Fittings with leak detection function

Abstract

We provide a fitting with a leak detection function that allows for early detection of water leaks. [Solution] The device is configured to connect a primary water device 10 and a secondary water device 7, and includes a joint body 71A into which the primary water device 10 can be inserted, a cover 71B that covers the joint body 71A, a water reservoir 71J formed between the outer surface of the joint body 71A and the outer surface of the cover 71B to collect water that has leaked inside the joint body 71A, a seat 71E for attaching the joint body 71A to a mounting surface such as a floor or wall, and a confirmation section 71L located secondary to the seat 71E that allows confirmation of the water accumulated in the water reservoir 71J.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a joint with a water leakage detection function that has a water leakage detection function.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a waterproof pan has been installed on the floor surface of a washroom, a dressing room, etc., and a washing machine has been installed on the waterproof pan.

[0003] The water supply to the washing machine is possible by pulling up a water supply pipe from under the floor to the floor surface and externally fitting and connecting it to a connection part (joint) of a water supply tap provided in the waterproof pan, and connecting a water supply hose for the washing machine for supplying water to the washing machine to the discharge port of the connected water supply tap.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, a seal part is provided between the inner surface of the connected water supply pipe and the outer surface of the connection part (joint). However, if this seal part becomes a seal failure due to, for example, early deterioration or product defects, the leaked water will be discharged under the floor. If it is not noticed that the leaked water is being discharged under the floor, a large amount of water may accumulate under the floor, leading to an irreparable situation, and early improvement is desired.

[0006] In view of the above situation, the present invention aims to provide a joint with a water leakage detection function that can detect water leakage at an early stage.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The leak detection joint of the present invention, in order to solve the aforementioned problems, is configured to allow connection between a primary water device and a secondary water device, and comprises a joint body into which the primary water device can be inserted, a cover that is fitted over the joint body, a water reservoir formed between the outer surface of the joint body and the outer surface of the cover for collecting water that has leaked inside the joint body, a seat for attaching the joint body to a mounting surface such as a floor or wall, and a confirmation part located secondary to the seat for checking the amount of water accumulated in the water reservoir.

[0008] According to the present invention, water leaking due to a faulty seal is not discharged under the floor but accumulates in the water reservoir. By checking the water accumulated in the reservoir at the inspection point secondary to the base, water leakage can be detected early.

[0009] Furthermore, the leak detection joint of the present invention may include a joint body having a sealing portion that seals the outer surface of the primary water equipment into which it is inserted, and a water reservoir having a first water reservoir that receives and stores the leaked water on the primary side of the sealing portion, and a second water reservoir that is in communication with the first water reservoir and stores the leaked water up to the confirmation portion on the secondary side of the sealing portion.

[0010] As described above, by providing a first water reservoir on the primary side of the seal and a second water reservoir on the secondary side of the seal, water that leaks from the seal to the primary side can be collected in the water reservoir and checked at the inspection section on the secondary side of the seal, making it possible to accurately determine if water is leaking.

[0011] Furthermore, the leak detection joint of the present invention may be configured such that the water storage section collects the leaked water in a gap formed between the outer surface of the joint body and the inner surface of the cover.

[0012] As described above, leaked water can be collected by utilizing the gap formed between the outer surface of the fitting body and the inner surface of the cover.

[0013] Furthermore, the joint with a water leakage detection function of the present invention may be configured such that the water storage portion stores the leaked water in a space formed between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cover.

[0014] As described above, it is possible to store the leaked water by utilizing the space formed between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cover.

Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, by providing a confirmation portion capable of confirming the water stored in the water storage portion on the secondary side from the seat, it is possible to provide a joint with a water leakage detection function capable of grasping water leakage at an early stage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a plan view of a waterproof pan provided with a joint with a water leakage detection function. [Figure 2] It is a front view of the same waterproof pan. [Figure 3] It is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is an enlarged view of the main part of the joint in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a sectional view of a joint in another form. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged view of the main part of the joint in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is a water supply faucet provided with a joint of a reference example, and is a view with a part in section. [Figure 9] It is a front view showing the faucet part of the water supply faucet in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a front view with a part in section showing the joint of the water supply faucet in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] It is a sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 9. [Figure 12] It is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 10.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, a waterproof pan 5 is disposed in a space 4 that is open at the front side and formed by three wall surfaces 1, 2, and 3. In Fig. 1, when viewing the waterproof pan 5 from the direction of arrow Y, the front side of the waterproof pan 5 in the depth direction is defined as the front side, the back side in the depth direction is defined as the back side, and the direction orthogonal to the depth direction is defined as the left-right direction. The following description will be based on these definitions. In this embodiment, a joint with a water leakage detection function provided in the waterproof pan 5 for installing a washing machine (not shown) will be described. The view of Fig. 1 from the direction of arrow Y is regarded as the front view. In this embodiment, the waterproof pan 5 is disposed in the space 4 formed by the three wall surfaces 1, 2, and 3, but the waterproof pan 5 may be disposed along one side of a single wall surface, or may be disposed along two sides of two wall surfaces.

