Abstract:
A semiautomatic electronic system for sensing and accordingly raising if such is determined to be required, the fluid level of a liquid present in swimming pools, animal water drinking troughs, or any other liquid containment vessels. For the accomplishment of this task an electronic circuit periodically, in accordance with a schedule prescribe by a user, samples the environment of the space in a liquid containment vessel to determine if a liquid level has fallen below a predetermine level prescribed by the user. If such is the case, either a pump or a solenoid valve can be automatically activated, so as to cause liquid to be added to the containment vessel, only until the liquid in the containment vessel is restored to the required predetermined level.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electronic system for sensing and accordingly raising if such is determined to be required, the fluid level of a liquid present in swimming pools, animal water drinking troughs, or any other liquid containment vessels. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Numerous innovations for dealing with liquid contained in various vessels have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention. 
     A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,764 to Lobato teaches a rain detector is provided for preventing operation of an irrigation system upon detection of an adjustably selected amount of rainfall. The rain detector is designed for use with an automatic irrigation control system of the type including a clock controller to electrically operate one or more normally closed valves for programmed supply of irrigation water to sprinklers individually or in selected groups. The rain detector comprises a switching circuit connected electrically in series with the sprinkler valves, with the switching circuit including space sensors extending for an adjustable depth into a collection tray exposed to rainfall. The switching circuit is normally closed in the absence of rainfall to permit normal programmed operation of the sprinkler valves. However, when rainfall within the collection tray reaches a level bridging the sensors, the switching circuit is triggered to form an effective open circuit condition between the clock controller and the sprinkler valves, thereby closing the sprinkler valves pending evaporation of the rainwater to a level below the sensors. 
     A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,950 to Seneff teaches a control system is disclosed for a swimming pool or a spa recirculating system. Water is withdrawn from a pool or spa by a pump and supplied, through a filter, back to the pool. As is common with such systems, a controller is operated to initiate operation of the pump at pre-established time intervals (for example, once every twenty-four hours). The length of time or duty cycle that the pump is operated at each of these time intervals is determined by a temperature sensor which senses the water temperature. The temperature sensor supplies a signal to the controller to cause the pump to be operated for a longer period of time when the water temperature is above a threshold temperature, and to be operated for a shorter period of time when the water temperature is below the predetermined threshold. 
     A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,050 to Zakryk teaches to be used with a pool assembly of the type including a swimming pool, and a pool pump, a self regulating pool heater unit having a refrigeration unit structured and disposed to emit heat in order to heat a quantity of water cycled therethrough by the pool pump. Further, a power source is included and connected to the refrigeration unit, and to the pool pump through a timer. The timer has an on mode which sets a predetermined time period during which the power supplied by the power source flows therethrough to the pool pump so that it will function, and an off mode wherein no power flows through the timer to the pool pump. Additionally, an automatic timer bypass is included and connected in line between the power source and the pool pump. The automatic timer bypass is switchable between a bypass position and a normal position, the bypass position being defined by power flowing through the automatic timer bypass so as to bypass the timer, if it is not in the on mode, thereby ensuring that power flows to the pool pump regardless of the mode of the timer. Conversely, the normal position of the automatic timer bypass allows power to flow to the pump only through the timer. Further, the unit is structured to indicate when any of a number of defined hazardous operating conditions are present and prevent operation if the refrigeration unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a semiautomatic electronic system for sensing and accordingly raising if such is determined to be required, the fluid level of a liquid present in a containment vessel, that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a semiautomatic electronic system for sensing and accordingly raising if such is determined to be required, the fluid level of a liquid present in a containment vessel, that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a semiautomatic electronic system for sensing and accordingly raising if such is determined to be required, the fluid level of a liquid present in a containment vessel, that is simple to use. 
     BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a semiautomatic electronic system for sensing and accordingly raising if such is determined to be required, the fluid level of a liquid present in swimming pools, animal water drinking troughs, or any other liquid containment vessels. For the accomplishment of this task an electronic circuit periodically, in accordance with a schedule prescribe by a user, samples the environment of the space in a liquid containment vessel to determine if a liquid level has fallen below a predetermine level prescribed by the user. If such is the case, either a pump or a solenoid valve can be automatically activated, so as to cause liquid to be added to the containment vessel, only until the liquid in the containment vessel is restored to the required predetermined level. 
     The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows: 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the present invention being utilized to keep a water trough at a comfortable level from which an animal can drink; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view illustrating the invention being utilized in a typical swimming pool situation; and 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the present invention. 
    
