Patent Description:
An example of the use of a relief valve is with an unvented domestic hot water storage system (UVHWSS) or unvented hot water heater (UVHWH). Such a system typically has a temperature and/or pressure relief valve connected to a discharge pipe. The regulations for connection of the discharge pipe to a waste water system are strict because of the risk of back contamination from the pathogenic water in the waste water system to the fresh water in the storage system. Typically, the regulations require a tundish to provide a visible point of discharge and an air gap (to provide backflow prevention) and the outflow from the tundish to be connected in a particular way to discharge above an external ground floor gulley. Such a connection requires careful engineering and is expensive to install.

For boiler applications, backflow contamination is typically not an issue but the visibility of a point of discharge from a boiler remains relevant.

In order to connect a vent valve to a sewer, i.e. at a soil stack within a building, arrangements need to be made to provide an odour trap to prevent any foul gases from the soil stack from entering the domestic location. On most domestic installations, a water trap would be used to prevent escape of gases and odours from the soil stack. Typically, a water trap comprises a bent tube in which water is trapped. A water trap allows passage of liquid and suspended solids but not gases. Generally speaking, a water trap is not suitable for use with a tundish as it will become ineffective through drying out. A water trap is also relatively bulky and is not suitable for use in all locations.

The applicant's own prior patent applications <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a plumbing connector with a non-return valve so as to provide a dry trap tundish. Whilst such products mitigate the above described technical challenges, ongoing development work has revealed that further improvement to the products disclosed in the applicant's prior patent applications is possible. The present disclosure concerns such developments.

Whilst the air opening in the connectors disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT> allows visibility of a water discharge from the domestic hot water storage system, it is often the case that the discharge is not witnessed. It can be that the actual discharge is short-lived or else that a sporadic discharge occurs only intermittently, thereby reducing the likelihood that it will be seen.

If a discharge goes unnoticed and the user takes steps to recommence use of a boiler, for example by topping up the boiler pressure, then this can worsen the cause of the discharge. Ongoing or worsening leaks can potentially lead to permanent damage of the hot water system and/or hazardous conditions for the user.

Discharge of water at a temperature close to boiling can result in damage to downstream pipework, which can lead to costly repairs and/or hazardous situations. A way of ameliorating these problems has been sought.

<CIT> discloses a leak detector assembly for use with a backflow prevention device including a housing defining a passageway for receiving a fluid. <CIT> discloses an extension piece with a housing for drain hoppers, the housing comprises an upper connector, for connecting to a drain outlet, a lower connector, for installing above a drainage hopper, and a passage extending between the connectors. <CIT> discloses a set of components for the modular creation of a drain arrangement for draining water that is drained from a drinking water system into a sewage pipe.

According to the invention, there is provided a connector for a water system, the connector comprising an inlet, a connector body and an outlet arranged in sequence, wherein the connector body is an open-sided tundish having an open air gap between the inlet and outlet through which water can fall in use, the connector comprising a sensor mounted inside the connector body between the inlet and outlet for detecting the presence of water within the connector body, the sensor being configured to output a detection signal in response to sensing water in the connector body.

The connector body may comprise an internal floor formation between the inlet connector and outlet connector, e.g. beneath the open air gap defined by the open-sided connector body. The floor formation may divide the interior of the connector body into upper and lower internal chamber portions.

The sensor may be arranged to sense the presence of water above or on the internal floor formation.

An opening, e.g. a valve opening may be formed in a floor of the lower chamber.

The inlet connector may be supported above the open upper chamber by one or more arms.

The lower chamber may be closable by a non-return valve which is arranged to open at a pre-selected pressure, e.g. according to a predetermined weight of water acting thereon.

The sensor may be suspended from the connector body.

The sensor may be mounted above the valve.

The sensor may comprise one or more conductor.

The sensor may comprise a moisture/water sensor. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor may comprise a temperature sensor, e.g. a water temperature sensor.

The connector may comprise a non-return valve within the connector body. The sensor may sense the opening and/or duration of opening of the non-return valve.

