Inspection chamber for a roof with a water-bearing layer and roof structure with inspection chamber

Abstract

The invention relates to an inspection shaft (1) for a green roof structure (2) with a water-bearing layer (20), comprising a side wall (10) which delimits an interior space (11) of the inspection shaft (1) which is at least partially unlimited downwards, a holder (12) arranged in the interior space (11) for a water level sensor (3), and an adaptation device (13) which is designed to position the holder (12) in such a way that the water level sensor (3) can be fastened in a position which is optimized for measuring the water level in the water-bearing layer (20). The invention further relates to a roof structure (2) with a water-bearing layer (20) and at least one inspection shaft (1) in which a water level sensor (3) for measuring the water level in the water-bearing layer (20) is arranged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to an inspection shaft for a roof with a water-bearing layer and in particular for a green roof or a traffic roof in whose roof structure a water-bearing layer is present, as well as a roof structure with an inspection shaft. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In recent times, green roofs and public roofs are no longer used solely for the static collection and retention of precipitation, but increasingly for active precipitation management. The collected precipitation is further distributed, for example, using computer-controlled outlets and / or controllable pumps, taking climatic influences into account and achieving predetermined water balances, as described, for example, in EP 3202995 A1 and EP 3757300 A1 by the applicant. The green roofs used in this context generally have a multi-layered green roof structure that includes a water-bearing layer. The same applies to public roofs, which have a walkable or drivable surface instead of an upper, planted layer. Roofs that have walkable or drivable areas alongside planted areas are also common.Such roofs, in which water can be absorbed in an aquifer, are often referred to as retention roofs. These retention roofs contain a supporting structure that defines the cavity in which the water from the aquifer can be absorbed. Such supporting structures are often formed from a large number of box-shaped structural elements arranged next to one another, which are known as water retention boxes. For the purposes of this application, a roof structure is generally understood to mean any layered structure in which one of the layers is a water-bearing layer, regardless of whether this extends over the entire roof area or only part of it, and regardless of how many and which types of layers are located above and below the aquifer, and regardless of the use they are intended for.Here, too, the layer structure can be different in different parts of the roof surface.

[0003] In such complex roof layer structures there is usually at least one inspection chamber, which is installed above a roof drain, for example. The inspection chamber is usually installed either directly on the roof waterproofing (in this case with openings in the lower area so as not to stop the water flow) or above the water-bearing layer, i.e. on the supporting structure of the retention roof. The inspection chamber has a side wall that demarcates the interior from the layers of the roof (green roof) structure adjacent to the side wall. At the bottom, towards the roof waterproofing, the inspection chamber is at least partially and usually completely open. In the latter case the interior is not limited at the bottom by a floor slab, in the former case there is at least one opening in the floor slab.In contrast, the inspection chamber is closed at the top with a removable cover or flap, allowing access to the interior. Typically, there is no water retention box or supporting structure below the interior of the inspection chamber. This allows access to components located within the chamber, including roof waterproofing and roof drains. Components located within the chamber can thus be serviced, repaired, replaced if necessary, and read out if necessary. For example, it is possible to install a processing device within the chamber that is connected to at least one sensor located near the roof to collect data relevant to water management.The sensor can be, for example, a temperature sensor that measures the temperature in the roof area, a soil moisture meter that determines the soil moisture in the planting substrate of a green roof structure, or one or more water level meters for determining the water level in the aquifer and, if applicable, other water reservoirs associated with the roof structure. Data can be transmitted from the at least one sensor to the processing device either via cable or wirelessly. In the latter case, the processing device is or includes a receiver that receives the wirelessly transmitted data. The processing device can also be a storage device in which the sensor data is stored prior to further processing.The data transmitted by the sensors is evaluated either in the processing device itself or, preferably, in a computer located outside the roof. If the data is transmitted wirelessly from the processing device to the computer rather than via cable, a transmitter is located inside the inspection shaft for this purpose, or the processing device is a transmitter that directly forwards the received data.

[0004] For water management, such as that described in the two publications mentioned above, at least one water level sensor is required to measure the water level in the aquifer of the roof structure. This can, for example, be a float located in the aquifer, preferably one that can transmit values ​​electronically to the storage device. However, such water level sensors have proven to be maintenance-prone and sometimes inaccurate. Measurement values ​​provided by other electronic water level sensors in the aquifer have also proven to be not entirely reliable.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to create a possibility that allows the water level in a roof structure with a water-bearing layer to be determined easily and reliably. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This object is achieved by providing an inspection shaft having the features of claim 1 and a roof structure having the features of claim 11. This roof structure preferably has an inspection shaft according to claim 1. Preferred developments of the inspection shaft are described in the claims dependent on claim 1.

[0007] As the applicant's investigations have revealed, one reason for the insufficient reliability of measured values ​​provided by water level sensors in the conventional arrangement is that there is usually only a relatively low height available in the aquifer for the installation of a water level sensor. The height of the aquifer is generally determined by the height of the supporting structure, which defines the cavity in which the water in the aquifer can be absorbed. The comparatively low height of the aquifer or the supporting structure can, for example, lead to the water level sensor either not being able to be installed there at all or being installed in a position that is not ideal for measuring the water level.For example, it is important for many types of water level sensors to be aligned as precisely perpendicular to the water surface in order to deliver accurate readings. This applies not only to water level sensors with floats, but also to capacitive water level gauges, for example. However, an exactly perpendicular alignment is often difficult due to the poor accessibility of the aquifer. In the case of ultrasonic sensors, the sensor surface should be as precisely parallel to the water surface as possible to achieve accurate readings. In addition to the aforementioned difficulties in installation, the sensor surface must be sufficiently distanced from the water surface to obtain accurate readings. However, this sufficient distance is often not possible in relatively shallow aquifers.

