Pipe connection structure and vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus incorporating the pipe connection structure

Abstract: A pipe connection structure for a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus for collecting sewage discharged from a multiplicity of houses (30) or facilities in an accumulating tank (41) through a vacuum sewage pipe (1) the inner pressure of which has been made to be a negative level is disclosed. The vacuum sewage pipe includes a plurality of upper stream pipes and lower stream pipes fastened to each other in the branch-like shape. The pipe connection structure connects the upper stream pipe (1-2) to the lower stream pipe (1-7) formed in a sawtooth-like shape by alternating a downward-slope portion (11), which is arranged to slope gently downwards toward said accumulating tank (41), and a lift portion (12) fastened to the lowermost portion of the downward-slope portion (11) and arranged to be a steep upward slope. The upper stream pipe (1-2) is connected to the lower stream pipe in a range in which a horizontal plane, which is positioned in contact with an upper end portion (13) of the lower stream pipe (1-1) at the position in which the downward-slope portion (11) changes to the lift portion (12), is higher than the center of the lower stream pipe (1-1) and at a position in which an opening of the upper stream pipe (1-2) opened in the lower stream pipe (1-1) is positioned diagonally upper than the pipe center of the lower stream pipe (1-1) in a plane perpendicular to the pipe central axis. At least a portion of the opening is higher than the horizontal plane, and the upper stream pipe extends from the lower stream pipe diagonally upwards. By this arrangement, upper and lower stream pipes can be connected to each other in such a manner that the level difference between the two pipes can be significantly reduced and the back flow of sewage from the lower stream pipe toward the upper stream pipe can be prevented.

Description: The present invention relates to a pipe connection structure and a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus incorporating the pipe connection structure. Hitherto, a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus has been known as an apparatus for collecting sewage from a multiplicity of the houses or facilities. Fig. 4 illustrates the overall structure of a conventional vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus of the type described above. As shown in the drawing, sewage discharged from each of houses 30 on the ground passes under natural flow through sewage pipes 31 disposed underground until it flows into cesspools 32 disposed more deeply underground. When a predetermined quantity of the sewage accumulates in the underground cesspool 32, a vacuum valve 33 provided in the upper portion of the inside of the cesspool 32 is opened so that sewage accumulated in the cesspool 32 is sucked through a suction pipe 34. The sewage sucked through the vacuum valve 33 via suction pipe 34 is introduced into a vacuum sewage pipe 1 arranged underground. Then, it is accumulated in an accumulating tank 41 in a vacuum pump plant 40. The sewage accumulated in the accumulating tank 41 is then sent to a sewage treatment plant or the like by a feeding pump 42. A vacuum pump 43 is connected to the accumulating tank 41 to create negative pressure in the accumulating tank 41 and the vacuum sewage pipe 1. Fig. 5 is a schematic view which illustrates a state of the connection of the vacuum sewage pipe 1 for use in a vacuum-type sewage accumulating apparatus of the type described above. As shown in the drawing, one or a plurality of main pipes 1-1 are connected to the accumulating tank 41. Furthermore, a multiplicity of branch pipes 1-2 are connected to the main pipe 1-1. In addition, laterals 1-3, each to which the vacuum valves 33 are connected, are connected to the main pipes 1-1 or the branch pipes 1-2. As a result, the pipes are embedded underground in tree form. Fig. 6 is a side elevational view which illustrates the shape of the main pipe 1 or branch pipes 1-2 constituting the vacuum sewage pipe 1 embedded underground. As shown in the drawing, the main pipe 1-1 or the branch pipe 1-2 respectively include downward-slope portions 11 which are arranged downwards toward the accumulating tank 41 in the vacuum pump plant 40 and lift portion 12 fastened to the lowermost portion of the downward-slope portion 11. The lift portion 12 is arranged to be a steep upward slope of about 45°. These downward-slope portions 11 and the lift portion 12 are provided alternately so as to form a sawtooth shape configuration. The reason for the provision of the lift portion 12 lies in that, if the vacuum sewage pipe is constituted only by the downward-slope portions 11, the underground depth of the pipes becomes too deep. The sewage, which has passed through the downward-slope portion 11, clears the lift portion 12 by the effect of the negative pressure supplied from the accumulating tank 41 and it again passes through the next downward-slope portion 11. As a result, the sewage is collected to the collecting tank 41. Fig. 7 illustrates a conventional structure for establishing a connection between the main pipe 1-1 and the branch pipe 1-2. As