A monitoring device may comprise or be connected to, or in communication with, the sensor. The monitoring device may generate an alert upon sensing the presence of water in the connector body.

The monitoring device may output a plurality of different alert outputs according to different sensor outputs, such as any or any combination of frequency of sensing an alert condition, duration of sensing an alert condition and/or one or more threshold valve of a sensed condition/parameter.

The monitoring device may output a plurality of different alert priority levels according to one or more sensed condition/parameter.

A water system monitor may comprise the monitoring device remote of the connector and in signal communication with the sensor. The monitoring device of this water system monitor comprising machine readable instructions for processing the received sensor readings and outputting a plurality of different alerts according to a duration and/or frequency of the received sensor readings.

A first example of a connector is indicated generally at <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Connector <NUM> has an inlet <NUM>, an upper chamber <NUM>, a middle chamber <NUM>, a lower chamber <NUM> and a lift valve indicated at <NUM>.

Inlet <NUM> is supported above upper chamber <NUM> by a pair of diametrically opposed arms <NUM> such that a vertical gap <NUM> is formed between the inlet and the upper chamber <NUM>. Inlet <NUM> has an outer thread <NUM> for engaging with a tap connector (or other pipe fitting) and forms a tapered beak drip <NUM> which projects downwards into the vertical gap <NUM>. Although a specific connector form is shown, it will be appreciated that other types of connector formation or fitting could be used dependent on the pipe fitting to be connected.

Arms <NUM> are arranged so that the vertical gap <NUM> is of a height sufficient to provide an air brake to drain, e.g. suitable for connection to a soil or foul drain in potable water applications.

Upper chamber <NUM> is shaped by circumferential upper chamber wall <NUM> and a shelving upper chamber floor <NUM>. Upper chamber <NUM> has an open mouth for receiving liquid from the inlet. The upper chamber wall <NUM> supports arms <NUM>, which depend from an upper edge of the wall <NUM>. Upper chamber floor <NUM> forms upper chamber floor opening <NUM> which is the opening to tubular middle chamber <NUM> such that upper chamber floor <NUM> has an inverted truncated conical shape and such that the upper chamber floor <NUM> has a funnel shape for directing liquid to the middle chamber <NUM> and/or the upper chamber floor opening <NUM>.

Upper chamber wall <NUM> has inwardly projecting arms, in the form of struts/ribs <NUM>, which support valve guide <NUM>, typically arranged in the centre of the opening to upper chamber <NUM>. One, two, three or more ribs <NUM> could be used.

Upper chamber wall <NUM> is generally annular in form so as to define the upper chamber as an open-ended drum. The rib(s) <NUM> depend into the interior space within the wall <NUM>.

The lift valve <NUM> has the following components: a valve stem <NUM>, a valve member/disc <NUM>, a valve member fixing <NUM>, a valve spring <NUM> and a valve spring clip <NUM>. The valve stem <NUM> is arranged to run through valve guide <NUM>. At an upper part of the valve stem <NUM> above the valve guide <NUM>, valve spring <NUM> is arranged on the valve stem <NUM> and secured to an upper end of the valve stem <NUM> by valve spring clip <NUM>. At a lower end of the valve stem <NUM>, the valve disc <NUM> is secured by valve disc fixing <NUM>. Valve disc <NUM> is formed from a resilient material such as a plastics or rubber material, for example EPDM rubber. In an alternative embodiment, the valve spring <NUM> may be replaced by a suitable resilient member as would be known to a person of skill in the art.

The tubular middle chamber <NUM> has a lower opening which forms a valve seat for lift valve <NUM> and which lower opening is normally closed by valve disc <NUM> which is biased by the valve spring <NUM> into that position. The valve spring <NUM> is arranged to open the lift valve <NUM> at a pre-selected pressure on the valve disc <NUM>. A suitable pre-selected pressure may be that determined by when the tubular middle chamber <NUM> is full of liquid.