[0008] In the present invention, the aforementioned difficulties are avoided by installing the water level sensor in the interior of an inspection shaft of the roof structure. The water level sensor is installed in an area where the interior is open at the bottom and the water surface of the aquifer is exposed from the interior. This allows, for example, an ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic waves from the sensor surface to reach the water surface. Water level sensors that require contact with the water to measure the water level can thus have a lower section immersed in the water, while an upper section is attached to the inspection shaft. In addition to the height of the aquifer, the entire height of the interior of the inspection shaft is available to the water level sensor.This not only provides more than enough clearance to precisely align the water level sensor with respect to the water surface, but also ensures that the water level sensor is positioned at a sufficient distance from the water surface, for example, to provide a sufficient path for the sound waves of an ultrasonic sensor. This allows for reliable and accurate measurements of the water level in the aquifer. At the same time, the water level sensor located inside the inspection chamber is very easily accessible for maintenance, repair, or replacement. This latter advantage applies to all applicable water level sensors, regardless of whether the accuracy of their measurement results depends on the precision of their positioning with respect to the water surface of the aquifer.The invention is therefore fundamentally suitable for any type of water level sensor that is suitable for measuring the water level in the water-bearing layer of a roof structure.

[0009] While any prior art inspection shaft that allows downward access to the water surface from its interior is fundamentally suitable for mounting the water level sensor, an inspection shaft according to claim 1 is preferably used in the roof structure according to the invention. This shaft has a side wall that laterally delimits an interior of the inspection shaft that is at least partially unlimited downwards. A holder for a water level sensor is provided in the interior of the inspection shaft. According to the invention, an adjustment device is also provided in the interior, which is designed to position the holder such that the water level sensor can be fastened in a position optimized for measuring the water level in the aquifer.

[0010] The inspection chamber according to the invention can basically be designed like a conventional inspection chamber, but differs from the latter by the presence of the adjustment device for the bracket to which the water level sensor is attached. This also makes it possible to retrofit a conventional inspection chamber by subsequently attaching the adjustment device and a bracket for a water level sensor. The adjustment device serves the purpose of aligning the bracket so that the water level sensor is in a position in which optimal measurement results can be achieved when measuring the water level in the aquifer. In particular, the adjustment device allows adjustment of the distance of the water level sensor from the water surface and / or the inclination of the water level sensor with respect to the water surface of the aquifer.For example, the adjustment device can enable the bracket to be mounted in different positions relative to the vertical direction of the inspection shaft (the direction from the lower opening of the inspection shaft, adjacent to the roof surface, to its upper opening). In this way, for example, an optimal distance of the water level sensor from the water surface can be set. Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment device can be designed so that different inclination angles can be set for the bracket with respect to the water surface. To achieve optimal measurement results, commercially available water level sensors usually require either an alignment with their longitudinal extension perpendicular or their sensor surface parallel to the horizontal water surface, as already mentioned above.However, due to unevenness of the roof surface and / or the layers below the aquifer, the inspection chamber is not always level. Accordingly, the side wall does not always run vertically upwards, which in turn means that the bracket mounted in the inspection chamber is not exactly in the optimal position for positioning the water level sensor. The adjustment device provides a remedy, as it allows the position of the bracket to be adjusted so that a water level sensor attached to it is optimally aligned with the water surface.

[0011] For this optimal alignment of the water level sensor to achieve precise measurement results, if the water level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, the adaptation device is designed to position the holder such that the sensor surface of the ultrasonic sensor is arranged substantially parallel to the water surface of the aquifer during operation. If the water level sensor is a capacitive water level sensor that comprises at least one rod probe, the adaptation device is designed to position the holder such that the at least one rod probe, in the mounted state, is held in the holder with its longitudinal extension direction substantially perpendicular to the water surface of the aquifer. "Substantially parallel" or "substantially perpendicular" means a deviation of a maximum of ±2°, preferably a maximum of ±1°, from the exactly parallel or exactly perpendicular alignment.

[0012] Specifically, the compensating device comprises holding means and / or fastening means with which the holder can be attached to the inspection shaft at different distances from the lower opening of the interior space - and thus at different distances from the water surface of the aquifer. Alternatively or additionally, the compensating device comprises holding means and / or fastening means with which the holder can be aligned at different inclinations with respect to the plane of the water surface of the aquifer (or generally with respect to a horizontal plane). In preferred embodiments of the invention, the compensating device is designed such that both the arrangement of the holder at different distances from the water surface and the adjustment of the inclination to the water surface are possible.In this invention, "supporting means" refers to means for attaching the support to the inspection shaft, which are located on the support. "Fastening means," on the other hand, refer to means for attaching the support to the inspection shaft, which are located on the inspection shaft, preferably on its side wall. Preferably, both the support means and the fastening means are those that allow a detachable attachment of the support to the inspection shaft.

[0013] The shape of the bracket to which the water level sensor is attached is not particularly restricted. The bracket must simply be suitable for holding the water level sensor above a location within the inspection chamber that allows access to the water surface of the aquifer through a bottom opening of the inspection chamber. The bracket can, for example, be attached to an upper edge of the inspection chamber or to its side wall. For example, the upper section of the bracket can be hooked so that it can be hung over the upper edge of the inspection chamber—similar to a coat hook hung from a door leaf—with the lower section of the bracket hanging into the interior of the inspection chamber. Any type of support beam, plate-shaped girder, support rail, support profile, etc. are also suitable.The bracket can be attached to the inspection chamber on just one side, with the free end extending into the interior of the inspection chamber, or on multiple sides. For example, it is possible to attach the bracket to two adjacent sides at an angle to the side wall of the inspection chamber. However, it is more preferable to have the bracket run through the entire interior and attach it to opposite sides of the side wall. Since the attachment of the water level sensor requires very little space, the remaining sections of the bracket can then be used to attach other components inside the inspection chamber. The bracket is ideally attached to the inspection chamber in such a way that a support area of ​​the bracket, i.e. the area in which the water level sensor is attached to the bracket, runs parallel to the water surface of the aquifer (or, in other words, is aligned horizontally).If the mount is designed as a support beam, plate-shaped support, support rail, or support profile, these are preferably aligned parallel to the water surface. This simplifies the alignment of the water level sensor in the desired position relative to the water surface.

