Floodwater detection and warning device

• US 6,157,307 A
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenneth J. Hardin
• Original Assignee: Kenneth J. Hardin
• Inventors: Hardin, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/232,340
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/605, 340/691.1, 340/691.4, 340/691.5, 73/40, 73/40.5 R, 73/40.5 A, 73/45.5
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

A device for detecting and warning of floodwater about a building structure, the device including a plurality of selectable remote alarm indicators, a matching plurality of alarm selector switches for selectively enabling and disabling the remote alarm indicators, means for detecting the presence of water, a power circuit with backup battery capability, a selectable intermittent alarm signal generator, a master remote alarm enabler switch, an automatic audio alarm indicator which emits different alarm noises depending on a floodwater condition and/or a low power condition, an alarm priority override circuit, a power status light indicator, and a selectively activatable self-test circuit for simulating a floodwater condition.

Claims

1. A device for detecting and warning of water about a building structure, said device comprising:

a plurality of selectable alarm indicators;

a plurality of alarm selector switches, each one alarm selector switch electrically connected to one alarm indicator;

means for detecting the presence of water, said water detecting means electrically connected to said plurality of alarm selector switches; and

a power circuit electrically connected to said water detecting means.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said selectable alarm indicators are positioned at distinct locations remote from said water detecting means such that said alarm selector switches are capable of enabling said selectable alarm indicators at said distinct locations.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of selectable alarm indicators includes at least one visual alarm indicator.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of selectable alarm indicators includes at least one audio alarm indicator.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of selectable alarm indicators includes at least one visual alarm indicator and at least one audio alarm indicator.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of selectable alarm indicators includes at least one of a doorbell system and a burglar alarm system.

7. The device according to claim 1, said device further comprising:

an intermittent signal generator circuit electrically connected to said power circuit; and

an alarm signal selector switch electrically connected between said intermittent signal generator circuit and said plurality of alarm selector switches.

8. The device according to claim 1, said device further comprising a master alarm enabler switch electrically connected between said power circuit and said plurality of alarm selector switches, said master alarm enabler switch enabling all of said plurality of selectable alarm indicators as permitted by said plurality of alarm selector switches.

9. The device according to claim 1, said device further comprising a central selector switch housing wherein said plurality of alarm selector switches are commonly mounted.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said alarm selector switches are remotely positioned at different locations away from said water detecting means such that said alarm selector switches are capable of being activated at said different locations.

11. The device according to claim 1, said device further comprising an audio alarm indicator electrically connected to said water detecting means and to said power circuit, said audio alarm indicator capable of being automatically activated to emit a first alarm noise whenever said water detecting means detects a floodwater condition.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said water detecting means includes a selectively activatable self-test circuit electrically connected to said audio alarm indicator, said audio alarm indicator capable of being automatically activated to emit said first alarm noise whenever said self-test circuit is selectively activated.

13. The device according to claim 11, said device further comprising a low power detection circuit electrically connected to said power circuit and to said audio alarm indicator, said audio alarm indicator capable of being automatically activated to emit a second alarm noise whenever said low power detection circuit detects a low power condition in said power circuit.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said low power detection circuit comprises an override circuit which ignores detection of said low power condition whenever said floodwater condition and said low power condition occur simultaneously so that said audio alarm indicator is automatically activated to emit said first alarm noise.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein said power circuit is capable of being electrically connected to at least one electrical power source, and wherein said low power detection circuit includes a light indicator capable of indicating whether said power circuit is electrically connected to said at least one electrical power source.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein said power circuit comprises:

a voltage regulator circuit;

primary power terminals electrically connected to said voltage regulator circuit, said primary power terminals capable of being electrically connected to an electrical power source; and

backup power terminals electrically connected to said voltage regulator circuit, said backup power terminals capable of being electrically connected to a direct-current battery.

17. A device for detecting and warning of water about a building structure, said device comprising:

a plurality of selectable remote alarm indicators;

a plurality of alarm selector switches wherein each alarm selector switch of said plurality of alarm selector switches is electrically connected to a particular remote alarm indicator of said plurality of selectable remote alarm indicators;

a power circuit; and

means for detecting the presence of water, said water detecting means electrically connected to said power circuit and to said plurality of alarm selector switches, wherein said selectable remote alarm indicators are remotely positioned at different locations away from said water detecting means such that said alarm selector switches are capable of selectively enabling said selectable remote alarm indicators at said different locations about said building structure.

18. The device according to claim 17, said device further comprising a central selector switch housing wherein said plurality of alarm selector switches are commonly mounted to provide user access to each of said plurality of alarm selector switches simultaneously.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein said alarm selector switches are remotely positioned along with said selectable remote alarm indicators at said different locations away from said water detecting means such that said alarm selector switches are capable of being activated at said different locations about said building structure.

20. A device for detecting and warning of water about a building structure, said device comprising:

a plurality of selectable remote alarm indicators;

a plurality of alarm selector switches wherein each alarm selector switch of said plurality of alarm selector switches is electrically connected to a particular remote alarm indicator of said plurality of selectable remote alarm indicators;

a power circuit capable of being electrically connected to an electrical power source;

means for detecting the presence of water, said water detecting means electrically connected to said power circuit and to said plurality of alarm selector switches;

an audio alarm indicator electrically connected to said water detecting means and to said power circuit, said audio alarm indicator capable of being automatically activated to emit a first alarm noise whenever said water detecting means detects a floodwater condition; and

a low power detection circuit electrically connected to said power circuit and to said audio alarm indicator, said audio alarm indicator capable of being automatically activated to emit a second alarm noise whenever said low power detection circuit detects a low power condition in said power circuit, wherein said low power detection circuit comprises an override circuit which ignores detection of said low power condition whenever said floodwater condition and said low power condition occur simultaneously so that said audio alarm indicator is automatically activated to emit said first alarm noise.