GB2563032A

GB2563032A - Soil and waste pipe

Info

Publication number: GB2563032A
Application number: GB1708600.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Virgil Webb Darren
Original assignee: Polypipe Ltd
Current assignee: Polypipe Ltd
Priority date: 2017-05-30
Filing date: 2017-05-30
Publication date: 2018-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-30
Also published as: GB201708600D0; GB2563032B

Abstract

A downpipe branch 100 for use in plumbing installations such as soil and waste systems, especially a low flow soil and waste system where low flow toilets are used. The branch 100 has a downpipe 102 and a connector 104 configured to receive a substantially horizontal pipe. The connector 104 defines a connector centreline 106 and the downpipe 102 defines a downpipe centerline 108, and the connector centreline 106 is offset from the downpipe centerline 108 in a direction mutually perpendicular to the connector centerline 106 and the downpipe centerline 108. The downpipe branch 100 increases rotation of the flow in the downpipe. The downpipe branch connector may have an ovoid shape

Description

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a low flow waste pipe and, in particular but not exclusively, to a downpipe for a low flow soil and waste system.

Background

Low-flow toilets use significantly less water per flush than full-flush toilets (typically 6 litres rather than 13 litres, but could be as low as 2 litres or less). The use of low-flow toilets is more and more widespread, because of the increasing drive to reduce water consumption. Low-flow toilets can cause problems in drainage systems, with the lower flush volume causing a decreased fluid flow velocity and fill level in the drainage system. This can result in increased noise from the drainage flow and blockage of horizontal drainage pipes.

The present invention was devised with the foregoing in mind.

Statement of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a downpipe branch, comprising a downpipe and a connector configured to receive a substantially horizontal pipe, wherein the connector defines a connector centreline and the downpipe section defines a downpipe centreline, and the connector centreline is offset from the downpipe centreline in a direction mutually perpendicular to the connector centreline and the downpipe centreline.

An advantage of the present invention is that rotation of the flow in the downpipe is increased. This means that drainage flow is improved and noise is reduced in situations where the volumetric flow rate through the downpipe is small. Small volumetric flow rate may occur when the downpipe branch is used for drainage of water from a low-flow toilet. A low flow toilet may discharge a smaller volume of fluid for each flush.

In an embodiment, the connector comprises a socket configured to receive the substantially horizontal pipe. This has the advantage that the substantially horizontal pipe can be easily connected to the downpipe branch in situ.

In an embodiment, the downpipe has an increased radius in a region where the connector meets the downpipe. This has the advantage that it further increases the rotation of the flow in the downpipe. This further improves drainage and reduces noise.

In an embodiment, the connector has a connector cross-section with a connector cross-section height and an in use bottom point, wherein a distance between the bottom point and a centroid of the connector cross-section is greater than half of the connector cross-section height.

An advantage of the above-mentioned feature is that flow velocity into the downpipe is increased when the volumetric flow rate through the downpipe is small. This further increases the rotation of the flow in the downpipe.

In an embodiment, the connector cross-section comprises an in use upper portion and an in use lower portion, and a radius of curvature of the upper portion is greater than a radius of curvature of the lower portion. A connector of this shape is simple to manufacture, and results in low stress in the walls of the pipe.

In an embodiment, the connector cross-section has an ovoid shape. A connector of this shape is even simpler to manufacture and results in even lower stresses in the walls of the pipe.

A further advantage of having a substantially horizontal pipe of any of the abovementioned shapes is that the pipe can be narrower, which saves space.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pipe system comprising a downpipe branch as described above and a first substantially horizontal pipe connected to the connector of the downpipe branch, wherein the first substantially horizontal pipe has a first pipe cross section of the same shape as the connector crosssection.

In an embodiment, the pipe system further comprises a pipe bend connected to the substantially horizontal pipe, wherein the pipe bend has a pipe bend cross-section of the same shape as the connector cross-section, and the pipe bend has a pipe bend centreline which follows a curve in a horizontal plane. The pipe bend allows the downpipe branch to be connected to other pipes within the drainage system.

In an embodiment, each end of the pipe bend comprises a socket configured to receive a pipe.

In an embodiment, the pipe system further comprises a second substantially horizontal pipe section, wherein the second substantially horizontal pipe is connected to the pipe bend and has a second pipe cross-section of the same shape as the connector crosssection.

