Backup device for electric appliance

• US 5,844,328 A
• Filed: 04/06/1995
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Furst
• Original Assignee: Robert Furst
• Inventors: Furst, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOCKETT, KIMBERLY R
• Application Number:
  US08/417,741
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64, 307/65, 307/66, 320/48, 320/2, 361/118
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads

Abstract

A backup power system for a structural appliance normally operated by a primary source of AC current through a primary circuit includes a backup battery; a charging circuit for connecting the primary source to the backup battery and including a battery charger for charging the backup battery; a backup circuit for connecting the backup battery to the appliance and including a converter for converting DC current from the backup battery to AC current for the appliance; and a switch interposed in the primary circuit and the backup circuit for selectively closing the primary circuit and opening the backup circuit during normal operation of the primary source, and for closing the backup circuit upon at least partial failure of the primary source so as to connect the backup battery to the appliance through the converter, whereby the backup battery is charged and isolated from the appliance during normal operation of the primary source, and the backup battery is connected through the converter to the appliance for supplying AC current to the appliance upon failure of the primary source.

Claims

1. An electric pump system including a backup power system, comprising:

an electric pump;

a primary source of AC current connected to said electric pump through a primary circuit;

a backup battery;

charging circuit means for connecting said primary source to said backup battery and including battery charging means for charging said backup battery;

backup circuit means for connecting said backup battery to said electric pump and including converter means for converting DC current from said backup battery to AC current for said appliance;

first switch means interposed in said primary circuit and said backup circuit means for selectively closing and primary circuit and opening said backup circuit means during normal operation of said primary source, and for closing said backup circuit means upon at least partial failure of said primary source so as to connect said backup battery to said electric pump through said converter, whereby said backup battery is charged and isolated from said electric pump during normal operation of said primary source, and said backup battery is connected through said converter to said electric pump for supplying AC current to said electric pump upon failure of said primary source, wherein said switch means comprises a switch element positioned in series along said primary circuit for connecting said primary source to said electric pump, and in series along said backup battery circuit means, and wherein said switch means is actuable between a normal position wherein said primary circuit is closed and said backup circuit means is open, and a backup position wherein said backup circuit means is closed and said primary circuit is open; and

a second switch positioned in said charging circuit means a switchable between a closed position wherein said charging circuit means is operative and an open position wherein said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup battery; and

wherein said first switch means comprises means for positioning said second switch in said open position when said backup circuit means is closed, whereby said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup battery when said backup battery is connected to said appliance.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising voltage sensing means connected to said backup battery and voltage display means connected to said sensing means for displaying a voltage of said backup battery whereby said voltage of said backup battery can be monitored.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said display means is positioned remote from said backup battery whereby said voltage of said backup battery can be monitored from a remote position.

4. A system according to claim 2, further comprising switch means for actuating said display means, said switch means being biased toward an open position.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising surge protection means for protecting said system from surges in said primary source exceeding a predetermined level.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said surge protection means comprises a metal oxide varistor connected to said primary source in parallel to said system, and adapted to direct surges exceeding said predetermined level away from said system to ground.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said switch means further comprises a relay circuit connected to said primary source and adapted to position said switch element to said normal position responsive to current from said primary source, and wherein said switch element further comprises biasing means for switching said switch element to said backup position responsive to interruption in current from said primary source.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said relay circuit is connected directly to said primary source so that said relay circuit returns said switch element to said normal position upon return of said primary source to normal operation after failure, whereby said system automatically resets to normal operation and charging of said backup battery when said primary source returns to normal operation.

10. A backup apparatus for connecting a rechargeable DC current backup power source to a structural appliance which is normally operated by a primary source of AC current, the backup apparatus comprising:

primary circuit means;

backup circuit means including convertor means for converting DC current to AC current;

backup connector means for connecting said backup circuit means to said rechargeable DC current backup power source;

primary source connector means for connecting said primary circuit means to said primary source of AC current;

appliance connector means for connecting said backup circuit means and said primary circuit means to said appliance wherein said appliance connector means comprises means for connecting said backup circuit means and said primary circuit means to an appliance selected from the group consisting of electric pumps, electrically operated oil or gas furnaces, blower motors and combinations thereof;

battery charging means connected to said primary source connector means and said backup connector means for charging said rechargeable DC current backup power source;

first switch means associated with said primary circuit means and said backup circuit means for selectively closing said primary circuit means and opening said backup circuit means while a current is received at said primary source connector means, and for closing said backup circuit means upon interruption of said current in said primary source connector means;