shown in the drawing, hitherto, the branch pipe 1-2 has been connected to the just upper portion of the main pipe 1-1. If the branch pipe 1-2 is fastened to just beside the main pipe 1-1 as shown in Fig. 8, an opening 16 at which the branch pipe 1-2 is communicated with the main pipe 1-2 may become clogged with sewage. This leads to a fact that air a in the main pipe 1-1 and air b in the branch pipe 1-2 are separated from each other, causing a backward flow of the sewage in the main pipe 1-1 toward the branch pipe 1-2 to be generated if the level of the pressure of air b becomes lower than that of air a . Therefore, the branch pipe 1-2 is fastened to the just upper portion of the main pipe 1-1 as shown in Fig. 7. Since the above-described problem may occur in the junction between the branch pipe 1-2 and the branch pipe 1-2, the junction between the main pipe 1-1 and the lateral 1-3 and the junction between the branch pipe 1-2 and the lateral 1-3, a similar connection structure is employed for each of the above-described branch portions. However, in the case where the branch pipe is connected to just the upper portion of the main pipe, the following problems arise: (1) Problem in Terms of the Strength As shown in Fig. 7, if the branch pipe 1-2 is fastened to just the upper portion of the main pipe 1-1, the difference m in the level of the pipe bottom between the main pipe 1-1 and the branch pipe 1-2 becomes excessively large. Therefore, when the thus connected main pipe 1-1 and the branch pipes 1-2 are embedded underground, the level n of portion g of the branch pipe 1-2 adjacent to the junction with the main pipe 1-1 becomes considerably high from the bottom of a groove 35, which is excavated to the depth ℓ to fit it to the pipe bottom level of the main pipe 1-1. As a result, the branch pipe 1-2 is laid on soft and thick earth placed to recover the groove 35. However, the recovering earth is too soft to support the branch pipe 2 from its lower side. Therefore, if a load from the portion on the ground and the weight of the recovering earth are applied, the portion g of the branch pipe 1-2 is applied with an excessive load. As a result, a problem arises in that the branch pipe 1-2 may be easily broken. The above-described problem becomes critical in the case where the vacuum sewage pipe is embedded under the load on which vehicles or the like run. (2) Problem in Terms of the Depth of the Embedding In general, when a vacuum sewage pipe is embedded under a load, it must be placed at a certain depth in order to disperse the load applied to the vacuum sewage pipe. Furthermore, in cold areas, it must be embedded at a considerable depth so as to prevent it from freezing. However, as shown in Fig. 7, if the branch pipe 1-2 is fastened to just the upper portion of the main pipe 1-1, the position of the branch pipe 1-2 becomes considerably high relative to the main pipe 1-1. Therefore, in order to have the branch pipe 1-2 embedded at a predetermined depth, the main pipe 1-1 must be embedded at a greater depth. As a result, the groove excavating work becomes difficult, resulting in an undesirable raising of costs. US-A-3,239,849 discloses the pipe connection structure of the preamble of claim 1 and a method and an apparatus for hydropneumatic conveying of material through a conduit, having a relatively small internal diameter as compared with conventional soil pipe from at least one initial location to a second distant terminal locating, comprising: subjecting the outlet end of the conduit to a subatmospheric pressure; accomplishing a sudden and unobstructed introduction of a coherent vehicle plug, consisting of material to be conveyed and a small volume of liquid, into the conduit under the pressure of and, while moving through the conduit and still in a coherent vehicle plug shape, followed by a materially larger volume of air under pressure higher than the said subatmospheric pressure; controlling the initial volume of the plug so that its initial length in the conduit is at least several times the conduit inside diameter and the plug has an initial length which is fraction of the length of a theoretical water column equivalent to the difference between the two defined pressures expressed in inches of water, and maintaining the inner diameter of the conduit throughout its length within the approximate range of from 3/4'' to 2 1/2''. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pipe connection structure for a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus which is free of the above-mentioned problems. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus which is free of the above-described problems by incorporating the pipe connection structure of above. In accordance with the present invention a pipe connection structure as set forth in claim 1 and a vacuum type sewage collecting apparatus as set forth in claim 7 are provided. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. Thus, in order to accomplish the above described objects, the present invention is constituted in such a manner that, in a pipe connection structure for a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus for collecting sewage discharged from a multiplicity of houses or facilities in an accumulating tank through a vacuum sewage pipe the inner pressure of which has been made to be a negative level, the vacuum sewage pipe including a plurality of upper stream pipes and lower stream pipes fastened to each other in a tree-like shape, wherein the pipe connection structure connects the upper stream pipe to the lower stream pipe formed in a sawtooth-like shape by alternating a downward-slope portion, which is arranged gently downwards toward lower stream side, and a lift portion fastened to the lowermost portion of the downward-slope portion and arranged to be a steep upward slope, wherein the upper stream pipe is connected to the lower stream pipe in a range in which a horizontal plane, which is positioned in contact with an upper end portion of the lower stream pipe at the position in which the downward-slope portion changes to the lift portion, is higher than the center of the lower stream pipe and in such a manner that an opening of the upper stream pipe opens in the lower stream pipe at a position diagonally at a level higher than the pipe center of the lower stream pipe in a plane perpendicular to the pipe central axis and at least a portion of the opening is higher than the horizontal plane, and the upper stream pipe extends from the lower stream pipe diagonally upwards. As described above, since the upper stream pipe is connected to a diagonally upper portion of the lower stream pipe so as to extend diagonally upwards therefrom, the level difference between the two pipes can be reduced. In addition, since the structure is arranged in such a manner that at least a portion of the opening of the upper stream pipe is positioned above the above-described horizontal plane, the air in the lower stream pipe and the air in the upper stream pipe can always be communicated with each other. Therefore, backward flow of sewage from the lower stream pipe toward the upper stream pipe can be prevented. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative examples. Fig. 1 illustrates a state in which a branch pipe is connected to a main pipe by using a pipe connection structure according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational cross-sectional view which illustrates the main pipe and the branch pipe taken along line A - A of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates a state where sewage flows in the vicinity of the junction between the downward-slope portion and the lift portion; Fig. 4 illustrates the overall structure of a conventional vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus; Fig. 5 is a schematic view which illustrates a state of connection of a vacuum sewage pipe for use in the conventional vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view which illustrates the shape of the main pipe and the branch pipe which constitute the vacuum sewage pipe; and Figs. 7 and 8 respectively illustrate the conventional pipe connection structure for establishing a connection between the main pipe and the branch pipe. Preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates a state in which the branch pipe 1-2 is connected to the main pipe 1-1 by using a pipe connection structure according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the main pipe 1-1 and the branch pipe 1-2 taken along line A - A of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the main pipe 1-1 comprises a gentle downward-slope portion 11 and a steep upward-slope lift portion 12 which are provided alternately before it is connected to the accumulating tank 41. The branch pipe 1-2 is connected to the main pipe 1-1 at a position adjacent to the lift portion 12 of the downward-slope portion 11, and at a diagonally upper portion of the main pipe 1-1. Then, the position of the connection will be described in detail. The lengthwise range in which the branch pipe 1-2 is connected to the main pipe 1-1 is, as shown in Fig. 1, arranged to be range f in which a horizontal plane 14 is higher than a pipe center 15 of the main pipe 1-1, the horizontal plane 14 being positioned in contact with an upper end portion 13 of the main pipe at a position in which the downward-slope portion 11, which is arranged downward toward the accumulating tank 41, changes to the lift portion 12. As shown in Fig. 2, the branch pipe 1-2 is connected to the main pipe 1-1 in such a manner that its opening 16 opens at a position diagonally above the central axis 15 of the main pipe 1-1 in a plane perpendicular to the central axis 15. Furthermore, at least a portion of the opening 16 of branch pipe 1-2 opened in the main pipe 1-1 is higher than the above-described horizontal plane 14. Then, the flow of sewage realized in the case when the branch pipe 1-2 is connected as described above will be described. Fig. 3 illustrates the state of the flow of sewage 17 in the vicinity of the junction of the downward-slope portion 11 and the lift portion 12. As shown in the drawing, the sewage 17 which has been dragged by air 18 and flowed through the gentle downward-slope portion 11 is accumulated in its deepest portion. Since air 18 and sewage 17 successively come to the deepest portion from the upper stream side, the excessive quantity of the sewage 17 in the deepest portion clears the lift portion 12 due to the blowing effect of the air 18 so as to flow