    
     A MARSHALLING OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 10 
                 water trough 
               
               
                 12 
                 water level 
               
               
                 14 
                 pump/solenoid valve 
               
               
                 16 
                 water reservoir 
               
               
                 18 
                 animal 
               
               
                 20 
                 water sensor element housing 
               
               
                 22 
                 fluid sensing contact 
               
               
                 23 
                 higher contact 
               
               
                 24 
                 electrical cable for operating the pump/solenoid valve 14 
               
               
                 26 
                 electrical cable for is provided for transmitting liquid level 
               
               
                   
                 data information from fluid sensing elements 22 
               
               
                 28 
                 water 
               
               
                 30 
                 water sensor switch 
               
               
                 34 
                 swimming pool 
               
               
                 36 
                 circuitry of present invention which accomplishes the task of 
               
               
                   
                 raising the liquid level 12 of water 28 in a containment vessel 
               
               
                 38 
                 clock timer 
               
               
                 40 
                 terminal block of water sensor switch 
               
               
                 42 
                 terminal block of water sensor switch 
               
               
                 44 
                 delay timer 
               
               
                 46 
                 terminal of delay timer 
               
               
                 48 
                 terminal of delay timer 
               
               
                 50 
                 transformer primary winding 
               
               
                 52 
                 transformer 
               
               
                 54 
                 transformer secondary winding 
               
               
                 56 
                 demarcation dotted line 
               
               
                 58 
                 mode switch 
               
               
                   
                 normally closed contact of first relay R1 
               
               
                 O 
                 normally open contact of first relay R1 
               
               
                 X1 
                 coil of first relay R1 
               
               
                 R1 
                 first relay 
               
               
                 C2 
                 normally closed contact of second relay R2 
               
               
                 X2 
                 coil of second relay R2 
               
               
                 S 
                 normal closed equivalent contact of water sensor switch 30 which 
               
               
                   
