Rainwater intake device

Abstract

To provide a rainwater intake device with a simple structure capable of reliably removing initial rainwater while reducing the accumulation of debris in a piping that receives the initial rainwater.SOLUTION: A rainwater intake device 1 includes an initial rainwater piping 2. The rainwater intake device includes a filter piping part 3 above the top of the initial rainwater piping 2, and a check valve 5 is provided at the bottom 4 of the filter piping part 3 to the initial rainwater piping 2. It is preferred that a water intake port 6 be provided above the bottom 4 of the filter piping part 3, and when the initial rainwater piping 2 is full, rainwater passing through the filter is supplied to the rainwater storage tank 7 through the water intake port 6 without entering the initial rainwater piping 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rainwater intake device equipped with an initial rainwater piping section. [Background technology]

[0002] Rainwater collection devices (rainwater storage devices) equipped with an initial rainwater drainage means and a tank for storing the drained rainwater, which are equipped with a filter above the initial rainwater drainage means, are well known (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a rainwater collection device that includes "initial rainwater drainage means for draining at least a predetermined amount of initial rainwater from the start of water intake, and a water storage section for storing the rainwater from which the initial rainwater has been drained, characterized in that the device includes an initial rainwater drainage means having an initial rainwater outlet section provided at the bottom of the water storage section, an initial rainwater storage manhole section having a predetermined volume capable of containing the initial rainwater flowing out from the initial rainwater outlet section and having a drainage hole capable of setting a drainage flow rate that is smaller than the flow rate of the initial rainwater flowing in, and a valve mechanism section for closing the initial rainwater drainage outlet section after the initial rainwater has filled at least the initial rainwater storage manhole section. "Rainwater collection device." (Claim 1), "The rainwater collection device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the water storage section is provided with one or more detachable filters for removing foreign matter from the rainwater as it passes through, and each of the two or more filters is set to a different mesh." (Claim 2), "The rainwater collection device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the water storage section is provided with a base tank in which the initial rainwater removal means is disposed, and a storage tank for storing the overflowing rainwater when the base tank is filled with a predetermined amount of rainwater and the rainwater overflows from the overflow port." (Claim 4).

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 states that "Three removable filters 11a, 11b, 11c are disposed in the upper part of the internal space of the foundation tank 3o for removing foreign matter Fx… in the rainwater We, W by passing the inflowing rainwater We, W through the filters. ... Therefore, any number and type of filters 11a… can be selected, and because they are removable from the upper end of the tank main body 21, cleaning and maintenance can be easily carried out. Furthermore, because different meshes are set for each filter 11a, 11b…, large debris Fx can be removed by filter 11a, medium debris Fm by filter 11b, and small debris Fs by filter 11c, thereby offering the advantage of effectively and reliably removing a variety of large and small foreign matter Fx… that may get mixed in with the rainwater We, W" (paragraphs

[0030] to

[0031] ).

[0005] Patent Document 2 states, "The present invention relates to a rainwater storage device and a rainwater storage method that removes initial rainwater that contains dirt on the roof surface at the beginning of rainfall from rain that falls on the roof surface, and stores only normal rainwater after the initial rainwater in a water tank." (Paragraph

[0001] ) Furthermore, "To explain the operation of the device together with the rainwater storage method of the present invention, let's say that rain has just begun to fall." (paragraph

[0042] ), "Then, the falling rain is received by the water collection surface 1, passes through the gutter 11, and is collected in the water collection pipe 10. This rainwater at the beginning of the rainfall flows into the water receiver 6 from the upper inlet 9, passes through the filter 9a, and then flows into the water receiver 6. When the rainwater passes through the filter 9a, foreign objects such as sand and stones mixed in with the rainwater are removed." (paragraph

[0043] ), "Here, the open drain outlet 20 is smaller than the passage diameter of the introduction section 9, so as shown in Figures 2 and 4, part of the initial rainwater flowing in is drained to the outside through the drain outlet 20, while the rest is stored in the water receiver 6. ...Then, when the drain outlet 20 is completely closed and the rainwater in the water receiver 6 reaches the lower edge of the opening of the branch pipe 12, the rainwater that has nowhere to escape beyond that lower edge, i.e., the normal rainwater that follows the initial rainwater, flows out of the branch pipe 12 along the water surface of the water receiver 6 and is stored in the water receiving tank 2.' (Paragraphs

[0044] to

[0048] )

[0006] In a rainwater intake device that includes an initial rainwater tank and a tank for storing rainwater after the initial rainwater has been removed, it is also known that when the rainwater after the initial rainwater has been removed is stored in the tank, a means for closing the inflow path of rainwater to the initial rainwater tank is provided (see Patent Documents 3 and 4).

