CURRENT SENSING SWITCH FOR USE WITH PUMPS

• US 20170089345A1
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reza Afshar
• Original Assignee: Reza Afshar
• Inventors: Afshar, Reza
• Granted Patent: US 10,727,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/0686 Mechanical details of the pump control unit pump control F04D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0236 Lack of liquid level being detected by analysing the parameters of the electric drive, e.g. current or power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/22 for supplying energising current for relay coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/68 mounted on directly pluggable apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/70 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

A current sensing switch for use with a pump that is physically separate from the pump and contains a current sensor for measuring the electrical current flowing to the pump as a method of determining whether the pump is operating in low fluid, dry conditions, or with an impeller that has ceased to rotate. When the current drops below or raises above a predetermined value for a predetermined amount of time, the switch electrically disconnects power to the pump and reconnects it periodically to cheek whether the state of the pump has changed.

Claims

1. A switch for a pump comprising:

a housing having a plurality of prongs extending therefrom and a plug socket;

a circuit board having a relay capable of electrically connecting and disconnecting said prongs to said plug socket;

said circuit board further comprising a programmable controller, a current sensor, a data center, a power switch, and a current setting switch;

wherein activating said power switch energizes said circuit board and causes said relay to electrically connect said prongs to said plug socket;

wherein said current sensor transmits to said data center a measurement of an electric current flowing to said pump through said plug socket;

wherein said current setting switch transmits to said data center a current setting value; and

wherein said controller compares said measurement from said current sensor to said current setting value such that if said measurement is less than said current setting value for a predetermined amount of time, then said controller causes said relay to electrically disconnect said prongs from said plug socket.

2. The switch for a pump according to claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises a first half and a second half that attach together to enclose said circuit hoard within a waterproofed cavity.

3. The switch for a pump according to claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor within which said data center and said programmable controller are incorporated.

4. The switch for a pump according to claim 1 further comprising a digital display that displays said measurement from said current sensor.

5. The switch for a pump according to claim 1 further comprising a digital display that displays said current setting value.

6. A switch for a pump comprising:

a housing having a plurality of prongs extending therefrom and a plug socket;

a circuit board comprising a controller, a current sensor, a current setting switch, and a relay capable of electrically connecting and disconnecting said prongs to said plug socket;

wherein said current sensor measures an electrical current flowing to said pump;

wherein said current setting switch sets a lower current setting value;

wherein said controller computes an upper current setting value based on said lower current setting value or based on said electrical current flowing to said pump as measured by said current sensor;

wherein said controller causes said relay to electrically disconnect said prongs from said plug socket for a first predetermined time period when said electrical current flowing to said pump as measured by said current sensor is less then said lower current setting value for a few predetermined seconds; and

wherein said controller causes said relay to electrically disconnect said prongs from said plug socket for a second predetermined time period when said electrical current flowing to said pump as measured by said current sensor is greater than said upper current setting value for said few predetermined seconds.

7. The switch for a pump according to claim 6 wherein said housing further comprises a first half and a second half that attach together to enclose said circuit board within a waterproofed cavity.

8. The switch for a pump according to claim 6 further comprising a microprocessor within which said controller is incorporated.

9. The switch for a pump according to claim 6 further comprising a digital display that displays said measurement from said current sensor.

10. The switch for a pump according to claim 6 further comprising a digital display that displays said lower current setting value or said upper current setting value.

11. The switch for a pump according to claim 6 wherein said current setting switch can readily vary said lower current setting value so as to maintain said pump within an operating range.

12. The switch for a pump according to claim 6 wherein said current setting switch is immediately accessible without effort, tools, or disassembly.

13. A switch for a pump comprising:

a circuit board comprising a current setting switch and a controller capable of electrically connecting and disconnecting said pump from a power supply;

wherein said current setting switch sets a lower current setting value;

wherein said controller computes an upper current setting value based on said lower current setting value or based on an electrical current flowing to said pump;

wherein said controller electrically disconnects said pump for a first predetermined time period when said electrical current flowing to said pump is less than said lower current setting value for a few predetermined seconds; and

wherein said controller electrically disconnects said pump for a second predetermined time period when said electrical current flowing to said pump is greater than said upper current setting value for said few predetermined seconds.

14. The switch for a pump according to claim 13 wherein said housing further comprises a first half and a second half that attach together to enclose said circuit board within a waterproofed cavity.

15. The switch for a pump according to claim 13 further comprising a microprocessor within which said controller is incorporated.

16. The switch for a pump according to claim 13 further comprising a digital display that displays said measurement from said current sensor.

17. The switch for a pump according to claim 13 further comprising a digital display that displays said lower current setting value or said upper current setting value.

18. The switch for a pump according to claim 13 wherein said current setting switch can readily vary said lower current setting value so as to maintain said pump within, art operating range.

19. The switch for a pump according to claim 13 wherein said current setting switch is immediately accessible without effort, tools, or disassembly.