Water seal safety device for a domestic drainage system

Abstract

The utility model relates to building water supply and drainage engineering technical field especially an indoor drainage system's water seal safety device, include: water injection port, be located in the water seal structure liquid level front end or water outlet top of drainage pipeline, water supplement pipeline is used for receiving outside water supplement and connects water injection port, liquid level detection mechanism, set up in the cavity of water seal structure, liquid level detection mechanism is used for detecting water seal liquid level height and generates liquid level signal, controller, communication connection in liquid level detection mechanism and external water supplement device, the controller according to the comparison result of liquid level signal and preset liquid level value, to control the opening and close of external water supplement device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of building water supply and drainage engineering technology, specifically a water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system. Background Technology

[0002] The indoor environmental quality of residential buildings is directly related to residents' health and quality of life. In the construction system of good housing, odorlessness is a crucial and fundamental evaluation indicator and development goal. As a key functional system within the building, the performance of the indoor drainage system is a core element in achieving the goal of odorlessness.

[0003] A water seal is an indispensable key component of an indoor drainage system, typically found in the water traps of drain accessories such as floor drains, sinks, and dishwashers. By maintaining a certain height of water within its U-shaped or S-shaped pipe, the water seal forms a reliable sealing barrier, effectively preventing odors, harmful gases, bacteria, viruses, and even insects from the main drainage pipe from entering the room, thus ensuring indoor hygiene, safety, and air quality.

[0004] However, current water seal designs have a significant technical flaw: their sealing effectiveness relies on the continuous presence of water within the seal. In areas with infrequent drainage, such as bathrooms, balcony drains, or guest room bathrooms, the water within the seal will gradually evaporate and dry out due to prolonged lack of replenishment. Once the water seal dries up, its sealing barrier function completely fails, allowing direct connection between the indoor drainage system and the indoor space. This allows harmful gases and pathogens to directly enter the room, severely impacting the quality and comfort of the living environment, posing a potential threat to residents' health, and potentially leading to public health and safety incidents such as cross-infection of viruses.

[0005] In response to this widespread problem, the national mandatory standard "General Code for Building Water Supply, Drainage and Water Conservation" GB55020-2021 clearly requires that "water should be regularly replenished to drainage accessories equipped with water seals in infrequently used toilets, bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc." This standard acknowledges the severity of the problem and proposes a solution.

[0006] However, applying the aforementioned regulations to residential buildings presents significant practical difficulties and feasibility obstacles. Residential interiors are private spaces, and their usage frequency (e.g., second bathrooms, guest bathrooms) depends entirely on the resident's personal habits, exhibiting a high degree of uncertainty and privacy. Whether entrusting property management personnel or requiring residents to perform "regular" water replenishment, establishing an effective supervision and enforcement mechanism is challenging. Furthermore, manual water replenishment is ineffective in detecting water seal breaches caused by pressure fluctuations in the drainage system. Relying on manual water replenishment is not only inefficient and unreliable but also lacks sustainability, failing to fundamentally guarantee the long-term effectiveness of the water seal. Therefore, the regulations lack operability in residential building scenarios, necessitating an intelligent solution that can automatically maintain the water seal without human intervention.

[0007] In summary, existing technologies lack an automated device that can effectively solve the problem of water seal drying at infrequently used drainage points in residential buildings. Therefore, to achieve the key construction goal of "good housing without odors" and protect residents' health, it is necessary to optimize and improve indoor water supply and drainage systems to address the problems of existing building water supply and drainage systems being heavily reliant on manual labor and having unreliable water seals. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system, so as to overcome the problem that the existing building water supply and drainage system relies heavily on manual labor and the water seal is unreliable.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: A water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system includes: The water inlet is located at the front end of the liquid front of the water seal structure of the drainage pipe or at the top of the water outlet. A water supply pipe is used to receive external water and connect to the water inlet; A liquid level detection mechanism is disposed in the cavity of the water seal structure. The liquid level detection mechanism is used to detect the height of the water seal liquid level and generate a liquid level signal. The controller is communicatively connected to the liquid level detection mechanism and the external water supply device. The controller controls the opening and closing of the external water supply device based on the comparison result between the liquid level signal and the preset liquid level value.

[0010] Alternatively, the liquid level detection mechanism includes: The bypass cavity is formed on the water seal straight pipe section through a bypass baffle and is connected to the inner liquid surface of the water seal structure. A magnetic float is disposed within the bypass cavity; A magnetic level gauge is correspondingly installed on the outside of the bypass cavity.

[0011] Alternatively, the magnetic level gauge detects the position of the magnetic float via magnetic coupling.