[0007] Patent Document 3 states, "The present invention is a rainwater separation device that separates rainwater flowing down a downspout into initial rainwater that contains a large amount of garbage and other matter that has accumulated on the roof, and other rainwater. In this rainwater separation device, the initial rainwater is first stored in an initial rainwater tank, and when the initial rainwater tank is full, the rainwater inlet to the initial rainwater tank is closed and the rainwater is introduced into the rainwater tank. The rainwater separation device of the present invention is designed to store only a portion of the initial rainwater in the initial rainwater tank, thereby reducing the amount of rainwater stored in the initial rainwater tank before a specified amount of precipitation is reached compared to conventional structures. This makes it possible to prevent the initial rainwater tank from becoming too large, even when installed in buildings with a large roof area or other buildings that receive a lot of initial rainwater." (Paragraph

[0011] )

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 states, "Next, the operation of the rainwater separation device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 3." "When rainwater does not flow into the rainwater separation device 100 and the rainwater tank 130 is initially empty, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the float body 160a of the float 160 is in contact with the bottom surface of the tank portion 130a, so the water stop valve is in an open state." "When it starts to rain, rainwater flows in from the rainwater intake port 110a as shown by the black arrow, and A portion of the rainwater flowing down the drain pipe 110 begins to collect in the initial rainwater tank 130 from the rainwater intake section 130b, and the remaining rainwater passes through the gap between the outer peripheral wall of the initial rainwater tank 130 and the inner peripheral wall of the drain pipe 110 and is discharged from the rainwater outlet 110b. As the rainwater collects in the initial rainwater tank 130 and the water level in the initial rainwater tank 130 rises, the valve body 150 rises together with the float 160 as the water level rises, as shown in FIG. 3(b). If the amount of rainwater stored in the water tank 130 has not reached the initial rainwater storage capacity, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the valve element 150 does not rise to the valve seat 140, so the valve element 150 does not come into contact with the valve seat 140 and the stop valve is not closed. As a result, the rainwater flows down the drain pipe 110 without being introduced into the water intake pipe 120. "When the rainfall continues and the amount of rainwater stored in the rainwater tank 130 reaches the initial rainwater storage capacity, the valve element 150 does not rise to the valve seat 140 as shown in FIG. 3(c). 150 abuts against the valve seat 140. When the valve body 150 abuts against the valve seat 140, the stop valve is closed. When the stop valve is closed, rainwater flowing down the drain pipe 110 cannot flow below the valve seat 140 and is instead introduced into the water intake pipe 120. For this reason, rainwater that does not contain initial rainwater and has little debris is introduced into the rainwater tank (not shown) connected to the water intake pipe 120.' (Paragraphs

[0025] to

[0029] )

[0009] Patent Document 4 describes the following: "A rainwater storage system having a rainwater pipe whose one end is connected directly or indirectly to an eaves gutter and through which rainwater flows, and a rainwater tank connected to the other end of the rainwater pipe and which stores rainwater, characterized in that the rainwater storage system also has a branch section provided midway through the rainwater pipe, an initial rainwater tank connected to the branch section and into which rainwater flows at the beginning of a rainfall, control means for controlling the flow of rainwater in the direction of the rainwater tank after a predetermined amount of rainwater has flowed into the initial rainwater tank, and a filter provided midway through the rainwater pipe from the branch section to the rainwater tank." (Claim 1).

