Flush-Mounted Water Meter Insert with Tamper-Proof Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inserts for connecting water meters to pipelines do not adequately address the need for easy access to water meter and sampling openings for checking water quality, particularly in ensuring sterility of hot water pipes and preventing tampering with water withdrawal from consumers.
Innovation Solution
A flush-mounted insert with a tubular structure housed in a box that allows for separate connection to pipelines, featuring a check valve receptacle for shut-off and a sampling opening that diverts water without interrupting the flow through the water meter, ensuring both openings are freely accessible and tamper-proof.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a water meter is installed in a pipeline to record consumption, then water consumption can be measured accurately, but the openings for water meter access and sampling become difficult to access and vulnerable to tampering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the tubular structure containing the water meter and sampling opening within a flush-mounting box that is installed in a recess in the wall. The flush-mounting box provides a protective enclosure while maintaining accessible openings through the wall surface, effectively nesting the measurement components within a secure yet accessible structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The flush-mounting box acts as an intermediary structure between the pipeline and the wall surface. It provides a secure mounting environment for the water meter and sampling opening while presenting accessible interfaces through the wall, mediating between the need for secure installation and easy access.
2Reliability
If sampling openings are provided in the pipeline for water quality checking, then sterility verification is enabled, but the openings become vulnerable to tampering and unauthorized water withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The sampling opening is integrated within the tubular structure that is housed in the flush-mounting box. This nesting provides physical protection against tampering while maintaining the functionality of water sampling for quality verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The flush-mounting box serves as a protective intermediary that secures the sampling opening against unauthorized access while allowing controlled sampling operations. It mediates between the need for water quality monitoring and the prevention of tampering.
3Ease of manufacture
If the insert is installed as a separate unit to facilitate connection to pipelines, then installation flexibility is improved, but the structure becomes more complex requiring flush-mounting boxes and multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the water meter housing, sampling opening, and mounting features into an integrated tubular structure that functions as a complete insert unit. This merging of functions into a single replaceable unit simplifies installation while maintaining the necessary complexity for secure mounting and access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into modular components: the tubular structure containing the water meter and sampling opening, and the flush-mounting box providing the wall interface. This segmentation allows the insert to be manufactured and tested as a separate unit before final installation, improving manufacturing ease while managing overall system complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The water meter has a single cast housing which is provided with an inlet and an exhaust opening for flow of water. A water counting device is arranged between the inlet and the exhaust opening. A cut-out sampling aperture is formed between the water counting device and the exhaust opening. A shutoff valve seat is provided between the inlet and the water counting device. The housing is received in a concealed mounting box.