[0014] The water level sensor is attached to the bracket using a conventional method. Preferably, the water level sensor is passed through an opening in the bracket and then secured. This can be achieved, for example, by clamping, particularly using an elastic ring that is pressed against the water level sensor by means of a fastening nut. However, a variety of other suitable mounting options are also conceivable.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holder has mounting means on at least one side, and preferably on two, particularly opposite, sides, with which it can be fastened to the side wall of the inspection shaft. The side wall, in turn, has fastening means complementary to the mounting means. The fastening means and the mounting means together form the compensating device of the invention.

[0016] In one variant of the invention, the holding means can be at least one through-opening that runs vertically through a region of the holder that is aligned parallel to the water surface. This at least one through-opening is preferably located in an edge region on at least one of the narrow sides of the holder. There are preferably two through-openings per edge region. The at least one through-opening can have a thread. The holder is preferably made of metal, in particular stainless steel or steel, and particularly preferably aluminum. The same applies to the preferably used holding and fastening means if these are not openings or recesses in the holder or inspection shaft. In principle, however, the materials could also be suitable plastics, although this is generally not preferred.The inspection chamber is preferably made of the material already used in the state of the art, which will usually be a metal and preferably aluminum or stainless steel.

[0017] A fastening element complementary to the at least one through-opening is provided in the inspection shaft for securing the holder. This can be, for example, a retaining pin projecting vertically upward from the side wall and insertable into the through-opening. The retaining pin is held by a support element at a distance from the side wall. If several through-openings are present adjacently in the holder, the associated retaining pins can be attached to a common support element. The support element can be attached to the side wall of the inspection shaft in any suitable manner and is preferably screwed, welded, or soldered.

[0018] In order to be able to mount the bracket at different heights relative to the vertical direction of the inspection chamber—and thus at different distances from the water surface of the aquifer—several mounting options are provided for the bracket at different locations along the vertical direction of the inspection chamber. In particular, various mounting elements are provided in or on the side wall of the inspection chamber, which are located at different positions relative to the vertical direction of the inspection chamber and thus at different distances from the water surface of the aquifer.

[0019] In the example of the retaining pins described above, preferably several retaining pins are attached one above the other to the side wall of the inspection chamber, allowing the holder to be arranged at different heights and correspondingly different distances from the water surface of the aquifer. If, as described, the holder has two or more adjacent through-holes in an edge area, the fastening means on the inspection chamber consist of a corresponding number of parallel rows of retaining pins arranged one above the other. These can be attached individually to the side wall, in pairs, or even held as a whole by a common support element, which in turn is attached to the side wall of the inspection chamber.The arrangement of the retaining pins with respect to the height direction of the inspection shaft is again expediently carried out in such a way that the bracket attached to the retaining pins with its support area for receiving the water level sensor is aligned horizontally and thus essentially parallel to the lower opening surface of the inspection shaft and parallel to the water surface of the aquifer.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment, at least one retaining pin is fastened to a support element, which in turn is fastened to the side wall of the inspection shaft via a fastening element which is guided through an elongated hole running in the vertical direction of the inspection shaft. The fastening element can be, for example, a threaded bolt protruding on the side of the support element opposite the retaining pin. By tightening a threaded nut on the threaded bolt, the support element can be screwed to the side wall of the inspection shaft with the retaining pin, wherein the distance of the retaining pin from the lower opening of the inspection shaft can be continuously adjusted by moving the threaded bolt in the elongated hole. In addition, the inclination of the retaining pin in relation to the opening area of ​​the lower opening of the inspection shaft orin relation to the level of the water surface of the aquifer by pivoting the support element. Accordingly, the distance of the water level sensor from the water surface as well as its inclination to the water surface can be specified as desired when the holder is placed on the retaining pin. Preferably, two retaining pins are arranged next to one another on the support element. It is also possible to provide two threaded bolts on the rear side of the support element facing away from the at least one retaining pin, which are guided through two parallel elongated holes in the side wall and fastened in these. In this way, a more secure attachment of the support element to the side wall can be achieved. The inclination can be adjusted if the elongated holes are wider than the diameter of the threaded bolts.Instead of the threaded bolt for securing the support element, a screw can also be used, which is passed through a slotted hole in the side wall and through an opening in the support element. In the example described above, the fastening means for attaching the bracket to the inspection chamber therefore consist of at least one support element with at least one retaining pin, at least one fastening element in the form of a threaded bolt with a threaded nut or a screw with a nut, and at least one slotted hole in the side wall of the inspection chamber.

