Manual Override Utility Pump

Abstract

A utility pump including a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet, a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet, a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, and a remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode. When the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention is directed to utility pumps. More particularly, the invention is related to a manual override for an automatic utility pump.

Utility pumps are used to remove water from flooded basements, low points in yards, water from spas, and many other situations. In some instances, it is preferable that the utility pump turn on and off automatically when water is present.

One method of operating an automatic utility pump involves turning on a pump motor and sensing the current or power factor of the motor to determine if the pump is in fluid or not. If the pump is in fluid, the pump will continue to run until the fluid is reduced to an acceptable level. If the pump is not in fluid, the pump will operate the pump motor again a few minutes later, and again sense the current or power factor to determine if the fluid level has risen above the acceptable level. This design can be confusing to customers because the pump runs every few minutes even when water is not present.

Another method of operating an automatic utility pump is to include a conductivity switch associated with probes that allow the pump to energize when the probes are in contact with a conductive fluid. This method works well but the probes need to be separated by about 1″. For example, when the fluid level is at 1.5″ the pump turns on and when the fluid level reaches 0.5″ the pump turns off. One problem with this design is that if the fluid level is 1″, for example in a users basement, the pump will not turn on.

SUMMARY

The present embodiments overcome the aforementioned problems by providing a switch built into the pump, switch, plug and/or cord that can be used to operate the pump. Positions of the switch would bypass the automatic function of the pump. This allows the pump to be operated like a normal utility pump, or a user can operate the pump like an automatic utility pump.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a utility pump that includes a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet, a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet, a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, and a remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode. When the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of controlling a utility pump. The utility pump includes a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet, a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet, a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, and a remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode. When the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed. The method includes connecting the remote switch with the pump body, establishing electrical communication between the remote switch and the control circuit, selecting one of the on mode and the automatic mode, and operating the utility pump in the selected mode.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a utility pump that includes a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet, a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet, a control circuit positioned within the pump body and arranged to operate the pump automatically, and a remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode. When the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a utility pump that includes a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet, a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet, and a remote switch including a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, the remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode. When the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a utility pump that includes a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet, a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet, a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, a remote switch arranged to selectively plug into the pump body and operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode, and a power cord selectively plugged into the remote switch and arranged to connect to an outlet for supplying power to the remote switch. When the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a utility pump according to an embodiment of the invention in a low drawdown position.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the utility pump of FIG. 1 in a high drawdown position.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the utility pump of FIG. 1 with an adjustable drawdown adapter removed.

FIG. 4 is section view of the utility pump of FIG. 1 in the low drawdown position.

FIG. 5 is a section view of the utility pump of FIG. 1 in a high drawdown position.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of an adjustable drawdown adapter according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of another utility pump according to an embodiment of the invention with the adjustable drawdown adapter of FIG. 6 removed.

FIG. 8 is a section view showing the utility pump of FIG. 7 in a low drawdown position.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a switch arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a switch arrangement similar to FIG. 9 and including additional plugs.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of another switch arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of another switch arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a utility pump 10 including a pump body 14 that houses a motor 18 (see FIG. 4) and defines an intake 22, a pump head cavity 26, and an outlet 30. The utility pump 10 also includes an adjustable drawdown adapter 34 that can be slidably coupled to the pump body 14. FIG. 1 shows the utility pump 10 in a low drawdown position, and FIG. 2 shows the utility pump 10 in a high drawdown position.

The pump body 14 can be molded from a plastic and/or a metal, for example, and defines mounts or flanges for holding the motor 18 and other components of the pump 10. The pump body 14 also defines a skirt 40 and a plurality of feet 41 extending downward from the skirt 40.

With reference to FIG. 3, the pump body 14 further defines one or more adjustment slots 42 positioned around the pump body 14. In some embodiments, three adjustment slots can be used. One adjustment slot shaped generally as a helix can be seen in FIG. 3. Each adjustment slot 42 can include a low drawdown position 46 and a high drawdown position 50. Intermediate draw down positions may also be incorporated into the adjustment slot 42. The adjustment slot 42 can be sloped between the low drawdown position 46 and the high drawdown position 50. The illustrated high drawdown position 50 is located lower on the pump body 14 than the low drawdown position 46.

Turning to FIG. 4, the motor 18 can include an output shaft 54 connected to a propeller 58 that produces a suction at the inlet 22 and moves fluid toward the outlet 30. The details of the pump 18 may be readily understood by those skilled in the art and will not be discussed further herein.

FIG. 4 shows the adjustable drawdown adapter 34 in the low drawdown position. The adjustable drawdown adapter 34 includes a plurality of openings 62 positioned around the bottom periphery of the adjustable drawdown adapter 34 and provide a fluid flow path for fluid to enter the inlet. The adjustable drawdown adapter 34 defines three flexible arms 66 (best seen in FIG. 2), each including a projection 70 sized to be received by one of the adjustment slots 42 (see FIG. 4). The adjustable drawdown adapter 34 can also define grip projections 74 that aid in grasping the adjustable drawdown adapter 34.