[0018] First, the waterproof pan 5 is configured in a rectangular shape (square in Fig. 1, but may be rectangular), and includes a pan body 6, a water supply faucet 7 as a secondary-side water-using device, and a cover 8 that covers the water supply faucet 7. If the water supply faucet 7 is exposed, it will look bad, moisture and dust will adhere, and the outer shape will become uneven, making it difficult to clean, and there is also a risk of finger injury if the finger touches it. If the attached moisture and dust are left unattended, they will stick, and furthermore, corrosion and discoloration of the metal part will occur, deteriorating the aesthetics, and it will also be difficult to perform maintenance and upkeep. To solve these problems, the water supply faucet 7 is covered with the cover 8. Therefore, it is possible to improve the maintainability of the faucet part 72 (see Fig. 4) and the pan body 6, prevent the corrosion of the metal part by the detergent adhesion to the faucet part 72 by the cover 8 and the structure for preventing the backflow of washing drainage, and improve the maintenance performance.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the pan body 6 has a bottom 61 having an upper surface 61A and numerous reinforcing ribs R (see Figure 4) protruding downward from the lower surface, and side wall portions 62 protruding in the height direction (up and down direction) from the outer edge of the bottom 61, and comprises a base body 63 that extends in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, and mounting bases 64 positioned at the four corners of the base body 63. Due to the arrangement of mounting bases 64 at each of the four corners of the base body 63, each side wall portion 62 is provided at four locations in the circumferential direction so as to connect adjacent mounting bases 64, 64 in the circumferential direction. A through hole 64A is formed in the outer corner 64K of each of the four corners of each mounting base 64, through which a wood screw (not shown) for fixing the waterproof pan 5 to the floor 9 (see Figures 2 and 3) can be inserted. Since the bottom 61 is equipped with numerous ribs R (see Figure 4), the lower surface of the bottom 61 does not come into contact with the upper surface of the floor 9, and the numerous ribs R come into contact with the upper surface of the floor 9 and support the waterproof pan 5. Each of the four side walls of each mounting base 64 is inclined so that it is positioned inward as it goes upward.

[0020] The bottom portion 61 has a circular drain port 61B to which a drain hose (not shown) connected to the washing machine is connected, and a circular through hole 61C for attaching a water tap 7. As shown in Figure 1, the drain port 61B and the through hole 61C are formed to be aligned in the left-right direction between the left and right mounting bases 64, 64 located at the front. Since the drain port 61B has a larger diameter than the through hole 61C, the center of the drain port 61B is located behind the center of the through hole 61C, and in front of the rear wall portion 64b in the front-rear direction of the right mounting base 64. In this embodiment, the through hole 61C is formed to be larger than the through hole 9A of the floor 9, which will be described later (see Figure 1). The upper surface 61A of the pan body 6 is formed as an inclined surface that is slightly lower toward the drain port 61B side so that leaked water moves toward the drain port 61B.

[0021] Furthermore, the pan body 6 is made of synthetic resin (or metal), and the base 63 and the four mounting bases 64 are integrally formed. However, the base 63 and the four mounting bases 64 may be formed separately, and the base 63 and the four mounting bases 64 may be integrated by fitting or engaging.

[0022] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the water tap 7 comprises a leak detection joint (hereinafter simply referred to as the joint) 71 connected to the water supply pipe 10, which is the primary water equipment installed under the floor, a tap section 72 connected to the downstream end of the joint 71, and a water inlet section 73 connected to the downstream end (upper end in Figure 4) of the tap section 72. The water tap 7 is located in the front region in the front-rear direction of the base 63 (see Figure 1).

[0023] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the joint 71 is shown in Figures 4 and 5. This joint 71 comprises a joint body 71A located on the secondary side into which a water supply pipe (primary side water equipment) 10 located on the primary side is inserted and connected; a cylindrical cover 71B that covers the lower outer surface of the joint body 71A; a water reservoir 71J formed in the cover 71B; a flange 71C as a seat for attaching and fixing the joint body 71A to the upper surface (floor surface, mounting surface) of the floor 9; and a confirmation part 71L that allows confirmation of the water accumulated in the water reservoir 71J (see Figure 5) on the secondary side of the flange 71C. A through hole 9A is formed in the floor 9 for inserting the joint 71 of the water tap 7. The water supply pipe 10 is inserted into the joint body 71A until its upper end is located on the secondary side of the O-ring 12, which will be described later. The water reservoir section 71J is constructed by forming multiple through holes 71N in the cover 71B at circumferential intervals, with these through holes penetrating axially from the upper end to the lower end of the cover 71B. In this embodiment, two through holes 71N are formed (only one is shown in Figure 5, and only one will be described below), but one or any number of three or more may be formed.

