Bilge pump monitor and alert system for boats and other vessels

• US 6,473,004 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lester C. Smull
• Original Assignee: Lester C. Smull
• Inventors: Smull, Lester C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/658,804
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 340/984, 733/07, 114/183.R, 116/26, 415/118, 417/63, 417/2, 417/12, 701/21
• US Class Current: 340/984
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/06 Refuse discharge, e.g. for ash arrangements of installations for treating refuse or sludge, e.g. tank washing sludge B63J4/00; removal of domestic or like refuse B65F

Abstract

A control unit is supported within a host boat or other vessel and is operatively coupled to a display unit supported within the pilot house of the boat or vessel. The display unit includes a display panel having a plurality of illuminatable membrane switches formed on a membrane switch panel. A plurality of bilge pumps are supported within the bilge compartments of the host boat or vessel and are coupled to the control unit to provide operating signal information. A corresponding plurality of high water level alarm switches are supported within each of the bilge compartments and are also operatively coupled to the control unit. The control unit is operatively coupled to an alarm interface which operates a plurality of alarm devices including one or more audible alarms, a telephone auto dialer and a strobe light unit. The microprocessor controlled system within the control unit and/or the display unit may be programmed by the user to establish the desired operational limits of pump cycle time and pump cycle numbers forming the alarm limits for each of the bilge compartments. The system stores data indicative of the history of operation of each bilge pump which is available to the operator upon inquiry.

Claims

1. A bilge pump monitor and alert system for use in a vessel having a plurality of bilge compartments, said system comprising:

a plurality of bilge pumps constructed for operation within vessel bilge compartments, said bilge pumps each having means for producing a pump active signal when operating;

a plurality of high water switches constructed for operation within vessel bilge compartments, said high water switches each having means for producing a high water level signal when actuated;

a control unit coupled to said plurality of bilge pumps and said high water switches receiving pump active signals and said high water level signals;

a display unit coupled to said control unit and including a control panel having a plurality of bilge pump buttons, a numeric display, a pump set button and a time set button, said display unit having means for illuminating buttons when pressed; and

at least one alarm device,

said control unit having means for accumulating and storing the number of times each of said bilge pumps are activated as pump count numbers and for measuring the length of time each of said pumps activate as pump time numbers and means for establishing a maximum pump count number for each of said bilge pumps and means for establishing a maximum pump time number for each of said bilge pumps and having means for activating said at least one alarm device when one of said pump count numbers equals or exceeds said maximum pump count number or one of said pump time numbers equal or exceeds said maximum pump time number, said control unit further including means for displaying said pump count number on said numeric display for a selected bilge pump when its bilge pump button is pressed.

2. The bilge pump monitor and alert system set forth in claim 1 wherein said control unit includes means for activating said at least one alarm device when any of said high water switches is activated.

3. The bilge pump monitor and alert system set forth in claim 2 wherein said control unit includes means for displaying time interval from the first operation of any of said bilge pumps.

15. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said system includes a non-bilge pump coupled to said control unit and having means for producing a pump active signal when operating.

4. A method for monitoring a bilge pump system within a boat or other vessel having a plurality of bilge compartments, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of bilge pumps operative within bilge compartments each producing a pump activation signal when activated;

providing a plurality of high water switches operative within bilge compartments each producing a high water signal when activated;

providing bilge pump selection means;

storing cumulative pump count for each bilge pump and incrementing said pump count each time the bilge pump is activated;

measuring a pump time for each bilge pump each time the bilge pump is activated;

establishing an alarm pump count for each bilge pump;

establishing an alarm pump time for each bilge pump;

producing an alarm when said pump count equals or exceeds said alarm pump count for any of said bilge pumps;

providing user-operated bilge pump selection means for each of said bilge pumps;

displaying the current cumulative pump count for each of said bilge pumps in response to said bilge pump selection means; and

producing an alarm when said pump time equals or exceeds said alarm pump time for any of said bilge pumps.

5. The method set forth in claim 4 further including the step of producing an alarm when any of said high water switches is activated.