[0010] Furthermore, Patent Document 4 states, "The rainwater storage function of the rainwater storage system 1 configured as above will be explained. During rainfall, as shown in FIG. 3(a), initial rainwater R1 flows from the vertical gutter 102 into the first horizontal pipe 33. Here, the inner diameter of the second horizontal pipe 34 and the inner diameter of the branch pipe 36 are the same. Therefore, the initial rainwater R1 flows into the branch pipe 36 located closer to the first horizontal pipe 33 and is stored in the initial rainwater tank 4. Furthermore, the subsequent rainwater R1 also flows through the branch pipe 36 and is stored in the initial rainwater tank 4. This "At this time, the float 43 in the initial rainwater tank 4 rises as the liquid level of the rainwater R1 rises," and "Then, as shown in Figure 3(b), when the rainwater R1 in the initial rainwater tank 4 becomes full, the float 43 blocks the connection port 4a (see Figure 3(a)) between the initial rainwater tank 4 and the branch pipe 36. Therefore, rainwater R2 that flows into the first horizontal pipe 33 from this point onwards flows into the second horizontal pipe 34, passes through the filter 105 and is collected in the rainwater tank 104." (See paragraphs

[0018] to

[0019] ). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-8068 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-115501 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-119375 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-287271 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] As described above, in the rainwater collection system (rainwater storage system) equipped with an initial rainwater removal means (foundation tank or receiver) and a tank for storing the rainwater from which the initial rainwater has been removed, the devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, which are equipped with a filter on top of the foundation tank or receiver, store rainwater that overflows from the foundation tank or receiver in the storage tank (storage tank), and therefore have the problem that it is difficult for the rainwater in the storage tank (storage tank) to sufficiently remove the initial rainwater.

[0013] On the other hand, Patent Documents 3 and 4 suggest that rainwater that does not contain much garbage and does not contain initial rainwater is introduced into a rainwater tank that stores rainwater, but the rainwater intake device described in Patent Document 3 does not have a filter on top of the initial rainwater tank, but has a complex structure in which only a portion of the initial rainwater is stored in the initial rainwater tank and most of the initial rainwater is discharged from a rainwater outlet, and the rainwater intake device described in Patent Document 4 does not have a filter on top of the initial rainwater tank, but has a filter midway through the rainwater pipe from the branch pipe that flows rainwater into the initial rainwater tank to the branched rainwater tank, which creates the problem that garbage and the like are likely to accumulate in the initial rainwater tank.

[0014] The present invention aims to provide a rainwater intake device that has a simple structure, can sufficiently remove initial rainwater, and can reduce the accumulation of garbage in the piping that stores the initial rainwater. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means. (1) A rainwater intake device equipped with an initial rainwater piping section, which is equipped with a filter piping section at the top of the initial rainwater piping section, and a check valve to the initial rainwater piping section is installed at the bottom of the filter piping section. (2) A rainwater intake device according to (1), in which a bottom hole for draining initial rainwater is provided at the bottom of the filter piping section, and the check valve is installed in the bottom hole. (3) The rainwater intake device of (2) above, wherein the bottom hole and the check valve are installed at a position offset from the center of the bottom of the filter piping section. (4) A rainwater intake device according to (3) above, in which a plurality of filters for filtering out solid waste are installed in the filter piping section, and configured so that rainwater from the lower filter of the plurality of filters does not directly hit the check valve. (5) A rainwater intake device according to any one of (2) to (4), in which the bottom of the filter piping section is sloped downward toward a bottom hole through which the initial rainwater is drained, so that sediment flows out into the bottom hole. (6) The rainwater intake device according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the capacity of the initial rainwater piping section is set in accordance with the roof area. (7) The rainwater intake device is any of the rainwater intake devices (1) to (6) that includes an initial rainwater piping section and a rainwater storage tank, and has an intake port provided above the bottom of the filter piping section, so that when the initial rainwater piping section is full, rainwater that has passed through the filter is supplied to the rainwater storage tank from the intake port without entering the initial rainwater piping section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The rainwater intake device of the present invention has a check valve for the initial rainwater piping section installed at the bottom of the filter piping section, which allows the initial rainwater to be sufficiently removed, thereby reducing the accumulation of garbage in the piping section that stores the initial rainwater. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a rainwater intake device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a solid waste filtration filter installed in the filter piping section of the rainwater intake device of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a check valve and its installation position in a rainwater intake device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4a] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a check valve (rubber valve type) in the rainwater intake device of the present invention. [Figure 4b] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a check valve (float valve type) in the rainwater intake device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A rainwater intake device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") comprises an initial rainwater piping section 2, a filter piping section 3 on top of the initial rainwater piping section 2, and a check valve 5 for the initial rainwater piping section installed at the bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3. It is preferable that a water intake 6 is provided above the bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3 so that water is supplied to the rainwater storage tank 7 from the water intake 6 .

