Fluid Infrastructure Flushing Device
The present invention relates to a fluid handing device that can be attached to a water main or other fluid supply infrastructure. The device has a branched, hollow body containing a fluid passageway, that has a first end, a second end, a right arm member, a left arm member and a top member. The body also includes a male threaded nipple connected to a ball valve, and the nipple has a shutoff valve that allows a user to cut off flow from the nipple to the device. The second end of the body further has two arm members with hose adapters that allow hoses or other fluid conduits to be attached to the device, to allow water or other fluid to flow through the device and into a water main or fluid infrastructure for flushing, cleaning or treatment.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/107,486, which was filed on Oct. 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of fluid-handling devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a water main flushing device that can be attached to a water main or other water outlet for maintenance, flow monitoring and other suitable purposes. The device is comprised of a generally T-shaped, hollow body that has a first end, a second end, a right arm member, a left arm member and a top member. The first end of the body has a continuous opening providing access to a fluid passageway and which can attached to a water main via a threaded connection. The body also includes a nipple that can receive any brass threaded ball valve known in the art. The nipple has a shutoff valve that allows a user to cut off the fluid flow from the devoice to the nipple. The second end of the body further has two arm members each having a hose adapter that allow fire or other hoses to be attached to the device allowing water or fluid to flow from the water main to the device and into a 2.5″ fire hose, holding/storage tank or service outlet for flushing. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
BACKGROUNDA water main pipe delivers fresh water to a home, waterpark, community pool or other building if the structure or location receives water from a municipal water source, including rural water districts which may have one or more distribution points. Water mains are periodically flushed, cleaned or serviced, which involves the cleaning, treatment or scouring of the interior of the mains or other conduits, thereby providing a fluid such as water to various outlets. Flushing or similar processing is used to maintain water quality, manage water main quality and provide regular flow by removing sediments and other contaminants that may accumulate within the mains, potentially causing clogging and interrupting the flow of the fluid traveling through the main or other conduits. Water main, conduit and other infrastructure flushing is typically done by sending a rapid flow of water or other fluid through the mains, conduits or other infrastructure, which is a difficult, time consuming and labor-intensive process. Further, if water or fluid cannot be adequately controlled while flowing through the main or conduit, the main, conduit and other infrastructure and any property or other service locations that the piping or conduits runs through, can be damaged or the piping leading to the property can fail, thereby necessitating expensive repairs. In addition, some water mains, conduits and other infrastructure can neither be easily accessed, nor easily flushed due to a lack of a readily available water or fluid source.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved system for treating and maintaining service infrastructure such as a water main or other conduits, such as feed lines for industrial plants, chemical facilities and other types of manufacturing operations where there is a periodic need to bring a plant down, and service the lines feeding the plant with different materials. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a system for treating and maintaining service infrastructure that allows a user to easily flush the conduits, piping, mains or other infrastructure to which it has been attached in a controlled manner. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a system for treating and maintaining service infrastructure that allows a user to use readily available water or fluid sources to flush the particular infrastructure that is in need of cleaning or other treatment.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a system for treating and maintaining service infrastructure that can be attached to a fluid service port. The device includes a generally T-shaped or branched, e.g., “Y” shaped, hollow body that has a first end, a second end, a right arm member extending away from the body, a left arm member that extends outwardly and away from the body and a top member. The first end of the body has a continuous opening which provides access to a fluid conduit that can attach to a water main via a threaded connection. The body has a nipple that can receive any brass threaded ball valve known in the art. The nipple has a shutoff valve that allows a user to cut off flow from device to the nipple. The second end of the body further has two arm members each with a hose or connection adapters that allow fire hoses or other fluid delivery means to be attached to the device, to allow water or fluid to flow through the device and into a service point infrastructure for flushing.
