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US 8,615,825 B2Granted
Liquid drainage system
AssigneeMunster Simms Engineering Limited
InventorsRichard Bovill, Keith Nixon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid drainage system for a sanitary installation has a liquid level sensor for detecting the level of liquid in a drainage receptacle. The sensor employs non-contact sensing, for example an electric field, to detect the liquid level and controls the operating of a drainage pump depending on the detected liquid level. The drainage receptacle may for example be the gulley of a shower tray, or a manifold connected to two or more sinks.
Claims19
A liquid drainage system comprising a drainage receptacle having a liquid outlet;
- a drainage pipe in liquid communication with said drainage receptacle via said liquid outlet;
- means for pumping liquid from said drainage receptacle into said drainage pipe via said liquid outlet;
- and a first liquid level sensor arranged to detect the level of liquid in said drainage receptacle, wherein said first liquid level sensor is arranged to generate a control signal to turn said pumping means on depending on the detected liquid level and to cause said control signal to be communicated to said pumping means, the pumping means being arranged to pump liquid from said drainage receptacle in response to said control signal, and wherein said first liquid level sensor includes non-contact sensing means for detecting the level of liquid in the receptacle, said system further including a second liquid level sensor configured to detect the level of liquid in said drainage pipe, said second liquid level sensor being configured to generate at least one control signal for turning said pumping means off depending on the detected liquid level in said pipe and to cause said at least one control signal to be communicated to said pumping means.
A method of draining liquid from a drainage receptacle, the method comprising:
- detecting at a first liquid sensor the level of liquid in said drainage receptacle;
- generating a control signal to turn on said pumping means depending on the detected liquid level;
- pumping, in response to said control signal, liquid from said drainage receptacle, wherein said first liquid level sensor includes non-contact sensing means for detecting the level of liquid in the receptacle;
- detecting at a second sensor the level of liquid in a drainage pipe in fluid communication with said drainage receptacle via an outlet;
- generating at least one control signal for turning said pumping means off depending on the detected liquid level in said pipe;
- and causing said at least one control signal to be communicated to said pumping means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.