                 opens when water bridges fluid sensing contacts 22 and 23 
               
               
                 T 
                 contact of clock timer 38 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the figures, in which like.numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3, there illustrates a first example utilizing the present invention, which is a water trough  10  having water  28  maintained at a water level  12 , which is replenished by a pump/solenoid valve  14 , which is in fluid communication with a water reservoir  16 , so that an animal  18  may comfortably drink therefrom at will. A water sensor element housing  20  is fixedly mounted on the trough  10  and has two fluid sensing contacts  22  and  23 , partially contained therein, in fluid communication with the water  28  in the trough  10 . Electrical cable  24  for operating the pump/solenoid valve  14  is provided for supplying a low voltage source of power to the pump/solenoid valve  14 . Electrical cable  26  is provided for transmitting liquid level data information from fluid sensing contacts  22  and  23  to an input of a water sensor switch  30 . 
     Referring now again to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, there illustrates a second example utilizing the present invention, which is a swimming pool  34  having water  28  maintained at a level  12 , which is replenished by a pump/solenoid valve  14  which is in fluid communication with a water reservoir  16 , so that people may comfortably swim therein at will. A water sensor element housing  20  is fixedly mounted in the pool at the desired water level  12  has two fluid sensing contacts  22  and  23 , partially contained therein, in fluid communication with the water  28  in the swimming pool  34 . Electrical cable  24  for operating the pump/solenoid valve  14  is provided for supplying a low voltage source of power to the pump/solenoid valve  14 . Electrical cable  26  is provided for transmitting liquid level data information from fluid sensing contacts  22  and  23  to an input of water sensor switch  30 . 
     It is to be noted that so there is no ambiguity, the component specified as the pump/solenoid valve  14 , is either a pump or a solenoid valve, one or the other, whichever is appropriate in accordance with the parameters of a particular installation. 
     In order to better appreciate the scheme in which the circuitry  36  of the present invention which accomplishes the task of raising the liquid level  12  of water  28  in a containment vessel, it is important to realize that it is not necessary for the water level to be continuously raised every time the water level drops Just a small amount. To the contrary it is an object of the present invention not to automatically perform or operate in such a manner. If the circuit attempted to adjust the level, every time the level dropped just a slight amount, the circuit would cycle every time an animal took a drink, every time a bather got in and out of the swimming pool, every time a wind blew ripples across the swimming pool, every time a bird took bath, in short every little disturbance would cause needless undesirable cycling of the pump/solenoid valve  14  and all the rest of the associated circuitry. 
     Accordingly in order to prevent this undesirable cycling and recycling a clock timer  38  is employed and is programmed to a schedule prescribe by the user suitable for the situation, as may be required by the parameters dictated by the particular containment vessel such as a water trough  10  or swimming pool  34  and the intended use. 
     Another point to be understood about the circuitry  36  is the nature of the water sensor switch  30 . The water sensor switch  30  has two terminal blocks  40  and  42  connected to a pair of electrical contacts  22 , and  23 , which may be disposed in a vertical orientation one above the other with the higher contact  23  at the desired water level. The nature of the water sensor switch  30  is such that its output is closed, i.e. it conducts AC current when the water level  12  is below the higher contact  23 , and does not bridge the space between electrical contacts  22 , and  23 . Conversely, the switch output is open i.e. it does not conducts AC current when the water level  12  is sufficiently high enough so as to come in contact with both contacts  22  and  23  simultaneously. Circuitry of this type is well known and an example of such which would be suitable for use in the present invention may be seen in FIG. 9 of U.S Pat. No. 4,613,764 to Lobato. 
     A second point to be understood about the circuitry  10  is the nature of the delay timer  44  which is well known in the art and has the logic that it remains an open circuit, i.e. it does not conduct any current until a voltage has been presented across its terminal,  46  and  48  for a predetermined length of time set in the delay timer  44 . After such length of time has elapsed the timer  44  becomes a short circuit, i.e. it conducts current as if there is a conductor between terminals  46  and  48 . For this particular circuit a delay time of approximately 5 seconds is quite suitable. 
     Having described the nature of the initial conditions for both the water sensor switch  30  and the delay timer  44  and keeping in mind the sampling scheme of the circuit, it will be clear as to just how the circuit accomplishes the required task of raising the water level periodically if it has fallen below the desired water level  12 , that is, below the higher contact  23 . 
     Examining the circuit  36  of FIG. 3 it is observed that it is shown with all components as if power has not yet been applied. At a typical sampling time, with a mode switch  58  set in the AUTO position the following set of asynchronous steps will occur. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1. 
                 Clock timer 38 output closes contact “T” and a current path is 
               
               
                   
                 completed through contact “C”, of first relay R1 and 
               
               
                   
                 transformer primary winding 50 back to AC power source. 
               
               
                 2. 
                 Assuming water level is low, i.e below contact 23, then 
               
               
                   
                 equivalent contact “S”, of water sensor switch 30 is closed and 
               
               
                   
                 accordingly pump/solenoid valve 14 and coil X2 of second relay 
               
               
                   
                 R2 are activated simultaneously, and the containment vessel 
               
               
                   
                 10, 34 begins to have is water level 12 raised. 
               
               
                 3. 
                 Pump/solenoid valve 14 and coil X2 of second relay R2 remain 
               
               
                   
                 activated until: 
               
               
                   
                 a) Water sensor switch 30 opens equivalent contact “S”, 
               
               
                   
                 because the water level has reached contact 23 of the water 
               
               
                   
                 sensor switch 30, or 
               
               
                   
                 b) Clock timer 38 output opens contact “T”. 
               