In this manner, the system for treating and maintaining service fluid infrastructure of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides an improved pipe, conduit, main or other infrastructure flushing and treatment device. The device further allows a user to easily flush, clean or otherwise treat a fluid service infrastructure in a controlled manner. In addition, the device allows a user to use readily available water sources such as fire hoses to flush a water main.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a system for treating and maintaining a service infrastructure that can be attached to outlets for the service infrastructure. The device has a branched, hollow body providing a fluid passageway, that may be a “T” or “Y” shaped configuration having a first end, a second end, a right arm member extending outwardly and away from the body, a left arm member extending outwardly and away from the body and a top member. The body is manufactured from a durable metal, such as aluminum, steel, stainless-steel, cast iron, various metal alloys or combinations thereof, that may further have a waterproof and/or rustproof coating. The first end of the body has a continuous opening for providing access to a fluid passageway that can attach to a water main or other fluid supply via a threaded connection. The interior of the body may be provided with one or more vortex-inducing protrusions or grooves to add velocity to the incoming water or other treatment fluid to enhance the cleaning of the infrastructure. The body also has a male threaded nipple that can receive any brass-threaded ball valve known in the art. The nipple has a shutoff valve that allows a user to cut off flow from the device to the nipple. The top member of the second end further includes a flat top cap that may be fixedly or removably-attached to the second end. In one embodiment, the cap may have a PSI pressure gauge that displays the force of the water flowing through the device and water main. The fluid passageway may also have a series of shaped protrusions to create a vortex to accelerate the water or fluid flow, and thereby increase the effectiveness of the cleaning or treatment of the infrastructure.
The right arm member and left arm member are generally identical in structure and function, although depending on the particular infrastructure site being services, the arms may have a different size or orientation in order to be useable at such location. Each member has a hose or other conduit threaded adapter that allows each member to receive a fire or other hose or any other threaded water or fluid source. Each adapter also has a continuous opening with a threaded end, which can engage the opposite threads of a fire hose or other conduit to which it is to be connected. Therefore, fire hoses and other fluid flushing conduits can be attached to either arm to allow water or other fluid to flow out from a water main or fluid infrastructure, into the device, and out of the device and into a holding or storage tank after flushing. In addition, each adapter may have a shutoff valve that allows a user to stop or limit the flow of water or fluid from the device to each connected conduit or hose. The device may also have two threaded endcaps which can attach to each adapter when one or both adapters are not in use, to prevent debris from accumulating in the hose.
The present invention also discloses a method of using one potential embodiment of a system for treating and maintaining a service infrastructure. First, the first end of the device is threaded onto an opening of a water main or other fluid infrastructure. Then, the end caps are removed from one or both adapters of the second end. Next, one or more hoses or other fluid supply conduits are attached to the device or system via the adapters, by threading the opposing threads of the hoses onto the counter threads of each adapter. After each hose or fluid conduit is threaded on to each adapter, the shutoff valves can be turned or moved to an open setting to allow water to flow out of the water main and through the body, resulting in the flushing, cleaning or treatment of the water main or other fluid infrastructure. The flow of water can then be monitored by the PSI gauge until the flushing, treatment or cleaning has been completed. Then, all prior steps can be reversed to remove the device from a water main and remove water hoses from the device.
Accordingly, a system for treating and maintaining service infrastructure of the present invention is particularly advantageous, as it allows a user to easily flush a water main or other fluid infrastructure in a controlled manner. Further, the device or system allows a user to use readily available water or fluid sources, such as fire or garden hose, or other fluid conduits to flush a fluid infrastructure. In addition, the device can be easily attached to and removed from a water main or fluid infrastructure as needed.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved system and device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a system for treating and maintaining a service infrastructure, such as a water main, flushing device, that allows a user to easily flush a fluid infrastructure such as a water main in a controlled manner. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a system or device for treating and maintaining a service infrastructure that allows a user to use readily available water or fluid sources to flush, treat or clean a water main or other fluid infrastructure.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a system and device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure that can be attached to a water main or other fluid infrastructure and includes a branched, hollow body, having an internal fluid passageway that has a first end, a second end, a right arm member extending outwardly and away from the body, a left arm member extending outwardly and away from the body and a top member. The first end of the body has a continuous opening for accessing the internal fluid passageway and so that the device can be attached to a water main or other fluid infrastructure via a threaded connection. The body further includes a male threaded nipple that can receive a brass threaded ball valve. The nipple further has a shutoff valve that allows a user to cut off flow from the device to the nipple. In addition, the top member of the second end has a flat top cap that may be fixedly or removably-attached to the second end. In one embodiment, the cap may have a PSI pressure gauge that displays the force of the water flowing through the device and water main.
Further, the right arm member and left arm member of the second end are identical in structure and function, and each member has a hose thread adapter that allows each member to receive a fire hose, other hose or any other threaded or connectable water or fluid source. Each adapter has a threaded opening, which can engage with counter threads of a fluid source, such that the source can be attached to either member to allow water or other fluid to flow through a water main and out through the device during flushing, treatment or cleaning. Furthermore, each adapter may have a shutoff valve that allows a user to stop or limit the flow of water from the device to each fire hose. Each shutoff valve may further include a gauge to allow the user to select the flow amount traveling through the fluid passageway. The device may also have two threaded endcaps which can attach to each adapter when one or both adapters are not in use.
