Liquid out-of-product alarm system and method

• US 10,072,962 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ismail, Husam, Dobizl, Kenneth Thomas, Holzman, Louis Mark, Sharpe, Sonya Shailesh, Kahlhamer, Jason Andrew, Zurbey, Matthew Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US15/202,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20180010950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/023 Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/47 Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps safety arrangements D06F37/42
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/292 Light , e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

An out-of-product alarm process includes initiating an out-of-product check by sending a signal to a controller from an optical sensor assembly connected to a fluid delivery medium for delivering a product to a fluid dispensing site, performing an out-of-product check, running an alarm cycle with the controller after receipt of an out-of-product signal, and executing a corrective action. Performing the out-of-product check includes directing light into the fluid delivery medium, generating a detector output based on detected light within the fluid delivery medium, determining an out-of-product state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to an out-of-product threshold, starting an out-of-product timer, when the out-of-product state is determined, and determining an out-of-product event when the out-of-product timer reaches a threshold out-of-product time period.

Claims

1. A method for checking for an absence of a product in a fluid delivery medium for delivering the product to a fluid dispensing site, the method comprising:

performing an out-of-product check with an optical sensor assembly connected to the fluid delivery medium, the out-of-product check comprising;

directing light into the fluid delivery medium;

generating a detector output based on detected light within the fluid delivery medium;

determining an out-of-product state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to an out-of-product threshold;

starting an out-of-product timer, when the out-of-product state is determined;

determining an out-of-product event when the out-of-product timer reaches a threshold out-of-product time period;

running an alarm cycle with a controller upon determination of the out-of-product event;

performing a product present check, the product present check comprising;

directing light into the fluid delivery medium;

generating a detector output based on detected light within the fluid delivery medium

determining a product present state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to a product present threshold;

starting a product present timer, if the product present timer has not already been started, when a product present state is determined; and

determining a product present event when the product present timer reaches a threshold product present time period; and

stopping the out-of-product timer upon determination of the product present event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold out-of-product time period is a predetermined time period, between fifteen seconds and forty-five seconds.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold out-of-product time period is thirty seconds.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the out-of-product event is determined for the threshold out-of-product time period if an out-of-product state is determined at least once every 100 milliseconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein running the alarm cycle comprises at least one of turning on a visual indicator and turning on a sound alarm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein running the alarm cycle further comprises:

checking if a mute button is pressed;

turning off the sound alarm if the mute button is pressed; and

turning on the sound alarm if a mute timeout period has passed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein running the alarm cycle further comprises:

checking if an alarm timeout period has passed; and

turning off the sound alarm if the alarm timeout period has passed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a corrective action comprises at least one of shutting off the fluid dispensing site, shutting off a pump for pumping the product to the fluid dispensing site, refilling the product reservoir, and replacing the product reservoir.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold product present time period is between ten milliseconds and five seconds.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the threshold product present time period is three seconds.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising canceling the alarm cycle and resuming normal operation when the product present signal is received by the controller.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein an out-of-product state is determined if the detector output satisfies the out-of-product threshold for at least a predetermined filter time.

13. An out-of-product alarm system comprising:

a fluid dispensing system comprising;

a product reservoir;

a fluid dispensing site; and

a fluid delivery medium for delivering a product from the product reservoir to the fluid dispensing site;

a sensor assembly connected to the fluid delivery medium, the sensor assembly comprising;

an emitter that directs light into the fluid delivery medium in which presence or absence of a product is to be determined;

a detector that generates a detector output based on detection of light transmitted through the fluid delivery medium; and

a sensor controller that determines an out-of-product state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to an out-of-product threshold and a product present state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to a product present threshold;

an out-of-product timer configured to start when the out-of-product state is determined by the sensor controller;

a product present timer configured to start when the product present state is determined by the sensor controller; and

a system controller configured to generate at least one of a visual alarm and a sound alarm when the out-of-product timer reaches a threshold out-of-product time period, indicating that an out-of-product event is determined.

14. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the system controller is configured to initiate a corrective action when the out-of-product event is determined.

15. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 14, wherein the corrective action is at least one of shutting off the fluid dispensing site, shutting off a pump for pumping the product to the fluid dispensing site, refilling the product reservoir, and replacing the product reservoir.

16. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the fluid dispensing system further comprises a pump for pumping the product from the product reservoir, through the fluid delivery medium, and into the fluid dispensing site.

17. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the fluid dispensing site is a washing machine or a warewashing machine.

18. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the fluid delivery medium is selected from the group consisting of transparent tubing, translucent tubing, or braided tubing.

19. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the fluid delivery medium is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene tubing, ethylene-vinyl acetate tubing, and polytetrafluoroethylene tubing.

20. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the product is at least one of a transparent product or a turbid product.

21. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the sensor assembly includes a liquid tight enclosure that houses the emitter, the detector, and the sensor controller.

22. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 21, wherein the housing is transparent.

23. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a visual indicator configured to provide a visual indication when the sensor controller determines an absence of product for the threshold out-of-product time period.

24. The out-of-product alarm system of claim 13, wherein the system controller is configured to reset the out-of-product timer when the product present timer reaches a threshold product present time period indicating a product present event.

25. A method for checking for an absence of a product in a fluid delivery medium for delivering the product to a fluid dispensing site, the method comprising:

performing an out-of-product check with an optical sensor assembly connected to the fluid delivery medium, the out-of-product check comprising;

directing light into the fluid delivery medium;

generating a detector output based on detected light within the fluid delivery medium;

determining an out-of-product state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to an out-of-product threshold;

starting an out-of-product timer, when the out-of-product state is determined; and

determining an out-of-product event when the out-of-product timer reaches a threshold out-of-product time period;

running an alarm cycle with the controller upon determination of the out-of-product event;

executing a corrective action in response to the alarm cycle;

performing a product present check, the product present check comprising;

directing light into the fluid delivery medium;

generating a detector output based on detected light within the fluid delivery medium; and

determining a product present state within the fluid delivery medium based on a comparison of the detector output to a product present threshold;

starting a product present timer, if the product present timer has not already been started, when a product present state is determined; and

determining a product present event when the product present timer reaches a threshold product present time period;

stopping and resetting the out-of-product timer upon determination of the product present event; and

canceling the alarm cycle upon determination of the product present event.