[0012] Alternatively, the magnetic level gauge may be a magnetostrictive level gauge or a magnetoresistive level gauge.

[0013] Alternatively, the controller includes: The signal receiving unit receives the liquid level signal; The processing unit compares the liquid level signal with a preset safety threshold. The control output unit outputs a water replenishment control signal.

[0014] Optionally, the preset safety threshold is ≥20mm.

[0015] Alternatively, when the water inlet is located at the front end of the liquid surface of the water seal structure, its opening should be higher than the water seal liquid surface to avoid forming a double water seal.

[0016] Alternatively, when the water inlet is located at the outlet of the water seal structure, its opening direction is configured such that the water supply flow is divided into two streams: one flowing towards the drainage outlet and the other towards the water seal surface.

[0017] Alternatively, the controller may be configured as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

[0018] Alternatively, the controller is connected to the liquid level detection mechanism via a cable.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: Through the above technical solution, the closed-loop setting of the device's detection and control enables unmanned and automated operation. Even when residents are away for extended periods or the house is vacant, the water seal remains effective. Real-time detection by the liquid level detection mechanism triggers water replenishment immediately when the water seal level just falls below the effective threshold, and the replenishment process precisely stops at the preset liquid level. This avoids both delayed replenishment leading to drying out and excessive replenishment causing water waste, ensuring uninterrupted water seal function and eliminating the health hazard of harmful gases entering the room. The water inlet is located at the front of the water seal structure or the top of the outlet, eliminating the need for large-scale modifications to existing water seal structures (such as floor drains or water traps), and can be directly adapted to common indoor drainage accessories in residential buildings. The water inlet is positioned above the water seal level, avoiding the use of shared or series water seals, thus preventing drainage problems caused by double water seal structures at the source. The replenishment pipe connects to an external water source (such as indoor tap water pipes), eliminating the need for a dedicated water supply system and reducing the difficulty and cost of retrofitting the device in existing residences. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the exemplary embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be considered as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the installation of the water seal safety device for the indoor drainage system provided by this utility model during application. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the water seal safety device for the indoor drainage system provided by this utility model in one embodiment; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the liquid level detection mechanism in the water seal safety device of the indoor drainage system provided by this utility model.

[0021] The attached diagram shows the following components and their corresponding names: 1-Water seal safety device, 2-Water inlet, 3-Level detection mechanism, 31-Bypass baffle, 32-Bypass cavity, 33-Magnetic float, 34-Magnetic level gauge, 4-Controller, 5-Cable, 6-Water supply pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that while the description of these embodiments is intended to aid in understanding the present invention, it does not constitute a limitation thereof. The specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are only for describing exemplary embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in many alternative forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0023] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system is provided. Wherein, Figures 1 to 3 Specific embodiments thereof are shown.

[0024] See Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the water seal safety device 1 of the indoor drainage system includes: a water inlet 2, located at the front end of the water seal structure of the drainage pipe or at the top of the outlet; a water supply pipe 6, used to receive external water supply and connect to the water inlet 2; a liquid level detection mechanism 3, located inside the cavity of the water seal structure, used to detect the height of the water seal liquid level and generate a liquid level signal; and a controller 4, communicatively connected to the liquid level detection mechanism 3 and the external water supply device, which controls the opening and closing of the external water supply device based on the comparison result of the liquid level signal and the preset liquid level value.

[0025] The liquid level detection mechanism 3 is fixed inside the water seal structure cavity and directly contacts the water in the water seal. When the water in the water seal decreases due to accidents, evaporation, minor leakage, or other reasons, the liquid level drops. The liquid level detection mechanism 3 converts the liquid level into a recognizable liquid level signal, enabling real-time sensing of the water seal status.

[0026] After the water seal safety device 1 is powered on, the liquid level detection mechanism 3 continuously detects the liquid level in the water seal structure cavity and sends a liquid level signal to the controller 4 at preset intervals. The controller 4 receives the signal in real time and compares it with the preset liquid level value. If the real-time liquid level value is within the normal range, the controller 4 does not generate a water replenishment command, the external water replenishment device remains closed, and the device is in a low-power standby mode, maintaining only the functions of liquid level detection and signal transmission.

[0027] When the water in the water seal gradually evaporates due to long-term inactivity and the liquid level drops below the preset liquid level value, the liquid level detection mechanism 3 immediately sends a "low liquid level signal" to the controller 4. After receiving the signal, the controller 4 first performs a signal validity verification. After confirming that the signal is correct, it determines that the water seal has entered the "waiting for water replenishment state" and then triggers the water replenishment procedure.

