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US 2017/0248643 A1Published application
Sump/ejector pump monitor and sump/ejector pump failure warning system
AssigneeRF Group LLC
InventorMichael B. Rothbart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sump, ejector, or other pump monitor configured to monitor the amperage of electric current power supplied through the pump monitor to a pump and communicate one or more signals regarding the amperage or variations in amperage to a remote signal receiving device which indicate a predicted failure or actual failure of the pump. In various embodiments, the pump monitor operates with a remote pump failure warning system. The remote signal receiving device or remote pump failure warning system provides suitable warnings to one or more user access devices.
Claims25
A sump pump monitor for a sump pump including a pump, an AC electric power source plug, and an automatic float switch, said sump pump monitor comprising:
- (a) a portable housing;
- (b) an electric plug receptacle physically supported by the housing and configured to receive the AC electrical power source plug of the sump pump to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor to enable the automatic float switch of the sump pump to turn the pump of the sump pump on when a water level rises above a predetermined level and to turn the pump of the sump pump off when the water level is below the predetermined level;
- (c) a power cord physically supported by the housing and configured to be plugged into an AC electrical power source, the housing, the electric plug receptacle, and the power cord configured to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor and enable the sump pump to turn itself on and off;
- (d) a transmitter physically supported by the housing;
- (e) an amperage detector physically supported by the housing and configured to continuously monitor amperage of electric current supplied through the sump pump monitor to the sump pump;
- (f) an onboard computer physically supported by the housing and configured to:
- (i) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal indicating normal operation of the sump pump to a remote signal receiving device to cause a user access device separate from the remote signal receiving device to display an indication of normal operation of the sump pump;
- (ii) determine variation in starting amperage from a first normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iii) determine variation in operating amperage from a first normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iv) use any such determined variations in starting amperage itself and in operating amperage itself to determine a predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and (v) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump to the remote signal receiving device to cause the user access device to display a warning regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and
- (g) an input device physically supported by the housing and connected to the onboard computer and configured to enable an input of the normal starting amperage level of the sump pump and an input of the normal operating amperage level of the sump pump.
10 more elements
A sump pump monitor for a sump pump including a pump, an AC electric power source plug, and an automatic float switch, said sump pump monitor comprising:
- (a) a portable housing;
- (b) an electric plug receptacle physically supported by the housing and configured to receive the electrical power source plug of the sump pump to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor to enable the automatic float switch of the sump pump to turn the pump of the sump pump on when a water level rises above a predetermined level and to turn the pump of the sump pump off when the water level is below the predetermined level;
- (c) a power cord physically supported by the housing and configured to be plugged into an electrical power source, the housing, the electric plug receptacle, and the power cord configured to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor and enable the sump pump to turn itself on and off;
- (d) a transmitter physically supported by the housing;
- and
- (e) an amperage detector physically supported by the housing and configured to continuously monitor amperage of electric current supplied through the sump pump monitor to the sump pump to detect a plurality of different amperage levels above zero of the sump pump including a starting amperage level of the sump pump and an operating amperage level of the sump pump, and to operate with the transmitter to send out signals to a remote signal receiving device to:
- (i) cause a user access device separate from the remote signal receiving device to display an indication of normal operation of the sump pump;
- (ii) enable a determination of a variation from a first normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump based on a determined normal starting amperage level of the sump pump;
- and (iii) enable a determination of a variation from a first normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump based on a determined normal operating amperage level of the sump pump, wherein such any such determined variations in starting amperage itself and operating amperage itself are used to determine a predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump and to cause the user access device to display a warning regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump.
6 more elements
A sump pump monitor for a sump pump including a pump, an AC electric power source plug, and an automatic float switch, said sump pump monitor comprising:
- (a) a portable housing;
- (b) an electric plug receptacle physically supported by the housing and configured to receive the AC electrical power source plug of the sump pump to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor to enable the automatic float switch of the sump pump to turn the pump of the sump pump on when a water level rises above a predetermined level and to turn the pump of the sump pump off when the water level is below the predetermined level;
- (c) a power cord physically supported by the housing and configured to be plugged into an AC electrical power source, the housing, the electric plug receptacle, and the power cord configured to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor and enable the sump pump to turn itself on and off;
- (d) a transmitter physically supported by the housing;
- (e) an amperage detector physically supported by the housing and configured to continuously monitor amperage of electric current supplied through the sump pump monitor to the sump pump;
- and
- (f) an onboard computer physically supported by the housing and configured to:
- (i) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal indicating normal operation of the sump pump to a remote signal receiving device to cause a user access device separate from the remote signal receiving device to display an indication of normal operation of the sump pump;
- (ii) determine variation in starting amperage from a first normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iii) determine variation in operating amperage from a first normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iv) use any such determined variations in starting amperage itself and in operating amperage itself to determine a predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and (v) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump to the remote signal receiving device to cause the user access device to display a warning regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and wherein the onboard computer is initiated with the first normal starting amperage level for the sump pump and the onboard computer is initiated with the first normal operating amperage level for the sump pump.
