapter ring.

[0014] Preferably, the base has a sleeve portion with an inner diameter that matches the outer diameter of the threaded post. With this design, the sleeve portion engages with the threaded post during installation to provide initial positioning.

[0015] Preferably, the upper surface of the abutment part has alignment marks. Using the above method, and employing alignment marks for installation, can better ensure the accuracy of the wireless data terminal's installation position.

[0016] Based on the above-mentioned structure for rapidly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters, this application also proposes a method for rapidly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters, the key of which includes the following steps:

[0017] S1. Keep the original ordinary water meter's lead seal intact, and remove the original ordinary water meter's cover and lugs;

[0018] S2. Insert the adapter ring into the ring groove, and then fix the wireless data terminal to the adapter ring;

[0019] S3. Test the wireless data terminal signal and rotate the wireless data terminal to position the signal at a suitable location. Using the above solution, the overall upgrade construction is simple, efficient, and cost-effective.

[0020] As a preferred option, in step S2, the alignment mark is used to align with the interlocking line of the inner surface plate of the original ordinary water meter. Adopting this method improves the efficiency of the upgrade construction and ensures the reliability of the upgraded non-magnetic meter.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0022] The present invention provides a method for rapidly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters on-site. It makes full use of the existing structure of ordinary water meters and, with the help of an adapter ring, installs a wireless data terminal at a very low cost without damaging the original lead seal, thus upgrading the water meter to a non-magnetic meter. The construction is very simple, greatly improving the convenience of the upgrade and accelerating the overall upgrade process, resulting in significant economic benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view;

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A sectional view;

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle;

[0027] Figure 5 A perspective view of the first embodiment of the adapter ring;

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Top view;

[0029] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A bottom view;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the gasket;

[0031] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Top view;

[0032] Figure 10 A bottom view of the second embodiment of the adapter ring;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a top view of a second embodiment of the washer;

[0034] Figure 12 A perspective view of the third embodiment of the adapter ring;

[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a wireless data terminal;

[0036] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Cross-section Figure 1 ;

[0037] Figure 15 for Figure 13 Cross-section Figure 2 ;

[0038] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of a typical water meter.

[0039] Figure 17 for Figure 16 Exploded view;

[0040] Figure 18 for Figure 16 A sectional view;

[0041] Figure 19 for Figure 18 Enlarged view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0042] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the metal cover structure. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] For ease of understanding, please refer to the following: Figures 15 to 20Ordinary water meters mainly include a non-magnetic base meter 1, which contains a movement. Its interior is mainly sealed by a gasket 2 and a meter glass 12, as shown in the figure. The conventional gasket 2 is an annular plate, located above the meter glass 12, and is pressed and fixed by a metal cover 3. The metal cover 3 is a copper cover or a stainless steel cover, and is threadedly fastened to the housing of the non-magnetic base meter 1.

[0045] The top of the non-magnetic base watch 1 is fitted with a watch cover 4, as shown in the figure. The watch cover 4 is installed through a watch lug 40. To allow the watch cover 4 to rotate 360°, an annular groove 5 is provided between the metal cover 3 and the washer 2. Correspondingly, the inner side of the metal cover 3 is stepped, with a first annular recess 30 and a second annular recess 32. The inner diameter of the first annular recess 30 is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the watch lug 40, and the inner diameter of the second annular recess 32 is greater than the inner diameter of the first annular recess 30 and greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the washer 2. Based on the installation requirements of the watch cover 4, the annular groove 5 is an initially existing structure.

[0046] Based on the structure of the aforementioned ordinary water meter, this application proposes a method such as... Figures 1 to 15 The ordinary water meter shown is rapidly upgraded to a non-magnetic meter structure, including an adapter ring 6 with an open annular structure, as shown in the figure. The adapter ring 6 is generally C-shaped and includes an insert 60 and a retaining part 61 arranged parallel to each other. There is an open radially outward groove 62 between the insert 60 and the retaining part 61. The thickness of the insert 60 is adapted to the annular groove 5, and the width of the groove 52 is adapted to the end thickness of the metal cover 3. The retaining part 61 has a screw hole post 63 for installing a wireless data terminal 7. In use, the adapter ring 6 is first fixed into the annular groove 5, and then the wireless data terminal 7 is fixedly connected to the adapter ring 6.

