Abstract:
The present invention is a simple, inexpensive and reliable device for monitoring and alerting of a power disruption to an appliance or a piece of equipment. An audible and/or visual alarm may be generated in the event that a specific or a piece of electrical equipment becomes disconnected from its electrical source. The device for monitoring and alerting of a power disruption may operate from an internal battery in case the electrical power source to the appliance disrupted. Additionally, a power-surge-suppression, a rechargeable battery, and a charger for the battery may make the device more reliable. The remote receiver may receive a broadcasted alarm signal from the monitoring device and then notify a user with a visual and/or audible alarm at a location where the alarm is more likely to be seen and heard.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/453,777 filed Mar. 11, 2003. Said U.S. Provisional Application 60/453,777 is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a device for monitoring a power disruption and particularly to an audible and/or visual alarm device for alerting users in the event that appliances and electrical equipment lose power. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   There are many home appliances and electrical equipment which require a continuous supply of electrical power in order to properly function. This may include sump pumps, spare freezers, server computers, fire alarm systems, sprinkler system timers and the like. Sometimes, appliances and equipment are located in remote areas where a user may not easily detect a power disruption. A power disruption may be caused in many ways such as unplugging of the plug of the appliance from an electrical outlet, ground fault interrupt (GFI) plug, or tripped breaker with no apparent indication of such a disruption. If there is a power disruption to an appliance that requires a constant supply of electricity, it may end up costing a great deal of money and time to remedy the situation. For example, foods stored in a spare freezer may perish if the power disruption to the spare freezer is not detected in time. 
   Consequently, a simple and inexpensive device that can be employed by home owners or small business owners for monitoring a power disruption and for notifying the power disruption to users who are away from the alarming device is necessary. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to provide a simple, inexpensive and reliable device for monitoring and providing an alarm during a power disruption. Further the present invention is directed to provide a device for transmitting and relaying alarm notification of a power disruption to a remote location. 
   In an embodiment of the invention, a device for monitoring and alerting of a power disruption comprises generally a receptacle monitor including a circuitry that may determine whether it is receiving electricity from a conventional wall outlet and whether an appliance is mechanically plugged into the receptacle monitor. An appliance may be plugged into the receptacle monitor of the present invention which may be plugged into the conventional wall outlet. The receptacle monitor may give an audible and/or visual alert signal in case of a failure of electrical power at the wall outlet, a disconnection between the wall outlet and receptacle monitor, or disconnection between the receptacle monitor and the appliance. 
   In an advantageous aspect of the present invention, an internal backup battery may be included for powering the circuitry to give an audible and/or visual alert signal in case of a power disruption. A charger for the internal backup battery and a surge-suppression may make the device for monitoring and alerting of a power disruption more reliable. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the device for monitoring and alerting of a power disruption may comprise a receptacle monitor having a transmitter that can broadcast an alarm signal to a remote monitor. The remote monitor may receive a wireless signal from the receptacle monitor and provide an alarm to a remote location. In a further advantageous aspect of the present invention, the wireless remote receiver monitor may be portable and carried by a user and alert the user on the spot about the power disruption of a certain appliance located remotely from the user. 
   It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
       FIGS. 1–3  are perspective views from back, front and side, respectively, illustrating an embodiment of a receptacle monitor in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a vertical section view taken through the receptacle monitor and a plug illustrating an embodiment of the receptacle monitor in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing one mode of operation of the electrical circuitry which forms the receptacle monitor of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the remote monitor unit in accordance with the present invention; and 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing one mode of operation of the electrical circuitry which forms the remote monitor unit of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to an embodiment of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   In an embodiment of the present invention, the device for monitoring and alerting a power disruption may be configured to operate on any single-phase equipment of any voltage or amperage. Preferably, the device for monitoring and alerting a power disruption may comprise at least one receptacle monitor having a circuitry that may determine whether it is receiving electricity from a conventional wall outlet (power outlet) and whether an appliance is mechanically plugged into the receptacle monitor and at least one remote monitor receiving alerting signals form the receptacle monitor and alerting a remote user. 
     FIGS. 1–3  show perspective views of a receptacle monitor  100  generally designated for monitoring and alarming of a power disruption to an appliance or a piece of electronic equipment. The receptacle monitor  100  is preferably constructed of a suitable molded plastic. Alternatively the receptacle monitor  100  may be constructed of a flame retardant impact resistant molded plastic. In an embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle monitor  100  may comprise a conventional three prong male outlet  101  (having one phase conductor, one neutral conductor and one ground conductor) for standard one hundred ten (110) volt wall socket (power outlet). Alternatively, depending on the standard voltage of the wall socket and the appliance, various kinds of male prong may be employed. For example, the receptacle monitor  100  may comprise a two prong male outlet for standard two hundred twenty (200) volt wall socket (for most European standards). A power switch  102  may be placed on the back panel of the receptacle monitor  100  in order to be inaccessible while the receptacle monitor  100  is plugged in the wall outlet (power outlet). This position may insure that the device of monitoring and alerting of a power disruption will not be rendered inoperative unintentionally due to the switch  102  of the receptacle monitor  100  being off. A battery-cover  103  for accessing a battery that provides power to give audible and/or visual alert signals in the event of power failure of the receptacle monitor itself may be located on the back panel of the receptacle monitor  100 . Additionally, the status of the battery may be monitored so that the user can be notified when the battery voltage falls below a certain safe operating range. In an alternative embodiment, a rechargeable battery may be connected to a battery charging circuitry in the receptacle monitor  100 . For example, a rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery, a rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) battery or the like may be employed as a rechargeable backup battery. 
