Safety shut off system for household appliances

• US 20100188229A1
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Select Engineering Services LLC
• Original Assignee: Select Engineering Services LLC
• Inventors: Nhep, Nhean
• Application Number:
  US12/321,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188229A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.100
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/2021 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/08 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

A safety shut off system incorporated into the electrical circuitry of the house for shutting off an appliance after a predetermined time period elapses within which no physical movement within the vicinity of the appliance is detected includes a motion sensor interconnected to the breaker controlling the appliance whereupon the motion sensor signals the breaker to trip after the time period elapses in which no movement is detected, a contactor that allows current flow between the motion sensor and the breaker, and a relay interconnected to the appliance fan and light and the breaker whereupon turning on the appliance automatically actuates the fan and light but when the breaker is tripped for shutting off the appliance the relay is actuated to shut off the fan and light.

Claims

1. A safety shut off system for automatically shutting off a household appliance after a time period elapses in which no movement is detected as occurring in the vicinity of the household appliance, the safety shut off system comprising:

a motion sensor mounted adjacent to the household appliance;

the motion sensor having a motion sensor cone within which physical movement adjacent to the household appliance is detected;

the motion sensor being electrically interconnected to a breaker that regulates electrical current to the household appliance;

a contactor that allows electrical current to pass between the breaker and the household appliance; and

whereupon turning on the household appliance activates the motion sensor so that if no physical movement is detected within the vicinity of the household appliance by the motion sensor as occurring within a fixed time period then the motion sensor actuates the breaker so that the breaker trips thereby automatically shutting off the household appliance.

2. The safety shut off system for a household appliance of claim 1 wherein the household appliance includes an exhaust fan and light.

3. The safety shut off system for a household appliance of claim 2 further comprising a relay electrically interconnected to the exhaust fan, light, and household appliance so that when the breaker trips to shut off the household appliance the relay is actuated thereby causing the exhaust fan and light to turn off.

4. The safety shut off system for a household appliance of claim 3 wherein the motion sensor optically detects for physical movement within the motion sensor cone.

5. The safety shut off system for a household appliance of claim 4 wherein the motion sensor detects for physical movement within the motion sensor cone by infrared radiation.

6. The safety shut off system for a household appliance of claim 5 further comprising a bypass switch that can be actuated so that the motion sensor is bypassed and automatic shut off of the household appliance will not occur.

7. The safety shut off system for a household appliance having an exhaust fan and light after a time period elapses in which no physical movement is detected as occurring within the vicinity of the household appliance, the safety shut off system comprising:

a motion sensor mounted adjacent to the household appliance;

the motion sensor having a motion sensor cone within which physical motion in the vicinity of the household appliance is detected;

the motion sensor being electrically interconnected to a breaker that regulates electrical current to the household appliance;

a contactor that allows electrical current to pass between the breaker and the household appliance;

a relay electrically interconnected to the exhaust fan, the light, and the household appliance; and

whereupon turning on the household appliance activates the motion sensor so that if no physical movement is detected as occurring within the vicinity of the household appliance by the motion sensor within a fixed time period then the motion sensor actuates the breaker so that the breaker trips and the relay actuates resulting in the turning off of the exhaust fan and light and the shutting off of the household appliance.

8. The safety shut off system for a household appliance of claim 7 further comprising a bypass switch that can be actuated so that the motion sensor is bypassed and the automatic shut off of the household appliance is prevented.

9. A safety shut off system for automatically shutting off a household appliance after a time period elapses in which no physical movement is detected as occurring in the vicinity of the household appliance, the safety shut off system comprising:

a motion sensor mounted adjacent to the household appliance;

the motion sensor having a motion sensor cone within which physical movement adjacent to the household appliance is detected;

the motion sensor being electrically interconnected to a breaker that regulates electrical current to the household appliance; and

whereupon turning on the household appliance activates the motion sensor so that if no physical movement is detected within the vicinity of the household appliance by the motion sensor as occurring within a fixed time period then the motion sensor actuates the breaker so that the breaker trips thereby automatically shutting off the household appliance.