wherein said switch means further comprises a switch element positionable between a normal position wherein said primary circuit means is closed and said backup circuit means is open, and a backup position wherein said backup circuit means is closed and said primary circuit is open, and a relay circuit connected to said primary source connector means and adapted to position said switch element to said normal position responsive to current through said primary source connector means, wherein said switch element further comprises means for biasing said switch element to said backup position responsive to interruption in said current, and wherein said switch element comprises a switch body, a first bridge element attached to said switch body and positioned to close said primary circuit means in said normal position and a second bridge element attached to said switch body and positioned to close said backup circuit means in said backup position; and

a second switch positioned in said battery charging means and switchable between a closed position wherein said battery charging means is operative and an open position wherein said battery charging mean is disconected from said backup connector means; and

wherein said first switch means comprises means for positioning said second switch in said open position when said backup circuit means is closed, whereby said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup connector means when said backup circuit is closed.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising surge protection means connected to said primary source connector means for protecting said apparatus from surges in current exceeding a predetermined level through said primary source connector means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said surge protection means comprises a metal oxide varistor connected to said primary source connector means in parrallel to said apparatus, said metal oxide varistor being adapted to direct surges exceeding said predetermined level away from said apparatus.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein said relay circuit is connected directly to said primary source connector means so that said relay circuit returns said switch element to said normal position upon return of said current to said primary source connector means.

14. A backup power system for a structural appliance normally operated by a primary source of AC current through a primary circuit, comprising:

a backup battery;

charging circuit means for connecting said primary source to said backup battery and including battery charging means for charging said backup battery;

backup circuit means for connecting said backup battery to said appliance and including converter means for converting DC current from said backup battery to AC current for said appliance, wherein said backup circuit means comprises means for connecting said backup battery to an appliance selected from the group consisting of electric pumps, electrically operated oil or gas furnaces, blower motors and combinations thereof;

first switch means interposed in said primary circuit and said backup circuit means for selectively closing said primary circuit and opening said backup circuit means during normal operation of said primary source, and for closing said backup circuit means upon at least partial failure of said primary source so as to connect said backup battery to said appliance through said converter;

whereby said backup battery is charged and isolated from said appliance during normal operation of said primary source, and said backup battery is connected through said converter to said appliance for supplying AC current to said appliance upon failure of said primary source;

backup circuit switch means connected in said backup circuit and switchable between a closed position and an open position;

backup circuit indicator means connected in said backup circuit for indicating current in said backup circuit;

voltage sensing means connected to said backup battery, and voltage display means connected to said sensing means for displaying a voltage of said backup battery whereby said voltage of said backup battery can be monitored, wherein said display means is positioned remote from said backup battery whereby said voltage of said backup battery can be monitored from a remote position;

display switch means for actuating said display means, said switch means being biased toward an open position; and

a second switch positioned in said charging circuit means and switchable between a closed position wherein said charging circuit means is operative and an open position wherein said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup battery; and

wherein said first switch means comprises means for positioning said second switch in said open position when said backup circuit means is closed, whereby said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup battery when said backup battery is connected to said appliance.

9. A system according to claim 14, further comprising primary circuit switch means connected in said primary circuit and switchable between a closed position and an open position, and primary circuit indicator means connected in said primary circuit for indicating current in said primary circuit.

15. A backup power system for a structural appliance normally operated by a primary source of AC current through a primary circuit, comprising:

a backup battery;

charging circuit means for connecting said primary source to said backup battery and including battery charging means for charging said backup battery;

backup circuit means for connecting said backup battery to said appliance and including converter means for converting DC current from said backup battery to AC current for said appliance, wherein said backup circuit means comprises means for connecting said backup battery to an appliance selected from the group consisting of electric pumps, electrically operated oil or gas furnaces, blower motors and combinations thereof;

first switch means interposed in said primary circuit and said backup circuit means for selectively closing said primary circuit and opening said backup circuit means during normal operation of said primary source, and for closing said backup circuit means upon at least partial failure of said primary source so as to connect said backup battery to said appliance through said converter;

whereby said backup battery is charged and isolated from said appliance during normal operation of said primary source, and said backup battery is connected through said converter to said appliance for supplying AC current to said appliance upon failure of said primary source; and

a second switch positioned in said charging circuit means and switchable between a closed position wherein said charging circuit means is operative and an open position wherein said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup battery; and

wherein said first switch means comprises means for positioning said second switch in said open position when said backup circuit means is closed, whereby said battery charging means is disconnected from said backup battery when said backup battery is connected to said appliance.