METHOD AND APPARATUS INCLUDING MOVEMENT DETECTOR IN MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure and an arrangement for minimizing the risk of the undesired escape of water from pipe systems (11) and units connected thereto in premises and similar, by the use of a control or valve arrangement (9) arranged at the point of connection of the pipe system to the external supply pipe (10) and capable of regulation by means of an adjuster device. The novelty lies in the expedients of providing a link between the valve arrangement (9) and the device (2) for detecting the presence or movement of individuals inside the premises, and of connecting these devices to the valve arrangement in such a way that, in the event of the detection of presence or movement, the valve (9) is kept open so as to permit water to enter the pipe system or network, whereas the valve is kept closed in the absence of such detection.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS INCLUDING MOVEMENT DETECTOR IN MONITORING SYSTEM . Technical field This invention relates to an arrangement for a monitoring f system or an alarm system comprising devices and sensing 5 components for varying tasks, preferably a system which ^ contains devices for the detection of entry into the area which the system is intended to cover. In more detailed terms, the invention relates to an 10 arrangement for an alarm system so arranged as to prevent and/or detect the unintended or otherwise accidental escape of water or similar from pipe systems or networks to which apparatuses and units are connected within the area concerned. 15 Description of the prior art Already disclosed is a series of detecting devices which can be positioned, for example, beneath dishwashers and 20 similar units for the purpose, in the event of the escape of water, of giving an alarm and/or causing the water supply to the unit to be switched off. Also previously disclosed are so-called hose rupture 25 valves, which sense any drop in the specified resistance beyond the valve and, this being the case, close the valve. Also previously disclosed for the purpose of reducing the risk of the escape of water going undiscovered in apartment 30 blocks, for example, is the arrangement of an electromagnetically actuated valve in the incoming mains supply pipe, and the control of that valve by means of a manually operated switch arrangement located on the exterior door, i.e. not on a so-called cam lock. The water 35 is thus turned off on leaving the house and locking the door behind one . Alarms and/or shut-off devices arranged on the respective units have failed to gain widespread acceptance, because intervention is required in the supply to each unit and, as a rule, a power supply must also be provided to the sensing and shut-off devices. A shut-off arrangement capable of actuation by means of the exterior door lock obviously reduces the risk of water escaping when the apartment is empty, although it offers no protection when the occupants are at home or sleeping, or have not locked the exterior door for some reason. Of course, in an apartment or similar with several rooms, water can continue to escape without immediately being noticed. The risk of leaks can also increase at night, as the pressure in the pipes is then often higher than during the day, when consumption is greater. Object of the invention The object of the invention is to make available a simple and reliable arrangement capable of integration into or connection to a control or alarm installation for other purposes, which already exists or which is being installed at the same time, in which case common components can be utilized for internal and external reporting and for giving the alarm, and which can monitor any pipe system or network without the need for intervention in the network to take place at more than a single point. A further object is to make available an arrangement which is activated or which starts to function as soon as the area or the premises are not under supervision, and which is de-activated without the need for special measures when the area or the premises with the existing pipe system and the units connected thereto are once more under supervision. Brief description of the present invention The underlying idea of invention is to provide an opportunity, by relatively simple means, to arrange an effective monitoring of water pipes and tapping points and the water consuming or utilizing units connected thereto. The invention is based on the idea of causing devices for sensing presence or movement in one or more areas to control the supply of water to the pipe network and the consumer units within those areas or similar, and preferably of setting up the arrangement in such a way that not only presence as such, but also function or movement of a specified kind or to a specified extent has a determining effect on whether the water supply is to remain turned off or is to be allowed to flow. In one preferred embodiment, use is made of previously disclosed presence or movement detectors from premises monitoring installations, which are allowed to guard or scan the areas or similar, and it is these detectors which indicate whether activity is taking place or persons are present in the premises. It follows from this that water under pressure is available at the tapping points and the other consumer units only when the presence