[0021] In a further variant, at least one fastening projection with a suitably horizontally running fastening region extends from the side wall of the inspection shaft into the interior. In such a case, as an alternative to the embodiment described above, it is also possible to combine the at least one through-opening in the holder with a through-opening arranged in the fastening projection. The fastening projection is suitably angled, with one part running parallel to the side wall and another part, hereinafter referred to as the fastening region, preferably running at a right angle from the side wall into the interior of the inspection shaft. In this fastening region, a number of through-openings are provided which correspond to the number of through-openings in the holder and can be aligned with these.Both the through holes in the bracket and those in the mounting boss can be threaded. A screw can then be threaded into a pair of complementary through holes to connect the bracket and mounting boss. If the screw is a leveling screw, a desired distance can be set between the bracket and the mounting, which simultaneously allows for fine adjustment of the distance between the bracket and the opening surface of the inspection chamber.If there are two adjacent through-holes in the edge area of ​​the bracket and correspondingly two complementary through-holes in the mounting projection, by adjusting leveling screws in both pairs of through-holes, not only the distance of the bracket from the mounting projection and thus from the opening surface of the inspection chamber can be adjusted, but also the inclination of the bracket relative to this opening surface and, accordingly, relative to the water surface of the aquifer. Alternatively, these adjustments can also be made by attaching the mounting projection via at least one elongated hole in the side wall of the inspection chamber, as described above for the fastening devices with a retaining pin.

[0022] In principle, it is possible to interchange the position of the holding means and the fastening means, i.e. to provide the components described above as holding means on the inspection shaft and in particular on its side wall and conversely to provide the components described as fastening means on the holder. It would therefore be possible in principle to provide the holding pins in an edge region of the holder, but then arranged with the free end of the holding pin facing downwards, and the associated receiving openings in a fastening projection that is attached to the side wall, wherein the fastening projection is preferably mounted in at least one elongated hole so that it can be displaced in the vertical direction of the inspection shaft. The holding pins do not necessarily have to be attached to a support element, but can protrude downwards directly beyond the downward-facing side of the holder.

[0023] In contrast to the side wall of the inspection shaft, however, the holder provides less mounting surface for attaching mounting means. For this reason, it is preferable to provide fastening means, which require more space, in the region of the side wall of the inspection shaft. In a preferred variant of the invention, the mounting means are located in a front region of the holder. Sufficient space for attaching the mounting means can be created here if the holder has a front end region that runs parallel to the side wall. When the holder is attached to two, preferably opposite, sides, it is expedient for both sides to have such front end regions. The end region is particularly preferably a beveled region of a support region of the holder designed for attaching the water level sensor.This design is particularly suitable for a strip- or plate-shaped holder, where an end section of the strip- or plate-shaped material can be bent at a preferably right angle to form the end region. With appropriate design, the end region is then also suitable for accommodating several mounting elements arranged vertically one above the other, such as through-holes or retaining projections, or even an elongated hole.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding means and / or the fastening means are designed such that the holder can be fastened on at least one of the two sides, and preferably on both sides, at different heights relative to the vertical direction of the inspection shaft. In concrete terms, this means that the height of the holder's fastening to the side wall of the inspection shaft can be individually adjusted on both sides. A fixed fastening height of the holder on one side and a variable fastening height on the other, however, does not allow for a completely free determination of the fastening height, but merely an adjustment of the inclination of the holder in its longitudinal direction from one holding means to the other.As already mentioned, the mounting is preferably carried out in such a way that the holder is not inclined along its longitudinal axis relative to the water surface of the aquifer, but is arranged horizontally and parallel to the water surface. The support area of ​​the holder is thus essentially parallel to the water surface of the aquifer. This arrangement facilitates the generally desired orientation of the water level sensor with its at least one probe immersed in the water in a direction perpendicular to the water surface or with its sensor surface parallel to the water surface.

[0025] The invention is not limited to the use of the mounting and fastening means described above. Particularly for a mount with at least one end region, the mounting and fastening means can also be selected from one of the following combinations: (a) the holding means are fastening openings and the fastening means are fastening projections, b) the holding means are fastening projections and the fastening means are fastening openings, c) the holding means and the fastening means comprise fastening openings through which a connecting element, in particular in the form of a screw, is guided.

[0026] Even in these combinations, several mounting holes or mounting projections can be arranged one above the other in the vertical direction of the inspection chamber, as already described above. It is also possible to design the mounting hole as a slotted hole running in the vertical direction of the inspection chamber. If a leveling screw is used as the screw, it can also be used to adjust the distance of the bracket from the lower opening of the inspection chamber or the distance of the bracket from the water surface in the aquifer.By using at least two pairs of through-holes arranged side by side and a corresponding number of leveling screws, it is also possible to adjust the inclination of the support area of ​​the bracket transversely to its longitudinal direction, wherein the longitudinal direction corresponds to the direction away from the side wall of the inspection shaft.

[0027] In one variant of the invention, the holder is designed as a rail or plate, or as a plate with a support region and end regions running perpendicular thereto, the support region being flexible. In the latter example, the holder can be fastened in the inspection shaft entirely without additional fastening means such as bolts or screws. For this purpose, the holding means are expediently fastening openings and the fastening means fastening projections, or conversely, the holding means fastening projections and the fastening means fastening openings, wherein the holding means are provided in the end regions. To fit the projections into the associated openings, the holder is deformed in its flexible support region and expediently bent such that the free ends of the end regions move towards one another.This shortens the length of the bracket in its longitudinal direction, allowing it to be inserted between two opposing sections of the side wall. The bracket is then positioned so that it is at the desired height and orientation within the inspection chamber. When the pressure on the bracket is reduced, the end sections spring outward, away from each other. The complementary mounting and fastening elements interlock, so that the bracket is securely mounted on the side wall of the inspection chamber with an unbent support section returned to its original position. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

[0028] The invention will be explained in more detail below using the example of the accompanying drawings. The drawings are purely schematic and not to scale. They serve only to describe preferred embodiments of the invention, without limiting the invention to the embodiments described. In the figures, identical reference numerals designate identical objects or parts, without all objects or parts being provided with reference numerals.

