Water supply device for use during disaster, heavy snow, or emergency

Abstract

[Problem] During disasters, roads are cut off and water cannot be supplied to disaster-affected areas, and fresh water cannot be supplied to disaster victims. [Solution] The present invention is provided with a device that lifts a hose from a ground surface and pulls out the same in order to lay the same from a fresh water supply device over a road, a river, or debris, as well as a direction control device.

Description

Water supply equipment for emergencies such as disasters and heavy snowfall

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply system for use in disaster areas and areas with heavy snowfall.

[0002] The Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred on January 1, 2024, left many victims, but even though recovery is progressing, water supply has not been restored even after four weeks. For example, in Honjo City, relief supplies have arrived, but there is not enough water. A similar water shortage situation is occurring in Nanao City as well.

[0003] Utility Model Registration No. 3244578 JP 2023-050533

[0004] During heavy snowfall or other disasters, roads are cut off and delivery vehicles cannot reach affected areas. Even if roads become accessible, many relief supplies can be delivered, but water cannot be provided to disaster victims because of burst water pipes or fallen trees, making it impossible for vehicles to access roads. For example, fresh water for bathing, washing, flushing toilets, etc. is not available to disaster victims. The problem is that not enough fresh water reaches disaster-stricken areas. However, this invention solves this problem.

[0005] The source of fresh water comes from distant mountain springs, ponds, lakes, rivers, oceans, groundwater, or reservoirs. While methods include evaporative cooling, filtering (reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes, etc.), and settling, the evaporative cooling and filtering methods are commonly used in disaster situations, but they cannot be delivered to remote disaster areas. Furthermore, conventional freshwater purification systems or freshwater tanks are not designed to transport water over long distances like water pipes, so disaster victims must travel to the freshwater purification system or freshwater tanks. Thus, when disaster victims or areas are isolated (roads are impassable), they cannot obtain fresh water at all, and even if they are not isolated, they must travel far to receive water. In other words, simple water pipes have not been installed in disaster areas.

[0006] This invention features a freshwater supply device that lays freshwater from a road, river, or rubble by pulling a hose that is suspended above the ground to the disaster area. Specifically, the device comprises an extendable hose, a device at the end of the hose for pulling out the hose, a device for changing the direction of the hose, and a device for floating the entire hose. The other end of the hose is equipped with a hose reel, a device for winding and extending the hose around the hose reel, a device for pumping water from mountain springs, ponds, lakes, rivers, seas, groundwater, or stored water and converting the water into freshwater, and a power source for driving the device for converting the water into freshwater. The hose can be equipped with a device for lifting the hose from the ground, and the hose can be pulled out from the reel while being lifted. This freshwater supply device can be used in disasters such as heavy snowfall or earthquakes.

[0007] It can also provide fresh water even when the area is isolated (roads are impassable).

[0008] 1 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a top view showing the first embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a side view showing a third embodiment of the present invention; and 5 is a side view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Conventional disaster water supply methods involve transporting water using large tanks or providing purified water on-site using water purifiers. Transporting water using large tanks requires heavy trucks capable of withstanding the weight of water, making access difficult through debris, fallen trees, and muddy, destroyed roads. Even portable tanks are difficult to navigate through roads severed and collapsed by earthquakes and supply water to disaster-stricken municipalities. The water purifier used in this invention has a basic known mechanism: pumped water through a filter, and if necessary, through other known filters such as activated carbon filters, ion exchange resins, and membrane filters (ultrafiltration using UF membranes or reverse osmosis using RO membranes), sterilized with ultraviolet light, and finally inspected for residuals before being supplied for drinking purposes. For example, with a supply capacity of approximately 2 t / hr, the device would weigh approximately 100 kg, and, including necessary equipment such as batteries, would be difficult to transport manually. However, in the case of road disruptions, the present invention requires the use of a hose to supply fresh water further beyond the roads. This invention solves all these problems at once with a freshwater supply device for use in times of disasters such as heavy snowfall or earthquakes. The name of this invention is Dr. Nakama Mizutsukuru, also known as Dr. Nakamatsu. "Do" stands for "any disaster," "K" stands for "clear," "Ta" stands for "immediate," "Na" stands for "heal," "Ka" stands for "recovery," "Ma" stands for "fresh water," and "Tsu" stands for "produce." It is a water supply device. Below, an embodiment of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [First embodiment of the present invention] Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention, which comprises a hose floating device 3, a hose pull-out device 4 at the end of the hose, a hose direction control device 5, a fresh water supply device (with an inspection unit) 6, a power source energy 7 such as a battery for driving the same, a water intake pump 8 from a river or the like 2, an extension hose reel 9, and a hose 10.