forwards. Then, the sewage 17 again slowly flows through the next downward-slope portion 11. In this manner, the sewage 17 is introduced into the accumulating tank 41. The inventor of the present invention carefully observed the state of movement of the sewage 17 in the portion from the downward-slope portion 11 to the lift portion 12. As a result, it has been found that, although the sewage 17 accumulates in the deepest portion of the downward-slope portion 11, it does not exceed the level of the horizontal plane 14 which is positioned in contact with the uppermost portion 13 of the pipe at the position in which the downward-slope portion 11 changes to the lift portion 12. The reason for this lies in that the level of the negative pressure of air 18 in the right side (lower stream side near the accumulating tank 41) when viewed in the drawing becomes higher than that of air 18 in the left side (upper stream side near the vacuum valve 33) when the sewage comes in contact with the upper end portion 13. As a result, the sewage 17 is blown up so as to exceed the lift portion 12. According to these embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, since the branch pipe 1-2 is connected in such a manner that at least a potion of the opening portion 16 of the branch pipe 1-2 opened in the main pipe 1-1 is positioned above the horizontal plane 14, air a in the main pipe 1-1 and air b in the branch pipe 1-2 are not separated from each other by the sewage 17. Therefore, even if the pressure level of the air a become higher than that of air b , air a only moves toward the branch pipe 1-2. Therefore, the sewage 17 in the main pipe 1-1 does not flow back toward the branch pipe 1-2. As described above, the branch pipe 1-2 may be fastened in such a manner that at least a portion of its opening 16 is positioned above the horizontal plane 14. According to the experiment carried out by the inventor of the present invention, the effect of the present invention can be significantly exhibited when a proportion of 10% to 50% of the area of the opening 16 of the branch pipe 1-2 opened in the main pipe 1-1 is positioned above the above-described horizontal plane 14. That is, if 10% or a wider area of the opening 16 is opened, the quantity of air moving between the main pipe 1-1 and the branch pipe 1-2 becomes sufficient to completely prevent the backward flow of the sewage 17. If 50% or a wider area of the opening 16 is positioned above the horizontal plane 14 within the pipe connection range f , the junction position of the branch pipe 1-2 is caused to face considerably upwards, causing a similar problem, which takes place in the conventional structure in which the branch pipe 1-2 is fastened to just the upper portion of the main pipe 1-1, to be arisen. According to the above-described embodiment, the pipe connection range is limited to the range f in which the horizontal plane 14 is higher than the pipe center 15 of the main pipe 1-1. The reason for this arrangement lies in that the sewage 17 does not occupy the half or larger space of the main pipe 1-1 in the range where the horizontal plane 14 is lower than the pipe center 15. Therefore, even if the branch pipe 1-2 is connected just beside the main pipe 1-1 as shown in Fig. 8, the junction portion is not clogged by sewage. The clogging problem would arise when the branch pipe 1-2 is connected to the main pipe 1-1 within the pipe connection range f , but the subject invention can avoid such clogging even if a pipe connection is made within the connection range f . According to the above-described embodiment, the structure for connecting the main pipe 1-1 to the branch pipe 1-2 is described. The present invention is not limited to this, the present invention, of course, may be applied to a case in which the branch pipe 1-2 is connected to the other branch pipe 1-2 and to a case in which the lateral 1-3 is connected to the main pipe 1-1 or to the branch pipe 1-2. That is, the present invention is applied to any cases in which an upper stream pipe (that is, the branch pipe 1-2 or the lateral 1-3) is connected to a lower stream pipe (that is, the main pipe 1-1 or the branch pipe 1-2) in which the downward-slope portion 11 and the lift portion 12 are provided alternately. As described above, according to the arrangement of the present invention, the upper stream pipe (branch pipe or lateral) is connected to the lower stream pipe (the main pipe or the branch pipe) in such a manner that it is positioned in a diagonally upper portion so as to form an upward slope. Therefore, the difference in level between the two pipes can be reduced. As a result, the distance between the pipe bottom of the upper stream pipe embedded in the groove and the groove bottom can be lessened. Therefore, even if a downward load is applied to the upper stream pipe, it is positively supported by the groove bottom through the earth. As a result, the upper stream pipe can be protected from damage. Furthermore, the necessity of excavating a deep groove can be eliminated. Also according to the present invention, the air in the upper stream pipe is always communicated with the air in the lower stream pipe. Therefore, backward flow of sewage from the lower stream pipe to the upper stream pipe can be prevented.

