Automated system to monitor multiple sources of water leaks in residential and commercial buildings

• US 7,253,741 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Archie Leon Woulard, Carl A. Fiorletta
• Original Assignee: Archie Leon Woulard, Carl A. Fiorletta
• Inventors: Fiorletta, Carl A., Woulard, Archie Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US11/078,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 340/603, 340/605, 340/500, 340/524, 122/504, 137/312
• US Class Current: 340/605
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/18 with indicator element moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting

Abstract

An electronic monitoring system is provided to monitor for and sense water leakage at multiple locations and sources within a commercial or residential property. These sources are hot water heaters, hot water boilers, air conditioning system evaporators, washing machines and sinks. The microprocessor based control will determine the location of the leak, sound a local audio and visual alarm to denote an alarm condition and illuminate appropriate LED'"'"'s on the face of the control to indicate the location and type of water leak within the structure being monitored. The system consists of multiple water sensors, a host control for data collection and system operation, an internal battery for system power, provision for connection to telephone service, with the ability to call a pre-programmed pager or telephone number to deliver synthesized voice or prerecorded voice data to indicate the address of the property, the day, date and time of the alarm and the type of leak detected.

Claims

1. A whole house monitoring system for early detection of water leakage from a number of water sources located within a residential or commercial building, which comprises:

water detection sensors located in the discharge line of TNP (over temperature and pressure) valves on one or more water heaters;

water detection sensors located under one or more water heaters;

water detection sensors located in drain pans under the water heaters;

water detection sensors located in one or more air conditioning system evaporator housings located within the property to sense high water levels in the housing;

water detection sensors located under clothes washing machines and sinks;

a microprocessor based control module with electrical communication to a plurality of sensors located throughout the structure, the control module in communication with a plurality of water detection sensors will respond to an output signal from a sensor and emit multiple alarms that consists essentially of;

an audio alarm that locally reports the existence of an alarm condition in the property;

an illuminated LED on the face of the control module to indicate the location of the water detected;

and a physical flag moved to an exposed position external to the housing to indicate the existence of an alarm condition.

2. The monitoring system control according to claim 1 further includes:

an internal electric data access arrangement (DAA) for direct communication to other telephones and pagers;

a microprocessor and voice synthesis chip-set to deliver an audio voice message to pre-recorded telephone and cell phone numbers;

the ability to dial a prerecorded telephone number to report the day, date, time, physical address and type of the water leak detected;