Residential appliance with integrated water monitoring system

• US 20030227387A1
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dale King, Royce Kimberlain
• Original Assignee: Dale King, Royce Kimberlain
• Inventors: King, Dale, Kimberlain, Royce
• Application Number:
  US10/145,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/618
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/16 using electric detection means G01M3/045, G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence

Abstract

The invention provides a self-monitoring residential appliance equipped with a control circuit included with appliance logic and also including a water detector communicatively coupled to the control circuit. The invention accordingly provides a cost effective solution that will allow a resident to prevent much of the damage previously faced as a result of water leaks and other appliance or fixture malfunction.

Claims

1. A self-monitoring residential appliance (the residential appliance), comprising:

an appliance having an appliance logic;

an control circuit integrated with the appliance logic, and

a water detector communicatively coupled to the control circuit.

2. The residential appliance of claim 1 wherein the water monitor is maintained in a water basin.

3. The residential appliance of claim 1 wherein the water detector maintains a portion of the control circuit for controlling a voltage through the water detector.

4. The residential appliance of claim 1 wherein the control circuit comprises:

an alarm generator;

a control logic coupled to the alarm generator;

a power source interface coupled to the alarm generator; and

a communicative coupling receptacle for connecting the control logic to the water detector.

5. The residential appliance of claim 4 wherein the alarm generator generates an audible alarm signal.

6. The residential appliance of claim 5, wherein the audible alarm generator is capable of generating a high-pitched frequency that is irritating to the human ear.

7. The residential appliance of claim 4, further comprising a logic coupling for communicatively coupling the control logic to the appliance logic.

8. The residential appliance of claim 1 wherein the water detector has a first water sensor prong and a second water sensor prong.

9. The residential appliance of claim 8 wherein the first water sensor prong is coupled to a variable resistor.

10. The residential appliance of claim 8 wherein the first water sensor prong is coated with an electrolyte that dissolves in water.

11. The residential appliance of claim 8 wherein the water detector is maintained in a housing that is adapted to integrally fit in an appliance location that is likely to hold water resulting from a leak.

12. The residential appliance of claim 8 wherein the appliance location is a water heater basin.

13. The residential appliance of claim 8 wherein the housing is a non-conductive and water penetrable housing.

14. A system of claim 8 wherein the housing is integrally molded with the basin.

15. The residential appliance of claim 4 wherein the alarm generator generates a visual alarm.

16. The residential appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a water heater.

17. The residential appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a clothes washer.

18. The residential appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a dishwasher.

19. The residential appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is an air conditioner.

20. The residential appliance of claim 4, wherein the control logic adjusts the sensitivity of the control circuit based on an input from a control interface.