A controller 38 (see FIG. 4) can be positioned within the pump body 14. The controller 38 receives power from a power cord 78 and selectively powers the pump motor 18. In one embodiment, the controller 38 is a simple power converter or other circuitry to provide power to the motor 18. In another embodiment, the controller 38 may provide more control including automatic operation.

With reference to FIG. 6, an alternative adjustable drawdown adapter 100 is shown. The components on the drawdown adapter 100 are similar to those on the drawdown adapter 34 and are labeled with prime numbers. Similarly, FIGS. 7 and 8 show another utility pump 104 that is similar to the utility pump 10. Components are labeled with prime numbers.

Operation of the utility pump 10 will be described below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows the utility pump 10 with the adjustable drawdown adapter 34 in the low drawdown position wherein the projections 70 of the adapter 34 are engaged with the low drawdown positions 46 of the adjustment slots 42. In the low drawdown position, the skirt 40 interacts with the openings 62 to define a fluid flow path that can be about ⅛″ high such that the suction formed by the impeller 58 in the inlet 22 removes the fluid down to about ⅛″.

To move the adjustable drawdown adapter between the low drawdown position (FIG. 4) and the high drawdown position (FIG. 5), a user can grasp the adjustable drawdown adapter 34 and rotate it such that the projections 70 slide within the slots 42 to the high draw down positions 50.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the high drawdown position, the openings 62 provide a significantly larger fluid flow path to the inlet 22. The utility pump 10 can be arranged to draw fluid down to a 1″ level in this position. While in the high drawdown position, the utility pump 10 can pump fluids faster than when arranged in the low drawdown position due at least in part to the longer fluid flow path.

It is to be appreciated that other embodiments are envisioned for providing an adjustable feature to allow the drawdown height to be adjusted. For example, when an adjustable drawdown adapter is used, the adapter may be moved up and down to adjust the drawdown by was of a screw or screws that raise and lower the adapter, or a ratchet can be used to raise and lower the adapter. One of skill in the art can appreciate a variety of ways to allow the adapter to be raised and lowered.

In other embodiments, the adjustable drawdown adapter can be raised and lowered automatically under the control of the controller 38. The pump 10 can include electrically controlled rotary means, and can be configured to start pumping in a high drawdown position. When the pump begins to draw air, the controller can instruct the rotary means to adjust the position of the adjustable drawdown adapter to a low drawdown position. Then, in some embodiments, when the pump 10 begins to draw air again, the controller 38 can be configured to turn the pump off

In yet other embodiments, the adjustable drawdown adapter can be a plurality of extendable legs. The legs can be telescoped and can be extended/retracted manually or can be extended/retracted by other known manual or motorized rotary means.

Turning to FIG. 9, a plug 200 can include a remote switch 204 for manual or automatic control. The remote switch 204 can be arranged as a two-position switch, a three-position switch, or another configuration. For example, the remote switch 204 may be arranged as a Hand-Off-Auto (HOA) switch, an On-Off-Auto (OOA) switch, a Hand-Auto (HA) switch, a On-Auto (OA) switch, or another arrangement, as desired. The plug 200 can be arranged to be plugged into a standard outlet (not shown) as is understood in the art.

The controller 38 can include a pump circuit 208 that provides power directly to the motor 18 or provides power to a control circuit 212 depending on the position of the remote switch 204. The illustrated remote switch 204 can be a rocker switch. Illuminated selector switches, push buttons, toggle switches, rotary dials, or another type of switch may be employed, as desired.

A power cord in the form of a cable 216 connects the plug 200 to the pump circuit 208. In one embodiment, the cord 78 (see FIG. 1) is the cable 216. The illustrated cable 216 can include four wires (e.g., ground, neutral, on, and auto) and can be molded between the plug 200 and the pump circuit 208 to provide a substantially liquid proof casing. In other embodiments, for example as shown in FIG. 10, the cable 216 may include body plugs 217 at either end arranged to engage the plug 200 and the pump circuit 208. In other words, a body plug 217 is arranged to engage either the plug 200 or the pump body 14. Alternatively, the cable 216 may include a body plug 217 that plugs into the plug 200 at a first end and a wall outlet or other power source at a second end. In addition, more or less than four wires may be included in the cable 216.

The control circuit 212 can include a logic controller that can interact with probes 220 or other known sensing means to determine if the pump 10 needs to be operated. For example, current sensing, conductivity probes, float switches, or other probe types may be employed to determine when and why the pump 10 should be operated automatically. If the control circuit 212 determines that the pump 10 should be operated, power is provided to the motor 18.