[0029] The figures show: Fig. 1 an embodiment of an inspection shaft according to the invention in perspective view; Fig. 2 a cross-sectional view of a roof structure according to the invention using the example of a green roof structure; Fig. 3 a first embodiment of a combination of holding means and fastening means in an exploded view; Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of a combination of holding means and fastening means in an exploded view with a water level sensor fastened in the holding means; Fig. 5 a third embodiment of a combination of holding means and fastening means in an exploded view with a water level sensor fastened in the holder; Fig. 6 a fourth embodiment of a combination of holding means and fastening means in an exploded view; Fig. 7 an embodiment of a holder with holding means arranged on both sides; Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of a holding means for fastening to the edge of an inspection shaft in an exploded view; Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of a holding means for fastening to the edge of an inspection shaft in an exploded view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of an inspection shaft 1 according to the invention in a perspective view of its upper side. The inspection shaft is defined by a side wall 10, which in the illustrated case consists of four interconnected wall panels arranged at right angles to each other, which laterally define a cuboid-shaped interior space 11. Fig. 1 provides a view into the interior 11, as the cover, which can be placed on the upper edge 10a of the side wall 10, which is bent inwards at a right angle to close off the inspection shaft from above, has been removed. At the lower edge facing the roof surface (not shown here), there are four support surfaces 10b, which are bent outwards at right angles from the side wall 10 to provide secure support for the inspection shaft 1. Inside the side wall 10, the inspection shaft is completely open at the bottom. The lower opening area 15, delimited by the side wall 10, is therefore not delimited by a base plate anywhere, so that unhindered access to the areas of the roof structure located below the interior 11, on which the inspection shaft is installed, is possible across the entire opening area.The material of the side wall 10 as well as the beveled edge areas 10a and base areas 10b is preferably made of aluminum or stainless steel sheet.

[0031] Two support beams 14 are attached to the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1. Both support beams extend across the entire width of the interior 11 and are attached to two opposite inner sides of the side wall 10. The support beams are mounted in such a way that they are attached to the side wall 10 at the same distance from the lower opening surface 15 and run parallel to the lower opening surface. One of the two support beams 14 serves as a holder 12 for a water level sensor 3. For its attachment, a through-hole is passed through the holder 12 / the support beam 14 in a direction perpendicular to the lower opening surface 15. A lower section of a water level sensor 3 is passed through this through-hole, which Fig. 1 is covered by the bracket 12. The water level sensor 3 is attached to the bracket 12 in such a way that the parts of the sensor relevant for measuring the water level in the aquifer of the roof structure are in an optimal position for the measurement. This can be, for example, the sensor surface of an ultrasonic sensor, which is attached in such a way that the ultrasonic waves emitted by the sensor can reach the water surface. In the case of a capacitive water level sensor, this is attached in such a way that at least one of its rod probes extends sufficiently deep into the aquifer. The same applies to the float area of ​​a water level sensor with a float. After the water level sensor 3 has been brought into a suitable position in the through-hole of the bracket 12, it is fixed in this position.In the example shown, this is achieved by tightening a fastening nut 34, which has an external threaded portion engaged with an internal thread of the through-hole. Tightening the fastening nut 34 can exert pressure on an elastomer ring (not visible in the figure) located in an annular groove surrounding the through-hole. The elastomer ring is flattened and pressed inward into the through-hole and against the housing of the water level sensor 3.

[0032] The water level sensor 3 is fixed to the bracket 12 such that its longitudinal extension is aligned as precisely as possible perpendicular to the upper surface of the bracket 12, visible in the figure, and parallel to the vertical direction H of the inspection shaft 1. Since the support beams 14 (the bracket 12) run horizontally and parallel to the lower opening surface 15, and the vertical direction H is perpendicular thereto, the longitudinal extension of the water level sensor 3, when arranged in the roof structure, runs essentially perpendicular to the water surface of the aquifer and deviates by no more than 2°, preferably no more than 1°, from the vertical. Furthermore, a sufficient distance from the water surface is ensured. Accordingly, the parts of the water level sensor 3 relevant for measuring the water level are arranged in a position favorable for the measurement.

[0033] The measured values ​​determined by the water level sensor 3 are transmitted via a connecting cable 35 to a processing device 5, which is arranged in a device box 4 that is fastened to the two support beams 14. The processing device 5 can be a transmitter, for example in the form of a mobile phone, which forwards the measured values ​​to a receiver that is preferably located outside the roof structure. Alternatively, the processing device 5 can process the measured values ​​on site and then transmit the obtained results to a control device, which uses the results to control the water balance of the roof structure. The control device can be located in the area of ​​the roof, for example in the device box 4, optionally integrated into the processing device 5, but is preferably also located outside the roof structure.The results are transmitted to an external control device in a conventional manner, either wired or, preferably, wirelessly, particularly via mobile communications. For receiving external control commands to control components in the roof structure, which, for example, also control the operation of the water level sensor 3, a receiver is expediently provided in the inspection shaft 1 and, in particular, in the control box 4. However, this receiver is not shown here for simplicity. Apart from the arrangement of the water level sensor, this largely corresponds to the state of the art.

