Patent ID: 7710283
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: B60H

Abstract:
1. A fluid-level sensing device used with a fluid-producing unit and a fluid collection pan associated with the fluid-producing unit, said device comprising: a unitary housing with an open-bottomed lower chamber that is positioned at least in part below an open-topped upper chamber, said lower chamber and said upper chamber having no fluid communication therebetween; a micro switch encapsulated with corrosion-reducing waterproof material, said micro switch having a non-magnetic arm downwardly depending therefrom and electrical wiring configured for connection of said micro switch to the fluid-producing unit; a buoyant float body having a distal end and a proximal end configured for pivotal connection within said lower chamber so as to provide freely movable vertical deployment of said distal end; a first magnet associated with said non-magnetic arm; and a second magnet associated with said vertically deployable distal end of said float body whereby when said encapsulated micro switch is secured within said upper chamber fluid so that said non-magnetic arm is positioned below said encapsulated micro switch and said float body is pivotally connected within said lower chamber with said second magnet positioned below said first magnet, and further when said electrical wiring is connected to the fluid-producing unit and said unitary housing is securely fixed in position relative to the fluid collection pan so that said float body will vertically deploy in response to rising fluid in the pan, and in addition when fluid from the fluid-producing unit collects in the pan and rises beyond a threshold level considered safe to avoid damage to surroundings, said distal end of said float body vertically deploys to bring said second magnet sufficiently close to said first magnet to cause magnetic interaction therebetween, which activates said encapsulated micro switch so that a shut-off signal is sent via said electrical wiring to the fluid-producing unit to stop its fluid production.