INTEGRATED SUMP PUMP CONTROLLER WITH STATUS NOTIFICATIONS

• US 20170175746A1
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne/Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wayne/Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mayleben, Philip Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 10,711,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/068 Battery powered
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/086 the pump and drive motor are both submerged
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/14 the pumps being all of centrifugal type deviation valves F04D15/0016
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0088 Testing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0218 the condition being a liquid level or a lack of liquid supply

Abstract

A sump pump system having a primary pump, a fluid level sensor, and a primary controller electrically connected to the primary pump for activating the pump when the fluid level sensor indicates a predetermine fluid level has been reached, the primary controller having a primary interface for communicating with a secondary pump. In some forms, the system includes a secondary pump having a secondary controller electrically connected to the secondary pump and having a secondary interface, the primary and secondary interfaces allowing the primary and secondary pump controllers to communicate with one another and allowing at least one of the primary and secondary pump controllers to assume control of both the primary and secondary pump. Related methods are further described herein.

Claims

1. A back-up pump system comprising:

a primary AC pump and a secondary DC pump, the primary AC pump having a primary switch for operating at least one of the pumps, the primary switch being a solid state switch, and the secondary DC pump having a secondary switch for operating at least one of the pumps;

a back-up battery for powering the secondary DC pump when regular power conditions are interrupted;

a primary controller electrically connected to the pumps for operating same; and

a secondary controller, discrete from the primary controller, and electrically connected to at least one of the pumps to operate the at least one of the pumps when the primary controller malfunctions or fails.

2. The back-up pump system of claim 1 wherein the solid state primary switch includes a pneumatic pressure transducer that utilizes pressure differentials to determine when one or more of the pumps should be operated.

3. The back-up pump system of claim 2 wherein the primary controller includes a processor programmed to activate the primary AC pump when the pneumatic pressure transducer indicates that a threshold fluid level has been reached.

4. The back-up pump system of claim 3 wherein the processor is programmed to activate the secondary DC pump when the regular power conditions are interrupted and when the threshold fluid level has been reached.

5. The back-up pump system of claim 3 wherein the processor is programmed to activate the secondary DC pump when the primary AC pump is not lowering the fluid level at a sufficient rate or in a sufficient amount of time.

6. The back-up pump system of claim 1 wherein the primary controller includes a processor programmed to perform a battery health check.

7. The back-up pump system of claim 1 further including a battery charging circuit electrically connected to the back-up battery for charging the battery and regular power conditions are present, and having a battery health monitoring circuit for monitoring battery health.

8. The back-up pump system of claim 7 wherein the battery health monitoring circuit includes a display for displaying indicia indicative of the battery health and an alarm for alerting a user to a problem with the battery based on the monitored battery health.

9. The back-up pump system of claim 8 wherein the alarm is at least one of an audible alarm, a visual alarm and/or an electronic message alarm.

10. The back-up pump system of claim 8 wherein the display is at least one of a light, a digital display, an analog display, and/or a mechanical indicator.

11. The back-up pump system of claim 1 wherein the primary controller includes a communication device for transmitting notifications about the pump system to a user.

12. The back-up pump system of claim 11 wherein the communication device includes a transceiver for connecting the primary controller to a wireless network to transmit the notification via the network.

13. The back-up pump system of claim 1 wherein the primary AC pump and secondary DC pump are connected to a diverter valve that diverts fluid flowing from one of the pumps toward a discharge pipe that the pump system is connected to and hinders fluid from backflowing or recirculating back into the other pump.

14. The back-up pump system of claim 13 wherein the diverter valve includes first and second inlets, one common outlet and a diverter body positioned between the inlets, the first inlet being in fluid communication with the primary AC pump and the second inlet being in fluid communication with the secondary DC pump, and the diverter body being movable between:

a first position wherein the diverter body blocks the second inlet and allows fluid to flow from the primary AC pump to the common outlet while hindering fluid flow into the second inlet; and

a second position wherein the diverter body blocks the first inlet and allows fluid to flow from the secondary DC pump to the common outlet while hindering fluid flow into the first inlet.