and/or movement detectors indicate that persons are moving around in the area in question. If, on the other hand, no person were to be present in the premises, or if any persons present there were to be asleep, and if no presence or movement is detected after an appropriate transitional period, the main inlet valve will be closed and kept closed. For as long as the main inlet valve remains closed, of course, it is not possible for the leakage or escape of water to occur. Any escape of water would be able to occur only when the water is turned on and, accordingly, when persons who might be expected to discover the escape are present. In one preferred embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with the invention, the system is supplemented with devices for the repeated verification of the tightness of the pipework and apparatus system which is supplied via the main inlet valve. A meter for measuring the drop in pressure, preferably in the form of a pressostat, is arranged in the pipeline ahead of the main inlet valve, and may be combined with it if necessary, which meter is adjustable and set in such a way as to measure the drop in pressure per unit of time in the pipe network which is isolated on closing the main inlet valve after closing of the valve has taken place. The meter or pressostat can be calibrated so that it will tolerate the ordinary dripping of a tap, but will immediately indicate if the drop in pressure per unit of time denotes some other undesired leakage or escape. The meter or pressostat is connected to a central monitoring unit, which is able to actuate devices for emitting a local alarm or for establishing a reporting link with an alarm control centre or similar. In order to achieve even greater reliability, the arrangement is supplemented with a locking device which, when the meter or pressostat identifies a leak or escape of unacceptable magnitude, locks the main inlet valve in the closed position and by so doing prevents its automatic opening as the result of a presence or movement indication. Such locking can be effected electronically by the control circuit for the opening function in the monitoring unit being blocked, although it can also take place by electro¬ mechanical means, of course, for example at the magnetically actuated valve, and can be controlled from the aforementioned unit. In the first place, a manually actuated control device may suitably be arranged in the monitoring unit, which control device, after locking of this kind, will at least permit the occasional opening of the valve. The locking function is otherwise suitably so arranged that, as soon as the cause of the escape has been eliminated, and after the manually executed turning-on of the water in order to verify that the pressure drop lies within permissible limits, it will render the locking inactive so that the presence or movement detectors are once more able to control the inlet valve. It is also possible to arrange a manual control device on the valve, for example for use in the event of power supply failure or other functional breakdown. Description of the illustrative embodiment The invention is described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates in schematic form how the arrangement in accordance with the invention can be integrated into an alarm system. The reference 1 is used in the drawing to designate an alarm control apparatus, to which a number of presence and/or movement detectors 2 are connected and also, for example, smoke detectors 3, a thermostat 4 and other appropriate detection or sensing devices which are not shown here. Interior or exterior sirens 5 and 6, for example, can be connected to the control unit 1, and there is also connected to it an automatic telephone ringing device 7, which is suitably integrated into the control unit and is able to put the installation in communication with the alarm control unit. The reference 8 is used to designate a by-pass device with a so-called IR key 8. In accordance with the invention a water inlet valve 9 connected between the exterior mains supply pipe 10 and the pipe network or system 11 of the house or building itself is connected to the control unit 1, and more specifically to a unit contained inside it, which is activated by the presence or movement detectors 2. A water meter 12 is also connected on the main pipe side. The inlet valve 9 is controlled and operated by impulses from the control unit 1, in accordance with a predetermined program, and in response to signals transmitted by the detectors 3. A pressure drop meter or pressostat 13 is arranged quite close to the inlet valve 9, which as a general rule consists of a so-called solenoid valve, on the side which is isolated from the mains supply pipe 10 when the valve 9 is closed. This meter or pressostat, which has adjustable activation or alarm levels, will begin to sense the pressure drop in the pipe network 11 as soon as the inlet valve 9 is closed. If the pressure drop is excessively high as a result of a large volume of water having escaped from the network or the system 11, an activation signal is transmitted to the control unit 1 enabling the alarm to be given. The inlet valve is equipped with a locking device 14, which is controlled from the control unit 1 on the basis of signals transmitted by the pressure drop meter 13, and which, when escape or leakage is identified, locks the