[0024] The water supply pipe 10 is sandwiched between the inner first O-ring 11 and the outer second O-ring 12 provided on the joint body 71A, thereby sealing the space between the inside of the water supply pipe 10 and the outside of the joint body 71A. However, if the seal fails due to the first O-ring 11 or the second O-ring 12, for example, due to premature deterioration or product defects, water will leak. This leaked water will be collected in the water reservoir 71J. The two O-rings 11 and 12 constitute the first sealing member.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, the lower end of the cover 71B is provided with a second sealing member 16. The second sealing member 16 is made of a foamed resin such as sponge (it may also be a soft resin or rubber (including natural rubber or synthetic rubber)). The second sealing member 16 has a locking portion (annular protrusion projecting radially inward) 16A on the inside of its upper end that locks into a locking portion (annular groove) 71M formed at the lower end of the cover 71B, and includes a cylindrical first sealing portion 16B that abuts against and seals the outer surface 71P of the cover 71B, a cylindrical second sealing portion 16C which has a smaller diameter than the first sealing portion 16B and abuts against and seals the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10, and a disc-shaped connecting portion 16D that connects the lower end of the first sealing portion 16B and the upper end of the second sealing portion 16C. On the inner surface of the second seal portion 16C, a pair of upper and lower protrusions 16T, 16T are formed, projecting radially inward in an arc shape.

[0026] The cover 71B is made up of a substantially cylindrical member in which a female thread 712 is formed on the inner surface of the upper end, which screws into a male thread 711 formed on the outer surface of the upper end of the joint body 71A. The lower end inner surface 714 of the inner surface 713 of the cover 71B is made up of an inclined surface that is located radially inward towards the lower end. Therefore, the radial thickness of the lower end portion is thicker towards the lower end. In addition, between the inner surface 713 and the outer surface 71H of the cover 71B, at least one through hole 71N (only one is shown in Figure 5) is formed that penetrates in the vertical direction (axial direction) perpendicular to the radial direction. Water leaking from the second O-ring 12 is collected in the through hole 71N through the first space K1 and the second space K2, which will be described later.

[0027] To elaborate on the water storage section 71J, as shown in Figure 5, water leaking downward from the second O-ring 12 moves from the gap formed between the inner surface 713 of the cover 71B and the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10 to the second sealing member 16 on the lower side (primary side), as indicated by arrow Z1, into the first space K1, and also into the second space K2 between the lower end 717 of the cover 71B and the connecting portion 16D of the second sealing member 16. When the water in the second space K2 moves to the tip of arrow Z2, water accumulates from the lower end of the through hole 71N, as indicated by arrow Z3. The area below the line L passing through the center of the second O-ring 12 is considered the primary side (water supply pipe 10 side), and the area above the line L passing through the center of the second O-ring 12 is considered the secondary side (joint body 71A side).

[0028] Therefore, when the primary side third space K3, which is the area indicated by arrow Z3 from the lower end of the through hole 71N, the primary side first water reservoir, to the line L of the second O-ring 12, is filled with leaked water, the leaked water accumulates in the secondary side fourth space K4, which is the area indicated by arrow Z4 from the line L passing through the center of the second O-ring 12 in the through hole 71N to the upper end. When the upper secondary side fourth space K4 is filled with water, the water moves through the through hole 71K formed in the second cylindrical portion 71b of the flange 71C, as indicated by arrow Z5, to the storage space 20, which will be described later, and the water accumulates in the storage space 20. The accumulated water can be visually checked by removing the cover 8 (or without removing the cover 8 if the cover 8 is made of a transparent material). This makes it possible to quickly identify that water is leaking from the water supply pipe 10 due to a faulty seal of the O-ring 12. The storage space 20 (located secondary to flange 71C), described later, constitutes a confirmation section 71L that allows confirmation of the water accumulated in the water storage section 71J. In Figure 5, water leaking from the O-ring 12 accumulates in the fourth space K4 on the secondary side from the third space K3, which is the primary water storage section located radially outward from the O-ring 12.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the flange 71C comprises a cylindrical portion 71D that is screwed onto the upper part of the joint body 71A, and a ring-shaped flange portion 71E that extends outward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 71D.

[0030] The cylindrical portion 71D comprises a first cylindrical portion 71a that is detachably fixed to the upper part of the joint body 71A by screwing, a second cylindrical portion 71b having a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion 71a, and a horizontal, ring-shaped connecting portion 71c that connects the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 71a and the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 71b. An O-ring 71F provided on the joint body 71A seals the space between the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 71a and the outer surface of the joint body 71A. The lower end of the second cylindrical portion 71b is provided with an O-ring 71O that seals the space between the outer surface of the cover 71B and the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 71b. The upper part of the second cylindrical portion 71b has the through hole 71K formed therein for discharging the water accumulated up to the upper end of the water reservoir 71J into the storage space 20, which will be described later.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, multiple through holes 71G are formed in the circumferential direction of the flange portion 71E (only one is shown in Figure 4) for passing screws 13 to fix the flange portion 71E to the floor 9. Each through hole 71G has a roughly trapezoidal conical shape (mortar-shaped) in its axial cross-section. A ring-shaped third sealing member 14 is also provided to seal the space between the lower surface 6B of the portion of the pan body 6 where the water tap 7 is attached and the upper surface 71e of the flange portion 71E. The third sealing member 14 is made of a foamed resin such as sponge (it may also be a soft resin or rubber (including natural rubber or synthetic rubber)). The third sealing member 14 is provided to prevent water leaking from the through hole 71K formed in the second cylindrical portion 71b of the flange 71C from moving downward through the through hole 61C for attaching the water tap formed in the pan body 6 and leaking onto and under the floor. Furthermore, the third sealing member 14 is positioned above the screw 13, preventing the leaked water from leaking under the floor through the gap between the head 13A (see Figure 4) of the screw 13 and the through hole 71G. The screw 13 is a Phillips head countersunk tapping screw, and when tightened until it hits the through hole 71G of the flange portion 71E, it becomes nearly flush with the upper surface 71e of the flange portion 71E, improving the sealing performance of the third sealing member 14. Nearly flush includes cases where it is flush, or where the upper surface of the head 13A of the screw 13 protrudes slightly from the upper surface 71e of the flange portion 71E, or where the upper surface of the head 13A of the screw 13 is located slightly below the upper surface 71e of the flange portion 71E.

