Detecting and alleviating flooding and blocked storm sewers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11920318-B2
Application number	US-202117184053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 24, 2020
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A device for detecting and alleviating flooding and blocked storm sewers includes a manhole cover coupled to a float body. The device also includes a canister having a drain hole and a valve. The device also includes multiple guides that can catch onto part of a sewer. The device is configured such that when water flows into the canister, the manhole cover, float body, and guides rise and the valve is opened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manhole device comprising:
a manhole cover;
a float body coupled to the manhole cover;
a canister that includes an interior section and a valve formed in the interior section, the interior section is configured to receive the float body when the manhole cover is in a resting position, the valve is configured to allow liquid in the interior section to flow through a primary opening in a bottom surface of the canister when the valve is opened and configured to substantially prevent liquid in the interior section to flow through the primary opening when the valve is closed; and
multiple float guides coupled to the manhole cover that pass through corresponding openings in the bottom surface of the canister, the multiple float guides are configured to connect the manhole cover to the canister,
wherein the float body is configured to raise the multiple float guides and the manhole cover from the resting position with respect to the bottom surface of the canister as liquid collects in the interior section of the canister.

2. The manhole device of claim 1 , wherein:
the valve is connected to the manhole cover or the float body, and
the valve is configured to open when the float body raises the manhole cover.

3. The manhole device of claim 1 , wherein the valve includes a first end pivotally coupled to the bottom surface of the canister and a second end connected to the manhole cover or the float body through a tether.

4. The manhole device of claim 1 , wherein:
the canister includes a corrugated lip having upper portions and lower portions,
the upper portions of the corrugated lip contact corresponding portions of the manhole cover when the manhole cover is in the resting position, and
the lower portions of the corrugated lip define passages that extend from an exterior surface of the canister to the interior section of the canister, and are configured to allow liquid to flow through the passages into the interior section of the canister.

5. The manhole device of claim 1 , wherein, when the manhole cover is in the resting position, the manhole cover and the bottom surface define a space between the manhole cover and the bottom surface.

6. The manhole device of claim 1 , wherein:
the canister includes a ratchet formed in the interior section of the canister,
one or more of the multiple float guides include a set of teeth configured to receive the ratchet, and
the canister and the one or more float guides are configured such that when the float body raises the multiple float guides and the manhole cover to a raised position, the ratchet of the canister engages the one or more sets of teeth, preventing the manhole cover from lowering from the raised position with respect to the bottom surface of the canister.

7. The manhole device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple float guides are L-shaped with (i) first sections that are disposed primarily in the interior section of the canister and that pass through the corresponding openings in the bottom surface of the canister and (ii) second sections that are shorter than the first sections and substantially perpendicular with respect to the first sections.

8. The manhole device of claim 1 , comprising:
a second float body disposed in the manhole cover and secured to the manhole cover through a cable; and
a strobe light disposed in the second float body,
wherein the second float body is configured to detach from the manhole cover while remaining secured to the manhole cover through the cable when the manhole cover is submerged.

9. The manhole device of claim 1 , comprising:
a microprocessor;
one or more sensors electronically coupled to the microprocessor, the one or more sensors configured to detect when the manhole cover reaches a raised position; and
a wireless transmitter,
wherein the microprocessor is configured to use the wireless transmitter to send a communication to an external computing system when a sensor of the one or more sensors detects that that the manhole cover has reached the raised position, the communication indicating at least one of that the manhole cover has reached the raised position or that there is flooding in an area where the manhole device is located.

10. The manhole device of claim 9 , wherein:
the one or more sensors include one or more contact sensors coupled to at least one of the multiple float guides,
the canister includes a member configured to actuate the one or more contact sensors when the member is brought into contact with the one or more contact sensors, and
the at least one float guide and the canister are configured such that when the float body raises the multiple float guides and the manhole cover to the raised position, the member of the canister is brought into contact with the one or more contact sensors, triggering the one or more contact sensors.

11. The manhole device of claim 9 , wherein:
the one or more sensors include one or more spring-loaded switches disposed in a lip of the manhole cover,
the one or more spring-loaded switches are configured to exert a force on a lip of the canister when the one or more spring-loaded switches are in a compressed position, and
the one or more spring-loaded switches are triggered when the manhole cover reaches the raised position where the one or more spring-loaded switches are in an extended position.

12. The manhole device of claim 9 , comprising a GPS unit,
wherein the microprocessor is configured to identify a location of the manhole device using the GPS unit, and
wherein the microprocessor is configured to include the location in communications sent to the external computing system.

13. The manhole device of claim 9 , comprising a strobe light disposed in the manhole cover,
wherein the microprocessor is configured to turn on the strobe light a sensor of the one or more sensors detects that that the manhole cover has reached the raised position.

14. The manhole device of claim 9 , wherein:
the one or more sensors include (i) a first set of one or more sensors configured to detect when the manhole cover reaches a lower-raised position of the manhole cover and (ii) a second set of one or more sensors configured to detect when the manhole cover reaches a higher-raised position of the manhole cover,
the lower-raised position of the manhole cover is higher than a resting position of the manhole cover with respect to the bottom surface of the canister such that a space between a lip of the manhole cover and a lip of the canister is greater when the manhole cover is in the lower-raised position when compared to the resting position, and
the higher-raised position of the manhole cover is higher than the lower-raised position of the manhole cover with respect to the bottom surface of the canister such that the space between a lip of the manhole cover and a lip of the canister is greater when the manhole cover is in the higher-raised position when compared to the lower-raised position.

15. The manhole device of claim 14 , wherein:
the microprocessor is configured to use the wireless transmitter to send a first communication to an external computing system when a sensor of the first set of one or more sensors detects that that the manhole cover has reached the lower-raised position, the communication indicating at least one of that the manhole cover has reached the lower-raised position or that there is a first degree of flooding in an area where the manhole device is located,
the microprocessor is configured to use the wireless transmitter to send a second communication to an external computing system when a sensor of the second set

Assignees

• Objectvideo Labs Llc

Inventors

• Madden Donald Gerard
• Eubanks Dana

Classifications

• E02D29/1436 Primary

  with overflow or explosion control means, e.g. check or relief valves · CPC title

• E02D29/1409

  adjustable in height or inclination · CPC title

• E02D29/1481

  Security devices, e.g. indicating unauthorised opening (E02D29/1427 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title

• G01F23/0007

  for discrete indicating and measuring (G01F23/02 - G01F23/28 take precedence) · CPC title