WIRELESS LIQUID LEVEL SENSING ASSEMBLIES AND GRINDER PUMP ASSEMBLIES EMPLOYING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A liquid level sensing assembly for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of signals based on a changing level of wastewater in a tank to a first coil of a transceiver/controller of a grinder pump, said liquid level sensing assembly comprising:
- at least one liquid level sensor operable in response to the changing level of the wastewater in the tank;
a second coil positionable adjacent to the first coil of the transceiver/controller of the grinder pump; and
a transponder for extracting electrical energy using said second coil in response to the first coil, said transponder operably connected to said at least one liquid level sensor and operable to wirelessly transmit from said second coil to the first coil said plurality of signals based on the state of the at least one liquid level sensor due to the changing level of the wastewater in the tank.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid level sensing assembly employs an inductive or magnetic coupling to wirelessly communicate a plurality of signals based on a changing level of wastewater in a tank to a first coil of a pump/alarm control circuit in the grinder pump. The assembly includes at least one liquid level sensor operable in response to the changing level of the wastewater, a second coil positionable adjacent to the first coil in the grinder pump, and a transponder for extracting electrical energy using the second coil in response to the first coil. The transponder is operably connected to the at least one liquid level sensor and operable to wirelessly transmit from the second coil to the first coil the plurality of signals based on the state of the at least one liquid level sensor due to the changing level of the wastewater in the tank.
-
Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A liquid level sensing assembly for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of signals based on a changing level of wastewater in a tank to a first coil of a transceiver/controller of a grinder pump, said liquid level sensing assembly comprising:
-
at least one liquid level sensor operable in response to the changing level of the wastewater in the tank; a second coil positionable adjacent to the first coil of the transceiver/controller of the grinder pump; and a transponder for extracting electrical energy using said second coil in response to the first coil, said transponder operably connected to said at least one liquid level sensor and operable to wirelessly transmit from said second coil to the first coil said plurality of signals based on the state of the at least one liquid level sensor due to the changing level of the wastewater in the tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A liquid level sensing assembly for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of signals based on a changing level of wastewater in a tank to a control unit having a first coil disposed in a grinder pump, said liquid level sensing assembly comprising:
-
a sealed housing; a first and a second air columns, upper ends of which being operably connected to said sealed housing and lower ends of which being positionable in the wastewater; a first pressure sensor operably connected to said sealed housing and responsive to pressure in said first air column for detecting to a low wastewater level; a second pressure sensor operably connected to said sealed housing and responsive to pressure in said second air column for detecting an alarm high wastewater level; a second coil positionable adjacent to the first coil of the transceiver/controller of the grinder pump; and a transponder disposed in said sealed housing for extracting electrical energy from said second coil in response to the first coil, said transponder operably connected to said first and second pressure sensors and operable to wirelessly transmit from the second coil to the first coil said plurality of signals based on a combination of the states of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor due to the changing level of the wastewater in the tank. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method for controlling the operation of a grinder pump in a tank in which wastewater is received, the method comprising:
-
detecting a changing level of the wastewater in the tank; wirelessly transmitting to the grinder pump a plurality of signals based on the changing level of the wastewater in the tank; monitoring the wirelessly transmitted plurality of signals in the grinder pump; and operating the grinder pump in response to the detected wirelessly transmitted plurality of signals. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A grinder pump assembly for use in a tank, said grinder pump system comprising:
-
a grinder pump; a generally inverted U-shaped liquid level sensing assembly comprising a central portion having a sealed housing and first and second downwardly-depending air columns; and wherein said the liquid level sensing assembly is positionable generally over said grinder pump. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
Specification