[0032] The gap 15 between the through-hole 61C and the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 71b of the flange 71C of the water tap 7 is due to the through-hole 61C being formed to be 5 mm or more larger than the outer diameter of the water tap 7. This is because the water tap 7 is first fixed to the floor 9 with multiple screws 13, and then the waterproof pan 5 is installed. For example, there are cases where it is desirable to slightly shift (change) the position of the waterproof pan 5 in the horizontal direction due to the positional relationship between the waterproof pan 5 and the drain port 61B. For these reasons, the through-hole 61C is formed to be 5 mm or more larger than the outer diameter of the water tap 7.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, among the side wall portions 62 connecting the mounting bases 64, 64, the side wall portion 62 that forms the storage space 20 is set to have smaller dimensions (width dimension) in the inward and outward direction than the other side wall portions 62. This allows the water tap 7 to be positioned closer to the front end.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the faucet unit 72 comprises a faucet body 72A and a substantially hemispherical (shape can be freely changed) handle 72B that is rotatably attached to the upper end of the faucet body 72A for opening and closing a valve (not shown) provided on the faucet body 72A. By rotating the handle 72B, the valve can be opened and water from the water supply pipe 10 can be supplied to the water inlet 73. The greater the amount of rotation of the handle 72B, the greater the amount of water discharged, and when the amount of rotation of the handle 72B is at its minimum, the amount of water discharged is zero and the faucet unit 72 is in the closed state. Since the handle 72B for opening and closing the water supply faucet 7 protrudes outward (upward) from the top wall portion 81 of the cover 8, the water supply faucet 7 can be quickly opened and closed by operating the handle 72B that protrudes outward (upward) from the cover 8 without removing the cover 8.

[0035] The water inlet section 73 receives water from the faucet section 72 and is equipped with a connection section that can be connected to a water supply hose (not shown) for a washing machine.

[0036] <Second Embodiment> A joint 71 of the second embodiment is shown in Figures 6 and 7. This joint 71 comprises a joint body 71A located on the secondary side into which a water supply pipe 10 located on the primary side is inserted; a cover 71B that is fitted over the joint body 71A to cover the lower outer surface of the joint body 71A; a water reservoir 71J between the outer surface of the joint body 71A and the inner surface 713 of the cover 71B into which leaked water accumulates; a flange 71C integrally formed with the cover 71B and serving as a seat for attaching and fixing the joint body 71A to the upper surface (floor surface, mounting surface) of the floor 9; and a confirmation part 71L that allows confirmation of the water accumulated in the water reservoir 71J on the secondary side of the flange 71C. The water supply pipe 10 is inserted into the joint body 71A until its upper end is located on the secondary side of the O-ring 17, which will be described later. Note that the cover 71B and the flange 71C may be formed separately, and these two separately formed members may be integrated.

[0037] As shown in Figure 7, the fitting body 71A is equipped with an O-ring 17 that seals the space between the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10 and the inner surface of the fitting body 71A by being pressed radially inward by the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10 into which it is inserted. However, if the O-ring 17 fails to seal properly due to reasons such as premature deterioration or product defects, water will leak out. This leaked water will be collected in the water reservoir 71J. The O-ring 17 constitutes the first sealing member.

[0038] Furthermore, the fitting 71 further includes an inner core 18 into which the water supply pipe 10 is externally fitted, and which is formed separately from the fitting 71. The inner core 18 is cylindrical in shape and has a tip portion 18A extending upward at its upper end. The tip portion 18A is configured as a receiving portion that receives the tip of the water supply pipe 10 externally fitted into the inner core 18 by protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the upper end of the inner core 18. The outer surface of the tip portion 18A is formed as a tapered surface that is radially inward towards the tip (upper end) side, and the inner surface of the tip portion is formed as a tapered surface that is radially outward towards the tip (upper end) side. Therefore, when inserting the inner core 18 with the water supply pipe 10 externally fitted into it into the fitting 71, the outer surface (tapered surface) of the tip portion facilitates insertion into the fitting 71.