[0011] The hose reel, hose reel extension mechanism 9, fresh water supply device 6, power battery or generator 7, and suction pump 8 are all mounted on a vehicle 11 for transport. This vehicle 11 is installed in a location in the disaster area where there is a means of transportation for the vehicle to move around. From there, the hose 10 is extended to isolated areas where roads have been cut off. The devices mounted on the vehicle 11 are shown in Figures 1 and 2, but any arrangement is possible without being limited to this.

[0012] The hose 10 with reel extension mechanism 9 is laid in areas where vehicles cannot pass, so it should be long enough to reach the disaster area. This hose can also be wound around multiple reels 9 and then separated into sections. Since it carries fresh water, a soft, lightweight material and pipe thickness that does not crack or leak is preferred. Materials include fluororesin such as tetrafluoroethylene, PP, vinyl, cloth, PE, PFA, and resin. The material to be used depends on the amount of purified fresh water and the length to be transported. A pipe diameter of 1 / 4 inch to 100 mm diameter is preferred, taking into account weight and length, but this is not a requirement. The reel extension mechanism 9 may also be equipped with an automatic rotation function to feed out the hose as it expands. The hose lifting (floating) device installed at the end of the hose and midway along the hose, and the hose pull-out device or hose direction control device installed at the end of the hose utilize the ducted fan and ground effect invented by the present inventor in Patent Application No. 2023-220206 (called a ducted fan (Ukuruma)). Double or single contra-rotating propellers are installed inside the duct to float the hose, and a floating device 12 that can be moved by a small propeller duct installed on the side of the duct is used to float the hose 10, pull the hose 4, and control its direction 5 so that the hose heads towards the disaster site as its destination.

[0013] The hose lifting device 3 floats and moves over the surface of rubble, rivers, collapsed roads, fallen trees, collapsed houses, snowy roads, etc. For example, the present inventor invented Patent Application No. 2023-220206, which combines two ducted fan (U-shaped) floating devices 12 and has a hose that can be held in the center 125, making it possible to lift and position the hose to a predetermined position. This ducted fan (U-shaped) is battery-powered or engine-powered, and rotates the propeller 122 to lift it up.

[0014] The hose is lifted and extended from uneven ground by the hose lifting device 3 using multiple ducted fans (wheels) and the hose retraction function 4 at the hose tip. Although the hose is suspended above the ground by the lifting device 3, if there is an obstacle to hose extension, the hose can be safely moved left and right without being affected by debris on the ground by changing the propulsion force of the left and right wheels of the hose direction control 5 installed at the hose tip. The hose retraction device 4 and the hose direction control device 5 can be combined into one device.

[0015] The hose pull-out device 4 at the hose tip 102 takes aerial photographs using a drone to determine the direction and height of the hose (not shown), lifts the hose above the ground, and a reel guides and feeds the hose. This hose pull-out device 4 can be pulled out manually, but in some cases, two ducted fans (U-shaped fans) 12 are connected to the hose tip 102 in horizontal orientation as devices 4 and 5, and another ducted fan 12 is provided below them for lifting. The hose is fed out by the hose pull-out device 4 at the hose tip and the hose floating device 3.

[0016] Then, the extended hose end can be connected to a reel on which a new hose is wound, and the new hose can be extended (not shown). This allows the hose to be connected and extended, and a long-distance water pipe can be secured. Multiple reels can also be used.

[0017] When a human worker is required to connect the reels, the worker can connect the reel and hose by riding in an aircraft such as a helicopter or the U-shaped vehicle invented by the inventor, and the worker can connect the reel and hose securely at the reel's hand. Because the U-shaped vehicle can move by floating slightly above the ground, it is possible to connect and extend hoses in places where vehicles cannot pass, such as in dense forests, near fallen trees, or in rivers.

[0018] According to the first embodiment, water can be supplied even to disaster-stricken and isolated areas, and by fixing the hose after extension, the present invention can also be used as a water supply pipe.

[0019] [Second embodiment of the present invention] A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 3. This embodiment is characterized by the ease of transporting water by using the water supply pump, water supply pump, hose, and power generator of a known fire engine 112.