[0034] Fig. Figure 2 shows a possible roof structure 2 according to the invention using the example of a green roof structure. The sectional view corresponds to the view of the inspection shaft 1 approximately to a section through the right front wall panel of the side wall 10 in Fig. 1 and provides a view into the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1. The inspection shaft 1 is now integrated into a multi-layered green roof structure 2. It is positioned such that its base surfaces 10b rest on the upper side of water retention boxes, which form the supporting structure 22 of a water-bearing layer 20 of the green roof structure 2. The water retention boxes of the supporting structure 22 are positioned on a protective layer 24, which in turn is placed on those areas of the roof waterproofing 23 in which the supporting structure 22 is positioned. In the area below the lower opening surface 15, which forms the lower end of the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1 facing the roof waterproofing 23, there is no supporting structure in the water-bearing layer 20. This allows unhindered access to the water surface 21 of the water-bearing layer 20 from the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1.Above the supporting structure 22, a plant substrate 25 is arranged on a nonwoven layer (not further labeled here), the surface of which is planted with plants 26. A gravel bed 27 is provided around the inspection shaft 1. The layer shown in . Fig. The layer structure shown in Figure 2 basically corresponds to what is known from the state of the art and therefore does not need to be described further here.

[0035] In the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1, as already mentioned in connection with Fig. 1, a water level sensor is arranged. The type of mounting corresponds to what is described in Fig. 1 and has been described above. Specifically, in the example now described, the water level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor 30. It is attached to the holder such that its sensor surface 31 is horizontal and thus parallel to the water surface 21. The sensor surface 31 is usually a circular surface through which ultrasonic waves emerge from the sensor 30 to the outside. The horizontal orientation of the sensor surface 31 causes the ultrasonic waves to propagate away from the sensor surface in a direction perpendicular to the water surface 21, as shown in Fig. 2. By installing the ultrasonic sensor 30 in the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1, it can also be ensured that the sensor surface 31 is at a sufficient distance A from the water surface 21. This creates optimal conditions for obtaining reliable measurement results regarding the water level in the aquifer 20. As a result, the water balance in the green roof structure and, if applicable, in any water reservoirs connected to it can be controlled with high precision.

[0036] In addition, the arrangement of the water level sensor in the inspection shaft allows for simplified installation and subsequent maintenance and repair, since access to the interior of the inspection shaft is considerably easier than to the aquifer 20, which, moreover, often does not have the required height to install the sensor at all or in the desired position. To allow access to the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1, the cover 16 closing the upper opening of the inspection shaft can be opened and optionally removed. This provides access not only to the water level sensor 30, but also to the other components arranged in the interior 11, of which, for the sake of simplicity, only a device box 4 (without the devices arranged therein) and a power supply 6 are shown in the figure.

[0037] Fig. Figures 3 to 7 show various examples of mounting means and fastening means that can be used as an adaptation device for attaching a bracket for a water level sensor in the inspection shaft.

[0038] In detail, Fig. 3 a partial view of a holder 12, which here consists of a plate-shaped component in the form of a rectangular metal strip, in the narrow edge section of which two adjacently arranged through holes are provided as holding means 122. The holder can be designed such that it extends over the entire width of the interior 11 (like the support beams 14 in Fig. 1). In this case, the second narrow-side edge section is expediently designed in the same way as the one in Fig. 3. Alternatively, the bracket can also be designed to be shorter than the width of the interior space 11, so that a free end of the bracket 12 ends in the interior space 11 and is not attached to the inspection shaft. The mounting option for the water level sensor is not visible here, as it is located in a non-illustrated area of ​​the bracket 12.

[0039] To fasten the bracket 12 to the side wall 10 of the inspection shaft, a fastening projection 101 is provided, which essentially consists of an L-shaped bent metal sheet, preferably aluminum or stainless steel sheet. One of the legs is connected to the side wall 10, for example, screwed, riveted, soldered, or welded. The second leg forms a fastening area 102, which projects vertically from the side wall 10 into the interior 11 and runs parallel and generally horizontal to the lower opening surface of the inspection shaft (not shown here). Two through-openings run through the fastening area 102 as fastening means 100, which can be overlaid with the through-bores 122 when the bracket 12 is placed with its edge section onto the fastening area 102.In the example shown, screws 103 are used to fix the bracket 12 to the mounting projection 101, only one of which is shown here in a simplified manner. Each screw 103 is then passed not only through the through-hole in the mounting projection 102, but also through a pair of overlapping openings 122 and 100. In one variant, a screw nut is placed on the end of the screw 103 and tightened to fasten the bracket 12 to the mounting projection 101. Alternatively, the openings can be provided with a thread into which the screw 103 can be screwed. In this case, a screw nut is no longer required.In the example shown, the through holes 122 as holding means, the fastening projection 101 with the fastening means 100 as well as the screws 103 and optionally screw nuts together form an adaptation device 13 with which the holder 12 can be positioned so that a water level sensor can be fastened in an optimized position for measuring the water level in the water-bearing layer of a roof structure.

[0040] In a further development of the invention, a leveling screw can be used instead of a simple screw. This allows the bracket 12 to be fastened to the fastening projection 101 while maintaining an adjustable distance from the fastening area 102. If the leveling screws in the adjacent pairs of openings are set to different distances between the bracket 12 and the fastening area 102, the inclination of the bracket in relation to its transverse direction (parallel to the course of the narrow side) can be adjusted. This then either Fig. 3 left longitudinal edge closer to the fastening area 102 than the right longitudinal edge or vice versa. In this way, a not completely horizontal installation of the inspection shaft on the roof surface or on the supporting structure of the aquifer can be compensated. The same applies to an inclination of the bracket 12 with respect to its longitudinal direction. If the bracket 12 is provided on both sides with an adjustment device 13, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the leveling screws in the adjustment devices on both sides of the bracket 12 can be adjusted to different heights relative to the height direction H of the inspection chamber. This allows the bracket 12 to be attached to the side wall 10 of the inspection chamber in such a way that it is neither tilted transversely nor longitudinally and thus positioned completely horizontally overall. This can be easily checked using a spirit level.