               
                 4. 
                 If the sequence of events is such that the water sensor 30 
               
               
                   
                 opens equivalent contact “S”, of step 3a occurs first before 
               
               
                   
                 step 3b, then pump/solenoid valve 14 and coil X2 of second 
               
               
                   
                 relay R2 are accordingly deactivated and simultaneously second 
               
               
                   
                 relay R2 has contact C2 closed, and the water level of water 
               
               
                   
                 containment vessel stops rising. Accordingly a few seconds 
               
               
                   
                 later (five) delay timer 44 activates, which completes a 
               
               
                   
                 current path through coil X1 of first relay R1 which closes 
               
               
                   
                 contact “0”, of first relay R1, and seals first relay R1 on 
               
               
                   
                 through contact “T” of clock timer 38. 
               
               
                 5. 
                 Accordingly contact “C”, of first relay R1, is sealed open so 
               
               
                   
                 that minor disturbances of the water level 12 do not cause the 
               
               
                   
                 system to cycle once its water sensor has signaled that the 
               
               
                   
                 required fill level has been achieved. 
               
               
                 6. 
                 When the clock timer 35 contact “T” opens all power is removed 
               
               
                   
                 from all components and the system is reset to its initial 
               
               
                   
                 conditions, as shown in FIG. 3, and is ready to operate 
               
               
                   
                 again. However, this will not occur until the clock timer 38 
               
               
                   
                 again closes contact “T” and begins the cycle again. If the 
               
               
                   
                 water level is not low nothing will happen because equivalent 
               
               
                   
                 contact “S” of water switch 30 will be open. 
               
               
                 7. 
                 If the sequence of events is such that the clock timer 38 
               
               
                   
                 opens contact “T”, of step 3b occurs first before step 3a, 
               
               
                   
                 then all power is removed from all components, the water stops 
               
               
                   
                 rising, the system is reset to its initial conditions and is 
               
               
                   
                 also ready to operate again. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     It should be noted that the delay timer  46  is required because if it were not connected in series with contacts C 2 , of second relay R 2 , and coil X 1 , of first relay R 1 , then, coil X 1 , of first relay R 1 , would be involved in a race with the coil X 2 , of second relay R 2 , resulting in random and unreliable results. Having the delay timer  44  present, accordingly insures that coil X 1 , of first relay R 1 , is only activated in response to coil X 2 , of second relay R 2 , being deactivated in response to the desired water level  12  having been achieved. 
     Examining the circuit  36  of FIG. 3 it is observed that it is shown with all components as if power has not yet been applied. At a typical sampling time, with a mode switch  58  set in the MAN position the following will occur. The timer  38  is bypassed and power is directly applied to the transformer primary winding  50  of transformer  52 . Accordingly the pump/solenoid valve  14  will be activated and will remain continuously activated until the water level  12  reaches contact  23  of the water sensor switch  30 . At this time the circuit  36  will become sensitive to every small disturbance as previously described as undesirable. This mode is useful if for some reason it is necessary to replenish a large quantity of water without having to change the normal schedule prescribe by the user suitable for the situation, as may be required by the parameters dictated by the particular containment vessel  10 . 
     There is one other feature of the circuit  36  which is particularly noteworthy. Attention is drawn to the fact that all the components isolated below the demarcation dotted line  56  may be operated at a lower voltage such as 24 volt, 12 volts or even 6 volts, while all the components isolated above the demarcation dotted line  56  may be operated at a higher voltage such as 120 volts, or even 240 volts. 
     This is particularly important because the components that are operated at the lower voltage, produced by the transformer secondary winding  54 , are in the group that can easily come in contact with animals or people and naturally if operated at a low voltage present a relatively lower risk for shock hazard or electrocution. At the same time however the circuit can have a normal value of residential voltage such as 120-AC or 240-AC which is typically that which comes out of most wall sockets present as a power source. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as a semiautomatic electronic system for sensing and raising liquid level in a containment vessel to a predetermine level, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.