   A conventional female receptacle outlet  205  with one small extra internal contact  410  (auxiliary contact) on the neutral side for completing the circuit that holds the alarm off may be positioned on the front panel of the receptacle monitor  100 . Now referring to  FIG. 4 , a vertical section view taken through the receptacle monitor  100  and an exemplary plug  420  of the appliance inserted in the female receptacle outlet  205  are shown. An auxiliary contact  410  may be incorporated into the female receptacle outlet  205  that makes conductive contact with one of the bayonets  412  of the appliance being plugged in. Therefore, either two or three prong plug appliance may be inserted in the female receptacle outlet  205  and monitored for disconnections. Further, an opening  206  for audible alarm and visual alarm circuit  207  such as a light emitting diode (LED) may be exposed on the front panel of the receptacle monitor  100 . One of the examples of audible alarm circuit may be an audible piezo beeper. 
     FIG. 5  shows a schematic diagram of the electrical circuitry  500  which forms a receptacle monitor  100  of the present invention. 
   In an embodiment of the present invention, the electrical circuitry  500  for the receptacle monitor  100  may comprise a three prong plug (conventional male outlet)  545  connecting to a relay  505  that is also connected through a power switch  510  to a battery  515 . Electricity from the power outlet will pass through from the three prong plug  545  directly to a female receptacle outlet  540  on the receptacle monitor  100  via conductors that are rated for the duty of the outlet. For example, a receptacle monitor  100  designed for a standard wall outlet rated at 15 amps will have current carrying conductors rated at no less than 15 amps passing the current through to female receptacle outlet  540  of the receptacle monitor  100 . A normally closed contact of relay  505  is connected to the input of a flasher circuit  520  for triggering or resetting a visual circuit  525 , for example, an LED and also connected to the input of an audible alarm circuit  535 . Additionally a normally closed contact of relay  505  is also connected to input of a transmitter circuitry  530 . The transmitter circuitry  530  may transmit a signal by wireless radio frequency to a remote monitor that may be remotely located whenever power is disrupted to the monitored appliance. 
   A female receptacle outlet  540  may incorporate an auxiliary contact point  542  on the neutral side of the female receptacle outlet  544 . The auxiliary contact point  542  may make conductive contact with the neutral male bayonet of the appliance being monitored when it is fully inserted into the female receptacle outlet  540 . This will create an electrical circuit to the neutral side of the coil on a normally closed relay  505 . The line side of the coil of the normally closed relay  505  will be permanently attached to the line side male bayonet of the receptacle monitor&#39;s plug  545 . If the equipment or the appliance is unplugged from the receptacle monitor, the electrical connection between the auxiliary contact  542  and the actual neutral current carrying contact  544  in the female receptacle outlet  540  becomes disassociated, power is then removed from the coil of a normally closed relay  505  closing the relay contacts from the battery  515  to the flasher circuit  520 , the audible alarm  535  and causes visual and audio alarm triggered. Thus, if the equipment or the appliance becomes unplugged from the receptacle monitor  500 , the power is removed from the receptacle monitor  500  by a tripped breaker, tripped ground fault interrupt circuit, the male outlet  545  and female receptacle outlet  540  are conductively disconnected (power failure in the receptacle monitor itself) or the like, the line side current will be removed from the coil of the normally closed relay  505 , closing the relay  505  contacts and allow current to flow from the battery  515  to the visual alarm  525 , the audible alarm  535 , and the transmitter circuitry  530 . Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, the receptacle monitor may comprise a power surge protection which will allow excess voltage to be carried safely to earth ground to protect itself as well as the equipment it is monitored by the receptacle monitor. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of a remote monitor  600  in the present invention is shown. The remote monitor  600  may be constructed of a suitable molded plastic, a flame retardant impact resistant molded plastic or the like. In an embodiment of the present invention, the remote monitor  600  may comprise a power switch  620 , an opening for a visual alarm  605 , an opening for an audible alarm  615 , and an alarm test button  610 . An electric line cord  625  may extends from the remote monitor  600  and terminate in a plug  630  suitable for plugging into a wall socket. Additionally, the remote monitor  600  may include a back up battery for function during a power failure to the remote monitor. Alternatively, the remote monitor  600  may be cordless and comprise a battery-cover for accessing a battery. 
     FIG. 7  depicts a schematic diagram of the electrical circuitry which forms the remote monitor  700  of the present invention. The remote monitor unit  700  may include a battery  730  for function during a power failure to the remote monitor. In an embodiment in the present invention, the remote monitor  700  may include a rechargeable battery  730 . A battery charging circuitry  725  may be connected to the rechargeable battery  730  which is again connected through a flasher  740  for a visual alarm  735 , an audible alarm  745 , an alarm test button  750 , a radio receiver  755 , and a power switch  760 . The remote monitor unit  700  may receive a wireless alerting signal via a radio receiver  755  from several receptacle monitor devices. The remote monitor  700  may be carried by the user and alert the user on the spot by using a visual alarm  735  and an audible alarm  745  in the event of the power disruption of a certain appliance located remotely from the user. For example, a sump pump may be located in the basement with a receptacle monitor device and the user in an upstairs room may be informed by the remote monitor  700  near him or her. As such, the battery operated remote monitor  700  may give great freedom for the user who has to move around in a large house or a commercial business where the alerting signal of power disruption will be readily noticed due to the portable battery operated remote monitor  700 . Alternatively, the remote monitor  700  may comprise a plug and a cord providing regulated direct current power from a wall outlet to the remote monitor  700  as well as a back up battery. 
   Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it should be recognized that elements thereof may be altered by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is believed that the method for the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.