In an embodiment, the pipe system further comprising a profiled-to-round adaptor, the adaptor having a first end which has a cross-section of the same shape as the connector cross-section and a second end which has a circular cross-section. The profile-to-round adaptor allows the pipe system to be connected to conventional drainage pipes, for example to a standard toilet connector.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a profile-to-round adaptor for a pipe system, wherein a first end of the profile-to-round adaptor has a first end cross-section with a first end cross-section height and an in use bottom point, wherein a distance between the bottom point and a centroid of the first end crosssection is greater than half of the first end cross-section height, and a second end of the profile-to-round adaptor has a second end cross-section with a circular shape.

In an embodiment, each end of the profile-to-round adaptor comprises a socket configured to receive a pipe.

In an embodiment, the first end cross-section comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, and a radius of curvature of the upper portion is greater than a radius of curvature of the lower portion.

In an embodiment, the first end cross-section has an ovoid shape.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pipe bend, wherein the pipe bend has a pipe bend cross-section with a pipe bend cross-section height and an in use bottom point, wherein a distance between the bottom point and a centroid of the cross-section is greater than half of the pipe bend cross-section height, and the pipe bend has a pipe bend centreline which follows a curve in an in use horizontal plane

According to a fifth embodiment of the invention, there is provided a pipe (which may be a soil pipe) wherein a cross section of the pipe comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, and a radius of curvature of the upper portion is greater than a radius of curvature of the lower portion. According to a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a pipe (which may be a soil pipe) having a cross-section height and an in use bottom point, wherein a distance between the bottom point and a centroid of the cross-section is greater than half of the cross-section height.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1a shows a top view of a downpipe branch;

Figure 1b shows an isometric view of a downpipe branch;

Figure 1c shows a side view of a downpipe branch;

Figure 1d shows a front view of a downpipe branch;

Figure 2a shows an isometric view of a substantially horizontal pipe;

Figure 2b shows an end view of a substantially horizontal pipe;

Figure 3a shows a top view a pipe bend;

Figure 3b shows an isometric view of a pipe bend;

Figure 3c shows a first end view of a pipe bend;

Figure 3d shows a second end view of a pipe bend;

Figure 4a shows a top view of a profile-to-round adaptor;

Figure 4b shows an isometric view of a profile-to-round adaptor;

Figure 4c shows a front view of a profile-to-round adaptor;

Figure 4d shows a side view of a profile-to-round adaptor; and Figure 5 shows an isometric view of a pipe system.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

Referring to Figure 1a to Figure 1d, there is shown a downpipe branch 100 according to the present invention. The downpipe branch 100 comprises a vertical downpipe 102 with a circular cross-section and a connector 104. The circular cross-section of the downpipe defines a downpipe radius 126.

The connector 104 is configured to receive a substantially horizontal pipe 200, hereinafter referred to simply as a horizontal pipe (not shown in any of Figure 1a to Figure 1d). It will be understood that a horizontal pipe may be offset to the exact horizontal by an amount to enable gravity flow of water along the pipe, rather than it being exactly horizontal and thus it may be substantially horizontally installed to encourage such a gravity flow along its length.

The connector 104 defines a connector centreline 106 and the downpipe 102 defines a downpipe centreline 108, and the connector centreline 106 is offset from the downpipe centreline 108 in a direction mutually perpendicular to the connector centreline and the downpipe centreline.

The connector 104 has a connector cross-section 118 with a connector cross-section height 110 (measured vertically in use), an in use bottom point 112 and a centroid 116. The centroid 116 is positioned at the geometric centre of the connector cross-section 118, which is the arithmetic mean of all points around the curve of the connector crosssection 118. The distance between the bottom point 112 and the centroid 116 is greater than half of the connector cross-section height 110.

More specifically, the connector cross-section 118 comprises an in use upper portion 120 and an in use lower portion 122, and the radius of curvature of the upper portion 120 is greater than the radius of curvature of the lower portion 122. Even more specifically, the connector cross-section 118 has an ovoid shape.

The connector 104 has a socket 124 which is configured to receive the horizontal pipe 200. The connector cross-section 118 is constant throughout the socket 124. The inner surface of the socket 124 is the same shape as that of the outer surface 202 of the horizontal pipe 200 (not shown in Figure 1a to Figure 1d). The connector 104 (as described above) has the same shape as the horizontal pipe 200.

From the socket 124 towards the downpipe 102, the connector 104 curves in an in-use downward direction. In the region 128 where the connector 104 meets the downpipe 102, the radius of the downpipe 102 is increased. This means that, in this region 128 the effective radius of the downpipe 102 is greater than the downpipe radius. This is because, in this region 128, the cross-section of the downpipe 102 includes a portion of the connector 104, which is offset as described above.

