Primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster

Abstract

To provide a primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster, which simplifies restoration work by a construction company under the permission of a water utility company when water supply is cut off due to damage caused by a disaster in a section of a water supply pipe from a water meter to an existing faucet in a privately owned area, and can quickly supply water to consumers after the water supply is cut off. [Solution] The tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 is equipped with a tap water flow control device having an inlet section formed with an inlet flow path for introducing tap water supplied from a water distribution pipe 51, a blocking section that blocks the flow of tap water from the inlet section toward an existing faucet 70, and an outlet section formed with a bypass flow path for tap water circulating from the inlet flow path between the inlet section and the blocking section. In the tap water flow control device, the water meter is removed and replaced with a piping member in the pipe 53 that forms the downstream section 52x, upstream of the damaged BN portion.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a water supply pipe primary restoration unit that supplies water to consumers who need it as an emergency measure until water is restored in a water supply pipe that serves as a lifeline when water supply is cut off and the supply to consumers is cut off due to damage to the piping caused by a disaster, such as an earthquake, heavy rain, or heavy snow, or a man-made disaster such as an accident at the site. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, large earthquakes have occurred frequently, including the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and the Noto Peninsula earthquake in 2024, causing severe damage to the affected areas. Furthermore, abnormal weather is occurring on a global scale, and localized heavy rain and snowfall caused by stationary linear rain bands have caused severe damage to affected areas. Such large-scale disasters can also affect water supply pipes, which are a lifeline.

[0003] As is well known, tap water supply pipes are laid over a wide area within a region to supply tap water to many consumers. Tap water supply pipes consist of a main pipe (distribution pipe) buried underground under publicly owned areas such as roads and sidewalks, and multiple branch pipes (service pipes) that connect to this main pipe in various ways and are buried to many consumers. Each service pipe traverses the underground of publicly owned areas and privately owned areas, and extends to a faucet on the consumer's premises through a water meter on the premises.

[0004] When a large-scale disaster affects tap water supply pipes, damage to the piping can result in a water outage where tap water is not supplied to many consumers. Because tap water supply pipes are responsible for supplying water that is essential for people's lives, an example of a means of securing water in preparation for a water outage is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a portable purified water storage device that has a flow path switching valve installed on a water pipe, which controls switching between a main flow path leading to the faucet and a bypass flow path leading to a pressure-resistant container that stores tap water, an inlet pipe extending from the bypass flow path into the pressure-resistant container, and an outlet pipe extending from the pressure-resistant container to the main flow path on the faucet side. The inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are each connected to the water pipe by a pipe joint.

[0006] In Patent Document 1, by switching the flow path switching valve to the bypass flow path under normal circumstances, tap water is temporarily stored in the pressure-resistant container through the inlet pipe, and then flows through the outlet pipe to the main flow path and toward the faucet. This ensures that the tap water in the pressure-resistant container is always stored in a fresh state.

[0007] On the other hand, in an emergency situation where a water pipe is damaged, the flow path switching valve can be switched from the bypass flow path side to directly connect it to the main flow path leading toward the faucet, and the inlet and outlet pipes can be removed from the pipe fittings on the water pipe, and the pressure-resistant container containing the tap water can be carried outside, allowing the tap water stored in the pressure-resistant container to be used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-199640 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] When a large-scale earthquake such as the Noto Peninsula earthquake mentioned above occurs in an affected area, water supply pipes and water supply piping are damaged, preventing tap water from being supplied to many users and resulting in widespread water outages. In this case, if the damage to the piping occurs in the section of the water supply pipe that branches off from the distribution pipe, as well as in the section that passes through the boundary between the public and private areas and reaches the water meter in the private area (the first section), the water utility will undertake the work of restoring the piping at public expense as the first restoration measure.

[0010] Once the water utility has completed the first restoration measure, it will determine that the water supply pipe has been restored and will make a public announcement to that effect.

[0011] On the other hand, in the past, pipe breaks have occurred in the section from the downstream side of the water meter in the privately owned area to the faucet on the consumer's premises (section 2), and it is fully expected that pipe breaks will occur in section 2 in the future. However, even if section 2 is cut off from water supply due to a pipe break, the water utility has no idea about the actual state of the water outage in section 2. Therefore, when section 2 is cut off from water supply due to a pipe break, as a second restoration measure, a construction company designated by the water utility will, at the consumer's request, carry out the work to restore the pipes at the consumer's expense.

[0012] Incidentally, once a large-scale earthquake such as the Noto Peninsula Earthquake mentioned above occurs in an affected area, the damage to the pipes in the second section of the privately owned water supply pipe, from the downstream side of the water meter to the faucet on the premises, is severe, and many water consumers are left without water. It is expected that such cases of on-premises damage will continue to occur in the future. In particular, in the event of a large-scale earthquake such as the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, it is expected that the number of requests for pipeline restoration work from water consumers who have been cut off will reach tens of thousands.

