Vacuum Electronic Water Sense Circuit

• US 20090094778A1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beers, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0019 Details of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0028 Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/20 Means for cleaning filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

A vacuum electronics system is provided including an electronic water sense circuit for sensing the water level and preventing the vacuum source from operating when the water level approaches the vacuum filter.

Claims

1. A vacuum comprising:

a housing defining a debris chamber;

a vacuum source disposed in said housing;

a pair of water sensing probes disposed in said debris chamber and attached to an amplifying circuit; and

a controller for preventing operation of said vacuum source in response to water being sense by said pair of water sensing probes.

2. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said controller prevents operation of said vacuum in response to water being sensed by said pair of water sensing probes until a power switch is cycled off then on again.

3. A vacuum comprising:

a housing defining a debris chamber;

a vacuum source disposed in said housing;

a pair of water sensing probes disposed in said debris chamber and attached to a gate drive pulse transformer; and

a controller for preventing operation of said vacuum source in response to water being sense by said pair of water sensing probes.

4. A vacuum comprising:

a housing defining a debris chamber;

a vacuum source disposed in said housing;

a pair of water sensing probes disposed in said debris chamber and attached to a transformer and an oscillator, wherein when no water is detected by said pair of water sensing probes, the oscillator signal is seen at an op-amp and when water is detected by said pair of water sensing probes, the oscillator signal is eliminated from the op-amp input; and

a controller for preventing operation of said vacuum source in response to water being sensed by said pair of water sensing probes.

5. A vacuum comprising:

a housing defining a debris chamber;

a vacuum source disposed in said housing;

a pair of water sensing probes disposed in said debris chamber and attached to a line frequency transformer, wherein when no water is detected by said pair of water sensing probes, the triac is operated at near full voltage and when water is detected by said pair of water sensing probes, the triac gate signal is shorted to common and the triac turns off; and

a controller for preventing operation of said vacuum source in response to water being sensed by said pair of water sensing probes.

6. A vacuum comprising:

a housing defining a debris chamber;

a vacuum source disposed in said housing;

a relay coil mounted to said housing;

a floating core disposed in said debris chamber and aligned with said relay coil, wherein when a water level in said debris chamber reaches a predetermined level, said floating core is inserted into said relay coil to cause said relay coil to change states and to remove power from said vacuum source.