10 more elements
A sump pump monitor for a sump pump including a pump, an AC electric power source plug, and an automatic float switch, said sump pump monitor comprising:
- (a) a portable housing;
- (b) an electric plug receptacle physically supported by the housing and configured to receive the AC electrical power source plug of the sump pump to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor to enable the automatic float switch of the sump pump to turn the pump of the sump pump on when a water level rises above a predetermined level and to turn the pump of the sump pump off when the water level is below the predetermined level;
- (c) a power cord physically supported by the housing and configured to be plugged into an AC electrical power source, the housing, the electric plug receptacle, and the power cord configured to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor and enable the sump pump to turn itself on and off;
- (d) a transmitter physically supported by the housing;
- (e) an amperage detector physically supported by the housing and configured to continuously monitor amperage of electric current supplied through the sump pump monitor to the sump pump;
- and
- (f) an onboard computer physically supported by the housing and configured to:
- (i) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal indicating normal operation of the sump pump to a remote signal receiving device to cause a user access device separate from the remote signal receiving device to display an indication of normal operation of the sump pump;
- (ii) determine variation in starting amperage from a first normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iii) determine variation in operating amperage from a first normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iv) use any such determined variations in starting amperage itself and in operating amperage itself to determine a predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and (v) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump to the remote signal receiving device to cause the user access device to display a warning regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and wherein the onboard computer is initiated with a plurality of normal amperage levels for the sump pump including a plurality of normal starting amperage levels and a plurality of different normal operating amperage levels, and the onboard computer is configured to operate in an initiation mode to determine which of the different normal starting and operating amperage levels is appropriate for the sump pump.
10 more elements
A sump pump monitor for a sump pump including a pump, an AC electric power source plug, and an automatic float switch, said sump pump monitor comprising:
- (a) a portable housing;
- (b) an electric plug receptacle physically supported by the housing and configured to receive the AC electrical power source plug of the sump pump to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor to enable the automatic float switch of the sump pump to turn the pump of the sump pump on when a water level rises above a predetermined level and to turn the pump of the sump pump off when the water level is below the predetermined level;
- (c) a power cord physically supported by the housing and configured to be plugged into an AC electrical power source, the housing, the electric plug receptacle, and the power cord configured to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor and enable the sump pump to turn itself on and off;
- (d) a transmitter physically supported by the housing;
- (e) an amperage detector physically supported by the housing and configured to continuously monitor amperage of electric current supplied through the sump pump monitor to the sump pump;
- and
- (f) an onboard computer physically supported by the housing and configured to:
- (i) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal indicating normal operation of the sump pump to a remote signal receiving device to cause a user access device separate from the remote signal receiving device to display an indication of normal operation of the sump pump;
- (ii) determine variation in starting amperage from a first normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iii) determine variation in operating amperage from a first normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iv) use any such determined variations in starting amperage itself and in operating amperage itself to determine a predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and (v) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump to the remote signal receiving device to cause the user access device to display a warning regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and wherein the onboard computer is configured to operate in an initiation mode to determine the normal starting amperage level of the sump pump and the normal operating amperage level of the sump pump.
10 more elements
A sump pump monitor for a sump pump including a pump, an AC electric power source plug, and an automatic float switch, said sump pump monitor comprising:
- (a) a portable housing;
- (b) an electric plug receptacle physically supported by the housing and configured to receive the AC electrical power source plug of the sump pump to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor to enable the automatic float switch of the sump pump to turn the pump of the sump pump on when a water level rises above a predetermined level and to turn the pump of the sump pump off when the water level is below the predetermined level;
- (c) a power cord physically supported by the housing and configured to be plugged into an AC electrical power source, the housing, the electric plug receptacle, and the power cord configured to enable the sump pump to continuously receive electric current through the sump pump monitor and enable the sump pump to turn itself on and off;
- (d) a transmitter physically supported by the housing;
- (e) an amperage detector physically supported by the housing and configured to continuously monitor amperage of electric current supplied through the sump pump monitor to the sump pump;
- and
- (f) an onboard computer physically supported by the housing and configured to:
- (i) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal indicating normal operation of the sump pump signal to a remote signal receiving device to cause a user access device separate from the remote signal receiving device to display an indication of normal operation of the sump pump;
- (ii) determine variation in starting amperage from a first normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal starting amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iii) determine variation in operating amperage from a first normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump to a second different non-normal operating amperage level above zero for the sump pump;
- (iv) use any such determined variations in starting amperage itself and in operating amperage itself to determine a predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and (v) operate with the transmitter to send out at least one signal regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump to the remote signal receiving device to cause the user access device to display a warning regarding the predicted failure or actual failure of at least part of the sump pump;
- and wherein the onboard computer is configured to receive at least one signal from a remote device wherein the at least one signal indicates the normal starting amperage level of the sump pump and the normal operating amperage level of the sump pump.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.