[0013] However, when construction companies designated by water utilities receive requests from water users whose water supply has been cut off and try to fully restore pipes, the number of users for whom a single construction company can respond to requests to restore pipes is, for example, only two or three per day. Even if all construction companies designated by water utilities in the affected area cooperate with each other, it will take an extremely long time, for example, several tens to hundreds of days, to complete the work of restoring pipes for the tens of thousands of water users waiting for their pipes to be restored.

[0014] This caused problems for water users who were waiting for the pipelines to be restored, as they were unable to secure tap water for long periods of time and had to receive limited amounts of water from water tankers, forcing them to continue living in difficult conditions.

[0015] In Patent Document 1, when a pressure-resistant container containing enough tap water for daily life is removed from a water pipe and carried to a new location, the pressure-resistant container filled with tap water is extremely heavy. Therefore, people in the disaster area face great difficulties in lifting and carrying this heavy pressure-resistant container to their new location. In particular, elderly people, people with physical disabilities, and people requiring assistance due to difficulty walking find it difficult to even remove the pressure-resistant container from the water pipe. Therefore, Patent Document 1 is of little use in disaster areas and is not a practical technology.

[0016] This invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster, which simplifies the restoration work by construction companies, with the permission of the water utility, when a water supply interruption occurs due to damage caused by a disaster in the section of the water supply pipe from the water meter in a privately owned area to an existing faucet, and which can ensure the supply of water to consumers as quickly as possible after the water interruption occurs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] In order to achieve the above object, the primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster according to the present invention has the following configuration.

[0018] (1) A water supply pipe that is a lifeline, which branches off from a distribution pipe buried under a public area to a private area, is used in the downstream section of the water supply line from a water meter installed in a private area to an existing faucet installed on the premises of a water consumer, when water is cut off and water cannot be supplied to the existing faucet due to damage to the piping caused by a disaster. The water supply pipe is made up of an inlet section with an inlet flow path that introduces water supplied from the distribution pipe, and a barrier that blocks the flow of water from the inlet section to the existing faucet. The water meter is provided with a tap water flow control device having a cut-off section and an outlet section in which a bypass flow path for tap water flowing from the inlet flow path is formed between the inlet section and the blocking section, and the outlet section is formed in a manner that allows it to be connected to a water supply means that discharges the tap water that has flowed into the bypass flow path to the outside, and the water meter is provided with a tap water flow control device that is configured such that the piping member connected to the water meter is partially removed and replaced, or the water meter is removed and replaced with the piping member, in the downstream section of the pipeline upstream of the damaged part. (2) In the unit for primary restoration of tap water supply pipes in the event of a disaster as described in (1), the water supply means is a faucet different from the existing faucet. (3) In the primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster described in (1) or (2), the water supply flow control device is characterized in that it has a connection portion at the inlet portion that can be liquid-tightly connected to an upstream pipe member of the water supply pipe that is located upstream of the water meter. (4) In the primary restoration unit for the tap water supply pipe in the event of a disaster described in any one of (1) to (3), an intermediate pipe member is provided that is attached to communicate between the bypass flow path of the tap water flow control device and the water supply means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The operation and effect of the primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster according to the present invention having the above configuration will now be described.

[0020] (1) A water supply control device is used in a water supply pipe that branches off from a distribution pipe buried under a public area to a private area, which constitutes a lifeline, in a downstream section of the water supply pipe that starts from a water meter installed in the private area and ends at an existing faucet installed on the premises of a water consumer, where water is cut off and water cannot be supplied to the existing faucet due to damage to the piping caused by a disaster.The water supply control device has an inlet section with an inlet flow path that introduces water supplied from the distribution pipe, a blocking section that blocks the flow of water from the inlet section to the existing faucet, and an outlet section with a bypass flow path for water circulating from the inlet flow path between the inlet and the blocking section, and the outlet section is formed in a manner that allows it to be connected to a water supply means that discharges water that has flowed into the bypass flow path to the outside.The water supply control device is characterized in that it is used in a downstream section of the pipe upstream of the damaged part, where the piping component that was connected to the water meter is partially removed and replaced, or the water meter is removed and replaced with a piping component.

[0021] Due to this feature, for example, if a natural disaster such as a large-scale earthquake like the Noto Peninsula earthquake, or a landslide caused by heavy rain or snow, or a man-made disaster such as an accident at the site causes damage to the pipeline in the downstream section of the water supply pipe, and the downstream section of the pipeline is cut off, while waiting for the construction company designated by the waterworks operator to restore the pipeline, the water supply consumer can easily restore water to the consumer's premises using the water supply pipe primary disaster restoration unit related to this device, which is installed on the water supply pipe on the consumer's premises, with the waterworks operator's permission, while waiting for the construction company designated by the waterworks operator to restore the pipeline.