valve 9 in the closed position. Because the valve 9 is prevented from being opened even if the detectors 2 give the • • correct" signal, the escape of water as a consequence of the valve 9 opening is prevented, in spite of presence or activity being detected. The inlet valve thus remains closed after escape or leakage has been identified, until such time as it is opened manually by means of the by-pass button 15 on the control unit or the handle 16 on the valve or, in the normal case, once the cause of the escape has been eliminated. The invention also incorporates the idea of providing control of separable pipe networks by means of the invention described herein, in conjunction with which, as in this case, the pipe network may include one or more consumption points. The invention should not be regarded as being restricted to that described here and shown in the drawing, but may be modified in a large number of ways within the scope of the following Patent Claims.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS 1. Procedure for minimizing the risk of the undesired escape of water from pipe systems and units connected thereto in premises and similar, by the use of a valve arrangement (9) arranged at the point of connection of the pipe system to the external supply, characterized by the expedients of providing a link between the valve arrangement (9) and devices (2) for detecting the presence or movement of individuals inside the premises, and of connecting these devices to the valve arrangement in such a way that, in the event of the detection of presence or movement, the valve (9) is kept open so as to permit water to enter the pipe system or network, whereas the valve is kept closed in the absence of such detection. 2. Procedure in accordance with Patent Claim 1, characterized by the further expedients of connecting to the valve arrangement (9) a pressure drop sensor (13), suitably of the pressostat type, capable of actuation in conjunction with the closing of the valve arrangement, and arranging it in such a way that, after the pipe system or network (11) has been disconnected from the external supply (10) , it will sense any drop in pressure in the system or network (11) and, in the event of the detection of a pressure drop in excess of a predetermined value, it will activate alarm or blocking devices. 3. Procedure in accordance with Patent Claim 2, characterized by the further expedient of connecting the pressure drop sensor (13) in such a way that, in the event of the detection of a pressure drop in excess of a predetermined value, it will activate devices (14) for blocking the valve arrangement (9) in the closed position and for cancelling the ability of the presence or movement detectors to actuate the valve (9) . 4. Arrangement for a monitoring and/or alarm system, preferably for the control of water pipe networks and installations with consumer units or similar connected thereto, in conjunction with which the monitoring system comprises activating devices and control devices which are actuated by activating devices in order to close or open the supply of water to the pipe network which is being monitored, characterized in that the activating devices (2) consist of devices for detecting the presence and/or the movement of individuals in areas served by the pipe network or equivalent and/or for the detection of predetermined movement or activity therein, in which case the detection devices (2) are so arranged, in the event of an increase in the presence or activity, as to actuate means for the opening of the supply to the pipe network or similar, although in the absence of any such indication as to actuate means for turning off such supply. 5. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 4, characterized in that the arrangement also includes at least one controlling device (13) which is so arranged and adjusted as to be substantially in operation when the pipe system (11) is disconnected from the external supply pipe (10) by means of the control device or the valve (9), in order, once the pipe system (11) has been disconnected from the external supply pipe (10), to sense a drop in pressure in the disconnected pipe system caused by leakage or any undesired escape, and in that a locking device (14) is provided for the control device or valve device (9) and is caused through the effect of the control device (13) to lock the control or valve device (9) in its closed position in the event of the detection of a drop in pressure in excess of a predetermined value. 6. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claims 1 or 4, characterized in that the detectors for sensing presence and/or movement consist of IR detectors (2), and in that an adjustable delay device is connected to them. 7. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claims 3 or 5, characterized in that the device (13) for sensing and recording the pressure drop in the pipe network (11) is connected in such a way as to take precedence over the detectors (2) for sensing presence and/or movement, in conjunction with which the control device (9) is prevented from opening if leakage resulting in a predetermined pressure drop is identified irrespective of whether movement/presence is identified.

Inventors: BJOERKMAN MATS, BJOERKMAN, MATS
Applicants: RB LARMPRODUKTER AB
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F17D5
IPC codes: F17D5