The present invention also discloses a method of using one potential embodiment of a system and device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure. First, the first end of the device is threaded onto the female opening of a water main. Then, the end caps are removed from one or both adapters of the second end. Next, one or more fire hoses or fluid supplies are attached to the device via the adapters by a threaded or other connection, such as a snap or quick-connect attachment. After each hose is connected to each adapter, the shutoff valves can be turned to an open setting to allow water or other fluid to flow through the device and out through the body resulting in the flushing, cleaning or treatment of the water main or fluid infrastructure. The flow of water can then be monitored by the PSI gauge until the flushing, cleaning or treatment has been completed. Then, all prior steps can be reversed to remove the device from a water main or fluid infrastructure, and remove water hoses or fluid supplies from the device.
Referring initially to the drawings,
It should further be appreciated that the device 100 can be attached to a secondary containment system such as but not limited to a chlorinated holding tank (not shown) via the hose thread adapters 142,152 and/or hose 306. In this manner, the device 100 can be placed at the end of a water main, wherein water that is flushed/scoured from the main can then be collected in the attachment containment system. In this regard, water runoff is prevented in areas where said runoff is not allowed (e.g. neighborhoods or other areas of the like) due to environmental restrictions.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “water main flushing device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the water main flushing device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the water main flushing device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the water main flushing device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the water main flushing device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the water main flushing device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the water main flushing device 100 may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
Claims
1. A device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure, the device comprising:
- a body having an internal fluid passageway, the internal fluid passageway extending from a first end to adjacent a second end;
- first and second arms each of which extending outwardly away from the body and form a branched configuration with the body, wherein the first and second arms disposed opposite to one another; and
- the internal fluid passageway is accessible by each of the first and second arms, and each of the first and second arms have a fluid control valve for controlling fluid traveling through the internal fluid passageway and out of at least one of the first and second arms.
2. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 1, wherein a fluid supply conduit can be connected to each of the first and second arms at a connection point.
3. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 2, wherein the connection point includes a threaded end.
4. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 3, wherein the fluid infrastructure is a water main.
5. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a pressure gauge.
6. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a series of one of grooves, ridges or protuberances in a pattern to form a vortex of incoming fluid.
7. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises an entry point for adding a cleaning or treatment solution.
8. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a nipple.
9. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 8, wherein the nipple has a shutoff valve connected to the nipple.
10. The device for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 1, wherein the body includes a ball valve and a shut off valve connected to the ball valve.
11. A watermain flushing device comprising:
- a branched body having a central hollow portion containing a fluid passageway and first and second arms extending generally outwardly from the central hollow portion and in communication with the fluid passageway;
- the branched body having an open end and a closed end;
- each of the first and second arms having a connection point for receiving a hose to deliver a fluid to the fluid passageway; and
- each of the first and second arms having a flow control valve for controlling entry of the fluid to the fluid passageway.
12. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the flow control valves has a gauge for determining a fluid flow rate.
13. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the branched body comprises a pressure gauge for determining a pressure of the fluid flow in the hollow portion.
14. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the branched body further comprises a plurality of one of grooves, ridges or protuberances in a pattern to form a vortex of incoming fluid.
15. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the branched body further comprises a fluid entry point for adding a cleaning or treatment solution.
16. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the branched body comprises one of a ball valve or nipple connected to a shut off valve.
17. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the connection points includes a threaded connection.
18. The watermain flushing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the branched body is comprised of a T shape.
19. A system for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure, the system comprising:
- a fluid supply system for providing a fluid to one of a home, waterpark, community pool or building;
- a T-shaped device for connection to the fluid supply system, the T-shaped device having a first open end and a second closed end with a fluid passageway enclosed within a body and extending from the first open end to adjacent the second closed end;
- first and second arms extending generally outwardly from the body and in communication with the fluid passageway;
- each of the first and second arms having a flow control valve; and
- the body having a pressure gauge and a ball valve connected to a fluid control valve.
20. The system for treating and maintaining a fluid service infrastructure as recited in claim 19, wherein the fluid passageway comprises a plurality of grooves, ridges or protuberances to create a vortex in a fluid traveling through the fluid passageway.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 29, 2021
Publication Date: May 5, 2022
Inventor: Bret Bergmark (Oakland, CA)
Application Number: 17/514,246