Wheeled kit for battery-powered back-up sump pump

• US 9,816,507 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Flow Technologies LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Flow Technologies LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Vijayakumar, Senthilkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lettman, Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOLAK, TIMOTHY P
• Application Number:
  US14/078,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20140069826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/06 Mobile combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/06 Mobile combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 41/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/068 Battery powered
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/605 specially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A back-up sump pump kit for use with a battery and an alternating current power source. The kit can be adapted to be a portable power source for an external electric device. The kit can include a portable case, a battery-operated back-up sump pump removably stored in the portable case, and a control charger integrated into the portable case. The control charger can include a battery charger, cables, a power input socket to charge the battery, and a power output socket to provide power from the battery to the external electric device. The portable case can include a handle and wheels.

Claims

1. A back-up sump pump kit for use with a battery to back up a primary sump pump in a sump pit, the kit comprising:

a battery-operated back-up sump pump; and

a portable case for storing the battery and the battery-operated back-up sump pump, the portable case including

a first half and a second half formed from a single mold;

a latch to releasably lock the first half to the second half when the portable case is closed;

a handle positioned on a top portion of the first half and the second half of the portable case;

wheels positioned on a bottom portion of the portable case;

a flood light positioned on an outside portion of the portable case and powered by the battery; and

a control charger integrated into the first half, the control charger including;

cables accessible from inside the portable case and configured to releasably connect to the battery, and

a quick connect tab accessible from outside the portable case to releasably connect the back-up sump pump to the battery through the cables.

2. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the handle is at least one of a carrying handle and a stroller handle.

3. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the flood light is a light emitting diode flood light.

4. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the control charger includes a digital display that can be viewed when the portable case is closed.

5. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the flood light is connected to the control charger.

6. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, further comprising a control charger integrated with the portable case, the control charger including (i) a battery charger configured to connect to an AC power source, (ii) a DC to AC inverter, and (iii) a display panel on which the flood light is positioned, the display panel accessible to a user when the portable case is closed, the display panel including (a) an AC power input socket configured to connect to an AC power source to charge the battery, (b) an AC power output socket coupled to the DC to AC inverter so that the control charger can serve as an AC power source, and (c) a DC power output socket.

7. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1 and further comprising plumbing components including a first check valve, a second check valve, and a T-joint, the plumbing components structured such that the battery-operated back-up sump pump can be installed in the sump pit one of beside the primary sump pump and above the primary sump pump while the primary sump pump remains installed in the sump pit.

8. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 7, wherein the T-joint is structured to be coupled to a discharge pipe of the primary sump pump, the first check valve is structured to be coupled between the T-joint and the back-up sump pump, and the second check valve is structured to be coupled between the T-joint and the primary sump pump.

9. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the control charger includes a second quick connect tab accessible from outside the portable case and configured to releasably connect a float switch to the control charger.

10. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the control charger includes a digital display and an indicator LED that are viewable to a user when the portable case is closed.

11. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the control charger includes a plurality of buttons that are accessible to a user when the portable case is closed.

12. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of buttons includes at least one of a System Test button, a System Reset button, a Silence Alarm button, and a Light On/Off button.

13. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of buttons includes a Light On/Off button, wherein the control charger controls the flood light based on user input to the Light On/Off button.

14. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 11, wherein control charger controls the back-up sump pump based on user input to at least one of the plurality of buttons.

15. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1 and further comprising terminals configured to releasably connect the battery to the cables inside the portable case.

16. The back-up sump pump kit of claim 1, wherein the portable case further includes a float switch.