[0028] The controller 4 sends a continuous energizing signal to the solenoid valve, which activates the external water supply device. External water enters the water supply pipe 6 and the water inlet 2 through the sanitary ware and flows into the water seal structure cavity. During this process, the liquid level detection mechanism 3 tracks the changes in liquid level in real time and transmits the updated liquid level signal to the controller 4 synchronously, forming a dynamic feedback between water supply and detection.

[0029] When the liquid level detection mechanism 3 detects that the water seal liquid level has risen back to the preset liquid level value, it sends a normal liquid level signal to the controller 4. After receiving the signal, the controller 4 controls the external water replenishment device to shut down, and the water replenishment process is terminated; the device then returns to the standby detection stage, waiting for the next liquid level abnormality signal to be triggered, so as to achieve continuous cyclic protection of the water seal status.

[0030] The external water supply device is configured as a pipeline or existing equipment capable of supplying water to the water supply pipeline.

[0031] Through the above technical solution, the closed-loop setting of the detection and control of this device can achieve unmanned and automated operation. Even when residents are away for a long time and the house is vacant, the water seal can still maintain an effective state. Through real-time detection by the liquid level detection mechanism 3, water replenishment can be triggered immediately when the water seal liquid level is just below the effective threshold, and the water replenishment process stops precisely at the preset liquid level value. This avoids both the drying out caused by delayed water replenishment and the waste of water resources caused by excessive water replenishment, achieving zero-interruption guarantee of the water seal function and eliminating the health hazards of harmful gases entering the room. The water inlet 2 is located at the front of the water seal structure or the top of the outlet, without the need for large-scale modification of the existing water seal structure (such as floor drains and water traps), and can be directly adapted to common drainage accessories in residential buildings. The water inlet is set above the water seal liquid level, avoiding the use of shared water seals or series water seals, and fundamentally avoiding drainage problems caused by double water seal structures. The water replenishment pipe 6 connects to an external water source (such as indoor tap water pipes), eliminating the need to build an additional dedicated water supply system, reducing the difficulty of modification and installation costs of the device in existing residences.

[0032] It should be noted that directional terms such as "inner" and "outer" refer to "inner" and "outer" relative to the outline of the component. "Inner" refers to the direction towards the inside of the component, and "outer" refers to the direction away from it. Furthermore, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one element from another and do not indicate sequence or importance. Moreover, in the following descriptions with accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same element. The phrase "and / or" in the text refers to A and / or B, indicating that there are three possible scenarios: only A, only B, and both A and B. The phrase " / and" in the text refers to A and B, indicating that there are two possible scenarios: only A and both A and B.

[0033] In one embodiment provided in this disclosure, the liquid level detection mechanism 3 includes: a bypass cavity 32, formed on the straight section of the water seal through a bypass baffle 31, and connected to the inner liquid surface of the water seal structure, so that the liquid level in the bypass cavity 32 is completely consistent with the liquid level in the main water seal cavity (no liquid level difference), avoiding "misjudgment" caused by the asynchronous liquid level between the detection area and the actual water seal area (such as the main cavity being dry but the bypass cavity 32 still containing water, or vice versa), providing a basic guarantee for subsequent detection accuracy. A magnetic float 33 is disposed in the bypass cavity 32; a magnetic level gauge 34 is correspondingly disposed on the outside of the bypass cavity 32. When the main water seal cavity drains, it will pass through sewage, hair, oil and other impurities, while the bypass cavity 32 only retains clean water synchronized with the main cavity (because it does not participate in the drainage flow channel, no impurities enter), providing the magnetic float 33 with a movement environment free from impurity interference, avoiding the float being entangled or stuck by impurities, and avoiding failure due to impurity obstruction.

[0034] When the liquid level in the main water seal chamber drops due to evaporation, the liquid level in the bypass chamber 32 drops synchronously, and the float sinks accordingly. When water is added, the liquid level rises, and the float rises synchronously. The movement of the float and the change in liquid level are completely linked in real time, eliminating the signal delay problem of electronic sensors. It can immediately trigger subsequent signal transmission when the liquid level just falls below the preset threshold, providing a prerequisite for timely water replenishment and avoiding temporary drying of the water seal due to response lag. In this way, the controller 4 can obtain the water seal liquid level status in real time and accurately control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve. This avoids the health risks of water seal drying and prevents the waste of resources due to excessive water replenishment, providing a reliable sensing guarantee for achieving the drainage goal of odor-free housing construction.

[0035] Specifically, the magnetic level gauge 34 detects the position of the magnetic float 33 through magnetic coupling. This completely isolates the magnetic level gauge 34 from the water (only outside the cavity), preventing impurities from contacting the level gauge's sensing element. Furthermore, the magnetic float 33 is located in the clean, impurity-free area of ​​the bypass cavity 32, preventing the float from getting stuck due to impurities, thus ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the detection results.

