Alarm system for a sump pump assembly

• US 8,500,412 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Pumps Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Liberty Pumps Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, David M., Goodenbery, Jeffrey D., Waldron, Randall D
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): COMLEY, ALEXANDER BRYANT
• Application Number:
  US12/576,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 417/63, 417/36, 340618-625
• US Class Current: 417/36
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/02 Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/025 by means of floats
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/08 for submerged use
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0077 Safety measures F04D15/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0218 the condition being a liquid level or a lack of liquid supply

Abstract

An alarm system is provided for generating an alert when a water-powered sump pump is activated and water is being used by the water-powered sump pump. The alarm system includes a water sensor for detecting if water within a sump reaches the sensor and a housing for containing sensor electronics, wherein the water sensor is supported by the housing. In addition, a clamp is attached to the housing for releasably attaching the housing to a pipe such that the alarm system may be positioned to alert a user when water-powered sump pump is activated.

Claims

1. A water-powered sump pump assembly comprising:

a pump for evacuating water from a sump;

a suction pipe operatively attached to said pump, said suction pipe having an inlet end for drawing water out of said sump;

a foot valve positioned on the inlet end of the suction pipe;

an alarm system for generating an alert when said water-powered sump pump is activated and water is being used by said water-powered sump pump, said alarm system comprising;

a water sensor for detecting if water within said sump reaches the sensor;

a housing for containing sensor electronics, said water sensor being supported by said housing;

a clamp extending directly from said housing, said clamp having a top edge and a bottom edge and being releasably attached to said suction pipe such that said alarm system may be positioned to alert a user when water-powered sump pump is activated; and

a locating member extending from the bottom edge of the clamp and abutting the foot valve, thereby positioning the water sensor at a predetermined position on the suction pipe.

2. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 1 wherein said foot valve includes a ledge and said locating member abuts the ledge of the foot valve.

3. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 2, wherein the clamp is an incomplete cylinder that terminates in edges, leaving a gap therebetween, wherein said suction pipe passes through said gap during installation of the alarm system.

4. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 1, wherein said water sensor includes two parallel probe sensors that cause activation of said alarm system when water reaches each of the two probe sensors.

5. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 3 wherein said predetermined position on said suction pipe is a position where a water level within a sump basin will reach said alarm system prior to reaching an activation level of said sump pump.

6. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 1 further comprising an alarm panel.

7. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 6 wherein said alarm panel includes an audible signal and light that is activated when a water level reaches the probe sensors.

8. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 7 wherein the alarm panel includes a rocker switch for silencing the audible signal.

9. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 1 wherein said clamp is an incomplete cylinder that terminates in angled edges, leaving a gap therebetween, wherein said suction pipe passes through said gap during installation of the alarm system.

10. The water-powered sump pump assembly of claim 1 wherein said clamp fits onto said suction pipe having a diameter of between one and one quarter and one and one half inches.

11. An alarm system for generating an alert when a water-powered sump pump is activated and water is being used by said water-powered sump pump, said alarm system comprising:

a water sensor for detecting if water within a sump reaches the sensor;

a housing for containing sensor electronics, said water sensor being supported by said housing; and

a clamp extending directly from said housing, said clamp having a top edge and a bottom edge and being releasably attached to a suction pipe such that said alarm system may be positioned to alert a user when said water-powered sump pump is activated, said clamp is an incomplete cylinder that terminates in edges, leaving a gap therebetween, wherein said suction pipe passes through said gap during installation of the alarm system.

12. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said clamp includes a locating member extending from said bottom edge of said clamp for positioning of said water sensor at a predetermined position on said suction pipe, said locating member adapted to abut a ledge formed on a foot valve of said suction pipe.

13. The alarm system of claim 11, wherein said water sensor includes two parallel probe sensors that cause activation of said alarm system when water reaches each of the two probe sensors.

14. The alarm system of claim 12 wherein said predetermined position on said suction pipe is a position where a water level within a sump basin will reach said alarm system prior to reaching an activation level of said sump pump.

15. The alarm system of claim 13 further comprising an alarm panel.

16. The alarm system of claim 15 wherein said alarm panel includes an audible signal and light that is activated when a water level reaches two parallel probe sensors.

17. The alarm system of claim 16 wherein the alarm panel includes a rocker switch for silencing the audible signal.

18. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said clamp fits onto said suction pipe having a diameter of between one and one quarter and one and one half inches.

19. A water-powered sump pump assembly comprising:

a pump for evacuating water from a sump;

a suction pipe having an inlet end with a foot valve positioned thereon;

an alarm system for generating an alert when said pump is activated and water is being used by said pump, said alarm system comprising;

a water sensor for detecting if water within said sump reaches the sensor;

a housing for containing sensor electronics, said water sensor extending downwardly from said housing;

a clamp extending directly from said housing, said clamp having a top edge and a bottom edge and being releasably attached to said suction pipe; and

a locating member extending from said bottom edge of said clamp for positioning of said water sensor at a predetermined position on said suction pipe,

said locating member abutting said foot valve of said suction pipe.

20. The sump pump assembly of claim 19, wherein said water sensor includes two parallel probe sensors that cause activation of said alarm system when water reaches each of the two probe sensors.

21. The sump pump assembly of claim 19 further comprising an alarm panel.

22. The sump pump assembly of claim 19 wherein said predetermined position on said suction pipe is a position where a water level within a sump basin reaches said alarm system prior to reaching an activation level of said sump pump.

23. The sump pump assembly of claim 21 wherein said alarm panel includes an audible signal and light that is activated when the water level reaches the probes.

24. The sump pump assembly of claim 23 wherein the alarm panel includes a rocker switch for silencing the audible signal.

25. The sump pump assembly of claim 19 wherein said clamp is an incomplete cylinder that terminates in angled edges, leaving a gap therebetween, wherein said suction pipe passes through said gap during installation of the alarm system.

26. The sump pump assembly of claim 19 wherein said clamp fits onto said suction pipe having a diameter of between one and one quarter and one and one half inches.

27. The sump pump assembly of claim 19 wherein said clamp is an incomplete cylinder that terminates in edges, leaving a gap therebetween, wherein said suction pipe passes through said gap during installation of the alarm system.