[0022] By installing the water supply pipe primary restoration unit in the event of a disaster according to the present invention, water consumers who are waiting for the repair work of the damaged pipes can reduce the waiting time until the water supply is released to, for example, just a few days. Therefore, by installing the water supply pipe primary restoration unit in the event of a disaster according to the present invention, water consumers can quickly be released from the inconvenience of being forced to live without tap water.

[0023] Therefore, with the primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster of the present invention, when a water supply pipe in the section from the water meter to an existing faucet in a privately owned area is cut off due to damage caused by a disaster, restoration work by construction companies can be simplified with the permission of the water utility company, and water can be supplied to consumers as quickly as possible after the water outage occurs, which is an excellent effect.

[0024] In the primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster described in (2), the water supply means is a faucet different from the existing faucet.

[0025] The water supply system is designed to be able to supply water to the water mains and to supply the water to the water supply pipes in a timely manner.

[0026] In the primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster described in (3), the water supply flow control device is characterized in that it has a connection portion at the inlet portion that can be liquid-tightly connected to the upstream pipe member of the water supply pipe located upstream of the water meter.

[0027] Due to this feature, the connection portion of the tap water flow control device of the tap water supply pipe primary recovery unit in the event of a disaster of the present invention can also be connected to the connected portion of the fastening nut or the like that connects and fixes the water meter to the upstream pipe member, so that the tap water supply pipe primary recovery unit in the event of a disaster of the present invention can be connected to the upstream pipe member without water leakage and fixed in a stable state.

[0028] The primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster as described in (4) is characterized by having an intermediate pipe member that is attached to communicate between the bypass flow path of the water supply flow control device and the water supply means.

[0029] Due to this feature, when the water supply means connected to the tap water flow control device is, for example, a second primary countermeasure faucet 3B(3) or a third primary countermeasure faucet 3C(3) as shown in Figures 7 and 8, by attaching the intermediate pipe member to the outlet portion of the tap water flow control device, tap water consumers can easily supply tap water from such water supply means.

[0030] In particular, if a water supply means such as the second primary countermeasure faucet 3B(3) or the third primary countermeasure faucet 3C(3) as shown in Figures 7 and 8 is attached via an intermediate pipe member extending vertically upward from the outlet of the tap water flow control device, tap water consumers as well as workers such as volunteers working to restore the disaster-stricken areas can easily draw water from such a water supply means into tanks or buckets for storing tap water, and the workability is also improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing how the water supply pipe disaster recovery device of the embodiment has been installed to replace the water meter after a downstream section of the water supply pipe has been damaged, allowing tap water to be used. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 1 showing the state in which the tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device shown in FIG. 1 is housed in a water meter box. FIG. [Figure 3]1A and 1B are diagrams showing a tap water flow control device according to Example 1, configured as a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, in which (a) is a side view seen from the inlet side of the tap water, and (b) is a view seen from the arrow BB in (a), with a cross-sectional view included in part of the diagram. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a tap water flow control device according to Example 2, configured as a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, in which (a) is a side view seen from the inlet side of the tap water, and (b) is a view from the CC arrow direction in (a), with a cross-sectional view included in part of the diagram. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a tap water flow control device according to Example 3, configured as a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, in which (a) is a side view seen from the tap water inlet side, and (b) is a view from the DD arrow direction in (a), with a cross-sectional view included in part of the diagram. [Figure 6] 1 is a front view showing a first example of a primary countermeasure faucet as a water supply means configured in a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, and is an explanatory diagram showing a case where an intermediate pipe member is interposed between a primary countermeasure faucet according to the second example and a tap water flow control device as a water supply means. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, and is an explanatory diagram showing a case where an intermediate pipe member is interposed between a primary countermeasure faucet according to the third example and a tap water flow control device as a water supply means. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the water supply pipes under normal circumstances before the disaster, when tap water was supplied from the distribution pipe through the water supply pipe and via the water meter and was being supplied from faucets on the premises. [Figure 10] 10 is an enlarged view of part E in FIG. 9 showing a water meter according to a known technique connected to a stop valve on the upstream side within a water meter box. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a water meter according to a first well-known technique example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a water meter according to a second well-known technique example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of a primary water supply pipe restoration unit for use in the event of a disaster.

[0033] The primary disaster water supply pipe restoration unit of this invention is a water supply unit for supplying water to consumers who need it when water is cut off and tap water cannot be supplied to consumers due to damage to the pipes caused by a disaster, such as a natural disaster such as an earthquake, heavy rain, or heavy snow, or a man-made disaster such as an accident at the site, in a water supply pipe that serves as a lifeline.

[0034] Specifically, among the water supply pipes that branch off from the distribution pipes buried under public areas into privately owned areas, the downstream section of the water supply pipes that run from the water meter installed in the privately owned area to the existing faucet installed on the water consumer's premises was actually damaged due to a large-scale disaster such as the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred in 2024. It is also expected that such damage to downstream pipes may occur in the future.