15. The back-up pump system of claim 14 wherein a first fluid passage extending between the primary AC pump and the common outlet includes a curve or bend, and a second fluid passage extending between the secondary DC pump and the common outlet forms a generally linear fluid passage which allows the second fluid passage to provide less fluid resistance than the first fluid passage to allow the secondary DC pump to operate more efficiently since it is powered by the battery and not an AC power supply.

16. The back-up pump system of claim 15 wherein the curve or bend of the first fluid passage is between 45°

-90° and

the second fluid passage is coaxially aligned with the discharge pipe.

17. The back-up pump system of claim 1 further comprising a connector for connecting the primary AC pump to the secondary DC pump so that the pumps may be moved or placed together as an assembly.

18. The back-up pump system of claim 17 wherein the connector is a coupling that has a first interface for aligning with a first AC pump outlet and a second interface for aligning with a second DC pump outlet so that the pumps may be connected to one another and moved or placed together as an assembly.

19. The back-up pump system of claim 18 wherein the first interface is connected to the first AC pump outlet via a first fastener and the second interface is connected to the second DC pump outlet via a second fastener.

20. The back-up pump system of claim 19 wherein the first AC pump outlet and second DC pump outlet each have internal female pipe threading (FPT) and the first fastener and second fastener are threaded sleeves each having male pipe threading (MPT) on one end that mates with the FPT of the first AC pump outlet and second DC pump outlet, the fasteners further each having a flange portion that engages respective portions of the coupling to secure the coupling to the pumps and the pumps to one another.

21. The back-up pump system of claim 18 wherein the solid state primary switch includes a pneumatic pressure transducer sensor and the coupling defines a structure for connecting at least a portion of the pneumatic pressure transducer sensor to position the at least a portion of the pneumatic pressure transducer in a desired position in relation to the pumps.

22. The back-up pump system of claim 17 wherein the connector is a first mating member connected to the primary AC pump and a second mating member connected to the secondary DC pump and the first and second mating members mate with one another to connect the pumps to one another.

23. The back-up pump system of claim 22 wherein the first mating member is one of a male or female mating structure and the second mating structure is the other of a female or male mating structure so that the mating members interconnect with one another to connect the pumps together.

24. The back-up pump system of claim 17 wherein the connector is a member that extends from a top or side surface of the primary AC pump to a top or side surface of the secondary DC pump to connect the pumps together.

25. The back-up pump system of claim 24 wherein the member is a handle that interconnect the pumps so that they can be carried or placed as a connected assembly.

26. A sump pump system comprising:

a tandem sump pump unit comprising;

a primary pump having an AC motor, the primary pump arranged to pump fluid toward a discharge outlet;

a secondary pump having a DC motor, the secondary pump arranged to pump fluid toward the discharge outlet;

check valves connecting the pumps to a common discharge pipe, the check valves controlling the flow of fluid between the pumps and the discharge pipe; and

an integrated handle configured to facilitate lowering of the tandem sump pump system into a reservoir; and

an integrated control and charge module for a sump pump system comprising;

a controller in electrical communication with the primary pump and the backup pump, the controller configured to communicate wirelessly with at least one remote device; and

a charging module configured to provide electrical power to at least one of the primary and the secondary pumps.

27. The sump pump system of claim 26, wherein the secondary pump is a backup pump having a DC power supply connected thereto and electrically connected to the integrated control and charge module.

28. The sump pump system of claim 26, wherein the integrated control and charge module is remotely located from the primary and secondary pumps.

29. The sump pump system of claim 26, wherein the charging module comprises an AC power outlet that provides power to the AC motor of the primary pump.

30. The sump pump system of claim 26, wherein the integrated control and charge module includes a DC power supply for supplying DC power to the DC motor.

31. A redundant control system for a pumping arrangement having at least one pump, the system comprising;

a primary controller configured to control operation of the at least one pump; and

a secondary controller configured to control operation of the at least one pump in the event that the primary controller is inoperable,

wherein the pumping arrangement has at least two pumps, wherein the primary controller is configured to control operation of a first pump and the secondary controller is configured to control operation of a second pump.