[0036] In one embodiment, the magnetic level gauge 34 is a magnetostrictive level gauge or a magnetoresistive level gauge. Based on the structural characteristics of these two level gauges, the real-time detection of the water seal liquid level can be achieved accurately and reliably, thereby providing stable signal support for the controller 4 to trigger the water replenishment action, enabling the water seal safety device 1 to achieve automatic water replenishment, odor and poison prevention, and water conservation compliance. Since both types of level gauges are existing technologies, they will not be described in detail in this disclosure.

[0037] In one embodiment provided in this disclosure, the controller 4 includes: a signal receiving unit for receiving a liquid level signal; a processing unit for comparing the liquid level signal with a preset safety threshold; and a control output unit for outputting a water replenishment control signal.

[0038] The signal receiving unit stabilizes the liquid level signal, ensuring a distortion-free input and filtering environmental noise to prevent signal distortion. The processing unit performs precise comparison and logical judgment, comparing the received liquid level signal with a threshold value to ensure appropriate water replenishment and prevent insufficient or excessive replenishment. The control output unit incorporates a solenoid valve drive circuit (such as a relay or MOSFET drive module), which can output a matching control signal based on the solenoid valve type.

[0039] In actual operation, the signal receiving unit filters out interference signals to ensure signal accuracy, while the processing unit analyzes and judges the signals, thereby enabling the control output unit to accurately issue corresponding instructions. As a result, the water seal level can be continuously maintained within a safe range without human intervention. Even if residents are away for a long time, the water seal can still effectively isolate odors and bacteria, meeting the goal of a good housing construction system that eliminates odors in indoor drainage systems.

[0040] Specifically, the preset safety threshold is ≥20mm. This ensures the threshold meets the basic safety baseline while overcoming scenario limitations through flexible design. It should be noted that in this disclosure, the preset safety threshold is adjustable, which is beneficial for adapting to various different application scenarios and improving the applicability of the water seal safety device 1.

[0041] In one embodiment provided in this disclosure, the opening of the water inlet 2 is higher than the water seal liquid level, avoiding the use of shared water seals or series water seals, thus fundamentally avoiding the drainage problem caused by the double water seal structure.

[0042] In one embodiment, the controller 4 is configured as a PLC programmable logic controller 4, which has strong anti-interference capabilities and can better adapt to the environment. Furthermore, by modifying the programming, thresholds or other parameters can be adjusted, facilitating functional expansion and adaptation to subsequent hardware, thus enabling device upgrades.

[0043] In one embodiment, the controller 4 is connected to the liquid level detection mechanism 3 via a cable 5, thereby ensuring accurate, stable and safe signal transmission through a physical wired transmission method, while also taking into account the convenience of operation and maintenance and cost adaptability.

[0044] The above specific embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solution and beneficial effects of this utility model. It should be understood that the above are only specific embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system, characterized in that, include: The water inlet is located at the front end of the liquid surface of the water seal structure of the drainage pipe or at the top of the water outlet. A water supply pipe is used to receive external water and connect to the water inlet; A liquid level detection mechanism is disposed in the cavity of the water seal structure. The liquid level detection mechanism is used to detect the height of the water seal liquid level and generate a liquid level signal. The controller is communicatively connected to the liquid level detection mechanism and the external water supply device. The controller controls the opening and closing of the external water supply device based on the comparison result between the liquid level signal and the preset liquid level value.

2. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid level detection mechanism includes: The bypass cavity is formed on the water seal straight pipe section through a bypass baffle and is connected to the inner liquid surface of the water seal structure. A magnetic float is disposed within the bypass cavity; A magnetic level gauge is correspondingly installed on the outside of the bypass cavity.

3. The water seal safety device for the indoor drainage system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The magnetic level gauge detects the position of the magnetic float via magnetic coupling.

4. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The magnetic level gauge is a magnetostrictive level gauge or a magnetoresistive level gauge.

5. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller includes: The signal receiving unit receives the liquid level signal; The processing unit compares the liquid level signal with a preset safety threshold. The control output unit outputs a water replenishment control signal.

6. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The preset safety threshold is ≥20mm.

7. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the water inlet is located at the front end of the liquid surface of the water seal structure, its opening should be higher than the liquid surface of the water seal to avoid forming a double water seal.

8. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the water inlet is located at the outlet of the water seal structure, its opening direction is configured to divide the water supply flow into two streams: one flowing towards the drainage outlet and the other towards the water seal surface.

9. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured as a PLC programmable logic controller.

10. The water seal safety device for an indoor drainage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is connected to the liquid level detection mechanism via a cable.

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