[0035] The primary water supply pipe restoration unit of this invention is a water supply unit that can be used, with permission from the water utility company, as a temporary emergency measure until water is restored when water is cut off and tap water cannot be supplied to existing faucets due to damage to the pipeline caused by such a large-scale disaster.

[0036] In this embodiment, we will explain the case where the primary water supply pipe recovery unit of this invention is used in the event of a disaster in a situation where, for example, a pipe line break occurs between the water meter and an existing faucet, preventing tap water from reaching the existing faucet installed at the consumer, resulting in a water outage.

[0037] First, the supply route of tap water from a water distribution pipe through a water supply pipe to an existing faucet on the customer's premises, which is a lifeline, will be briefly explained using Figures 9 to 12. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the water supply pipe under normal circumstances before a disaster, when tap water is supplied from the distribution pipe through a water supply pipe and via a water meter and can be supplied from a faucet on the customer's premises.

[0038] As shown in Figure 9, tap water supply pipes 50 are laid out over a wide area within a region to supply tap water to many consumers U. The tap water supply pipes 50 consist of a distribution pipe 51 buried in the ground G beneath a public area AR1, such as a road or sidewalk, and multiple supply pipes 52 that are connected in various ways from the distribution pipe 51 and buried toward many consumers U. Each supply pipe 52 crosses underground between the ground G of the public area AR1 and the ground G of the private area AR2, across the public-private boundary M, and extends via a water meter 60 located on the premises of consumer U through a conduit 53 made of piping members to a faucet 70 on the premises.

[0039] Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of part E in Fig. 9, showing how a water meter according to the well-known art is connected to a stop valve on its upstream side within a water meter box. Fig. 11 is a front view of a water meter according to a first well-known art example, and Fig. 12 is a front view of a water meter according to a second well-known art example.

[0040] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a water meter box 55 is buried in contact with the ground G within the premises of consumer U, and a water meter 60 is housed within the water meter box 55. The water meter 60 is a well-known instrument that records the amount of tap water used, such as a first water meter 60A illustrated in Figure 11 or a second water meter 60B illustrated in Figure 12. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the water meter 60 has a tap water inlet 61 that introduces tap water flowing in the water supply pipe 52 into the main body, and a tap water outlet 65 that discharges tap water whose flow rate has been measured within the main body.

[0041] The tap water inlet section 61 has an inlet-side male thread section 62 that forms a male thread that can be threaded onto the female thread of an inlet-side connecting nut 57 that is anchored to a flange at the end of upstream pipe member 52a located upstream of water meter 60, or a pipe member that connects to stop valve 56 adjacent to upstream pipe member 52a. The tap water outlet section 65 has an outlet-side male thread section 66 that forms a male thread that can be threaded onto the female thread of an outlet-side connecting nut 58 that is anchored to a flange at the end of downstream pipe member 52b located downstream of water meter 60, or a pipe member that connects to a piping member such as a valve adjacent to downstream pipe member 52b.

[0042] Next, a tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit for use in the event of a disaster (hereinafter referred to as "tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit") according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG.

[0043] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing how the water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to the embodiment replaces the water meter after a downstream section of the water supply pipe is damaged, enabling tap water to be used. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in Fig. 1 showing the water supply pipe disaster recovery device shown in Fig. 1 housed in a water meter box.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 is used with permission from the water utility company as a temporary emergency measure until full-scale restoration measures can be implemented at the site of the disaster when tap water is cut off in the downstream section 52x of the tap water supply pipe 50 due to damage BN to the pipe 53 caused by a disaster, preventing tap water from being supplied to the existing faucet 70. The downstream section 52x of the tap water is the section of the water supply pipe 52 that branches from the distribution pipe 51 buried under the public area AR1 to the private area AR2, starting from the water meter (see Figure 9) installed in the water meter box 55 in the private area AR2, to the existing faucet 70 installed on the premises of the tap water consumer U.

[0045] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 is installed in the portion of the pipe 53 that constitutes the downstream section 52x from which the water meter 60 has been removed. Note that in addition to replacing the water meter 60, the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 may also be installed by partially removing the piping member that was connected to the water meter 60 from the upstream side of the damaged BN portion of the pipe 53 that constitutes the downstream section 52x.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 2, the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 includes a tap water flow control device 2. In this embodiment, the tap water flow control device 2 is divided into three types as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, depending on the diameter of the water supply pipe 52 used at the disaster site.

[0047] Fig. 3 shows a tap water flow control device according to Example 1, which is configured in a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment. (a) is a side view seen from the inlet side of the tap water, and (b) is a view from the arrow BB in (a), including a partial cross-sectional view. Fig. 4 shows a tap water flow control device according to Example 2, which is configured in a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment. (a) is a side view seen from the inlet side of the tap water, and (b) is a view from the arrow CC in (a), including a partial cross-sectional view. Fig. 5 shows a tap water flow control device according to Example 3, which is configured in a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment. (a) is a side view seen from the inlet side of the tap water, and (b) is a view from the arrow DD in (a), including a partial cross-sectional view.