[0041] Fig. Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a bracket 12 and an alternative adjustment device for attaching the bracket 12 to the side wall 10 in an optimized position. The bracket 12 is a substantially L-shaped component with a flat, rectangular support portion 124 and a rectangular end portion 123 that is angled at a right angle to the support portion. The support portion 124 has a length less than the width of the interior space 11 of the inspection shaft 1, so that the support portion 124 ends in the interior space 11. Fig. 4 shows the holder 12 already with a water level sensor 32 passed through a through hole 125 in the support area 124 (similar to Fig. 1). In practice, however, the water level sensor will only be mounted after the bracket 12 is attached to the side wall 10. In the example of Fig. 4, the water level sensor is a capacitive water level sensor, at the lower end of which two rod probes 33 are provided, which, when mounted, reach down to the bottom of the aquifer 20 in order to be able to measure the water level over the entire height of the aquifer.

[0042] In the example shown, the adjustment device for precisely positioning the bracket on the inspection shaft comprises two through-holes 122 as holding means in the end region 123 of the bracket 12. For these holding means, two rows of through-holes arranged one above the other are provided in the side wall 10 of the inspection shaft as fastening means 100. The through-holes of each row run in the vertical direction H of the inspection shaft at short distances of a few millimeters from one another. The two through-holes 122 in the end region 123 of the bracket 12 are aligned with two selected through-holes 100 in the side wall 10 to fasten the bracket. The bracket is fastened by means of screws which are passed through the two pairs of overlapping openings and screwed onto the outside of the side wall 10 with a screw nut.Alternatively, all openings can be threaded, allowing fastening simply by screwing in screws. By appropriately selecting the through-holes in the side wall 10, the distance of the bracket 12 from the lower opening surface 15 of the inspection chamber 1 and, accordingly, from the water-bearing layer of the roof structure can be adjusted.

[0043] Fig. Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the adjustment device. The holder 12 essentially corresponds to that of Fig. 4 and differs from it only in the shape of the through holes 122. In the example of Fig. 5, these are designed as elongated holes that extend in the vertical direction H (perpendicular to the lower opening surface 15 of the inspection shaft and perpendicular to the water surface of the aquifer 21). Two threaded bolts are attached to the side wall 10 as fastening means 100, which extend perpendicularly from the side wall into the interior of the inspection shaft. The bracket 12 is pushed against the side wall 10 such that the threaded bolts 100 extend through the elongated holes 122 and can be screwed to the protruding ends on the rear side of the end region 123 using screw nuts (not shown). The distance of the support region 124 from the lower opening surface 15 of the inspection shaft can be adjusted by moving the threaded bolts in the elongated holes 122 along the vertical direction H of the inspection shaft.If the width of the elongated holes is larger than the diameter of the threaded bolts, a certain degree of transverse tilting of the bracket is possible, which is usually sufficient to compensate for a not completely horizontal installation of the inspection shaft and to ensure a horizontal arrangement of the support area 124. Instead of the threaded bolts, two through-holes can also be provided in the side wall 10. The bracket 12 is then attached to the side wall 10 using two screws, which are inserted through both the through-holes and the elongated holes and screwed tight using screw nuts.

[0044] Fig. Figure 6 shows another variant of the adjustment device. It differs from that of the Fig. 5 essentially in that the arrangement of the threaded bolts and slots is reversed. The threaded bolts are now located as holding means 122 on the front end region 123 of the bracket 12, while the slots extend as fastening means 100 in the vertical direction H through the side wall 10. The fastening of the bracket 12 is carried out in a manner analogous to the example according to Fig. 5. In this case too, the threaded bolts can be replaced by through holes in the end area 123, and the fastening of the bracket 12 to the side wall 10 can then again be carried out by means of screws.

[0045] Fig. Figure 7 shows a side view of another embodiment of a holder 12 as can be used in the present invention. The side view shows a view of a long side of the holder. The support region 124, which essentially has the shape of a strip-shaped plate, has rectangular end regions 123 on both narrow sides that extend downwards at right angles from the support region and are formed, for example, by folding over edge sections of the support region. Two retaining pins extend from each of the end regions 123 as holding means 122, wherein the rear of the retaining pins is covered by the front one. The retaining pins are designed to engage in through-openings that form the fastening means 100 in the side wall 10, for example, as shown in Fig. 4 on the right side. To attach the bracket 12 to the side wall 10, in the example of Fig. 7 no further fastening means are required. Rather, the retaining pins 122 can be snapped into the fastening means 100 of the side wall 10. This is possible because the support area 124 of the holder 12 is flexible. The support area 124 has a length which essentially corresponds to the width of the interior 11 of the inspection shaft 1. If the holder is, as indicated by the directional arrows in Fig. 7, the overall length of the bracket 12 is shortened by the end regions 123 moving toward one another with their free ends and a central section of the support region 124 being bulged upwards. This allows the bracket 12 to be positioned between the two opposite side wall regions, in which the fastening means 100 are located, such that the retaining pins 122 come to rest in front of the selected openings 100 in the side wall 10. If the pressure on the end regions 123 of the bracket is now reduced, they spring outward, and the retaining pins 122 slide into the corresponding openings 100. The support region 124 stretches and returns to its undeformed, flat shape.

[0046] Fig. Figure 8 shows an alternative way of attaching the bracket to the inspection shaft. Here, the bracket 12 is not attached to the side wall of the inspection shaft, but to its edge. In the example shown, the bracket 12 consists of two parts 12-1 and 12-2, which are shown separately here. For use, however, the two parts are connected to one another with a connecting element not shown here, for example a screw and nut, which is passed through the superimposed openings 122-1 and 122-2. By moving the parts 12-1 and 12-2, not only the height of the support area 124 and the through opening 125 therein for accommodating the water level sensor, but also the inclination of the support area 124 can be adjusted, as already described several times. The upper part 122-1 is hung over the edge of the inspection shaft.For this purpose, an upper area of ​​the part 122-1 is bent in a U-shape and forms a suspension area 126. This can be placed on the bevelled edge area 10a (see . Fig. 1) are placed.