The lower chamber <NUM> has a ceiling <NUM>,<NUM>, a tubular lower chamber wall <NUM> and a shelving lower chamber floor <NUM>. The ceiling <NUM>,<NUM> of the lower chamber <NUM> is formed by the upper chamber floor <NUM> and middle chamber <NUM> and forms an opening which is normally closed by valve <NUM>. Lower chamber floor <NUM> shelves to form an opening for outlet <NUM> such that lower chamber floor <NUM> has an inverted truncated conical shape and such that the lower chamber floor <NUM> has a funnel shape for directing liquid to outlet <NUM>. The outlet <NUM> is thus smaller in width/diameter than the width/diameter of the lower chamber <NUM>.

The upper and lower chambers may be of the same lateral, width dimension.

Outlet <NUM> has a tubular shape and has an outer thread <NUM> for engaging with a tap connector (or other pipe fitting). Other connector fittings could be provided at the outlet as required. Furthermore, the outlet <NUM> and/or lower chamber geometry could be modified to provide for different flow regimes and/or flow rates as desired.

In an alternative embodiment, the diameter of valve disc <NUM> may be less than that for outlet <NUM> such that the valve spring <NUM> and/or valve disc <NUM> may be replaced by removing valve spring clip <NUM>, allowing the lift valve <NUM> to drop through outlet <NUM> and out of the connector <NUM> so that one or more of the components of lift valve <NUM> may be replaced.

When connected for use, a flow, e.g. a leakage flow, enters the connector <NUM> through the inlet <NUM> and collects as a small pool in the middle chamber <NUM>. When sufficient weight is applied to the valve member <NUM>, the resilient bias of the spring <NUM> will be overcome and the spring will be deformed/compressed as the valve member <NUM> and stem <NUM> move downward. Thus the valve will open and the water can pass through the valve <NUM> into the lower chamber and through the connector outlet <NUM>.

A viewer can see the water flowing into the upper chamber from the inlet via the gap <NUM> if present at the time of operation. The gap <NUM> provides an open window.

Depending on the flow entering the connector <NUM>, a sufficient pool of water may take a shorter or longer time to collect for valve operation.

In <FIG>, there is shown an optional shield or guard member <NUM> which may optionally be used as a cover for the gap <NUM> in the connector, e.g. for boiler applications. The shield member loosely fits over the upper/gap region of the connector, e.g. so as to prevent items or fingers being inserted into the gap in the flow of potentially hot water being discharged through the connector.

The shield member <NUM> is formed as a single piece of transparent material.

The shield member <NUM> in this example has a frustoconical shape having an upper opening <NUM> which is shaped to fit over the inlet <NUM>. The shield member <NUM> may have a wider lower opening <NUM> shaped to sit atop the upper end of the upper chamber wall <NUM>. The shield member in this example has a skirt <NUM> arranged to sit atop the upper chamber wall <NUM>.

Turning to <FIG>, there is shown a further example connector <NUM>. Any of the description of the connector <NUM> in <FIG> may equally apply to connector <NUM> and will not be repeated for brevity. The connector <NUM> has a modified outlet formation and may allow greater throughflow of water/liquid.

The bodies of the connectors of <FIG> and <FIG> may be provided as a single/unitary member to which the valve structure <NUM> may be applied to as to provide the connector assembly. The connectors may be formed of a plurality of component parts which may be fused/welded together or otherwise joined using adhesive. Friction welding could be used to provide a suitable unitary body. In other examples, the component parts could be threaded and joined together as an assembly, rather than a unitary member.

<FIG> shows an example of the different component parts that may be used to form the connector body, comprising: a lower component <NUM> comprising the lower chamber wall, floor and outlet connector; a first intermediate component <NUM> comprising an intermediate chamber wall portion and the upper chamber floor or lower chamber ceiling; a second intermediate component <NUM> comprising an upper chamber wall portion and any ribs for supporting the valve assembly <NUM>; and, an upper component <NUM> comprising the upper chamber wall, the connecting arms and inlet connector.