[0039] The cover 71B comprises a first cylindrical portion 21 that is fitted over the joint body 71A so as to form a space S for leaked water to accumulate between it and the outer surface of the joint body 71A, a second cylindrical portion 22 that is fitted over the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10 and has a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion 21, and a disc-shaped connecting portion 23 that connects the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 21 and the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 22.

[0040] The second cylindrical portion 22 of the cover 71B is provided with a second sealing member 24. The second sealing member 24 is made of a foamed resin such as sponge (it may also be a soft resin or rubber (including natural rubber or synthetic rubber)). The second sealing member 24 has a locking portion (annular protrusion projecting radially inward from the inner surface of the upper end) 24a that locks into a locking portion (annular groove) 22M formed in the second cylindrical portion 22 of the cover 71B, and includes a cylindrical first sealing portion 24A that abuts against the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 22 and seals the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 22, a cylindrical second sealing portion 24B which has a smaller diameter than the first sealing portion 24A and abuts against the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10 and seals the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10, and a disc-shaped connecting portion 24C that connects the lower end of the first sealing portion 24A and the upper end of the second sealing portion 24B. The inner surface of the second seal portion 24B has a pair of upper and lower protrusions 24b, 24b that project radially inward in an arc shape.

[0041] As shown in Figure 7, the flange 71C comprises an annular, horizontal flange portion 25 extending radially outward from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 21 of the cover 71B, and a cylindrical portion 26 extending upward from the radially inward upper surface of the flange portion 25. The inner surface of the cylindrical portion 26 has a female threaded portion 26n that can be screwed into and unscrewed to a male threaded portion 71n formed on the upper outer surface of the joint body 71A. Since the flange 71C and the cover 71B are integrated, the flange 71C and the cover 71B can be removed from the joint body 71A at once by unscrewing them, and the flange 71C and the cover 71B can be attached to the joint body 71A at once by screwing them together.

[0042] To elaborate on the water storage section 71J, as shown in Figure 7, when water leaks downward from the O-ring 17 and fills the first space K1 formed between the O-ring 17 and the connecting portion 23, and the second space K2 formed between the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 22 of the cover 71B and the outer surface of the water supply pipe 10, the water moves radially outward and accumulates in the space S. When space S is filled with water, it is discharged upward through the gap between the male screw portion 71n and the female screw portion 26n, as shown by arrow Y1. This discharged water accumulates in the storage space 20. By visually inspecting this accumulated water by removing the cover 8 (or without removing the cover 8 if the cover 8 is made of a transparent material), it is possible to quickly identify that water is leaking from the water supply pipe 10 due to a faulty seal of the O-ring 17. The storage space 20, located secondary to the flange 71C, constitutes a confirmation section 71L from which the water accumulated in the water storage section 71J can be checked. Furthermore, the area below the line L passing through the center of the O-ring 17 is designated as the primary side (water supply pipe 10 side), and the area above the line L passing through the center of the O-ring 17 is designated as the secondary side (joint body 71A side). Therefore, the first water reservoir on the primary side is composed of the third space K3 below line L in the space S. The second water reservoir is composed of the fourth space K4 above line L in the space S. The first water reservoir and the second water reservoir constitute the water reservoir 71J. As a result, water leaking from the O-ring 17 accumulates from the third space K3, which is the first water reservoir on the primary side located radially outward from the O-ring 17, to the fourth space K4 on the secondary side. Note that parts not explained in Figure 6 are the same as those in Figure 4, and therefore are given the same reference numerals and their explanations have been omitted.

[0043] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the two embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0044] <Reference example> Figure 8 shows a reference example of a joint 71 provided in the waterproof pan shown in the two embodiments. The joint 71 is a joint that does not have a water leak detection function. In Figure 8, a water supply pipe 10 is connected to the joint 71, and the joint 71 comprises a joint body 711A fixed to the bottom 61 of the pan body 6, a cylindrical outer cylinder 711B covering the lower outer surface of the joint body 711A, a fixing member 711C that fixes the joint body 711A to the upper surface of the floor 9, and a nut 713 attached to the upper part of the joint body 711A as a packing holding member equipped with a packing (sealing member) 27 to prevent water on the waterproof pan from leaking onto the floor through the through hole 61C. Water on the waterproof pan 5 accumulates on the waterproof pan, for example, when water leaks from the faucet part 72. Note that the outer cylinder 711B is not necessarily required.

[0045] The joint body 711A is provided with a flange portion 711F. The flange portion 711F is integrally formed with the joint body 711A. The flange portion 711F is a circumferentially continuous disc-shaped flange that protrudes radially outward from a position slightly above the vertical center of the joint body 711A. The flange portion 711F is for fixing the joint body 711A to the upper surface of the floor 9, and through holes 711K (only one is shown in Figure 8) are formed at multiple locations in the circumferential direction of the flange portion 711F for passing screws 28 to fix the flange portion 711F to the floor 9. Although the flange portion 711F is integrally formed with the joint body 711A, a configuration in which a separately formed flange portion is attached to the joint body 711A is also possible.