[0047] Fig.Figure 9 shows an alternative method of suspending a bracket 12, of which only the upper part 12-1 is shown here, on the edge 10a of an inspection shaft. At the upper edge of the inspection shaft, there is a recess 10c, at the upper edge of which a strip 10d of the side wall 10 of the inspection shaft is bent inward and runs parallel to the beveled edge 10a, but deeper than it. The width of the bracket part 12-1 fits exactly into the recess 10c and can be placed with the suspension area 126 on the edge area 10d. In the suspension area 126, there are two threaded holes 122'. Two screws can be screwed into these. Depending on how far the screws are screwed into the holes 122', a fine adjustment of the height and inclination of the bracket 12 can be made. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 inspection shaft 10 Side wall 10a Beveled edge area 10b Stand area 100 fasteners 101 Mounting projection 102 Mounting area 103 Screw 11 Interior 12 Bracket 120 First side of the bracket 12 121 Second side of the bracket 12 122 Mounting means / hole 123 End area 124 Carrier area 125 holding opening 126 Hanging area 13 Adjustment device 14 supporting beam 15 Open floor area 16 lids 2 Roof (greening) structure 20 aquifer 21 Water surface 22 Support structure 23 Roof waterproofing 24 protective layer 25 Plant substrate 26 Planting 27 Gravel filling 3 Water level sensor 30 ultrasonic sensor 31 sensor area 32 capacitive water level sensor 33 rod probe 34 Fastening nut 35 connecting cables 4 Equipment box 5 Storage unit / transmitter / receiver 6 Power supply A distance 3 to 21 H Altitude direction of 1 QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 3757300 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Inspection shaft (1) for a roof structure (2) with a water-bearing layer (20), comprising a side wall (10) which laterally delimits an interior space (11) of the inspection shaft (1) which is at least partially unlimited downwards, and a holder (12) arranged in the interior (11) for a water level sensor (3), characterized by an adaptation device (13) which is designed to position the holder (12) in such a way that the water level sensor (3) can be fastened in a position optimized for measuring the water level in the water-bearing layer (20). [2] Inspection shaft according to claim 1, wherein the water level sensor (3) is an ultrasonic sensor (30) and the adaptation device (13) is designed to position the holder (12) such that the sensor surface (31) of the ultrasonic sensor (30) is arranged substantially parallel to the water surface (21) of the water-bearing layer (20) during operation. [3] Inspection shaft according to claim 1, wherein the water level sensor (3) is a capacitive water level sensor (32) with at least one rod probe (33) and the adaptation device (13) is designed to position the holder (12) such that the at least one rod probe (33) is held by the holder (12) in the mounted state with its longitudinal extension direction substantially perpendicular to the water surface (21) of the water-bearing layer (20). [4] Inspection shaft according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holder (12) is designed to be fastened to an upper edge (10a) or the side wall (10) of the inspection shaft (1). [5] Inspection shaft according to claim 4, wherein the holder (12) has on at least one side (120) and preferably on two in particular opposite sides (120, 121) holding means (122) with which the holder (12) can be fastened to the side wall (10), and the side wall (10) has fastening means (100) complementary to the holding means (122), wherein the holder (12) optionally has on at least one side and preferably two opposite sides (120, 121) an end region (123) running parallel to the side wall (10), wherein the end region (123) is preferably a bevelled region of a support region (124) of the holder (12) designed for fastening the water level sensor (3). [6] Inspection shaft according to claim 4, wherein at least one fastening projection (101) with a horizontally extending fastening region (102) extends from the side wall (10) into the interior space (11). [7] Inspection shaft according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the holding means (122) and / or the fastening means (100) are designed such that the holder (12) can be fastened on at least one of the two sides (120, 121) and preferably on both sides (120, 121) at different heights with respect to the height direction of the inspection shaft (1), wherein the fastening can preferably be carried out such that the support region (124) of the holder (12) is aligned substantially parallel to the water surface (21) of the water-bearing layer (20). [8] Inspection chamber according to one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the holding means (122) and the fastening means (100) are selected from one of the following combinations: a) the holding means (122) are fastening openings and the fastening means (100) are fastening projections, b) the holding means (122) are fastening projections and the fastening means (100) are fastening openings, c) the holding means (122) and the fastening means (100) comprise fastening openings through which a connecting element, in particular in the form of a screw (103), is guided. [9] Inspection shaft according to claim 8, wherein on at least one side • several fastening openings or several fastening projections are arranged one above the other in the height direction (H) of the inspection shaft (1) or • the fastening opening is designed as an elongated hole running in the height direction (H) of the inspection shaft (1) or • in the case of option c) and with reference to claim 6, a screw (103) is passed through fastening openings in the holder (12) and in the fastening area (102), wherein the distance between the holder (12) and the fastening projection (101) can be adjusted by means of the screw (103). [10] Inspection shaft according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (12) is designed as a rail or plate or as a plate with at least one end region (123) running perpendicular to a support region (124), wherein the support region (124) is preferably designed to be flexible. [11] Roof structure (2) with a water-bearing layer (20) and at least one inspection shaft (1), in particular a green roof structure or traffic roof structure, characterized bythat a water level sensor (3) for measuring the water level in the water-bearing layer (20) is arranged in the inspection shaft (1), wherein the inspection shaft (1) is preferably an inspection shaft according to one of the preceding claims.

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