[0019] Initial rainwater can be broadly divided into large debris (leaves, insects, etc.), small debris (undissolved solids, sand, yellow dust, pollen, etc.), and dissolved substances that are completely dissolved and cannot be removed by filtering with a normal filter (SOx, NOx, and other substances that cause acid rain, as well as salts). In the rainwater intake device 1 of this embodiment, the upper filter piping section 3 removes undissolved substances, and the lower initial rainwater piping section 2 removes dissolved impurities, so that only clean rainwater is led to the rainwater storage tank 7.

[0020] (Filter and filter housing structure) The solid waste filtering filter portion installed in the filter piping portion 3 is made up of, for example, a wound filter, a bag filter, a wire mesh basket, etc. (see FIG. 2), but any filter that can remove solid matter in water will do. The solid waste filtering filter portion installed in the filter piping section is not limited to a single filter such as a wound filter, a bag filter, or a wire mesh basket, and in some cases it is preferable to install a combination of these filters. For example, as shown in Figure 1, a structure in which a wire mesh basket 3b is placed inside a bag filter 3a may be used. A wire mesh basket can be used to remove large debris (leaves, insects, etc.). A bag filter can remove small debris (sand, yellow dust, pollen, etc.).

[0021] (Installing and removing the solid waste filter) When replacing or cleaning the solid waste filter, the installation or removal is performed by removing the lower end of the downspout 8 located above the filter piping section 3 or by shifting it to the side. The filter piping section 3 is provided with a plurality of filters having different mesh sizes, and each filter can be arranged separately and detachably.

[0022] (filter opening) The mesh size of solid waste filters is expected to range from 1 to 100 μm. Multiple filters can be used in combination. The mesh size of a filter must be selected taking into account the surrounding environment and intended use. Filters also require regular maintenance. As a guideline for mesh size, fungi (general bacteria, E. coli, etc.) that may be present in rainwater are approximately 1 μm in size, while fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is 2.5 μm. Therefore, a 1 μm mesh size can remove most insoluble impurities. However, reducing the mesh size of a filter to remove all potential debris reduces the throughput per unit time. Therefore, the appropriate mesh size must be selected based on the capacity of the initial rainwater storage unit, maintenance requirements, and costs. While a typical filter mesh size of 10 to 25 μm is appropriate, when sterilizing E. coli with ultraviolet light, it is better to use a filter with a mesh size of approximately 1 μm.

[0023] (Structure of the bottom of the filter piping and the bottom of the initial rainwater piping) There is a possibility that extremely fine sediments may be present at the bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3 and the bottom of the initial rainwater piping section 2. The bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3 may be flat to ensure capacity, but it is preferable to provide a structure in which the bottom 4 is sloped (for example, at an angle of 5° to 10°) toward the bottom holes 4h from which the initial rainwater flows out, ensuring capacity while making it easy to discharge debris, so that the sediment flows naturally into the bottom holes 4h.

[0024] (The size of the hole at the bottom of the filter piping and its position relative to the water intake) The bottom hole 4h at the bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3, which connects to the initial rainwater piping section 2, is large so that rainwater does not flow into the rainwater storage tank 7 through the water intake 6 before the initial rainwater piping section 2 is full. The water intake 6 is also installed at a position slightly higher than the bottom 4 for the same reason.

[0025] (Check valve and its installation location) A check valve 5 to the initial rainwater piping section 2 is attached to the bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3. The check valve 5 is preferably installed in the bottom hole 4h of the initial rainwater drainage section at the hanging part of the lower filter of the multiple filters. The bottom hole 4h and check valve 5 may be located in the center, but it is more preferable to install them in a position offset from the center (see Figures 1 and 3) so that rainwater from the lower filter (e.g., bag filter) does not directly hit the check valve. There may be one bottom hole 4h and one check valve 5, but there may also be multiple.

[0026] (Check valve structure) The following structures can be used as the check valve 5. For example, there is the rubber valve type (see Figure 4a), which opens when water pressure is applied from above, and when the tank is filled with water, the elasticity of the rubber causes the valve to return to its upper position and close, and there is the float valve type (see Figure 4b), which opens before the initial rainwater piping section is filled with water, and closes with buoyancy after it is filled with water. The rubber valve type may have a buoyancy body attached to the valve to assist in the closing force.