[0047] To improve the reliability of the upgrade and modification, a circumferential limiting structure is provided between the adapter ring 6 and the washer 2 and / or metal cover 3. In addition, this application mainly provides three different circumferential limiting structures.

[0048] Key reference Figures 5 to 9 The washer 2 has a protrusion 20 extending into the annular groove 5 along its thickness direction. The protrusion 20 is annular and has an inner tooth 21 on its radial inner side. The outer side of the insert 60 has an outer tooth 67 that adapts to the inner tooth 21. After installation, the outer tooth 67 meshes with the inner tooth 21, which greatly increases the difficulty of rotating the adapter puller 6, thereby playing a circumferential limiting role.

[0049] Combination Figure 10 and Figure 11In the second embodiment, the portion of the washer 2 at the bottom of the annular groove 5 has upper protruding teeth 22 distributed along its axial direction, while the lower side of the insert portion 60 has lower protruding teeth 64 that are adapted to the upper protruding teeth 22. The principle of this embodiment is similar to that of the previous embodiment, and it has better circumferential limiting capability. Even when the adapter ring 6 is subjected to radial pressure, the upper protruding teeth 22 and the lower protruding teeth 64 are not easy to disengage, and its structure is relatively more reliable.

[0050] It should be noted that this application does not ensure that the acquisition module in the wireless data terminal 7 is aligned with the pointer 10 of the non-magnetic metal plate in the non-magnetic base table 1. Therefore, the tooth spacing of the inner convex tooth 21 or the upper convex tooth 22 is less than or equal to 1.2mm. In this way, even if there is a meshing error of one tooth during the installation process, it will not have a significant impact on the data acquisition and will be within an acceptable error range.

[0051] Key reference Figure 12 and Figure 16 In the third embodiment, the washer 2 has a traditional structure, while the adapter ring 6 has countersunk holes 65 at both ends near the opening and is equipped with locking screws. When the adapter ring 6 is inserted into the annular groove 5, the locking screws can be used to pass through the countersunk holes 65 and abut against the upper end face of the metal cover 3. It can be used in conjunction with a locking nut to further improve its reliability.

[0052] To improve the accuracy of the assembly position of the adapter ring 6, an alignment mark 66 is provided on the upper surface of the clamping part 61. The alignment mark 66 is a scratch or a marking line, and its position corresponds to the engagement line 11 between the display panel and the pointer panel in the movement.

[0053] The wireless data terminal 7 of this application includes a base 70, which has an inner stop 700 located radially inside the adapter ring 6 and an outer stop located outside the metal cover. The inner stop 700 and the adapter ring 6 have an axial limiting structure that cooperates with each other. See details [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 , Figure 13 and Figure 15 The inner stop 700 has an outwardly protruding clip 702 on the side near the outer stop. The lower side of the clip 702 is a guide slope. The inner side of the adapter ring 6 has an inwardly protruding anti-retraction part 68 at the corresponding position. In addition, the base 70 has a sleeve part 701 with an inner diameter that is adapted to the outer diameter of the screw hole post 63. During installation, the screw hole post 63 extends into the corresponding sleeve part 701.

[0054] Based on the above-mentioned structure for rapidly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters, this application proposes a method for rapidly upgrading ordinary water meters to non-magnetic meters, the specific steps of which are as follows:

[0055] Step 1: Keep the original lead seal 13 of the ordinary water meter intact, and remove the meter cover 4 and meter lug 40 of the original ordinary water meter.

[0056] The second step is to insert the adapter ring 6 into the ring groove 5, and then fix the wireless data terminal 7 to the adapter ring 6.

[0057] The third step is to test the signal of the wireless data terminal 7 and rotate the wireless data terminal 7 to make its signal reach a suitable position.