32. The control system of any of claim 31, wherein the first pump is an AC powered pump and the primary controller is an AC powered controller, wherein the second pump is a DC powered pump and the secondary controller is a DC powered controller, and wherein the secondary controller is configured to control operation of the first pump in the event that the primary controller is inoperable.

33. The control system of claim 31, wherein the primary controller comprises a primary microprocessor, and the secondary controller comprises a secondary microprocessor.

34. The control system of claim 33, wherein the secondary microprocessor can perform all of the functionality of the primary microprocessor.

35. The control system of claim 33, wherein the secondary controller comprises at least one of a logic circuit, a software-free controller, a relay switch, and a mechanical switch.

36. The control system of claim 33, wherein the secondary controller comprises a monitor configured to monitor operation of the primary controller.

37. The control system of claim 33, wherein the secondary controller is configured to control operation of the first pump and the second pump.

38. A sump pump system comprising:

a primary pump;

a fluid level sensor; and

a primary controller electrically connected to the primary pump for activating the pump when the fluid level sensor indicates a predetermine fluid level has been reached, the primary controller having a primary interface for communicating with a secondary pump.

39. The sump pump system of claim 38 further comprising a secondary pump having a secondary controller electrically connected to the secondary pump and having a secondary interface, the primary and secondary interfaces allowing the primary and secondary pump controllers to communicate with one another and allowing at least one of the primary and secondary pump controllers to assume control of both the primary and secondary pump.

40. The sump pump system of claim 38 wherein the primary and secondary interfaces allow the primary and secondary pump controllers to communicate with one another and allow the primary pump controller to control both the primary and secondary pump and the secondary pump controller to control both the secondary and primary pump.

41. The sump pump system of claim 38 wherein the at least one of the primary and secondary pump controllers is capable of alternating the primary and secondary pumps on to reduce wear on each pump and is further capable of activating the pumps simultaneously should dual operation be needed to keep up with a rise in fluid level.

42. The sump pump system of claim 38 further including a remote display unit capable of being used remotely from the primary and secondary pump and wherein the at least one of the primary and secondary pump controllers communicates with the remote display unit to:

provide data pertaining to one or more of the primary and secondary pumps, primary and secondary pump controllers and/or the fluid level sensor; and

receive and execute commands from the remote display unit.

43. A backup sump system comprising:

a first pump connected to a first volute and first pump discharge;

a second pump connected to a second volute and second pump discharge; and

a float switch connected to a controller for identifying a fluid level proximate the pumps, the controller connected to the pumps and programmed to operate the pumps based on the fluid level detected by the float switch.

44. The backup sump system of claim 43 wherein the first pump comprises an AC or DC pump operable during normal pump operating conditions and the first pump discharge comprises a curved conduit from the first pump to a common discharge pipe;

and

the second pump comprises a DC pump operable during power outage conditions and the second pump discharge comprises a generally straight conduit from the second pump to the common discharge pipe to reduce the resistance or turbulence fluid faces when being pumped by the second pump under power outage conditions in order to allow the DC second pump to operate more efficiently.

45. The backup sump system of claim 44 wherein the first and second pump are connected to a common volute or separate volutes and the pumps are interconnected by a handle allowing for both pumps to be placed within a sump pit together as one assembly.

46. The backup sump system of claim 44 wherein the first pump discharge and the second pump discharge are connected to a common isolation valve having a valve diaphragm that is movable between a first position that isolates the second pump discharge from the common discharge pipe to hinder fluid from back-flowing into the second pump discharge as fluid is pumped from the first pump and a second position that isolates the first pump discharge from the common discharge pipe to hinder fluid from back-flowing into the first pump discharge as fluid is pumped from the second pump.

47. The backup sump system of claim 44 further comprising a redundant controller configuration having a first control circuit for operating both pumps during normal pump operation and a second control circuit for operating at least partially one or more of the pumps during abnormal pump operation in order to assist in preventing flooding due to abnormal pump operation.