[0048] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, all three types of tap water flow control devices 2 consist of an inverted T-shaped base 10, a straight tubular inlet 11, a straight closure 17, and a tubular outlet 21. Note that closure 17 corresponds to the shutoff section of the tap water flow control device of the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit in the event of a disaster according to the present invention.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the base 10 is a cheese-shaped tubular member. The base 10 has an inlet portion 11 on one side and a closed portion 17 on the other side along the axis L. The base 10 also has an outlet portion 21 between the inlet portion 11 and the closed portion 17.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3, the first tap water flow control device 2A(2) according to Example 1 is one of three types of tap water flow control devices 2. The first tap water flow control device 2A(2) is formed so that the inlet section 11 is connected to an upstream pipe member 52a with a diameter of 25A, and the outlet section 21 is connected to a piping member with a diameter of 20A.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4, the second tap water flow control device 2B(2) according to Example 2 is one of three types of tap water flow control devices 2. The second tap water flow control device 2B(2) is formed so that the inflow section 11 is connected to an upstream pipe member 52a with a diameter of 20A, and the outflow section 21 is connected to a piping member with a diameter of 13A.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, the third tap water flow control device 2C(2) according to Example 3 is one of three types of tap water flow control devices 2. The third tap water flow control device 2C(2) has an inflow section 11 that is connected to an upstream pipe member 52a with a diameter of 13A, and an outflow section 21 that is also connected to a piping member with a diameter of 13A.

[0053] In this embodiment, the inlet section 11 is made of a straight pipe member, and is liquid-tightly connected and integrated with the base section 10. An inlet flow path 13 is formed in the inlet section 11. The inlet flow path 13 is a flow path for tap water supplied from the water distribution pipe 51, which is introduced through the inlet 12 and circulates the tap water. The tap water distribution control device 2 has an inlet side connection part 14 in the inlet section 11 that can be liquid-tightly connected to an upstream pipe member 52a of the water supply pipe 52 that is located upstream of the water meter 60 (see Figure 9).

[0054] The inlet connection 14 corresponds to the connection of the tap water flow control device of the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit in case of a disaster according to the present invention.

[0055] 2 to 5, the inlet side connecting portion 14 is formed on the outer periphery of the pipe of the inlet portion 11, in a location close to the inlet port 12. The inlet side connecting portion 14 is a male thread that can be threaded into the female thread of the inlet side connecting nut 57.

[0056] The blocking portion 17 has a blocking wall 18 that blocks the flow of tap water from the inlet portion 11 toward the existing faucet 70. Specifically, the blocking portion 17 is composed of a straight pipe member and a blocking wall 18, and is liquid-tightly connected and integrated with the base 10. The blocking portion 17 serves to block the flow of tap water toward the existing faucet 70 by providing the blocking wall 18 on the flow path cross section of tap water that attempts to flow from the inlet flow path 13 on one side of the base 10 toward the other side of the base 10 in the direction along the axis L.

[0057] In the first tap water flow control device 2A(2) and the second tap water flow control device 2B(2), the blocking section 17 is a straight pipe member with both openings blocked by blocking walls 18. In the first and second tap water flow control devices 2A and 2B(2), the inlet section 11 is connected to the upstream pipe member 52a with a diameter of 20A, so the diameter of the cheese-shaped pipe member that forms the base 10 is larger than the diameter 20A of the inlet section 11 and the blocking section 17.

[0058] Although the blocking portion 17 may be made of a solid member, it is difficult to obtain solid members suitable for use as blocking portions in the first and second tap water flow control devices 2A, 2B(2) on the market. In addition, the water pressure of the large flow rate of tap water flowing through the large-diameter upstream pipe member 52a with a diameter exceeding 20A is greater than when the water flows through the upstream pipe member 52a with a diameter of 13A.

[0059] 4 and 5, the blocking section 17 has a double structure in which one blocking wall 18 is sandwiched between the base 10 and the straight pipe member to fix the base 10 and the straight pipe member, and the opening of the straight pipe member is blocked by the other blocking wall 18, thereby blocking the cross section of the flow path for tap water. This allows the blocking section 17 to adequately withstand the water pressure of a large flow rate of tap water.

[0060] In the third tap water flow control device 2C(2), the blocking portion 17 is a straight, solid member.

[0061] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, all three types of tap water flow control devices 2 have a block side connecting part 19 in the block section 17 that can be liquid-tightly connected to a downstream pipe member 52b of the water supply pipe 52 that is located downstream of a water meter 60 (see Figure 9). The block side connecting part 19 is formed on the outer periphery of the pipe of the block section 17, at the outer end. The block side connecting part 19 is a male thread that can be threaded into the female thread of the outlet side connecting nut 58.

