WO2015189738A1

WO2015189738A1 - Water-jet hose manipulation device

Info

Publication number: WO2015189738A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/054063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Davor EBERL
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-06-13
Filing date: 2015-05-29
Publication date: 2015-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-13
Also published as: SI24740A

Abstract

The present invention regards a device for splitting and dispensing liquids, which can be connected to a source of pressurized liquid – specifically, a water-jet hose manipulation device. Said device comprises a first, inner sleeve (1), a second, outer sleeve (7) and control means (14; 18; 23). The sleeves (1; 7) form a loose fit, so that the outer sleeve (7) can rotate around the inner sleeve (1). Devices can be fluidly interconnected with flexible hose segments. During the operation, when pressurized liquid flows through the aforementioned devices, it is possible to arbitrary control the direction and force of each individual jet that comes out of each nozzle (20). This results in total control over the movement and shape of the entire apparatus. With a sufficient pressure, the array of interconnected devices can rise and hover at a desired height.

Description

Water-jet hose manipulation device

The present invention regards a device for splitting liquids, which can be connected to a source of pressurized liquid - specifically, a water-jet hose manipulation device.

Patents GB 954,538 A, US 3,679,136A and US 4,274,591A, describe devices similar to the above-mentioned hose manipulation device. In all these solutions water-jets, that enable rising of the device, exit only at the end of the hose. This severely limits the range of access of the current similar devices as the hose itself is encumbered by its own mass and the mass of the contained water. Water-jets positioned only at the end of the hose cannot overcome the gravitational forces, which are preventing the known solutions to be considered anything more than toys.

The purpose of the proposed invention is to create a water-jet hose manipulation device that eliminates the drawbacks of the known solutions.

The present invention achieves this goal by composing the hose manipulation device from an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, forming a loose fit, so that the outer sleeve can rotate around the inner sleeve. The outer sleeve, which is held in place at each end by a ring, extends along the length of the inner sleeve and ends close to the hose connectors, located on both ends of the inner sleeve.

According to the invention, the said device comprises a tubular housing, which is held in place on the outer circumference of the inner sleeve. The free end of the housing comprises a movement means for the mutual rotation of the sleeves. A spraying unit is fixed to the outer sleeve and it comprises a flow regulating element, to which a water dispensing element is fluidly attached. At least one servomechanism enables regulation of the flow and direction change of the water dispensing element.

According to the invention, the device also comprises at least one control unit that controls the aforementioned rotational movement means, at least one aforementioned

servomechanism and at least one spraying unit, where the control unit contains and uses at least one sensor.

The invention is described in more detail on a non-limiting embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings of:

FIG. 1 the longitudinal section of the water-jet hose manipulation device,

FIG. 2 a series of devices in operation, interconnected by flexible hose sections

The water-jet hose manipulation device is described on an embodiment, which is intended for fire-fighting usage, especially in situations where access for fire-fighters is limited and dangerous.

The water-jet hose manipulation device encompasses the inner sleeve 1, which is designed with a series of openings 3 along its circumference, longitudinally positioned in the central area 2. The said sleeve 1 can optionally be equipped with a set of guiding and reinforcing ribs 4 positioned along its inner circumference. Each free end of the said sleeve 1 is equipped with the appropriate hose connector 5 for connecting to the fire hose 6. Furthermore, the sleeve 1 is surrounded by the external sleeve 7, with which it forms a loose fit, in a manner that allows easy rotation of the external sleeve 7 around inner sleeve 1. The outer sleeve 7 extends longitudinally along the inner sleeve, ending on both sides close to the hose connectors 5, where it is held in position by rings 8. The ring 8 cross-section is T-shaped and the first section of the ring 8 flange 9 works with the external sleeve 7, while the rib 10 of the ring 8 works with the seal 11 that is arranged around the inner sleeve 1. In the presented embodiment, the outer sleeve 7 is held by the ring 8 in a sealed manner due to the threaded joint and a seal between them. The second, free section of the ring 8 flange 9 holds the outer ring of the bearing 12, while the outer circumference of the inner sleeve 1 represents the raceway of the said bearing 12. Moreover, at least one of the rings 8 and bearings 12 is surrounded by a tubular housing 13, which is fixed to the outer circumference of the inner sleeve 1 in a manner known per se. The free end of the housing 13, which faces the central area 2, encompasses a movement means 14 for the mutual rotational movement of the sleeves 1 and 7. In the presented embodiment the movement means 14 comprises the drive means 17 with a pinion 16 which is in contact with the internally toothed edge 16' of the tubular housing 13. Moreover, the central area 2 of the outer sleeve 7, which is the area above the inner sleeve openings 3, is pierced with at least one hole 15. Designs with several holes 15 on the circumference of the external sleeve 7 are also possible.