Claims: A pipe connection structure for a vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus for collecting sewage discharged from a multiplicity of houses or facilities in an accumulating tank (41) through a vacuum sewage pipe the inner pressure of which has been made to be a negative level, said vacuum sewage pipe including a plurality of upper stream pipes and lower stream pipes fastened to each other in a tree-like shape, wherein said pipe connection structure connects said upper stream pipe to said lower stream pipe formed in a sawtooth-like shape by alternating a downward-slope portion (11), which is arranged to slope gently downwards toward lower stream side, and a lift portion (12) fastened to the lowermost portion of said downward-slope portion (11) and arranged to be a steep upward slope, characterized in that said upper stream pipe is connected to said lower stream pipe in a range in which a horizontal plane (14), which is positioned in contact with an upper end portion of said lower stream pipe at the position in which said downward-slope portion (11) changes to said lift portion (12), is higher than the center of the lower stream pipe and in such a manner that an opening of said upper stream pipe opens in said lower stream pipe at a position diagonally above the pipe center (15) of said lower stream pipe in a plane perpendicular to said pipe central axis and at least a portion of said opening is higher than said horizontal plane, and said upper stream pipe extends from said lower stream pipe diagonally upwards. A pipe connection structure claimed in Claim 1, wherein a proportion of 10% to 50% of said opening of said upper stream pipe opened in said lower stream pipe is positioned above said horizontal plane. A pipe connection structure claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said lower stream pipe is a main pipe connected to said accumulating tank (41) and said upper stream pipe is a branch pipe connected to said main pipe. A pipe connection structure claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said lower stream pipe is a main pipe connected to said accumulating tank (41) and said upper stream pipe is a lateral connected to said main pipe. A pipe connection structure claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said lower stream pipe is a branch pipe connected to a main pipe of said vacuum sewage pipe and said upper stream pipe is another branch pipe connected to said first branch pipe. A pipe connection structure claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said lower stream pipe is a branch pipe connected to a main pipe of said vacuum sewage pipe and said upper stream pipe is a lateral connected to said branch pipe. A vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus for collecting sewage discharged from a multiplicity of houses or facilities in an accumulating tank (41) through a vacuum sewage pipe the inner pressure of which has been made to be a negative level, said vacuum sewage pipe including a plurality of upper stream pipes and lower stream pipes fastened to each other in the branch-like shape, wherein said upper stream pipe is connected to said lower stream pipe by a pipe connection structure of any of claims 1-6. A vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus claimed in Claim 7, wherein a proportion of 10% to 50% of said opening of said upper stream pipe opened in said lower stream pipe is positioned above said horizontal plane. A vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein said lower stream pipe is a main pipe connected to said accumulating tank and said upper stream pipe is a branch pipe connected to said main pipe. A vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein said lower stream pipe is a main pipe connected to said accumulating tank and said upper stream pipe is a lateral connected to said main pipe. A vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein said lower stream pipe is a branch pipe connected to a main pipe of said vacuum sewage pipe and said upper stream pipe is another branch pipe connected to said first branch pipe. A vacuum-type sewage collecting apparatus claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein said lower stream pipe is a branch pipe connected to a main pipe of said vacuum sewage pipe and said upper stream pipe is a lateral connected to said branch pipe.

Inventors: ASANAGI TSUNEO, USHITORA AKIHIRO, YAMAGUCHI KAZUO, ASANAGI, TSUNEO, USHITORA, AKIHIRO, YAMAGUCHI, KAZUO
Applicants: EBARA CORP, EBARA CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E03F1
IPC codes: E03F3, E03F1, E03F7