[0062] A bypass flow path 23 is formed in the outflow section 21. The bypass flow path 23 is a flow path for tap water that flows tap water introduced into the inflow flow path 13 from the inlet 12 as an inflow path F1 for tap water until it is discharged from the outlet 22 as an outflow path F2 for tap water. The outflow section 21 is formed in a manner that allows it to be connected to a water supply means that discharges the tap water that has flowed through the bypass flow path 23 to the outside.

[0063] Fig. 6 is a front view showing a first example of a primary countermeasure faucet as a water supply means configured in a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, and is an explanatory diagram showing a case where an intermediate pipe member is interposed between a second example of a primary countermeasure faucet as a water supply means and a tap water flow control device. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a tap water supply pipe disaster recovery device according to an embodiment, and is an explanatory diagram showing a case where an intermediate pipe member is interposed between a third example of a primary countermeasure faucet as a water supply means and a tap water flow control device.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 1, the water supply means is a separate faucet different from the existing faucet 70. The separate faucet is a tap water faucet according to well-known technology, and is a primary countermeasure faucet 3 such as the first primary countermeasure faucet 3A(3), the second primary countermeasure faucet 3B(3), and the third primary countermeasure faucet 3C(3) illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8.

[0065] The primary countermeasure faucet 3 may be used when a new faucet is installed when replacing the tap water supply pipe primary recovery unit 1, or when an existing faucet 70 that was originally installed on the premises of a tap water consumer U who has experienced a water outage is temporarily removed and used for the tap water supply pipe primary recovery unit 1.

[0066] In the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 6, the first tap water flow control device 3A(3) may be attached to the tap water flow control device 2 by inserting its male thread into the outlet 22 of the outlet section 21. When configuring the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 in this manner, in which the tap water flow control device 3 is directly attached to the tap water flow control device 2, a second tap water flow control device 2B(2) or a third tap water flow control device 2C(2) is used, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0067] In the second tap water flow control device 2B(2) and the third tap water flow control device 2C(2), as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the outlet side connecting part 24 is formed on the inner periphery of the outlet part 21. The outlet side connecting part 24 is an insert screw that forms a female thread that can be threaded onto a male thread formed on a primary countermeasure faucet 3, such as the first primary countermeasure faucet 3A(3) shown in Figure 6.

[0068] 7 and 8, in the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1, an intermediate pipe member 30 may be attached to communicate between the water supply means, such as the second and third primary countermeasure faucets 3B, 3C(3), and the tap water flow control device 2. The intermediate pipe member 30 is a straight piping member. In the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 to which the intermediate pipe member 30 is attached, the intermediate pipe member 30 is attached with one side connecting portion 31 inserted from the outlet 22 and connected to the tap water flow control device 2 within the outlet portion 21, and the other side connecting portion 32 connected to a joint 33. The second and third primary countermeasure faucets 3B, 3C(3) are connected to this joint 33.

[0069] When the intermediate pipe member 30 is attached to the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1, a first tap water flow control device 2A(2) that has no threads inside the outflow section 21 is used, as shown in Figure 3. The intermediate pipe member 30 is attached to the first tap water flow control device 2A(2) by fixing one side connecting section 31 to the inner surface of the outflow section 21 with an adhesive.

[0070] In this embodiment, of the three types of tap water flow control devices 2 (first tap water flow control device 2A, second tap water flow control device 2B, third tap water flow control device 2C), the first tap water flow control device 2A(2) has an outflow section 21 that does not have a threaded portion on the inside. Conversely, the second and third primary countermeasure faucets 3B and 3C(3) have outflow sections 21 that have an outflow-side connecting portion 24 on the inner periphery.

[0071] The inside of the outlet portion 21 can be divided into a structure with a threaded portion like the outlet side connecting portion 24 and a structure without a threaded portion, depending on the connection mode of the water supply means connected to the tap water flow control device 2, the presence or absence of an intermediate pipe member 30 connecting it to the water supply means, and the diameter of the intermediate pipe member 30 to be attached. Piping members used mainly for industrial and commercial purposes have large diameters and are thick, for example, with a diameter of 20A or 25A.

[0072] In particular, when a large-diameter piping member, such as one with a diameter of 20A or 25A, is to be connected to the outflow section 21 of the tap water flow control device 2, an outflow section 21 without a threaded portion on the inside is preferred. This is because the workability is better than with screw fastening when connecting a large-diameter piping member to the tap water flow control device 2. Of course, the tap water flow control device may be configured so that the outflow section is fixed to a large-diameter piping member, such as one with a diameter of 20A or 25A, by screw fastening.

[0073] On the other hand, in this embodiment, when a small-diameter piping member such as that with a diameter of 13A is to be connected to the outflow section 21 of the tap water flow control device 2, the outflow section 21 is formed with the outflow-side connection section 24. However, the tap water flow control device may be configured so that the small-diameter piping member and the outflow section that does not have a threaded section on the inside are fixed together with an adhesive.