Turning to <FIG>, there is shown an embodiment of the strut <NUM> and/or intermediate component <NUM> in which the strut <NUM> has a retaining formation <NUM> for a liquid/moisture sensor to be described below. The retaining formation in this example takes the form of a partial enclosure or wall in which a sensor or sensor mounting component can be inserted. The wall is shaped to form an opening <NUM> by which a sensor can be mounted in the upper chamber.

In <FIG>, there is shown a sensor mounting component <NUM> located in the opening <NUM> of the retaining formation <NUM>. The sensor mounting component <NUM> comprises a wedge-like body having one or more through-bores or open-ended recesses <NUM>. In this example, a pair of through-bores <NUM> are provided.

The body of component <NUM> is received in the opening with a friction fit or a clip/snap fit. The mounting component <NUM> and the recesses therein allow for accurate sensor positioning.

The mounting component may be formed of two opposing parts or halves, which are brought together to trap one or more sensing element there-between. The opposing parts may each be shaped to provide a portion of the through-bore(s) or other retaining formation once brought together.

The sensor mounting component <NUM> may be referred to as a mounting clip.

An embedded sensing prong/element design is enabled by the above arrangement.

Turning to <FIG>, one or more sensor element <NUM> is mounted via the mounting component <NUM> such that it is suspended from the strut <NUM>. The one or more sensor element is held in the mounting component <NUM>, e.g. in the through-bore(s) <NUM> thereof. A pair of sensor elements <NUM> are mounted to the retaining formation <NUM> in this example.

The/each sensor element <NUM> takes the form of one or more conductive element, e.g. a conductive prong in this example. The/each prong may be provided by a rigid prong member or an exposed end of a conductive wire. The/each prong <NUM> may comprise a wire/conductor member contained within an insulating sleeve/sheath <NUM>, e.g. in the form of a conventional wire. The insulating sleeve(s) <NUM> may extend through the mounting component and may extend to a sensor device <NUM>.

The sensor element(s) <NUM> is/are connected to the sensor device <NUM>.

The/each sensor element <NUM> is mounted such that it is held/suspended above the valve member <NUM>, e.g. a small distance above the valve member. The sensor element may be held within the middle chamber <NUM> of height H, e.g. spaced form the valve member <NUM> by a height less than the height of water required to open the valve.

The spacing between the/each sensor element <NUM>, e.g. its end, and the valve member may be less than <NUM> and typically less than <NUM> or <NUM>. A spacing of greater than <NUM> or <NUM> may be desirable, e.g. to avoid overly sensitive water detection or inadvertent contact with the valve member <NUM> itself.

A spacing in the order of <NUM>-<NUM> has been found suitable to detect the presence of water prior to opening of the valve but avoiding detection of an insignificant amount of water, e.g. such as a single drop.

The sensor device <NUM> comprises an electrical/electronic water/moisture detector. The sensor device <NUM> monitors the resistance between the pair of conductive sensor elements <NUM>. Whilst an air gap is present, the resistance between the elements <NUM> will be high enough to prevent electrical conduction therebetween. When the ends contact water, the resistance will decrease significantly, allowing electrical current to flow, which can be detected by sensor device <NUM>.

The sensor device <NUM> may apply an electrical potential difference across the sensor elements <NUM>.

This allows a sensor with low power consumption such that it can be powered by a conventional battery for long periods of time as necessary.

Upon sensing of water in the connector <NUM>, the sensor device <NUM> outputs a corresponding detection signal. The signal may be output as an electrical signal to monitoring equipment, e.g. via a wired or wireless connection. A wireless signal <NUM>, is depicted in <FIG>, which may comprise a Bluetooth (RTM) signal, Wi-Fi (RTM) signal or using another suitable wireless communication signal/standard. The sensor device <NUM> may comprise suitable output/transmission circuitry.

Additionally or alternatively, the signal may comprise a visual or audible alert signal output by an output device of the sensor device itself. A suitable output device may comprise a speaker, light emitting diode or other equivalent device.

A volt-free contact alarm may be implemented according to examples of the invention.

