Moisture detection system for carpet cleaning apparatus

• US 4,896,142 A
• Filed: 04/16/1987
• Issued: 01/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale G. Aycox, Kenneth Aycox
• Original Assignee: Dale G. Aycox, Kenneth Aycox
• Inventors: Aycox, Dale G., Aycox, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Orsino, Joseph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US07/040,376
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/605, 340/620, 340/616, 73/304 R, 417/36, 417/40, 417/12
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

A moisture detection device that is responsive to moisture or foam in the vacuum port of a water extraction unit, which creates a circuit break in the electrical power to the extraction unit. The device includes two conductors mounted in the vacuum port of an extraction unit, a monitoring system, by pass switch, and delay for fool proof detection of moisture overflow from the recovery tank of water extractors.

Claims

1. A water extraction system including means for detecting moisture, foam or water flowing into a vacuum water pump, comprising a water vacuum pump, moisture recovery tank, a moisture sensor for detecting at least one of moisture, foam or water, a control unit and means for removing power from the vacuum pump when moisture, foam or water is detected flowing into the vacuum pump, aid water vacuum pump drawing water and moisture into said moisture recovery tank, said sensor being located between said water recovery tank and the vacuum pump, said sensor including two parallel conducting elements closely spaced so that the moisture, foam or water content between or across the two elements affects the conductance between the two conducting elements, the control unit including a detector circuit for detecting a change of conductance between the two sensor conducting elements, the control unit also including two indicating lights, one of which is on when there is no conductance between parallel conducting elements and the other indicating light is on when the is conductance between the parallel conducting elements, the control unit also including a time delay circuit to prevent premature removal of power from the vacuum pump and a lock loop to ensure that the power is not reapplied to the vacuum pump once power is removed.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized by a manual reset switch which will restore power to the extractor unit and unlock the control unit to a state in which a change of condition of the moisture sensor can be monitored by the indicating lights.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the time delay circuit prevents a momentary conductance between the two elements of the moisture sensor from removing power from the vacuum pump.