In use, the socket 124 of the connector 104 receives a horizontal pipe 200, thereby connecting the horizontal pipe 200 to the downpipe branch 100. Waste fluid flows through the pipe, through the connector 104 and into the vertical downpipe 102. The offset between the connector centreline 106 and the downpipe centreline 108 induces rotational flow in the downpipe 102, which improves drainage and reduces noise.

Further, having a connector cross-section 118 of the shapes described above increases the velocity of the flow into the downpipe when volumetric flow rate through the downpipe is low (as in situations in which the downpipe branch is used for drainage from a low-flow toilet), further increasing the rotation of the flow in the downpipe.

Referring to Figure 2a and Figure 2b, there is shown a horizontal pipe 200. The horizontal pipe 200 has a constant pipe cross-section 218 with a pipe cross-section height 210 (measured vertically, in use), an in use bottom point 212 and a centroid 216. The centroid 216 of the pipe cross-section 218 is positioned at the geometric centre of the pipe cross-section 218, which is the arithmetic mean of all points around the curve of the connector cross-section 218. The distance between the bottom point 212 and the centroid 216 is greater than half of the pipe cross-section height 210.

More specifically, the pipe cross-section 218 comprises an in use upper portion 220 and an in use lower portion 222. The radius of curvature of the upper portion 220 is greater than the radius of curvature of the lower portion 222. Even more specifically, the pipe cross-section 218 has an ovoid shape, although other shapes could also be contemplated with a vertically offset centroid.

In use, the horizontal pipe 200 may be received by the socket of 124 of the connector 104 of the downpipe branch, or by that of another pipe. In some embodiments, the horizontal pipe 200 may include a socket of a type similar to that described above, to allow the horizontal pipe 200 to be connected to other pipes.

In use, Waste fluid flows through the horizontal pipe 200. As with the connector 104, having a pipe cross-section 218 of the shape described above increases the velocity of the flow through the horizontal pipe when the volumetric flow rate is low (as in situations in which the horizontal pipe 200 is used for drainage from a low-flow toilet).

Referring to Figure 3a to Figure 3d, there is shown a pipe bend 300. The pipe bend 300 has a constant pipe bend cross-section 318 with a pipe bend cross-section height 310 (measured vertically in use), an in use bottom point 312 and a centroid 316. The centroid 316 of the pipe bend cross-section 318 is positioned at the geometric centre of the connector cross-section 318, which is the arithmetic mean of all points around the curve of the pipe bend cross-section 318. The distance between the bottom point 312 and the centroid 316 is greater than half of the pipe bend cross-section height 310.

More specifically, the pipe bend cross-section 318 comprises an in use upper portion 320 and an in use lower portion 322. The radius of curvature of the upper portion 320 is greater than the radius of curvature of the lower portion 322. Even more specifically, the pipe cross-section 318 has an ovoid shape.

The pipe bend 300 has a pipe bend centreline 306 which follows a curve. In use, the pipe bend centreline 306 is within a horizontal plane. Each end of the pipe bend 300 includes a socket 324 which is configured to receive a pipe, such as the horizontal pipe 200 described above.

In use, waste fluid flows through the pipe bend 300. Having a pipe bend cross-section 318 of the shape described above increases the velocity of the flow through the pipe bend when the volumetric flow rate is low (as in situations in which the pipe bend 300 is used for drainage from a low-flow toilet).

Referring to Figure 4a to Figure 4d, there is shown a profile-to-round adaptor 400. The profile-to-round adaptor 400 has a first end 402 with a first end cross-section 418 with a first end cross-section height 410 (measured vertically in use), an in use bottom point

412 and a centroid 416. The centroid 416 of the first end cross-section 418 is positioned at the geometric centre of the first end cross-section 418, which is the arithmetic mean of all points around the curve of the first end cross-section 418. The distance between the bottom point 412 and the centroid 416 is greater than half of the first end cross-section height 410. The profile-to-round adaptor 400 has a second end 404 which has a second end cross-section 406 with a circular shape.

More specifically, the first end cross-section 418 comprises an in use upper portion 420 (not shown) and an in use lower portion 422. The radius of curvature of the upper portion is greater than the radius of curvature of the lower portion 422. Even more specifically, the pipe cross-section 418 has an ovoid shape.

