GB2387229A

GB2387229A - A water level warning device for a domestic bath including an audible alarm

Info

Publication number: GB2387229A
Application number: GB0207559A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel David Whincup
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-02
Filing date: 2002-04-02
Publication date: 2003-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-02
Also published as: GB2387229B; GB0207559D0

Abstract

The "Bath Water-level Sounder" (B-W-S) includes a plastic body 1, 3 which can be placed onto a surface of any domestic bath. The upper part 1 of the body is placed on top of the bath and contains an electrical transducer 6, a drive circuit 8 and a 9 V battery 7. The battery compartment includes a water-tight lid 9, the transducer being held in place by a water-proof flexible sealant. The lower part 3 consists of a pivoting swing arm which is able to pivot through 180{. The swing arm has two stainless steel electrodes 5 at the bottom end thereof which complete an electric circuit when the water in the bath reaches a predetermined level which in turn activates the transducer 6 which powers an audible alarm 2. A suction cup 4 attaches the swing arm to the side of a bath.

Description

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Purpose of B-W-S The purpose of my invention, the bath water-level sounder (B-W-S), was to alert people who are running a bath that the water is getting relatively close to the top of the bath, and that the sounder would alert people that it is time to turn the water off, before they Loaded the bathroom or worse, and caused hundred even maybe thousands of pounds worth of damage.

-2-

Similar Designs The only other design that I am aware off is called "Bath Alarm" This unit sits completely below the top of the bath (inside the bath) and is held inside the bath by a suction cup.

-3

B-W-S My invention carries out the same purpose as "Bath Alarm", yet the sound hole is above the top of the bath.

-4

Why B-W-S Is Better Than "Bath Alarm" As you can see from pages 3 & 4 the main advantage in B-W-S is that the sound hole is above the top of the bath. The best way for me to explain this is because with "Bath Alarm", once the water hits the electrodes and activates the sound system, you only have a short period of time before the water has covered the soundhole' thus styfling the sound, once styflied this would render the hole purpose of alerting you inactive. To me this does not really serve its purpose very well. As a contrast B-W-S will be totally audable even if the water is actually pouring over the side of the bath.

Secondly even if the suction cup came loose on the B-W-S the device will not fall in the bath, because all of the weight is at the back of the unit (the 9V battery).

Technical Advantage The novel advantage ofthe B-W-S is the swing arm at the front (incorporating the two electrodes & suction cup). This enables B-W-S to fit on to any bath and still serve its purpose.

-6

Detailed Description

If B-W-S went into production it would be made from a thin plastic (possibly lmm thick) to keep the weight & cost of materials down. I would imagine that the best method of production would be to injection mould the design in two halves (right side & left side), thus enableing the drive circuit & transducer & the electrical contacts to be placed in one half, and then the other half would be butted up to it, leaving a water tight seam running down the middle of the design.

The electrical system of B-W-S is powered by a 9V battery. There are two stainless steel electrodes at the bottom of the swing arm, once the water reaches these electrodes the circuit is completed, which sends a 9V signal via the drive circuit to the transducer (the sound device), which omits a loud audioble high pitch noise, loud enough to be heard all over the house. Letting a person know that the water in the bath should be turn off, before any floading accures. The system will become active when the water reaches approximately 83mm from the top ofthe bath, allowing roughly 3 - 4 mine before flooding would accure.

The whole devise is completely waterproof. The transducer is held to the front slopping panel by a waterproof & flexible sealant.

The device circuit is merely a printed circuit board that lets the 9V electrical current through in burst, instead of a constant flow. Securing the drive circuit inside the body will depend on the final size it is produced at, thus giving a stipulated diagram & dimensions at this point is not necessary.

Key For Diagram 1 - Plastic body (upper part) 2 - Sound hole 3 - Swing arm (lower part) 4 - Suction cup 5 - Stainless steel electrodes 6 - Electrical transducer 7 - 9 volt battery 8 - Electrical drive circuit 9 - Plastic lid

Claims

1. A battery powered sound device mounted on the top of the bath with two electrical contacts which sit inside the bath.

2. A sound device as claimed in claim 1 which can be adjusted to fit onto any bath.

3. A sound device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where the device incorporates a swing arm which can be rotated through 180 degrees and which houses the two electrical contacts.

4. A sound device as claimed in claim 3 where the adjustable swing arm incorporates a suction cup to stick to the inside of the bath.

5. A sound device as claimed in the preceding claims which houses a 9 volt battery inside a totally waterproof unit.

6 A sound device as claimed in any of the preceding claims which could be made from plastic, metal or wood, or a combination of the materials.

7. A sound device substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. -7-

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