16. The method set forth in claim 4 further including the steps of:

providing a non-bilge pump producing a pump activation signal;

storing a cumulative pump count for said non-bilge pump and incrementing said pump count each time said non-bilge pump is activated;

storing pump time for said non-bilge pump each time said non-bilge pump;

establishing an alarm pump count for said non-bilge pump;

establishing an alarm pump time for said non-bilge pump; and

producing an alarm when either said pump count or said pump time of said non-bilge pump equals or exceeds either said alarm pump time or said alarm pump count for said non-bilge pump.

6. A bilge pump monitoring and alert system within a boat or other vessel having a plurality of bilge compartments, said system comprising:

a plurality of bilge pumps operative within bilge compartments each producing a pump activation signal when activated;

a plurality of high water switches operative within bilge compartments each producing a high water signal when activated;

means for storing cumulative pump count for each bilge pump and incrementing said pump count each time the bilge pump is activated;

means for measuring a pump time for each bilge pump each time the bilge pump is activated;

means for establishing an alarm pump count for each bilge pump;

means for establishing an alarm pump time for each bilge pump;

means for producing an alarm when said pump count equals or exceeds said alarm pump count for any of said bilge pumps;

means for providing user-operated bilge pump selection means for each of said bilge pumps;

means for displaying the current cumulative pump count for each of said bilge pumps in response to said bilge pump selection means; and

means for producing an alarm when said pump time equals or exceeds said alarm pump time for any of said bilge pumps.

7. The system set forth in claim 6 further including means for producing an alarm when any of said high water switches is activated.

8. A bilge pump monitor and alert system for use in a boat or other vessel having a plurality of bilge compartments, said system comprising:

a plurality of bilge pumps each operable within a bilge compartment;

a plurality of high water switches each operable within a bilge compartment;

an alarm device;

a display unit having a plurality of bilge pump buttons and a numeric display;

a control unit coupled to said display unit, said alarm device, said high water switches and said bilge pumps and having pump sensors for sensing bilge pump operation and activation of said high water switches;

programming means, operative within said control means and responsive to said bilge pump buttons, for establishing alarm pump counts for each of said bilge pumps and for establishing alarm pump cycle times for each of said bilge pumps;

display means, operative within said control means and responsive to said bilge pump buttons, for displaying a cumulative pump count for each of said bilge pumps corresponding to the cumulative number of times each of said bilge pumps is operated; and

alarm activation means, operative within said control means, for activating said alarm device when said cumulative pump count equals or exceeds said alarm pump count for any of said bilge pumps.

9. The system set forth in claim 8 wherein said alarm activation means includes means for activating said alarm device when said pump cycle time equals or exceeds said alarm pump cycle time for any of said bilge pumps.

10. The system set forth in claim 9 wherein said activation means includes means for activating said alarm device when any of said high water switches is actuated.

11. The system set forth in claim 9 wherein said activation means includes means for activating said alarm device when any of said high water switches is actuated.

12. The system set forth in claim 11 wherein said alarm device includes an audible alarm.

13. The system set forth in claim 12 wherein said alarm device includes an automatic telephone dialer.

14. The system set forth in claim 13 wherein said alarm device include a strobe light.

17. A bilge pump monitoring and alert system within a boat or other vessel having a plurality of bilge compartments, said system comprising:

a plurality of bilge pumps operative within bilge compartments each being detectable when activated;

a plurality of high water detectors operative within bilge compartments each being detectable when activated;

bilge pump operational history means having means for storing cumulative pump count for each bilge pump and incrementing said pump count each time the bilge pump is activated and means for measuring a pump on time for each bilge pump each time the bilge pump is activated;

user-operable means for selectively accessing each bilge pump operation history and for selectively displaying each bilge pump operational history for each selected bilge pump;

means for establishing an alarm pump count for each bilge pump;

means for establishing an alarm pump on time for each bilge pump and for comparing said pump on time to said alarm pump on time each time the bilge pump is activated;

means for producing an alarm when said pump count equals or exceeds said alarm pump count for any of said bilge pumps; and

means for producing an alarm when said pump on time equals or exceeds said alarm pump time for any of said bilge pumps.