[0020] A freshwater supply system 6 is connected to the front or rear of the fire engine 112's pump, and the hose is extended wherever possible. A hose lifting device 3 is attached to the fire engine's hose or the hose of the present invention 10, and the hose lifting device 3, the hose tip hose pull-out device 4, and the hose direction control device 5 are attached to the hose tip 102. The hose reel and reel extension / extension mechanism 9, the hose 10, the suction pump 8, the water supply pump, and the power source for driving them are all installed on the fire engine 112. To balance the amount of water transported and the hose pressure, additional water storage tanks and pumps are installed before and after the freshwater supply system, at the hose tip, or at the end of the fire engine's hose, allowing for efficient freshwater supply to each area. If freshwater is not required, the freshwater supply system is unnecessary. Fire engine hoses are made of flat-stitched fabric and come in sizes of 40-70 mm in diameter, which can pose hygiene issues and can be difficult to transport due to their heavy weight (e.g., 5-7 kg for 20 m, exceeding 70 kg when filled with water). In addition, fire engine pumps have a high discharge pressure (7 to 1 kg / cm²). Therefore, water can be sucked up from a pond, river, etc. using the hose of a fire engine and stored in a water tank in a safe location. This water can then be supplied to the disaster area using a low-pressure pump via the hose 10 equipped with the fresh water supply device, hose floating device 3, hose pull-out device 4, and hose direction control device 5 of the present invention.

[0021] According to the second embodiment of the present invention, fresh water or water is pressurized and pumped out by a fire engine, so that large amounts of fresh water can be transported over longer distances.

[0022] [Third Embodiment of the Present Invention] Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, characterized by a figure-eight hose installation method that allows the hose to be unwound 91 without tangling. This figure-eight winding is preferable when the hose is made of a material that does not collapse. That is, this figure-eight winding can be used for flexible tubing hoses made of fluororesin such as tetrafluoroethylene, PP, vinyl, PE, PFA, resin, or cable such as electrical wire. Rather than using a reel to unwind the hose, as shown in Figure 4, the hose is placed in a figure-eight winding before use, and the hose lifting device 3, hose unwinding device 4, and hose direction control device 5 are attached to the hose in advance. The hose end is then unwound so that it is straight. Arranging the hose in a figure-eight configuration allows the hose to be unwound without tangling when unwound, saving time and energy, as it requires less pulling force to unwind the hose. This also eliminates the need for a reel unwinding mechanism. Although Figure 4 shows the hose loop wound in a figure-eight shape and fed out vertically, the hose may be arranged in any configuration, and the loops may be stacked horizontally and locked together before being fed out. [Fourth embodiment of the present invention] Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is characterized by the fact that the hose is installed in a single loop wound in a figure-eight shape and arranged vertically, allowing the hose to be extended 91 without tangling. This fourth embodiment is a modification of the arrangement method of the third embodiment. The compact single loop configuration makes the hose easy to transport.

[0023] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention also includes configurations that combine these embodiments and configurations that use means for floating and extending the hose at disaster sites.

[0024] In areas affected by disasters or heavy snowfall, water can be supplied without being obstructed by rubble, etc., and water for drinking, toilet use, laundry, bathing, etc. can be supplied, allowing people to live healthy and normal lives. This invention can therefore develop disaster relief projects and is useful industrially.

[0025] 1 Rubble or snowy road 2 Water source such as river, sea, mountain spring water, etc. 3 Hose floating device 4 Hose pull-out device 5 Hose direction control device 6 Fresh water supply device 7 Power source energy such as drive battery 8 Water suction pump from water source 9 Extension hose reel 91 Hose wound in a figure-of-eight shape 92 Hose wound in a figure-of-eight shape ring 10 Hose 101 Water intake port 102 Hose outlet 103 Indicates the direction of travel of the hose (left / right control direction) 104 Indicates the direction of extension of the hose 11 Mobile body integrating part or all of the device of the present invention 111 Wheel 112 Fire engine (integrating pump, hose, power source, etc.) 12 Ducted fan with a counter-rotating structure (the "U-car" invented by the present inventor) 121 Duct 122 Propeller (counter-rotating) 123 Motor 124 Air ejection direction from the duct 125 Hose support

Claims

1. A water supply device for use in emergencies such as disasters and heavy snowfall, characterized by having some or all of a device for lifting a hose capable of spraying water above the ground, a device for pulling out the hose, and a device for changing the direction of the hose.

2. In claim 1, a water supply system for emergencies such as disasters and heavy snowfall, which uses water sources such as mountain spring water, ponds, lakes, rivers, seas, groundwater or stored water, and is provided with a device that turns the water into fresh water, an energy device that drives these, a hose storage device such as a reel that directs water into a hose and winds up the hose, and an energy device that drives these, and is provided with a moving device such as a car or caterpillar that can move as a whole, and is characterized in that some or all of these devices are integrated.

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