The first end 402 includes a socket 424a, which is configured to receive a pipe which has the same shaped cross-section as the first end cross-section, such as the horizontal pipe 200 described above. The second end 402 includes a socket 424b which is configured to receive a pipe which has a circular cross-section.

The profile-to-round adaptor is used to connect two pipes of different cross-sections together. In the present embodiment, the profile-to-round adaptor is used to connect a pipe with an offset centroid, in the present embodiment ovoid, cross-section to a pipe with a circular cross-section.

Referring to Figure 5, there is shown a pipe system 500. The pipe system 500 comprises a downpipe branch 100 (as described above with respect to Figure 1a to Figure 1d), first horizontal pipe 200a and second horizontal pipe 200b (as described above with respect to Figure 2a and 2b), pipe bend 300 (as described above with respect to Figure 3a to Figure 3d), profile-to-round connector 400 (as described above with respect to Figure 4a to Figure 4d) and a toilet connector 502.

The first horizontal pipe 200a connects to the downpipe branch 100 and the pipe bend 300. The second horizontal pipe 200b connects to the first end 402 (not labelled in figure 5) of the profile-to-round adaptor 400. The standard WC connector 502 connects to the second end 404 (not labelled in figure 5) of the profile-to-round adaptor 400. The toilet connector 502 is connectable to a toilet.

In use, the toilet connector 502 of the pipe system 500 is connected to a toilet. When the toilet is flushed, waste fluid flows into the pipe system 500 through the toilet connector 502. The waste fluid flows through the profile-to-round adaptor 400, the second horizontal pipe 200b, the pipe bend 300, the first horizontal pipe 200a and the downpipe branch 100.

The offset between the connector centreline 106 and the downpipe centreline 108 in the downpipe branch 100 induces rotational flow in the downpipe 102, which improves drainage and reduces noise. The shapes ofthe cross-sections of the second horizontal pipe 200b, the pipe bend 300, the first horizontal pipe 200a and the connector 104 of the downpipe branch 100 increase the velocity of the flow into the downpipe when volumetric flow rate through the downpipe is low (as in situations in which the downpipe branch is used for drainage from a low-flow toilet), further increasing the rotation of the flow in the downpipe.

It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the pipe system 500 includes different combinations of pipes between the toilet connector 502 and the downpipe branch 100. The pipes which are included will depend on the distance and whether there are any obstacles between the toilet connector 502 and the downpipe branch 100.

Claims

1. A downpipe branch, comprising a downpipe and a connector configured to receive a substantially horizontal pipe, wherein the connector defines a connector centreline and the downpipe defines a downpipe centreline, and the connector centreline is offset from the downpipe centreline in a direction mutually perpendicular to the connector centreline and the downpipe centreline.

2. The downpipe branch of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a socket configured to receive the horizontal pipe.

3. The downpipe branch of claim 1 or 2, wherein the downpipe has an increased radius in a region where the connector meets the downpipe.

4. The downpipe branch of any preceding claim, wherein the connector has a connector cross-section with a connector cross-section height and an in use bottom point, wherein a distance between the bottom point and a centroid of the connector cross-section is greater than half of the connector cross-section height.

5. The downpipe branch of any preceding claim, wherein the connector crosssection comprises an in use upper portion and an in use lower portion, and a radius of curvature of the upper portion is greater than a radius of curvature of the lower portion.

6. The downpipe branch of claim 5, wherein the connector cross-section has an ovoid shape.

7. A pipe system comprising:

the downpipe branch of any of claims 4 to 6; and a first substantially horizontal pipe connected to the connector of the downpipe branch, wherein the first substantially horizontal pipe has a first pipe cross section of the same shape as the connector cross-section.

8. The pipe system of claim 7, further comprising a pipe bend connected to the first substantially horizontal pipe, wherein the pipe bend has a pipe bend cross-section of the same shape as the connector cross-section, and the pipe bend has a pipe bend centreline which follows a curve in a horizontal plane.

9. The pipe system of claim 8, wherein each end of the pipe bend comprises a 5 socket configured to receive a pipe.

10. The pipe system of claim 8 or claim 9, further comprising a second substantially horizontal pipe, wherein the second substantially horizontal pipe is connected to the pipe bend and has a second pipe cross section of the same shape as the connector

10 cross-section.

11. The pipe system of any of claims 7 to 10, further comprising a profiled-to-round adaptor, the adaptor having a first end which has a first end cross-section of the same shape as the connector cross-section and a second end which has a second end

15 cross-section of a circular shape.