In operation, the remote switch 204 can be maintained in an automatic position 300 such that the control circuit 212 determines when the pump 10 operates. Should the user desire that the pump not operate at all, the remote switch 204 can be moved to an off position 302 and no power is provided to the motor 18. Should the user desire the pump 10 to operate regardless of the control circuit 212, the remote switch 204 can be moved to a hand or on position 304, and the pump 10 operates until the remote switch 204 is turned to the off position 302 or the automatic position 300.

The plug 200 and remote switch 204 are capable of operating with standard utility pumps that do not include an adjustable drawdown feature as the pump 10 does. Additionally, the remote switch 204, the plug 200, pump circuit 208, and control circuit 212 may be arranged differently. For example, the remote switch 204 may be located on the pump body 22 or in a remote location.

FIG. 11 shows one embodiment wherein a control circuit 212′ is arranged in a plug 200′. Additionally, the cable 216 can be replaced with a power cord 222 and a control cable 224. The power cord 222 and the control cable 224 are arranged to be plugged into both the plug 200′ and a pump circuit 208′. Additionally, the cord 222 and the cable 224 may be plugged to another part of a utility pump. In one embodiment, the plug 200′ includes female sockets and the utility pump includes a male connector that the cord 222 and the cable 224 connect between.

In another embodiment, for example as shown in FIG. 12, a plug in the form of a remote switch housing 400 may plug directly into the utility pump 10. That is to say, no cord or cable would be used but instead, the remote switch housing 400 would be removably installed onto the utility pump 10. For example, the utility pump 10 may include a male recessed plug 404 arranged to receive a female socket 408 mounted in the remote switch housing 400. A remote switch 412 is arranged in the remote switch housing 400 and electrically communicates with control circuit 212 and the other utility pump components arranged within the pump body. In yet another embodiment, the remote switch 412 may be arranged directly on the utility pump.

In addition to the above described embodiments, the inventors have contemplated many variations and combinations of features. Each individual feature described above may be combined with other individual features to arrive at new combinations. For example, the remote switch housing 400 shown in FIG. 12 may include the control circuit arranged therein. Various other combinations of individual features will be apparent from the following claims.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the invention has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the invention is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each patent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference, as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference herein. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A utility pump comprising: a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet;a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet;a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically; anda remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode, wherein when the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

2. The utility pump of claim 1, further comprising a power cord including a plug arranged for connection to an outlet.

3. The utility pump of claim 2, wherein the remote switch is arranged in the plug.

4. The utility pump of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is arranged in the plug.

5. The utility pump of claim 2, wherein the power cord further includes a body plug arranged for connection to the pump body.

6. The utility pump of claim 5, wherein the remote switch is arranged in the body plug.

7. The utility pump of claim 2, wherein the remote switch includes a remote switch housing and is arranged to selectively plug into the pump body, and wherein the power cord is removably plugged into the remote switch housing.

8. The utility pump of claim 2, further comprising a control cable connecting the remote switch and the pump body.

9. The utility pump of claim 2, wherein the power cord consists essentially of one neutral-wire, one earth-wire, one automatic-wire, and one on-wire.

10. The utility pump of claim 1, wherein the remote switch includes a remote switch housing and is arranged to selectively plug into an outlet for supplying power, and further comprising a power cord arranged to provide power from the remote switch to the pump body.

11. The utility pump of claim 10, wherein the power cord is removably connected between the remote switch and the pump body.

12. The utility pump of claim 1, wherein when the pump is operating in the on mode, the control circuit is not communicating with the pump motor.

13. The utility pump of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is in communication with a probe, and a control cable provides communication between the control circuit and the probe.

14. The utility pump of claim 1, wherein remote switch further operates the utility pump in an off-mode.

15. The utility pump of claim 14, wherein the remote switch is a three position rocker switch.

16. A method of controlling a utility pump, the utility pump including a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet,a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet,a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, anda remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode, wherein when the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed,

17. A utility pump comprising: a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet;a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet;a control circuit positioned within the pump body and arranged to operate the pump automatically; anda remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode, wherein when the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

18. A utility pump comprising: a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet;a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet; anda remote switch including a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically, the remote switch arranged to selectively operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode, wherein when the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed.

19. A utility pump comprising: a pump body defining an inlet and an outlet;a pump motor positioned within the pump body and arranged to move fluid from the inlet to the outlet;a control circuit arranged to operate the pump automatically;a remote switch arranged to selectively plug into the pump body and operate the utility pump in one of an automatic mode and an on mode, wherein when the remote switch is arranged in the on mode the control circuit is bypassed; anda power cord selectively plugged into the remote switch and arranged to connect to an outlet for supplying power to the remote switch.

20. The utility pump of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is positioned within the remote switch.