Abstract:
A buoyant water conditioner has a housing with an upper surface and an apertured chamber for receiving a chlorination agent. Three separate measurement systems are carried by the housing: a water temperature system, a pH level system, and a chlorine concentration system. Each system has a sensor for measuring the respective water parameter, a display for displaying the measured value, and a processor for converting the sensor signals to display driving signals. Each system is powered by a solar cell battery or a chemical battery.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to water chlorination units. More particularly, this invention relates to a buoyant water chlorination unit with improved user features. 
     Water chlorination units are known which are used to supply chlorine to water in pools for water purification. Several such units are buoyant with an inner chamber providing a containment volume for the chlorination material, typically one or more solid pellets, with the containment volume having openings through the walls thereof so that the chlorination material can dissolve in the surrounding water. 
     Known water chlorination units are used in conjunction with a thermometer, and a pH level and chlorine concentration testing kit in many applications. The thermometer is used to measure the temperature of the water, typically in a swimming pool or Jacuzzi spa, and typically consists of a floating glass tube thermometer with a graduated temperature scale printed or embossed on a panel in a position adjacent the thermometer tube, and a tether cord fastened at one end to the thermometer panel and fastened at the other end to an anchor point. To read the thermometer, the thermometer is retrieved from the water by grasping and pulling the tether cord. The testing kit is used to determine the pH of the water and the chlorine concentration. The kit typically includes a housing with a panel provided with two multi-color reference charts: one indicating pH and the other indicating chlorine concentration, usually in parts-per-million (ppm). Also, the kit includes a pH testing container and a chlorine testing container, with both containers typically permanently affixed to the housing. Two testing solutions are usually provided, one for the pH measurement, and the other for the chlorine concentration measurement. In use, a water sample is placed in each of the two testing containers, and a quantity of each testing solution is placed in the respective container. The color of the solution is then visually compared with the two color charts, and the user subjectively determines the pH and chlorine concentration values. Additional chlorine is then added to the pool water, if the measurement process indicates the need to do so. 
     While used widely, the thermometer and testing kits described above have several disadvantages. First, there are three separate and distinct parts to the known arrangement, any one of which may be easily misplaced, lost or broken. In addition, the thermometer floats with the motion of the pool water and is not usually conveniently located next to the buoyant chlorinator unit. Moreover, the testing kit must be stored somewhere on the pool premises and brought to the pool site each time it is required for use. Further, the pH and chlorine concentration solutions must be kept in separate storage containers, which can also be easily misplaced, and must be individually handled by the user. Last, the technique for both the pH and the chlorine concentration measurements is entirely subjective, and prone to error. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a buoyant chlorinator which incorporates the temperature, pH and chlorine concentration measurement functions, and which is devoid of all the disadvantages of known prior art arrangements as noted above. 
     The invention comprises a buoyant housing with a lower apertured chamber for holding chlorine material, such as solid tablets, as in conventional devices. A removable cover retains the chlorine material in place. A plurality of measurement systems, each microprocessor-based, is carried by the housing. Each system has an easily-readable display, preferably mounted on the periphery of an upper housing surface, each display preferably comprising a liquid crystal display (LCD). One measurement system comprises a temperature sensor, such as a thermistor, for measuring the temperature of the ambient water. Electrical temperature signals produced by this sensor are coupled to a microprocessor programmed to convert these signals to signals capable of driving the associated display. A second measurement system comprises a pH level sensor for measuring the pH level of the ambient water. Electrical signals produced by this sensor are coupled to a microprocessor programmed to convert these signals to signals capable of driving the associated display. The remaining measurement system comprises a chlorine concentration sensor for measuring the chlorine concentration of the ambient water. Electrical signals produced by this sensor are coupled to a microprocessor programmed to convert these signals to signals capable of driving the associated display. 
     Electrical power is supplied to each measurement system from a power source contained within the housing. One suitable power source is a solar cell battery mounted on the same surface as the displays. Another source is a battery installed in a battery compartment. Both types of power source may be included and either source may serve as the primary power source for all systems, with the remaining source reserved as a back-up source, or the two sources may both serve as primary sources for different systems. 
     The invention is used by placing it in the body of water and observing the display values. When chlorine material must be replaced, the cover is removed, and the fresh material is dropped into the receptacle chamber. 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the temperature measurement system incorporated into the preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the pH measurement system incorporated into the preferred embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the chlorine concentration measurement system incorporated into the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. As seen in this Fig., the preferred embodiment includes a housing  11 , typically made from plastic material. Housing  11  has an upper sealed hollow space  12  to ensure buoyancy in water, and a lower wall portion  13  providing a hollow interior for receiving one or more water-soluble chlorine tablets (not shown). A plurality of adjustable openings  15  are distributed about the circumference of lower wall portion  13  to allow water to enter the hollow interior volume and leach chlorine from the tablets. A cover  16  is removably mounted to the top of housing  11 . To add more chlorine tablets, cover  16  is removed to expose the hollow lower interior. 