The sensor device <NUM> may be mounted on the connector itself, e.g. rigidly mounted on a wall of the connector <NUM>, <NUM> (such as an external wall of the connector), or else removably mounted using a releasable mounting.

In other examples of tundish connector, different valve types may be used, such as a duckbill or trap door valve.

If the struts/ribs <NUM> described above are not required, a sensor of the type described herein may be mounted on a bespoke rib or else from the arm <NUM>. Alternatively the sensor could be mounted beneath the floor <NUM> and the sensing conductors/prongs could extend into the middle chamber <NUM> to sense a pool of water forming on the valve member <NUM> or flowing through the valve when open. The monitoring device <NUM> may be a conventional monitoring device or alarm box as may be mounted in domestic or commercial premises, e.g. for monitoring a boiler or central heating system. Most current units of this type can receive wireless signal inputs such as the output of sensor device <NUM>. However a wired connection could be used if necessary.

The sensor device <NUM> may communication with a local monitoring device/unit <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> shows another example in which a monitoring device <NUM> could itself be provided with water detection functionality hard-wired into the unit <NUM>, e.g. by the sensing elements <NUM>, <NUM> depending from the monitoring unit <NUM> itself. The monitoring unit could be provided with the logic/control aspect of the sensor device <NUM>.

The monitoring device may comprise a boiler monitoring or control unit, which may report and/or control further aspects of hot water system operation.

In other examples, the sensor device <NUM> could have a longer/wider range communication capability and could communicate with a remote monitoring facility or a mobile communication device of an owner, operator or monitoring user. However it is envisaged that such communication/reporting operations will be performed by local monitoring unit <NUM>, which may handle a number of other monitoring roles in addition to that of the water sensing for connector <NUM>, <NUM>.

The sensing arrangement described herein is advantageous since it can provide an indication of connector valve operation, e.g. a leak or discharge from a hot water system, when no-one is present to witness the event.

Furthermore the sensor device <NUM> can output different signals for different types of fluid leak/discharge or different connector valve operation. The sensor device and/or monitoring unit <NUM> may be provided with one or more modules of computer readable code (e.g. monitoring/diagnosis algorithms) for identification of different potential faults or fault-indicating scenarios. Thus different alert states or alert outputs may be output to indicate a severity or type of problem. This can be beneficial in allowing an operator, user or central monitoring facility in determining how to react to the sensed scenario.

In one alert state, e.g. akin to a very small leak through the inlet, a slow drip of water may collect in the connector interior and may trigger the sensor device <NUM> briefly before the valve opens to discharge the water. A continued slow drip will take seconds, minutes or hours to amass enough water to trigger the detection of water by the sensor device again. Thus one alert state that can be identified concerns an intermittent water detection of relatively short-lived duration.

This may be identified as a possible minor leak, e.g. from a boiler discharge valve. An intermittent alert state may be reported.

Suitable time thresholds of the intermittency/frequency of water detection may be used to determine the severity of such a leak and the urgency of any maintenance work to resolve the leak. An initial warning level may be set for such a detected scenario, which may be advanced to a higher alert or urgency level for more frequent intermittent water detection.

A second alert state may comprise detection of a more prolonged water discharge but at a frequency of hours or days. For example, if the internal pressure within a boiler exceeds its threshold upon heating of water in the system, it may cause a discharge of a medium volume of liquid over a relatively short time period, such as a single discharge of <NUM>-<NUM> litres of water. This would cause a prolonged opening of the valve and associated water detection by the sensor device <NUM>.

This may be logged as a second type of alert.

If this type of alert is repeated at intervals associated with boiler use, e.g. daily, twice daily or other suitable intervals, then it may be indicative of a pressure instability in the boiler. If undiagnosed, this can be problematic since the discharge will cause a boiler pressure to drop after use and may fall below an acceptable boiler pressure. An uninformed user may attempt to top up the boiler pressure to restart the boiler, thereby repeating the boiler discharge cycle upon heating and thus the problem can be exacerbated over time.

However, when armed with the relevant sensor output according to the present invention, the potential fault can be readily identified. A suitable service/maintenance appointment can be scheduled with the potential fault diagnosed in advance.