[0074] Next, the operation and effect of the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0075] The tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 according to this embodiment is used in a case where a water supply pipe 52 that branches from a distribution pipe 51 buried under a public area AR1 to a private area AR2, which is a lifeline tap water supply pipe 50, is in a state of water outage where tap water cannot be supplied to the existing faucet 70 due to damage BN of a pipe 53 caused by a disaster in a downstream section 52x (52) of tap water from a water supply pipe 52x (52) that starts from a water meter 60 installed in the private area AR2 to an existing faucet 70 that was installed on the premises of a tap water consumer U, and where an inflow flow path 13 that introduces tap water supplied from the distribution pipe 51 is formed. The water flow control device 2 has an inlet 11, a blocking section 17 that blocks the flow of water from the inlet 11 toward an existing faucet 70, and an outlet 21 in which a bypass flow path 23 for water flowing from the inlet flow path 13 is formed between the inlet 11 and the blocking section 17, and the outlet 21 is formed in a manner that allows it to be connected to a water supply means (primary countermeasure faucet 3) that discharges water that has flowed into the bypass flow path 23 to the outside, and the water flow control device 2 is characterized in that the water meter 60 is removed and replaced with a piping component in the pipe 53 that forms the downstream section 52x, upstream of the location of the damaged BN.

[0076] Due to this feature, for example, if a natural disaster such as a large-scale earthquake like the Noto Peninsula earthquake, a landslide caused by heavy rain or heavy snow, or a man-made disaster such as an accident at the site causes damage BN to the pipeline 53 in the downstream section 52x (52) of the water supply pipe 52, and the pipeline 53 in the downstream section 52x is cut off from water supply, the tap water consumer U can receive water supply WT from the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1, as shown in Figure 1, with the permission of the water supply company while waiting for the construction company designated by the water supply company to restore the pipeline 53.

[0077] In particular, if the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 is attached to the water supply pipe 52, tap water consumers U who are waiting for the restoration of the pipe 53 can receive the water supply WT even if water trucks cannot reach the disaster area, ensuring the water essential for human life. Furthermore, tap water consumers U previously had to carry heavy plastic containers filled with water to receive the limited amount of water distributed by the water truck, but as shown in Figure 1, by installing the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 on the water supply pipe 52 on the consumer U's premises, the water supply WT from tap water circulating in the distribution pipe 51 can be easily realized on the consumer U's premises.

[0078] Incidentally, in the event of a large-scale earthquake such as the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, it is expected that the number of tap water consumers U waiting for the restoration of the pipeline 53 will reach tens of thousands. At the site of the disaster area, a construction company designated by the water utility can remove the water meter 60 and replace it with the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 in, for example, about ten minutes to several tens of minutes. As a result, the number of consumers U that a single construction company can respond to requests for restoration of the pipeline 53 will increase by several to nearly ten times, for example, to at least a dozen to roughly twenty requests per day, compared to the two or three requests per day for complete restoration of the pipes up until now.

[0079] Therefore, by replacing the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1, the waiting time until the water supply is released can be reduced to about a few days for tap water consumer U who is waiting for the restoration work of the pipeline 53. Therefore, by replacing the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 with the water supply pipe 52, tap water consumer U can be quickly released from the inconveniences that he has been forced to live without being able to secure tap water.

[0080] Therefore, according to the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 of this embodiment, when the tap water pipe 53 is cut off due to a damaged BN caused by a disaster in the section from the water meter 60 to the existing faucet 70 in the privately owned area AR2, the restoration work by the construction company can be simplified with the permission of the water utility company, and tap water can be supplied to the consumer U as quickly as possible after the water outage occurs, which is an excellent effect.

[0081] Furthermore, the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 according to this embodiment is characterized in that the water supply means is a primary countermeasure faucet 3 that is different from the existing faucet 70.

[0082] Due to this feature, the primary countermeasure faucet 3 is highly versatile and is available in large numbers on the market, making it relatively easy to obtain, and it can be easily attached to the outlet part 21 of the tap water flow control device 2 without requiring any special tools. Furthermore, when replacing the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1, the existing faucet 70 that was originally installed on the premises of tap water consumer U who has experienced a water outage can be temporarily removed and used as the primary countermeasure faucet 3.

[0083] In addition, in the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 of this embodiment, the tap water flow control device 2 is characterized in that it has a stop valve 56 connected to the upstream pipe member 52a of the water supply pipe 52 located upstream of the water meter 60, and an inlet side connection portion 14 at the inlet portion 11 that can be connected liquid-tightly by an inlet side connection nut 57.

[0084] Due to this feature, the inlet side connection portion 14 of the tap water flow control device 2 of the tap water supply pipe primary recovery unit 1 can be screwed into the inlet side connection nut 57 that connects and fixes the water meter 60 to the upstream side pipe member 52a, so that the tap water supply pipe primary recovery unit 1 can be connected to the upstream side pipe member 52a without water leakage and fixed in a stable state.