[0046] The nut 711D comprises a first cylindrical portion 711G having a female threaded portion 711g formed on its inner surface that screws into a male threaded portion 711N formed on the outer surface of the upper part of the joint body 711A, a second cylindrical portion 711H extending downward from the first cylindrical portion 711G, a disc-shaped flange portion 711I protruding radially outward from the outer surface between the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 711G and the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 711H, and a circumferentially continuous skirt portion 711J extending downward from the radially outer end of the flange portion 711I. The bottom portion 61 of the pan body 6 that forms the storage space 20 is provided with a stepped bottom portion 61a to improve shape retention strength. This is because it can withstand the reaction force when the packing (sealing member) 27 presses against the bottom portion 61a to seal it, and maintain its shape, thereby reliably preventing water from leaking onto and under the floor in the event of a leak from the faucet portion 72.

[0047] The nut 711D is equipped with a ring-shaped packing (sealing member) 27. Specifically, the packing (sealing member) 27 is pressed into and installed (held) within the space formed by the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 711H, the lower surface of the flange portion 711I, and the inner surface of the skirt portion 711J that constitute the nut 711D. The packing (sealing member) 27 has an outer diameter slightly larger than the space. The packing (sealing member) 27 is made of, for example, synthetic rubber (natural rubber, elastic soft resin, elastomer, or foamed resin may also be used). The packing (sealing member) 27 comprises an annular main body portion 27A, an inner sealing portion 27B extending from the radially inner end of the main body portion 27A below the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 711H with a semicircular tip, and an outer sealing portion 27C extending from the radially outer end of the main body portion 27A below the lower end of the skirt portion 711J with a semicircular tip. When the nut 711D is screwed onto the male threaded portion 711N at the top of the joint body 711A, the inner seal portion 27B is pressed against the upper surface of the flange portion 711F of the joint body 711A, thereby firmly sealing the gap between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 711H and the upper surface of the flange portion 711F (improving sealing performance). Also, as described above, when the nut 711D is screwed onto the joint body 711A, the outer seal portion 27C firmly seals the gap between the lower end of the skirt portion 711J and the upper surface (flat surface) of the bottom portion 61a of the pan body 6 (improving sealing performance). By tightening the nut 711D in this way, the packing (sealing member) 27 is pressed against the bottom portion 61a and the flange portion 711F, thereby reliably preventing water from leaking onto and under the floor in the event of a leak from the faucet portion 72.

[0048] Furthermore, the reference example has a distinctive feature in the connection between the faucet section 72 and the joint 71. Normally, the lower end of the faucet section 72 is inserted into the upper end of the joint 71, the flange 72F of the faucet section 72 and the flange 71f of the joint 71 are overlapped, and the bifurcated connecting member 29 is slid horizontally to complete the connection between the faucet section 72 and the joint 71 (see Figure 8). In this state, when the handle 72B1, which is rotatably attached to the upper end of the faucet body 72A, is rotated to open or close the valve section (not shown) provided inside the faucet body 72A, the faucet body 72A may rotate together with it. The handle 72B1 differs in shape from the handle 72B in Figures 4 and 6, and further includes a locking portion 72B11 on its outer circumference that can be used to grip a finger. The reference example further includes a configuration to prevent the aforementioned joint rotation. In other words, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 72C that protrudes downward from the lower end of the flange 72F of the faucet body 72A is provided with a projection 72T that protrudes radially outward as a locking part (see Figures 9 and 11), and the inner surface of the upper end of the joint body 711A is provided with a recess 711M that fits into (locks) the projection 72T as a locking part (see Figures 10 and 12). The locking part and the locking part may be provided in any number of at least one or more. Therefore, when the lower end of the faucet portion 72 is inserted into the upper end of the joint 71, the projection 72T enters the recess 711M, preventing the faucet body 72A from rotating relative to the joint body 711A. The projection 72T is composed of multiple (three in Figures 9 and 11) vertically elongated protrusions at predetermined intervals at two locations in the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 72C, and the recess 711M is composed of multiple (80 in Figure 12) vertically elongated grooves formed continuously in the circumferential direction, but any configuration is acceptable as long as it prevents rotation. By providing these continuously in the circumferential direction for 360 degrees, the faucet portion 72 can be fitted at any angle (orientation) within 360 degrees. In other words, even if it is necessary to fit the faucet portion 72 in a specific orientation, there is no need to restrict the orientation of the joint body 711A, and it can be fixed to the floor 9 in any (flexible) orientation. Alternatively, the projection 72T may be provided on the joint body 71A and the recess 711M may be provided on the faucet body 72A. The pitch between adjacent projections 72T, 72T in the circumferential direction is set to approximately twice the pitch between adjacent recesses 711M, 711M in the circumferential direction.Figure 11 shows that the three projections 72T, formed at positions symmetrical with respect to the center line of the faucet body 72A (the upper and lower ends in Figure 11), are engaged with every other recess 711M, which are formed in a continuous sequence indicated by the dashed-dot line.