[0027] (Relationship between the water intake and the rainwater storage tank) It is preferable to provide a water intake 6 above the bottom 4 of the filter piping section 3 and to provide a rainwater storage tank 7. The full water level of the rainwater storage tank 7 needs to be lower than the water intake 6. When the initial rainwater piping section 2 is filled with water, the rainwater that has passed through the filter of the filter piping section 3 is supplied to the rainwater storage tank 7 from the water intake 6 without entering the initial rainwater piping section 2.

[0028] (Relationship between the initial rainwater piping section and the rainwater storage tank) The initial rainwater piping section 2 removes dissolved substances that cause acid rain and dissolved salts that may be mixed in near the sea. Furthermore, as mentioned above, even if the water passes through the filter of the filter piping section 3, fine sediments may remain, but the sediments will accumulate at the bottom of the initial rainwater piping section 2, and the supernatant water (clean water) from which the sediments have been removed can be introduced into the rainwater storage tank 7 through the water intake 6 and stored therein.

[0029] (Relationship between the initial rainwater piping capacity and roof area) The initial rainwater drainage volume is equal to the capacity of the initial rainwater piping section 2. The initial rainwater drainage volume can be set according to the roof area. Specifically, the initial rainwater drainage volume is preferably set to the amount of precipitation from the start of rainfall, generally referred to as initial rainwater (calculated by integrating the catchment area and the amount of precipitation). For large roofs, the initial rainwater volume becomes larger, so a solenoid valve system can be used to collect and drain rainwater.

[0030] (Initial rainwater discharge from the initial rainwater piping section) As shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable to attach an initial rainwater drainage hose 9 to the bottom of the initial rainwater piping section 2. Before and after rainfall, the initial rainwater drainage hose 9 is lowered to drain the initial rainwater stored in the initial rainwater piping section 2. The hose 9 can also forcibly drain sediment (garbage and dust) that has accumulated at the bottom of the initial rainwater piping section 2.

[0031] (Fixing structure for the bottom of the rainwater intake device) It is preferable to install a flange 10a on the bottom 10 of the rainwater intake device 1, pour cement 10b into it, and fix it to a small tire 10d with fixing bolts 10c embedded in it. This makes it easy to move the rainwater intake device and prevents it from tipping over when installed. [Industrial Applicability]

[0032] The rainwater intake device of the present invention can sufficiently remove initial rainwater, and because of its simple structure, it is easy to operate and maintain, and can be used as a device for making rainwater into drinking water, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 Rainwater intake device 2 Initial rainwater piping section 3 Filter piping section 3a Bag filter 3b Wire mesh basket 4 Bottom of filter piping 4h Bottom hole of filter piping 5 Check valve installed in the bottom hole 6 Water Intake 7. Rainwater storage tank 8 Downpipe 9. Initial rainwater drainage hose 10 Bottom of rainwater intake device 10a flange 10b Cement 10c Fixing bolt 10d small tire

Claims

1. A rainwater intake device equipped with an initial rainwater piping section, comprising a filter piping section at the top of the initial rainwater piping section, and a check valve for the initial rainwater piping section installed at the bottom of the filter piping section.

2. The rainwater intake device according to claim 1, wherein a bottom hole for draining initial rainwater is provided at the bottom of the filter piping section, and the check valve is installed in the bottom hole.

3. The rainwater intake device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom hole and the check valve are disposed at positions offset from the center of the bottom of the filter piping section.

4. The rainwater intake device according to claim 3, wherein the filter piping section is provided with a plurality of filters for filtering out solid waste, and configured so that rainwater from the lower filter of the plurality of filters does not directly hit the check valve.

5. 3. The rainwater intake device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom of the filter piping section is sloped downward toward a bottom hole through which the initial rainwater is drained, so that sediment flows out into the bottom hole.

6. The rainwater intake device according to claim 1, wherein the capacity of the initial rainwater piping section is set according to the roof area.

7. The rainwater intake device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising an initial rainwater piping section and a rainwater storage tank, and an intake port provided above the bottom of the filter piping section, so that when the initial rainwater piping section is full, rainwater that has passed through the filter is supplied to the rainwater storage tank from the intake port without entering the initial rainwater piping section.

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