     Arranged about the upper peripheral surface  17  of housing  11  are three liquid crystal (LCD) displays  20 - 22 . Display  20  is a water temperature display and is electrically coupled to a microprocessor-based temperature processing unit  30  shown in FIG. 2, which receives water temperature measurement signals from a temperature sensor  31 . Display  21  is a pH level display and is electrically coupled to a microprocessor-based pH level processing unit  32 , which receives pH level signals from a pH electrode  33 . Display  22  is a chlorine concentration display and is electrically coupled to a microprocessor-based chlorine concentration processing unit  34 , which receives signals from a chlorine concentration detector  35 . 
     Electrical power is supplied to the displays  20 - 22 , sensors  31 ,  33 , and  35 , and processing units  30 ,  32 , and  34  by one or more solar cells  37  mounted on the upper peripheral surface  17  of housing  11 . An alternate source consisting of a battery  39  mounted in an appropriate portion of housing  11  is also provided. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the water temperature measurement system described above. As seen in this FIG. remote temperature sensor  31 , which may comprise any one of a number of commercially available devices capable of generating signals representative of the temperature with which the unit  31  comes in contact (such as a thermistor), has an output electrically coupled to the microprocessor unit  30 . Microprocessor unit  30  may comprise any known microprocessor capable of receiving the signals from sensor  31  and converting these signals to signals capable of operating display  20 . The display output of microprocessor unit  30  is electrically coupled to the display input terminals of display  20 , which displays temperature value in the form of integers plus an indication of the scale employed (i.e., Fahrenheit, Celsius, or some other scale). 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the pH measurement system described above. As seen in this FIG. remote pH electrode  33  has a signal output electrically coupled to the microprocessor unit  32 . Electrode  33  may comprise any one of a number of commercially available sensors capable of generating electrical signals representative of the pH level of water with which the electrode  33  comes in contact ( such as the sensor component incorporated into the series H-58800 pH meters available from ATI-Orion Research, Inc.). Microprocessor unit  32  may comprise the same type of unit as microprocessor unit  30 , with different programming to convert the pH input signals to signals capable of operating display  21 . The display output of microprocessor  32  is electrically coupled to the display input terminals of display  21 , which displays pH values in the normal form of an integer, a decimal point and another integer. 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the chlorine concentration system described above. As seen in this FIG. chlorine sensor  35  has a signal output electrically coupled to microprocessor  34 . Sensor  35  may comprise any one of a number of known sensors capable of generating signals representative of the chlorine concentration (usually in ppm) of water with which sensor  35  comes in contact. Microprocessor unit  34  may comprise the same type of unit as microprocessor unit  30 , with different programming to convert the chlorine concentration signals supplied by sensor  35  to signals capable of operating display  22 . The display output of microprocessor unit  34  is coupled to the input terminals of display  22 , which displays chlorine concentration in the form of one or more integers and the legend “ppm”. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, each unit is electrically powered by either solar cells  37 , battery  39 , or a combination of the two. More specifically, if one or two of the systems shown in FIGS. 2-4 draws substantially more power than the others, either the solar cells  37  or the battery  39  may be dedicated to the unit(s) with a higher power consumption, with the remaining power source shared among all three systems. In the alternative, one of the two power sources (e.g., solar cells  37 ) may serve as the principal power source for all three units, and the other source used as a back-up source. 
     As will now be apparent, the invention provides all of the common pool water functions formerly found in separate devices—i.e., temperature measurement, pH measurement and chlorine concentration- in one integral unit. Consequently, the user need only deal with a single unit in order to determine water temperature, pH level and chlorine concentration. Moreover, the user can quickly and conveniently check each value by simply reading the appropriate display. In addition, the use of the electronic pH level and chlorine concentration systems eliminates the subjective nature of each measurement in prior art arrangements and does away with the formerly required test solutions. As a result, pool water maintenance is simplified and made more precise through use of the invention. 
     Although the above provides a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications, alternate constructions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, although the invention has been described with reference to LCD displays  20 - 22 , other types of displays which are easily readable in the water environment (such as bright sunlight) may be employed. In addition, displays  20 - 22  may be mounted on the housing in other locations than the upper peripheral surface. Further, although the invention has been described with reference to separate microprocessors for each measurement system, a single microprocessor with mutliplexed input ports may be employed, as desired. Also, the invention may be configured with less than all of the three systems, if deemed useful or desirable. Therefore, the above should not be construed as limiting the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.