[0049] The installation process for attaching the fitting 71, etc., to the waterproof pan 5 will be explained based on Figure 8. First, a drain port 61B and a through hole 61C are formed in the waterproof pan 5. The upper end of the water supply pipe 10, which has been moved from under the floor to above the floor, is inserted through the through hole 61C. The water supply pipe 10 is inserted into the lower end of the fitting 71 until it clicks into place, and the fitting 71 is moved downward until the flange portion 711F of the fitting 71 contacts the upper surface of the floor 9. Next, the fitting body 711A is fixed to the floor 9 by screwing multiple screws 28 through the through holes 711K formed in the flange portion 711F of the fitting body 711A into the floor 9. Then, the through hole 61C of the waterproof pan 5 is inserted into the fitting 71, the waterproof pan 5 is placed on the floor 9, and the nut 711D is tightened and fixed to the fitting body 711A using a socket wrench or other tool. At this time, the inner sealing portion 27B of the packing (sealing member) 27 provided on the nut 711D is pressed against the upper surface of the flange portion 711F of the joint body 711A, thereby firmly sealing the gap between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 711H and the upper surface of the flange portion 711F (improving sealing performance), and at the same time, the outer sealing portion 27C firmly seals the space between the lower end of the skirt portion 711J and the upper surface of the bottom portion 61a of the pan body 6 (improving sealing performance). Next, the lower end of the faucet portion 72 is inserted into the upper end of the joint body 711A. This causes the projection 72T to enter the recess 711M, preventing the faucet body 72A from rotating relative to the joint body 711A. After this, the connecting member 29 is inserted from the horizontal direction to complete the connection between the faucet portion 72 and the joint 71. Next, the cover 8 is placed over the faucet portion 72 from above so that the through hole 8A of the cover 8 passes through the top of the faucet portion 72. Screw the plate retaining nut 30 onto the threaded portion of the faucet section 72 and tighten it so that the cover 8 does not rattle. Attach the handle 72B1 to the top of the faucet section 72, secure the handle 72B1 with the fixing screw 31 with a washer, and attach the handle cap 32. Pass the four fixing screws (not shown) through the holes 64A (see Figure 1) in the four corners of the waterproof pan 5 and screw them into the floor 9 to secure the waterproof pan 5 and complete the work. Although not shown, screw caps may be attached to cover the fixing screws in the holes 64A in the four corners of the waterproof pan 5.

[0050] When performing maintenance (inspection) or replacement of the consumable packing (sealing member) 27, the handle 72B1, cover 8, connecting member 29, and faucet part 72 are removed in that order, and then the nut 711D can be removed simply by unscrewing it with the joint body 711A. This has the advantage of making maintenance (inspection) or replacement work on the packing (sealing member) 27 easy. Furthermore, maintenance (inspection) or replacement work on the packing (sealing member) 27 can be performed without cutting the pipes, replacing the joints, removing the waterproof pan, or removing the flooring material. For example, in Utility Model Registration No. 3230848, when performing maintenance (inspection) or replacement work on the third sealing part 43 that seals the gap between the lower end of the fixing nut part 42 and the bottom plate 11 of the waterproof pan 10, the procedure is as follows. In other words, the process involves forcibly pulling the valve body 60 and the joint 50 screwed to the valve body 60 upwards, expecting the water supply pipe 30 to extend, cutting the water supply pipe 30 above the outlet member 40, loosening and removing the screw on the outlet member 40, and then taking out the third seal part 43. However, even if the third seal part 43 can be removed, the problem arises when it comes time to install it. First, the valve body 60 and joint part 50 cannot be removed because the cut water supply pipe 30 is still attached, so they cannot be reused, and a new valve body 60 and joint part 50 must be prepared. Also, since the existing water supply pipe 30 has been cut and is several centimeters shorter, the water supply pipe 30 must be pulled out further before the new valve body 60 and joint part 50 can be connected. If the water supply pipe 30 cannot be pulled out, in the first case, that is, in the case of a detached house where there is space to crawl under the floor, one must crawl under the floor, loosen the fixing members that secure the water supply pipe 30 so that the water supply pipe 30 can be extended, and then return to the surface and reinstall it. In the second case, that is, in the case of an apartment building where there is no space to crawl under, one must remove the waterproof pan, cut the drain pipe, reach in through the hole in the drain trap, and loosen the fixing members that secure the water supply pipe 30 by feel, which requires a great deal of effort.

[0051] Furthermore, in the two embodiments described above, the joint 71 was provided on the waterproof pan on which the washing machine is placed, but the joint 71 may also be provided on the waterproof pan on which the bathtub is placed. Alternatively, the joint 71 may be provided on the waterproof pan in the entrance hall. In addition to being provided on the floor, the joint 71 may also be provided on the wall.

[0052] Furthermore, in the two embodiments described above, the handle 72B is shown to protrude upward, but the handle 72B may also protrude forward, or, if the cover 8 is positioned adjacent to the right-hand mounting base 64 on the front side as shown in Figure 1, it may protrude to the left in the left-right direction, or, although not shown, if the cover 8 is positioned adjacent to the left-hand mounting base 64 on the front side as shown in Figure 1, it may protrude to the right. When the handle 72B protrudes forward, it is preferable to position the handle 72B so that it does not protrude forward from the front end of the waterproof pan 5 and come into contact with other objects.