[0085] Furthermore, the tap water supply pipe primary restoration unit 1 according to this embodiment is characterized by having an intermediate pipe member 30 that is attached to communicate between the bypass flow path 23 of the tap water flow control device 2 and the primary countermeasure faucet 3.

[0086] Due to this feature, when the primary countermeasure faucet 3 connected to the tap water flow control device 2 is a second primary countermeasure faucet 3B(3) or a third primary countermeasure faucet 3C(3), as shown in Figures 7 and 8, by attaching the intermediate pipe member 30 to the outlet portion 21 of the tap water flow control device 2, tap water consumers U can easily receive tap water from the second and third primary countermeasure faucets 3B and 3C.

[0087] In particular, when the second primary countermeasure faucet 3B(3) and the third primary countermeasure faucet 3C(3) are attached via an intermediate pipe member 30 or a fitting 33 extending vertically upward from the outlet portion 21 of the tap water flow control device 2, tap water consumers U as well as workers such as volunteers carrying out recovery work in the disaster-stricken areas can easily draw water from the second and third primary countermeasure faucets 3B and 3C into tanks or buckets for storing tap water, and the workability is also improved.

[0088] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified and applied as appropriate within the scope of the invention.

[0089] For example, in the embodiment, the piping members connected to the tap water flow control device 2 are exemplified as piping members with diameters of 13A, 20A, and 25A.

[0090] However, in the tap water flow control device of the present invention, the diameter of the piping component to be connected is not limited to the embodiment, but may be any diameter that matches the diameter of the water supply pipe installed at the site in the disaster area.

[0091] Furthermore, the tap water taken from the outlet via the bypass flow path of the tap water flow control device of the present invention only needs to have a diameter of piping that can accommodate the flow rate required at the disaster site, and in the tap water flow control device of the present invention, the diameter of the piping that is to be connected can be changed as appropriate.

[0092] Furthermore, the tap water flow control device according to the present invention is made of, for example, resin or metal, but the material of the tap water flow control device is not particularly limited and can be changed as appropriate.

[0093] In addition, the tap water flow control device of the present invention may have functional components such as piping components and piping equipment attached to the tap water flow path between the inlet and outlet, such as a flow regulating valve that adjusts the flow rate of tap water, an on-off valve that adjusts the flow of tap water, and a flow meter for the flowing tap water. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1. Primary water supply pipe restoration unit (primary water supply pipe restoration unit in the event of a disaster) 2. Tap water flow control device 3, 3A, 3B, 3C Primary countermeasure faucet 3 (water supply means, separate faucet) 11 Inlet 13 Inlet channel 17 Blocking section (blocking section) 21 Outflow section 23 Bypass flow path 30 Intermediate pipe member 50 Tap water supply pipe 51 Water pipe 52 Water supply pipe 52x downstream section 53 Pipeline 70 Existing faucet 60 Water Meter U Consumer AR1 Public Area AR2 Private area BN Damage

Claims

1. This is used in relation to water supply pipes, which are lifelines, when a water supply pipe that branches off from a distribution pipe buried under a public area to a private area, in the downstream section of the water supply line from a water meter installed in the private area to an existing faucet installed on the premises of a water consumer, is in a state of water outage due to damage to the piping caused by a disaster, and water cannot be supplied to the existing faucet. The tap water flow control device has an inflow section formed with an inflow flow path for introducing tap water supplied from the water distribution pipe, a blocking section that blocks the flow of tap water from the inflow section toward the existing faucet, and an outflow section formed with a bypass flow path for tap water circulating from the inflow flow path between the inflow section and the blocking section, the outflow portion is formed in a manner that can be connected to a water supply means that discharges the tap water that has circulated through the bypass flow path to the outside; The tap water flow control device is configured by partially removing and replacing the piping member connected to the water meter on the upstream side of the damaged portion of the downstream section of the pipeline, or by removing the water meter and replacing it with the piping member; This is a unit for primary restoration of tap water supply pipes in the event of a disaster.

2. 2. The water supply pipe primary restoration unit for use in a disaster according to claim 1, The water supply means is a faucet different from the existing faucet; This is a unit for primary restoration of tap water supply pipes in the event of a disaster.

3. 2. The water supply pipe primary restoration unit for use in a disaster according to claim 1, The tap water flow control device has a connection part at the inlet part that can be liquid-tightly connected to an upstream pipe member of the water supply pipe that is located upstream of the water meter; This is a unit for primary restoration of tap water supply pipes in the event of a disaster.

4. The water supply pipe primary restoration unit for use in a disaster according to any one of claims 1 to 3, an intermediate pipe member attached to communicate between the bypass flow path of the tap water flow control device and the water supply means; This is a unit for primary restoration of tap water supply pipes in the event of a disaster.

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