Pump control apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. Pump control apparatus comprising:
- (a) a switch for insertion in a power supply circuit or an electrically driven pump for liquids;
(b) interval timer means effective to produce an "on" signal at regular time intervals;
(c) electrical condition sensing means for insertion in said power supply circuit of said pump and being effective to (1) monitor an electrical condition of said power supply circuit responsive to pumping load and (2) produce an "off" signal in response to a sensed change in said electrical condition upon liquid starvation of said pump; and
(d) a switch control circuit communicating with each of (a), (b) and (c), said circuit being responsive to (1) the "on" signal of said interval timer means of (b) by closing said switch at the beginning of each said regular time interval and (2) the "off" signal of said electrical condition sensing means of (c) by opening said switch;
wherein, in the absence of an "off" signal from said electrical condition sensing means prior to the occurrence of the next "on" signal, said switch control circuit of (d) keeps said switch closed and thereby said pump operating without interruption until at least the occurrence of said next "on" signal.
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for controlling electrically powered liquid-moving pumps, particularly bilge and sump pumps. The apparatus is characterized by the fact that no portion thereof need be located in the hostile environment of the bilge or sump served by the pump controlled thereby.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. Pump control apparatus comprising:
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(a) a switch for insertion in a power supply circuit or an electrically driven pump for liquids; (b) interval timer means effective to produce an "on" signal at regular time intervals; (c) electrical condition sensing means for insertion in said power supply circuit of said pump and being effective to (1) monitor an electrical condition of said power supply circuit responsive to pumping load and (2) produce an "off" signal in response to a sensed change in said electrical condition upon liquid starvation of said pump; and (d) a switch control circuit communicating with each of (a), (b) and (c), said circuit being responsive to (1) the "on" signal of said interval timer means of (b) by closing said switch at the beginning of each said regular time interval and (2) the "off" signal of said electrical condition sensing means of (c) by opening said switch; wherein, in the absence of an "off" signal from said electrical condition sensing means prior to the occurrence of the next "on" signal, said switch control circuit of (d) keeps said switch closed and thereby said pump operating without interruption until at least the occurrence of said next "on" signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for controlling electrically powered pump apparatus which comprises:
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(a) operating a pump by closing a power supply circuit to a prime mover of said pump apparatus at regular time intervals; (b) monitoring an electrical condition of said power supply circuit throughout the pumping cycle of said pump, said electrical condition being responsive to the pumping load of said pump; (c) upon a change of said monitored electrical condition signalling a reduction in the pumping load and the onset of starvation of said pump, opening said power supply circuit to stop operation of said pump; and (d) in the absence of a change of said monitored electrical condition signalling a reduction in the pumping load and the onset of starvation of said pump prior to the beginning of the next regular time interval, keeping said power supply circuit closed and thereby said pump operating without interruption until at least the beginning of said next regular time interval.
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8. A pump/pump control system comprising:
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(A) a pump component driven by an electrically powered prime mover having a power supply circuit thereto, and (B) a pump control apparatus component comprising; (a) a switch inserted in the power supply circuit of said pump component of (A); (b) interval timer means effective to produce an "on" signal at regular time intervals; (c) electrical condition sensing means communicating with prime mover power supply circuit of said pump of (A) and being effective to (1) monitor an electrical condition of said prime mover power supply circuit responsive to pumping load and (2) produce an "off" signal in response to a sensed change in said electrical condition upon liquid starvation of said pump component of (A); and (d) a switch control circuit communicating with each of (a), (b) and (c), said circuit being responsive to (1) the "on" signal of said interval timer means of (b) by closing said switch of (a) at the beginning of each said regular time interval and (2) the "off" signal of said electrical condition sensing means of (c) by opening said switch; wherein, in the absence of an "off" signal from said electrical condition sensing means prior to the occurrence of the next "on" signal, said switch control circuit of (d) keeps said switch closed and thereby said pump operating without interruption until at least the occurrence of said next "on" signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for controlling the operation of a prime mover of a pump for pumping liquids, said prime mover being driven from a power circuit, comprising
a timer for timing a succession of pump "on" times at regular time intervals, a sensor for sensing an electrical condition in said power circuit, said electrical condition being responsive to the pumping condition of said pump, and a control circuit (a) for conditioning said power circuit to enable the delivery of power to said prime mover beginning when each said "on" time occurs, (b) for disabling the delivery of power from said power circuit to said prime mover in response to the sensing of said electrical condition by said sensor, and (c) in the absence of the sensing of said electrical condition prior to the occurrence of the next "on" time, for continuing to condition said power circuit to enable the delivery of power to said prime mover without interruption until at least the occurrence of said next "on" time.
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18. A method for controlling the operation of a prime mover of a pump for pumping liquids, said prime mover being driven from a power circuit, comprising
timing a succession of pump "on" times at regular time intervals, sensing an electrical condition in said power circuit, said electrical condition being responsive to the pumping condition of said pump, conditioning said power circuit to enable the delivery of power to said prime mover beginning when each said "on" time occurs, disabling the delivery of power from said power circuit to said prime mover in response to the sensing of said electrical condition by said sensor, and in the absence of the sensing of said electrical condition prior to the occurrence of the next "on" time, continuing to condition said power circuit to enable the delivery of power to said prime mover without interruption until at least the occurrence of said next "on" time.
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20. A method for causing the level of a liquid in a vessel to tend to stay below a predetermined level, comprising
a. placing an inflow port of an electrical pump in said vessel at a position associated with said predetermined level, b. causing said pump to pump said fluid beginning at regular time intervals which are independent of the level of fluid in said vessel, c. sensing the magnitude of electrical power drawn by said pump as an indication of said liquid being at or above said predetermined level, and, if so causing said pump to continue to pump, d. stopping said pump from pumping said fluid if it is sensed that said liquid is below said predetermined level, and e. in the absence of an indication that said liquid is below said predetermined level prior to the beginning of the next regular time interval, continuing to cause said pump to pump said fluid without interruption until at least the beginning of said next regular time interval.
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26. A method of controlling an electrically-driven liquid pump comprising
issuing a first turn on signal to the pump at a first time which is arbitrary relative to the level of said liquid in a vessel, sensing the magnitude of electrical power drawn by said pump, continuing to operate said pump if the magnitude of electrical power drawn by said pump satisfies predetermined criteria, turning off said pump if the magnitude of electrical power drawn by said pump satisfies other predetermined criteria, issuing a second turn on signal to the pump at a time which occurs a predetermined time period following the first time, and in the absence of the magnitude of electrical power drawn by said pump satisfying said other predetermined criteria prior to the issuance of said second turn on signal, continuing to operate said pump without interruption until at least the issuance of said second turn on signal.
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27. A method of controlling an electrically-driven liquid pump for pumping liquid from a vessel comprising
issuing a turn-on signal to the pump at regular time intervals and at least as frequently as every five minutes regardless of the level of liquid in the vessel, issuing a turn-off signal to the pump prior to the next turn-on signal only if (1) the liquid in the vessel falls below a predetermined level or (2) the pump becomes mechanically jammed and incapable of pumping, and in the absence of said turn-off signal prior to a next said turn-on signal, continuing to operate the pump without interruption until at least the issuance of said next turn-on signal.
Specification