GB2498388A

GB2498388A - A Liquid flow regulator

Info

Publication number: GB2498388A
Application number: GB1200597.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karim Timothy Stilwell Secker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-01-14
Filing date: 2012-01-14
Publication date: 2013-07-17
Also published as: GB201200597D0

Abstract

A flow regulator comprises a sealed reservoir 1 and tubing 3 suspended above an open regulator cup 2 with the tube mouth 5 inside the cup so that if the liquid level 8 in the regulator cup rises above the mouth of the air inflow tube, then it will cut off air inflow and halt liquid outflow from the reservoir.Â Alternatively, the tubing mouth 6, fig.2 is submerged in the liquid held in the regulator cup and an a breather pipe 10, fig. 2 is connected between the sealed reservoir at one end and the other end positioned such that when the liquid rises in the cup above the mouth of the breather pipe, then it will cut off air inflow and halt liquid outflow from the reservoir

Description

I

flow regulator Tf a liquid such as water is allowed to flow fitely from a reservoir, the rate of flow will steadily decrease as the reservoir empties and the depth and the pressure of the water subsides. Where a steady rate of flow is required, forexample in watering plants for long periods of time without human intervention, this must be achieved using electrical pumps or pressure regulators, which require energy. Similar affects can be achieved without pumps by using a second, larger reservoir topping up the first via and overflow system, but this by necessity creates overflow and hence wastes a lot of water.

To overeome this, the present invention proposes a reservoir that is sealed after being filled, from which liquid can flow down sealed tubing which leads down into an open regulatorcupwiththemouthofthctube insideregulatorcupsothatoncethecupis full to the level of the tube mouth, the liquid cuts off the air inlet to the reservoir and stops the flow.

The tubing can be flexible or telescopic, allowing the height of the mouth, and hence thc water level in the regulator cup. to be freely adjusted so as to control the prcssurc and outflow rate.

The reservoir and tubing arrangement can also be used in absence of the regulator cup, for example to keep ornamental garden ponds topped up against evaporation over lime.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in whiclt Figure 1 shows the flow regulator system with a single inflow/outflow tube.

Figure 2 shows an alternative system with separate inflow/outflow tubes.

Figure 3 shows an alternative system with a telescopic inflow/outflow tube.

In figure 1 a sealed reservoir 1 is suspended some distance above an open-mouthed regulator cup 2. A tube 3 opens from the lowest part of the reservoir 4, and leads down into the regulator cup. The tube must be wide enough to allow air bubbles to enter and liquid to exit at the same rate as liquid leaving the regulator cup. The mouth of the tube 5 is positioned lower than the lip of the regulator cup 6. The tube may be either rigid or flexible. Tf the tube is flexible, then the attachment point(s) 7 that fix(es) the tube inp may be adjustable, allowing the mouth of the tube to move freely up or down. This will vary the level of liquid in the regulator cupS. Liquid flows from the regulator cup outflow 9 at a rate determined by the level of liquid in the cup.

In figure 2 the system uses separate inflow 10 and outflow 3 tubes. The tubes may be of different widths and attach to the reservoir at different points. The mouth of the outflow tube 6 must be lower inside the regulator cup than the mouth oft inflow tube 11. The liquid level in the regulator cup is set by the height of the mouth of the inflow tube.

Tn figure 3 the system uses an inflow/outflow tube 3 which is telescopic, to aflow easier adjustment of the height of tile tube mouth 6.

Claims

<claim-text>Claims I. A flow regulator comprising a sealed reservoir suspended some distance above a regulator cup, with scaled inflow/outflow tubing leading down into the cup, the mouth of the tube being inside the cup so that the liquid level cannot rise above it without cutting off the air inflow and stopping the outflow from the reservoir.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A flow regulator according to claim I in which the inflow and outflow from the reservoir are provided by a single tube, which is wide enough to allow air bubbles to enter and liquid to lean the reservoir at a rate equal to or greater than liquid leaving the regulator cup.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A flow regulator according to claim 1 in which therc are separate inflow and outflow tubes from the reservoir, where the mouth of the inflow tube is positioned higher in the regulator cup than the mouth of the outflow tube.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A flow regulator according to claims 1,2 or 3 in which the inflow or inflow/outflow tube is flcxiblc and the attachments that fix it in place arc adjustable, allowing the height of the tube mouth to be adjusted.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A flow regulator according to claims 1,2 or 3 in which the inflow or inflow/outflow tube or a part of the same is telescopic, allowing the height of the mouth to be adjusted.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. The reservoir and tubing system as according to claim 1 without a regulator cup, where instead they are used to regulate the level of a pre -existing body of liquid.</claim-text>