Automatic liquid collection and disposal assembly

• US 7,264,449 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Little Giant Pump Company
• Original Assignee: Little Giant Pump Company
• Inventors: Tusten, Bill, Harned, Dick
• Primary Examiner(s): Koczo, Jr.; Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/250,642
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 417/423.1, 417/423.3, 417/423.14, 417/423.15, 417/36, 417/40, 123/509, 137/565.01
• US Class Current: 417/36
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/086 the pump and drive motor are both submerged
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0218 the condition being a liquid level or a lack of liquid supply
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/588 cooling or heating the machine F04D29/5886, F04D29/5893 take precedence

Abstract

A liquid collection and disposal assembly for collecting and disposing of drainage liquid, the liquid collection and disposal assembly disposable in a pit and having a basin assembly with a collection cavity, a pump suspended in the collection cavity and a level detector to detect drainage liquid levels in the collection cavity. A controller responds to the level detector to activate the pump at predetermined levels of the drainage liquid to evacuate the drainage liquid. A transparent basin cover is supported on top of a basin member, and an effluent discharge pipe is connected to the basin cover and to a liquid outlet port of the pump, thereby supporting the pump a predetermined distance above the bottom of the collection cavity. The pump has a water jacket through which the discharging effluent passes to cool the motor.

Claims

1. A liquid collection and disposal assembly for collecting and disposing of drainage liquid, comprising:

a basin assembly having a collection cavity to collect the drainage liquid and a cover;

a pump and motor assembly comprising;

a pump having an outer housing and an inner housing forming a liquid flow path between the outer and inner housings, the pump having a discharge port;

a motor powering the pump and disposed in the inner housing and sealed from the liquid flow path;

means for detecting the level of drainage liquid in the collection cavity, comprising;

a lower limit probe;

an intermediate limit probe; and

an upper limit probe for detecting liquid levels, and

control means responsive to the level detector means for activating the motor means to power the pump to determine the liquid level in the collection cavity, the control means issuing an activate motor signal when liquid is detected by the intermediate limit probe, and the control means issuing an alarm signal when liquid is detected by the high level probe, the control means comprising a control module having an alert light and an audible alarm that are activated by the alarm signal; and

means for supporting the pump and motor assembly in the collection cavity, comprising;

a mounting coupling supported by the cover and extending therethrough; and

a discharge pipe having one end connected to the mounting coupling and another end connected to the discharge port, the mounting coupling and discharge pipe supporting the pump and motor assembly from the cover for removable placement a predetermined distance above the bottom of the basin assembly.

2. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 1 wherein the cover is constructed of a substantially transparent material.

3. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 2 further comprising a check valve connected to an upper end of the mounting coupling.

4. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 3 wherein the check valve has a housing that is at least partially transparent.

5. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 4 wherein the inner housing of the pump is made of a material having a high heat conductivity so that thermal energy from the motor while operating is transferred to liquid flowing through the liquid flow path.

6. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 5 wherein the control module has an electrical plug that is receivable by a household electrical receptacle.

7. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 1 wherein the motor has a drive shaft, and wherein the pump comprises:

a volute chamber having an inlet and outlet;

an impeller supported by the drive shaft for rotation in the volute chamber;

an inlet screen supported on the inlet of the volute chamber; and

a support stand extending downwardly from the inlet screen.

8. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 1 wherein the control module has a power cord and a control cord connected to the pump and motor assembly, and wherein the basin assembly further comprises:

a grommet supported by the basin providing access to the collection cavity of the basin, the power cord and the control cord extending through the grommet.

9. A liquid collection and disposal assembly for collecting and disposing drainage liquid, comprising:

a basin having a collection cavity in liquid communication with the pit, the basin having a cover over the collection cavity,

a pump and motor assembly comprising;

a pump having an outer housing and an inner housing forming a liquid flow path between the outer and inner housings;

a motor powering the pump and disposed in the inner housing and sealed from the liquid flow path; and

means removably connecting the pump to the cover, the pump and motor assembly supported by the cover for removable placement in the basin a predetermined distance above the bottom of the basin;

level detector means for detecting when the liquid level reaches predetermined levels in the collection cavity, the level detector means having a lower limit probe, an intermediate limit probe and an upper limit probe for detecting liquid levels; and

control means responsive to the level detector means for activating the motor means to power the pump, the control means issuing an activate motor signal when liquid is detected by the intermediate limit probe, the control means issuing an alarm signal when liquid is detected by the high level probe, and the control means has an alert light and an audible alarm that are activated by the alarm signal.

10. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 9 wherein control means comprises a control module having an alert light that is activated by the alarm signal.

11. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 10 wherein the control module has an audible alarm that is activated by the alarm signal.

12. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 11 wherein the means for removably connecting the pump to the cover comprises:

a mounting coupling supported by the basin cover and extending therethrough; and

a discharge pipe having one end connected to a lower end of the mounting coupling and another end connected to a discharge port of the pump, the mounting coupling and discharge pipe supporting the pump and motor assembly in the collection cavity.

13. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 12 further comprising a check valve connected to an upper end of the mounting coupling.

14. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 13 wherein the basin cover is transparent.

15. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 14 wherein the check valve has a transparent housing.

16. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 15 wherein the inner housing is made a material having a high heat conductivity so that thermal energy from the motor while operating is transferred to liquid flowing through the liquid flow path between the inner and outer housings.

17. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 16 wherein the control module has an electrical plug that is receivable by a household electrical receptacle.

18. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 12 wherein the motor has a drive shaft, and wherein the pump comprises:

a volute chamber having an inlet and outlet;

an impeller supported by the drive shaft for rotation in the volute chamber;

an inlet screen supported on the inlet of the volute chamber; and

a support stand extending downwardly from the inlet screen.

19. The liquid collection and disposal assembly of claim 11 wherein the control module has a power cord and a control cord connected to the pump and motor assembly, and wherein the basin assembly further comprises:

a grommet supported by the basin providing access to the collection cavity of the basin, the power cord and the control cord extending through the grommet.

20. A liquid collection and disposal assembly for collecting drainage liquid in a pit, comprising:

a basin disposable in the pit and having a collection cavity in liquid communication with the pit, the basin having a transparent cover over the collection cavity;

a pump and motor assembly;

a pump having a discharge port;

a motor powering the pump and sealed from the liquid; and

means removably connecting the pump to the cover, the pump and motor supported by the cover in the basin a predetermined distance above the bottom of the basin, said means comprising;

a mounting coupling connected to the cover and extending therethrough; and

a discharge pipe having one end connected to the mounting coupling and mounting another end connected to the discharge port of the pump, the coupling and discharge pipe supporting the pump and motor assembly from the cover for removeable placement in the collection cavity of the basin;

means for detecting when the liquid level reaches predetermined levels in the collection cavity, the level detector means having a lower limit probe, an intermediate limit probe and an upper limit probe for detecting liquid levels; and

control means responsive to the level detector means for activating the motor means to power the pump, the control means issuing an activate motor signal when liquid is detected by the intermediate limit probe and issuing an alarm signal when liquid is detected by the high level probe, the control means having an alert light and an audible alarm activated by the alarm signal.