Pump connector system

• US 20060226997A1
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metropolitan Industries, Inc. (Emecole Metro, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Metropolitan Industries, Inc. (Emecole Metro, LLC)
• Inventors: Kochan, John R. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/612
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0077 Safety measures F04D15/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0218 the condition being a liquid level or a lack of liquid supply

Abstract

A single pump control unit can be coupled to first and second float switches and a pump for purposes of removing fluid from a region such as a sump. A supplemental set of contacts can be provided to couple an alarm indicating signal to a remote alarm. An alarm state can also be transmitted wirelessly.

Claims

1. A pump control unit comprising:

a housing;

a first receptacle for a pump connector carried by the housing;

a second receptacle for a liquid level indicating switch connector carried by the housing;

a connector for a displaced alarm carried by the housing;

at least one alarm indicator carried by the housing;

control circuitry carried by the housing to couple electrical energy to the first receptacle in response to a level indicating indicium at the second receptacle.

2. A unit as in claim 1 which includes a wireless communications port.

3. A unit as in claim 1 where the control circuitry short circuits the displaced alarm connector in response to a sensed alarm condition.

4. A unit as in claim 1 where the alarm indicator is energized when electrical energy is coupled to the first receptacle.

5. A unit as in claim 1 which includes a switching device with a control input coupled to the control circuitry and an output coupled to the first receptacle.

6. A pump control device comprising:

a pump output connector;

an alarm output connector;

a fluid level switch connector;

an alarm switch connector;

control circuitry responsive to a signal from at least the alarm connector to couple electrical energy to the pump output connector and to the alarm output connector;

a housing which carries the connectors and the circuitry.

7. A device as in claim 6 which includes:

first and second switching circuits, each switching circuit coupled between the control circuitry and one of the output connectors.

8. A device as in claim 6 which includes a conductive element having first and second free ends and engageable with a portion of a fluid level switch conductor to couple an electrical signal through a level indicating switch to the switch connector.

9. A device as in claim 8 where one switching circuit responds only to a signal from the alarm connector while the other responds to signals from either of the level indicating switch connector and the alarm indicating connector.

10. A device as in claim 9 where the one switching circuit causes an electrical change of state at the alarm output connector at about the same time that an alarm indicator, carried by the housing is activated to indicate an alarm condition.

11. A low voltage pump connector system comprising:

an AC input port coupled to a power supply, the supply having an output of less than 30 volts;

a level indicating switch port for receipt of an electrical signal from the supply and a level indicating switch closure signal having a value on the order of the electrical signal;

a power output switch for coupling received AC to a displaced pump in response to receipt of the switch closure signal.

12. A system as in claim 11 which includes an alarm switch port, the alarm switch port receiving the electrical signal and an alarm switch closure signal corresponding to the electrical signal;

an alarm indicating output port with a second power output switch coupled between the alarm switch closure signal and the alarm indicating output port.

13. A system as in claim 11 which includes wireless output circuitry to transmit status information to a displaced location.

14. A system as in claim 11 where the output from the power supply comprises a DC output.

15. A system as in claim 11 which includes a level indicating element selected from a class which includes at least a float switch, a vertical switch, a pressure switch or a solid state switch.

16. A method comprising:

monitoring a fluid level;

establishing a first conductive path, with two ends, in response to a predetermined fluid level;

coupling a low voltage electrical signal to one end of the first path;

sensing the presence of the low voltage electrical signal at the other end of the path in response to the predetermined fluid level;

coupling an electrically isolated AC-type electrical signal to a selected motor in response to the sensed presence of the low voltage electrical signal at the other end;

terminating the first conductive path in response to a fluid level less than the predetermined level, and

terminating the coupling of the electrically isolated AC-type signal to the motor.

17. A method as in claim 16 which includes:

establishing a second conductive path, with two ends, in response to a second predetermined fluid level;

coupling the low voltage electrical signal to one end of the second path;

sensing the presence of the low voltage electrical signal at the other end of the second path in response to the second predetermined fluid level.

18. A method as in claim 17 which includes terminating the second conductive path in response to a fluid level less than the second predetermined level.

19. A method as in claim 17 which includes providing a selected output condition in response to the sensed presence of the low voltage electrical signal at the other end of the second path.

20. A method as in claim 19 where the selected output condition is provided during the sensed presence of the low voltage electrical signal at the other end of the second path.

21. A method as in claim 19 where the selected output condition comprises at least one of a wirelessly transmitted signal, or, a change of an electrical state.

22. A method as in claim 21 where the change of an electrical state comprises one of a closed circuit becoming an open circuit, or, an open circuit becoming a closed circuit.

23. A method as in claim 16 where the low voltage electrical signal comprises a DC-type signal.