In this embodiment an electric motor, preferably a stepper motor is chosen as the drive means 17 and it is positioned on the side of the outer sleeve 7 facing away from the hole 15. The outer sleeve 7 is equipped with a spraying unit 18, which is fluidly connected to the hole 15. The spraying unit 18 comprises the flow regulating element 19 which enables turning on, shutting off and regulation of the flow of liquids through the hole 15. In this embodiment, a ball valve is selected to serve as a flow regulating element. On the side that is facing away from the hole 15, the flow regulating element 19 is fluidly connected to a water dispensing element 20, which in the present embodiment is a nozzle, and can be moved at least planarly, preferably spatially. The movement of the flow regulating valve 19 and the nozzle 20 is driven by at least one servomechanism. In the presented embodiment separate

servomechanisms 21 and 22 are used.

The drive means 17 and servomechanisms 21 and 22 are controlled by at least one control unit 23, which comprises at least one sensor. The control unit 23 can be completely autonomous or it can be wired or wirelessly connected to control units of other water-jet hose manipulation devices and/or to a central control unit (not shown in the figures). The possible sensors in the control unit 23 are gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers etc... Sensors, the control unit 23 and consequently drive means 17, ensure that the outer sleeve 7 is turned in the right direction in relation to the inner sleeve 1. This direction also determines the direction of the water jet. Such mutual positioning enables the spraying unit 18 to always be in the desired position and ensures that the jet of liquid that exits the nozzle 20 during the operation is always oriented in a direction that supports hovering or desired movement of the hose.

According to the invention the water-jet hose manipulation devices can be fluidly

interconnected, so that each hose connector 5 of the inner sleeve 1 is attached to a flexible hose segment 6 that is attached to another manipulation device on the other end and so forth until the desired or required number of devices and length of the system is reached. During operation, when liquid flows through the aforementioned devices, which are interconnected in the previously illustrated fashion, it is possible to use the control unit 23 and consequently the drive means 17 and servomechanisms 21 and 22 to arbitrary control the direction and force of each individual jet that comes out of each nozzle 20. This results in total control over the movement and shape of the entire hose. With a sufficiently high water pressure and adequately powerful jets from each nozzle 20, the array of interconnected devices can rise and hover at a desired height. Furthermore, the water-jets from the nozzles 20 create a water curtain which is very effective for extinguishing fires.

Described water-jet hose manipulation device is useful in many fields, especially where human access is very limited due to the terrain or some other circumstances. The device can be used for firefighting (especially for wild fires), snowmaking, farmland irrigation and the like. Of course, it is also possible to use modified embodiments of the device in other fields, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Patent claims

1. The water-jet hose manipulation device is characterised in that it encompasses

A first, inner sleeve (1) with both ends designed as connectors (5) for hose attachment;

A second, outer sleeve (7) that forms a loose fit with the inner sleeve (1) so that the outer sleeve (7) can rotate around the inner sleeve (1). The outer sleeve (7) longitudinally extends along the length of the inner sleeve (1) and ends on both sides close to the hose connectors (5) where it is held in position by a ring (8); A tubular housing (13), which is held in position on the outer circumference of the inner sleeve (1) in a manner known per se and surrounds at least one of the rings (8), where the free end of the housing (13) comprises a movement means (14) for the mutual rotational movement of the sleeves (1,7);

A spraying unit (18), fixed to the outer sleeve (7), which encompasses a flow regulating element (19) and a water dispensing element (20). The movement of the flow regulating element (19) as well as the water dispensing element (20) is driven by at least one servomechanism (21; 22) for each element (19, 20);

At least one control unit (23) that controls the drive means (17), at least one afore mentioned servomechanism (21; 22) and at least one spraying unit (18), where the control unit (23) encompasses at least one sensor.

2. The device according to Claim 1 is characterised in that the inner sleeve (1) has a series of openings (3) running around its circumference in the central area (2).

3. The device according to Claim 1 is characterised in that the inner sleeve (1) has a series of guiding and reinforcing ribs (4) positioned along its inner circumference.

4. The device according to Claim 1 is characterised in that the rotational movement means (14) comprises the drive means (17) located on the outer sleeve (7) and a pinion (16) which acts on the internally toothed edge (16') of the tubular housing (13).

5. The device according to Claim 1 is characterised in that the outer sleeve (7) is pierced in its central area (2), with at least one hole (15), which is fluidly connected to the spraying unit (18).

6. The device according to any of the previous claims is characterised in that at least one sensor in the control unit (23) is a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer and/or a magnetometer and the like.

7. The device according to any of the previous claims is characterised in that the sleeves (1; 7) are positioned approximately centrally in relation to the aforementioned openings (3).