[0058] In practice, the second step is usually pre-fixing, where the two are not actually connected, but the upper and lower bases are aligned in the installation position. After confirming that the signal of the wireless data terminal 7 is good, it is then fixed to the adapter ring 6 with the connecting screw 71.

[0059] In step S2, the alignment mark 66 is aligned with the engagement line 11 of the inner surface plate of the original ordinary water meter to ensure positional reliability.

[0060] It should be noted that the third type of adapter ring 6 proposed in this application is more suitable for upgrading traditional old ordinary water meters, while the first and second types are more suitable for upgrading ordinary water meters installed later. This allows for the processing of the gasket 2 during the subsequent production of ordinary water meters, enabling the structure to be designed as follows: Figure 8 or Figure 11 With this structure, subsequent upgrades only require the installation of a corresponding adapter ring 6, resulting in better reliability.

[0061] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art, under the guidance of the present invention, can make various similar representations without departing from the spirit and claims of the present invention, and such modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A common water meter field quick upgrade non-magnetic meter structure, wherein the common water meter comprises a base meter (1), the top of the base meter (1) is provided with a gasket (2) and a metal cover (3), and the gasket (2) and the metal cover (3) are enclosed with a ring groove (5) for installing a meter cover (4), characterized in that: The adapter ring (6) includes an open annular structure, the adapter ring (6) includes a parallel embedded part (60) and a clamping part (61), and there is an open radially outward groove (62) between the embedded part (60) and the clamping part (61), wherein the thickness of the embedded part (60) is adapted to the annular groove (5), the width of the groove (62) is adapted to the end thickness of the metal cover (3), and the clamping part (61) has a screw hole post (63) for mounting a wireless data terminal (7).

2. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a general water meter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adapter ring (6) has a circumferential limiting structure that cooperates with the washer (2) and / or metal cover (3).

3. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a general water meter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The washer (2) has a protrusion (20) extending into the annular groove (5) along its thickness direction. The protrusion (20) has an inner tooth (21) on its radially inner side, and the insert (60) has an outer tooth (67) adapted to the inner tooth (21) on its outer side.

4. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a general water meter according to claim 3, characterized in that: Alternatively, the portion of the washer (2) at the bottom of the annular groove (5) has upper convex teeth (22) distributed along its axial direction, and the lower side of the insert (60) has lower convex teeth (64) adapted to the upper convex teeth (22).

5. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a general water meter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adapter ring (6) has countersunk holes (65) at both ends near the opening and is equipped with locking screws.

6. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a conventional water meter of claim 4, wherein: The tooth spacing of the inner convex tooth (21) or the upper convex tooth (22) is less than or equal to 1.2 mm.

7. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a conventional water meter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The wireless data terminal (7) includes a base (70), the base (70) having an inner stop (700) located radially inside the adapter ring (6), and the inner stop (700) and the adapter ring (6) having an axial limiting structure that cooperates with each other.

8. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a conventional water meter of claim 7, wherein: The base (70) has a sleeve (701) with an inner diameter that is adapted to the outer diameter of the screw hole post (63).

9. The non-magnetic meter structure for field quick upgrade of a conventional water meter of claim 1, wherein: The upper surface of the abutment (61) has alignment marks (66).

10. A method for upgrading a common water meter to a non-magnetic meter structure in the field quickly using the common water meter field quick upgrade non-magnetic meter structure of any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Keep the original ordinary water meter's lead seal intact, and remove the original ordinary water meter's cover and lugs; S2. Insert the adapter ring (6) into the ring groove (5), and then fix the wireless data terminal (7) to the adapter ring (6); S3. Test the signal of the wireless data terminal (7) and rotate the wireless data terminal (7) to make its signal reach a good position.

11. The method for rapidly upgrading a conventional water meter to a non-magnetic meter according to claim 10, characterized in that: In step S2, the alignment mark (66) is used to align with the snap-fit ​​line of the inner surface plate of the original ordinary water meter.

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