A similar scenario could arise due to a constant trickle or drip only whilst the heating of the hot water system is active. Additionally or alternatively, this could be identified as a leaking boiler or hot water system discharge valve.

A further alert state may be generated when a prolonged discharge through the connector is sensed, e.g. of <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> litres of more. This may be equated to a mass discharge from the hot water system that requires urgent attention. This type of alert may carry a higher or highest priority level since it is indicative of a serious fault that will prevent use of the hot water system.

Monitoring of the frequency and/or duration of triggering of sensor may thus provide additional insight. This additional insight is made possible in part by the sensing of a pool of water collecting in the connector causing opening of the valve. Thus a rate/type of discharge can be determined.

User controls may be provided to mute or ignore an alert generated by the system, e.g. upon being acknowledged by the user. Such functionality maybe useful for low priority, ongoing alerts.

Whilst a plurality, e.g. at least two, three, or four, different alert states are discussed above, it is possible that identification of further alert states could be implemented based on frequency, duration of triggering and/or one or more further parameter.

One or more further sensor or sensor type could be used in conjunction with the sensor device <NUM>. A temperature sensor may be provided in the connector in addition to, or instead of, the water sensor. Thus the specific sensing elements <NUM> described above could be supplemented with, or replaced by, a temperature sensor.

In this manner, the temperature of a discharge from a hot water system and/or boiler can be monitored to provide further insight into the discharge scenario.

For example, a slow, intermittent, or medium discharge at elevated temperature can be diagnosed as a different fault to cold discharge. The latter situation will confirm whether it is the elevated temperature and/or pressure during operation that is leading to the discharge.

In one scenario, an elevated temperature discharge above a threshold temperature may be used to determine a serious failure of the system. For example a discharge at a temperature above a higher safety temperature threshold for the hot water system implies that one or more hot water system safety valve or control measure has failed. A temperature above <NUM> or <NUM> for example should not occur unless a serious failure has arisen.

Thus one or more temperature thresholds may be used as an alert or diagnosis parameter according to aspects of the invention.

The temperature sensor could be held in the connector anywhere it is likely be fluid washed by water flowing through the connector, subject to fluid dynamic considerations. In some examples, the temperature sensor could be suspended in a manner similar to the water sensors described herein.

A combined water and temperature sensing arrangement is also anticipated, in which the conductors for sensing the presence of liquid are provided on a common support, which in this example takes the form of a printed circuit board. The support can thus be mounted as required in the connector such that the conductor ends are suspended above the valve member <NUM> so as to be in contact with a pool of liquid forming on the valve member, or e stream of liquid flowing through the device in the event that the valve member is open. The conductors would thus replace the use of the prongs <NUM> described above.

The common support may be suspended from a strut <NUM>, e.g. via a retaining formation <NUM>, or else may be otherwise affixed to the interior of the connector as required.

The use of a common printed board is beneficial in that a temperature sensor can also be mounted on the same board. The conductors and temperature sensor may be mounted on the same or opposing sides of the common support.

It is also possible that some of the electronics could be provided on the same board if desired.

Although a combined temperature and moisture sensor are described above, either sensing components could individually be provided in such an arrangement without the other. Additional, or alternative sensing components could also be considered.

In another example, the sensor may comprise a valve actuation sensor, e.g. arranged to sense operation of the valve from a closed to an open condition, e.g. including the duration of valve operation.

Claim 1:
A connector (<NUM>) for a water system, the connector (<NUM>) comprising:
an inlet (<NUM>), a connector body and an outlet (<NUM>) arranged in sequence, wherein the connector body is an open-sided tundish having an open air gap (<NUM>) between the inlet (<NUM>) and outlet (<NUM>) through which water can fall in use,
characterised by a sensor (<NUM>) mounted inside the connector body between the inlet (<NUM>) and outlet (<NUM>) for detecting the presence of water within the connector body, the sensor (<NUM>) being configured to output a detection signal in response to sensing water in the connector body.