Patent ID: 6157304
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: G08B

Abstract:
A pool alarm system comprising:a programmable control circuit;a control keypad;a number of planar focused infrared motion detectors;a key alarm system activation switch, an audible alarm output system;a drain blockage sensor; anda pool pump motor control relay;said programmable control circuit including a keypad input in connection with said control keypad, a number of motion detector inputs, each in connection with one of said number of planar focused infrared motion detectors, a circuit activation input in connection with said key alarm system activation switch, a speaker drive output in connection with said audible alarm output system, a drain stoppage input in connection with said drain blockage sensor, and a pump motor control output in connection with said pool pump motor control relay;each of said number of planar focused infrared motion detectors having an infrared sensing area having a planar bottom to allow for sensing motion at or a near a pool water surface;each of said planar focused infrared motion detectors generating an alarm trigger signal to one of said motion detector inputs of said programmable control circuit when motion is detected in said infrared sensing area;said drain blockage sensor including a perforated dome shaped cover member slidably mounted to a compression detector including a spring biased plunger slidably mounted within a plunger cylinder;said spring biased plunger having a permanent magnet secured to a plunger bottom surface thereof;said plunger cylinder having a magnetically actuated reed switch in electrical connection with said drain stoppage input of said control circuit and positioned on a bottom cylinder surface thereof;said spring biasing said spring biased plunger away from said reed switch to an extended position such that said permanent magnet does not close said reed switch;a force generated by pump suction being sufficient to pull said perforated dome shaped cover member downward to a triggering position when said perforations through said perforated dome shaped cover member are blocked by a trapped child or pet;said programmable control circuit being programmed to generate an audible alarm on said speaker drive output in connection with said audible alarm output system after receiving said alarm trigger signal from one of said planar focused infrared motion detectors on an infrared detector input;said programmable control circuit being programmed to open said pump motor control relay to disable a pool pump and to generate an audible alarm on said speaker drive output when a drain blocked signal is received on said drain stoppage input from said drain blockage sensor.