[0053] Furthermore, in the two embodiments described above, the water inlet portion 73 of the water tap 7 protrudes to the outside of the cover 8, but it may also be housed inside the cover 8. In this case, the water supply hose will be connected to the water inlet portion 73 of the water tap 7 housed inside the cover 8 through an opening formed in the cover 8.

[0054] Furthermore, in the joints of the two embodiments described above, the storage space 20 is configured as a confirmation section 71L that allows confirmation of the water accumulated in the water reservoir 71J on the secondary side of the O-ring 12 or 17. However, a ring-shaped float that rises with the water accumulated in the water reservoir 71J may be provided, and the confirmation section 71L can be configured to allow confirmation of water leakage by visually confirming that the float has risen. In this case, by configuring part or all of the cover 71B from a transparent or translucent material, the vertical position of the float can be confirmed by transparency.

[0055] Furthermore, in the two embodiments described above, the secondary water equipment may be a joint for drainage in addition to the water tap 7. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1, 2, 3…Wall surface, 4…Space, 5…Waterproof pan, 6…Pan body, 7…Water tap (secondary water equipment), 8…Cover, 8A…Through hole, 9…Floor, 9A…Through hole, 10…Water supply pipe (primary water equipment), 11…First O-ring, 12…Second O-ring, 13…Screw, 13A…Head, 14…Third sealing member, 15…Gap, 16…Second sealing member, 16A…Locking part (protrusion), 16B…First sealing part, 16C…Second sealing part, 16D…Connection Part, 16T...Protruding part, 17...O-ring (first sealing member), 18...Inner core, 18A...Tip part, 20...Storage space, 21...First cylindrical part, 22...Second cylindrical part, 22M...Locking part (groove), 23...Connecting part, 24...Second sealing member, 24A...First sealing part, 24B...Second sealing part, 24C...Connecting part, 24a...Locking part (protrusion), 24b...Protruding part, 25...Flange part, 26...Cylindrical part, 26n...Female thread part, 27...Packing (seal part) Material), 27A...Main body, 27B...Inner seal, 27C...Outer seal, 28...Screw, 29...Connecting member, 30...Plate retaining nut, 31...Fixing screw with washer, 32...Handle cap, 61...Bottom, 61a...Bottom, 61A...Top, 61B...Discharge port, 61C...Through hole, 62...Side wall, 63...Base, 64...Mounting base, 64A...Through hole, 64K...Outer corner, 64b...Wall, 71...Fitting with water leak detection function (fitting), 71A...Fitting Hand body, 71B...cover, 71C...flange, 71D...cylindrical part, 71E...flange part, 71F...O-ring, 71G...through hole, 71H...outer surface, 71K...through hole, 71J...water reservoir part, 71L...confirmation part, 71M...locking part, 71N...through hole, 71O...O-ring, 71P...outer surface, 71a...first cylindrical part, 71b...second cylindrical part, 71c...connecting part, 71e...top surface, 71f...flange, 71n...male thread part, 72...faucet part, 72A...faucet body, 72B,72B1...Handle, 72B11...Locking part, 72C...Cylindrical part, 72F...Flange, 72T...Projection, 73...Water inlet part, 81...Top side wall part, 711...Male thread, 711A...Joint body, 711B...Outer cylinder, 711C...Fixing member, 711D...Nut, 711F...Flange part, 711G...First cylindrical part, 711H...Second cylindrical part, 711I...Flange part, 711J...Skirt part, 711M...Recess, 711N...Male thread part, 711g...Female thread part, 712...Female thread, 713...Inner surface, 714...Inner surface on the lower end, 717...Lower end, K1~K4...Space, R...Rib, S...Space, Y...Arrow direction, Y1...Arrow, Z1~Z5...Arrow

Claims

1. A leak detection joint is configured to connect a primary water device and a secondary water device, comprising: a joint body into which the primary water device can be inserted; a cover that covers the joint body; a water reservoir formed between the outer surface of the joint body and the outer surface of the cover for collecting water that has leaked inside the joint body; a base for attaching the joint body to a mounting surface such as a floor or wall; and a confirmation section located secondary to the base for checking the amount of water accumulated in the water reservoir.

2. The fitting body is provided with a sealing portion that seals the outer surface of the primary water equipment into which it is inserted, and the water reservoir is provided with a leak detection function according to claim 1, wherein the fitting body is provided with a sealing portion that seals the outer surface of the primary water equipment into which it is inserted, and the water reservoir is provided with a first water reservoir that receives and stores the leaked water on a primary side of the sealing portion, and a second water reservoir that is in communication with the first water reservoir and stores the leaked water up to the confirmation portion on a secondary side of the sealing portion.

3. The water storage section collects the leaked water in a gap formed between the outer surface of the joint body and the inner surface of the cover, as described in claim 1 or 2, for a joint with a water leak detection function.

4. The water storage section collects the leaked water in a space formed between the inner and outer surfaces of the cover, as described in claim 1 or 2 of the leak detection joint.

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