Swimming Pool Safety Apparatus with Dual Pressure Switches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety apparatuses for swimming pools fail to reliably detect and respond to vacuum conditions that could suck users into suction ducts, leading to potential harm or drowning, and often lack effective fault notification and redundancy to ensure safe operation.
Innovation Solution
A safety apparatus using two pressure switches hydraulically connected to the same suction duct, with a logic unit that checks for consistency in their status to ensure accurate detection of suction pressure and generates alarms or stops the pump if inconsistencies are detected, providing active redundancy and fault notification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single pressure switch is used to detect vacuum conditions, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of safety detection deteriorates due to potential switch failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by implementing a redundancy mechanism where a second pressure switch serves as a backup to the first pressure switch. If the first pressure switch fails to detect hazardous vacuum conditions, the second pressure switch provides a backup detection capability, cushioning against the reliability loss from a single point of failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the two pressure switches non-identical in their detection characteristics. The first pressure switch is calibrated to detect hazardous vacuum conditions at a specific threshold, while the second pressure switch has a different calibration threshold. This differentiation ensures that if one switch fails or gives false readings, the other can still provide reliable detection due to their complementary detection characteristics.
2Reliability
If two pressure switches are installed to provide redundancy, then the reliability of safety detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements beforehand cushioning by preparing a backup detection pathway. When the first pressure switch fails or provides inconsistent readings compared to the second pressure switch, the control unit automatically switches to relying on the second pressure switch for safety detection, thus cushioning against the loss of redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by having the two pressure switches perform different functions. The first pressure switch is primarily responsible for normal hazardous vacuum condition detection, while the second pressure switch serves both as a backup for the first switch and has its own independent calibration for detecting different vacuum conditions. This partial differentiation reduces the complexity burden while maintaining reliability.
3Measurement precision
If pressure switches are calibrated to detect hazardous vacuum conditions at different thresholds, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to calibration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different calibration thresholds to the two pressure switches. The first pressure switch is calibrated for detecting hazardous vacuum conditions at one threshold level, while the second pressure switch is calibrated for detecting hazardous vacuum conditions at a different threshold level. This local differentiation in detection characteristics improves measurement precision across different vacuum condition ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the calibration threshold parameter between the two pressure switches. This parameter differentiation allows the system to detect hazardous vacuum conditions more precisely across a broader range of vacuum levels, with each switch optimized for specific detection ranges.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the pump is stopped immediately upon detecting hazardous vacuum conditions, then the safety of users is improved, but the productivity of water circulation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing a graduated response rather than immediate full pump shutdown. When hazardous vacuum conditions are detected, the control unit can partially reduce the pump's operating parameters or activate alternative circulation pathways, rather than completely stopping the pump. This partial action maintains some water circulation productivity while still protecting users from dangerous suction forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by preparing alternative water circulation pathways in advance. When hazardous vacuum conditions are detected, the system can switch to alternative circulation routes that bypass the problematic suction points, cushioning against the need to completely stop the pump and maintaining water circulation productivity while still ensuring user safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures safe operation of swimming pools by reliably detecting and responding to hazardous vacuum conditions, preventing user entrapment and ensuring the safety apparatus operates effectively even if one pressure switch fails, with additional features for maintenance and emergency operations.
Implementation Method 1
at least two pressure switches be hydraulically connected to a same branch of the purification circuit, substantially in a same pressure-detection point of the branch detect a negative suction relative pressure in the branch
Data Source
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AI summary
A safety apparatus (1) for a swimming pool (10) comprises at least two pressure switches (31,41) in use hydraulically connected in a same point (22) upstream of a pump (25) of a swimming pool water purification circuit, each pressure switch comprising a first (33,43) and a second (34,44) contact arranged to open or close when an emergency stop pressure (Pa) and a maximum operation pressure (Pe) is reached, respectively, and also comprises a logic unit (50) electrically connected to each pressure switch (31,41) and, in use, with a contactor (24) of the circulation pump (25), the logic unit (50) configured to compare the statuses of the second contacts (34,44) with each other, and for transferring a pump-stop/block electric signal (55) to the contactor (24) when a status of at least one pressure switch (31,41) it is detected which corresponds to a pressure lower than the emergency stop pressure (Pa), or when a condition is detected in which the status of the second contact (34) of one of the pressure switches (31) indicates a suction pressure lower than the maximum operation pressure (Pe), while the status (44) of the other pressure switch (41) indicates a suction pressure higher than the maximum operation pressure (Pe); in this condition, an instrument out-of-service alarm signal is also generated. In an exemplary embodiment, a key device is provided, associated with a key confidentially entrusted to a subject, which serves allow switching on the pump even in the presence of such a condition.