Patent Publication Number: US-2021164474-A1

Title: Mobile Power Supply For Sump Pump

Description:
This Utility Patent Application is a Divisional Application of parent application Ser. No. 16/194,275, filed on Nov. 16, 2018, which is based on Provisional Patent Application No. 62/587,637, filed on Nov. 17, 2017. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to back-up power supplies for sump pumps, and more particularly, to a manually portable or mobile power supply that can be disposed to automatically energize an existing sump pump motor to remove water from an existing sump well. The present invention includes a sump pump in the mobile power supply enclosure that enables the mobile power supply to remove water from a flooded area by manually position the mobile power supply in the flood water and closing a switch that energize the sump pump in the enclosure. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     A myriad of prior art back-up power supply designs for sump pumps are commercially available. Prior art power supplies are installed adjacent to the sump pump for automatic starting of the sump pump in the event that the main power source is interrupted and a high water level is detected in the sump well, but these power supplies are not mobile. Other back-up power supply designs are mobile and can be manually disposed at flooded areas, but these mobile power supplies do no automatically energize an existing sump pump motor when the main power source to that sump pump motor is interrupted. 
     In addition, prior art back-up power supplies do not include a sump pump in the enclosure containing the batteries to enable the enclosure to be manually disposed in flood waters, then energizing the sump pump in the enclosure by manually moving a switch to an “on” position to remove flood water. 
     There is a need for a sump pump back-up power supply that provides automatic starting for a sump pump when a main power supply is interrupted and a high water level is detected in a sump pit. There is further need for a back-up power supply that includes an enclosure containing a sump pump, which can be disposed in a water of a flooded area, the back-up power supply being manually operated by closing a switch that energizes the enclosure sump pump, resulting in the removal of water from the flooded area to a predetermined remote area. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome many of the disadvantages associated with prior art back-up power supply devices for a sump pump. A principal object of the present invention is to provide a back-up power supply for sump pumps that is capable of automatically starting a sump pump when a main power source is interrupted and a high water level exists. Another object of the present invention is to include a back-up power supply with automatic starting capability and a manually movable enclosure containing a sump pump and a battery power source; the manually movable enclosure ultimately being disposed in water in a flooded area, thereby enabling the sump pump in the mobile enclosure to be energized by the battery power source and remove the surrounding flood water to another location. A feature of the power supply is handles and castors secured to an enclosure containing electrical components and a sump pump. Another feature of the power supply is an enclosure having upper and lower portions with electrical components in the upper portion and a sump pump in the lower portion. An advantage of the power supply is that the enclosure is mobile. Another advantage of the power supply is that electrical components are isolated from flood water in the upper portion of the enclosure and the sump pump disposed in a lower portion of the enclosure disposed in flood water, thereby promoting the removal of flood water via the sump pump in the enclosure. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide electrical equipment for automatically starting and stopping a sump pump in a sump well after a main power source for the sump pump is interrupted. A feature of the power supply is a level sensor disposed in a sump pit and a level controller disposed in the enclosure, the level sensor communicating with the level controller to start a sump pump when main power is interrupted and high water level is present in the sump well. An advantage of the power supply is that the level controller energizes the sump pump motor when the water level in the sump well reaches a predetermined high level. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a back-up power supply capable of notifying a person about a high water condition present in a sump well. A feature of the power supply is a level controller having a wireless system that can transmit a high level alarm to a smart phone. An advantage of the power supply is that the person informed of the high level condition via the smart phone can energize the sump pump in the power supply enclosure to add pumping capacity to remove water accumulating in a basement due to water overflowing the sump well. 
     In brief, the present invention is a mobile-automatic power supply device for a sump pump that includes: 
     an enclosure having a handle that cooperates with wheels attached to the enclosure to promote manual movement of the device, the enclosure having slidably connected upper and lower portions that enable an upper portion of the enclosure to be elevated above a water level and detachably secured to the lower portion, thereby isolating electrical components in the upper portion from water covering a flooded area; 
     a battery sized to operate a sump pump in a sump pump well for a predetermined time period after a power outage; 
     an electrical receptacle for receiving a power cord connected to the sump pump; 
     an electrical inverter for converting 12 V.D.C. to 120 V.A.C. for energizing the sump pump; 
     a level sensor disposed in the sump pump well, the level sensor cooperating with a level controller disposed in the enclosure to cause the sump pump to energize when a predetermined high water level in the sump well is detected, the level sensor and controller cooperating to cause the sump pump to de-energize when a predetermined low water level in the sump well is detected; and 
     a second sump pump disposed in the lower portion of the enclosure such that a water intake port of the second sump pump is below the surface of the water covering the flooded area, thereby enabling said second sump pump to transport water from a flooded area to a predetermined area sufficiently remote to prevent transported water from seeping back into the flooded area; whereby, the device is manually disposed to operate a sump pump remote to the device such that the sump pump removes water from a sump well, and/or the device is manually disposed in water flooding an area such that a sump pump included in the device removes water from the flooded area and transports the removed water to a predetermined remote area. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing invention and its advantages may be readily appreciated from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan diagram of a mobile-automatic power supply for a sump pump in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an electrical block diagram illustrating the electrical connections for the electrical components for the mobile-automatic power supply for a sump pump depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an electrical wiring diagram for the mobile-automatic power supply of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevation view of the enclosure depicted in  FIG. 1 , but without castors attached. 
         FIG. 5  is a left side elevation view of the enclosure depicted in  FIG. 1 , but without castors attached. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, a mobile-automatic start and stop power supply device and method for energizing a sump pump during a power outage is denoted as numeral  10 . The device  10  includes an enclosure  12  that functions as a standalone housing or “dolly” for manual mobility and is manufactured from plastic, wood or similar non-electrically conductive material to minimize weight to enable the manual lifting and pulling of the mobile power supply device  10 , and to promote safety by reducing the chance of an electrical short circuit when supplying electrical power to a sump pump  18 . The enclosure  12  includes a carrying handle  14  and a relatively large dolly handle  15  (horizontally and vertically offset from the carrying handle  14 ) that cooperate with wheels or castors  16  attached to a bottom portion or bottom surface of the enclosure  12  for promoting manual movement of the device upon a substantially horizontal surface or up and/or down stairs leading to and from a preexisting sump pump  18  disposed in a sump pump well or pit  20  in the basement of a home or similar structure below ground level. The enclosure  12  can be rectangular configured by six walls with a hinged front wall  74  to expose the internal components of the enclosure to ultimately replace failed electrical components and discharged or added batteries. An alternative configuration is to include a hinged front wall  74  that covers only an upper portion  56  of the enclosure  12 , thereby exposing a lower portion  58  that includes a 12 V.D.C. sump pump  52  for easy access for the user of the device  10  (see  FIG. 1 ). A dividing member or plate  70  fabricated from non-electrically conductive material may be detachably joined at the option of the user to the bottom of the upper portion  56  and the top of the lower portion  58  to electrically and mechanically separate the upper and lower portions  56  and  58 . 
     A preferred configuration for the enclosure  12  is to include separated upper and lower portions  56  and  58  dimensioned such that the upper portion  56  is slightly smaller than the lower portion  58  to promote the snug insertion of the upper portion  56  into the lower portion  58 , thereby enabling the upper portion  56  to be elevated relative to the lower portion  58  when the device  10  is used to remove water from a selected area via the sump pump  52  in the lower portion  58 . The dividing member  70  forms a substantial water barrier for preventing water from engaging the electrical components in the upper portion  56  when the sump pump  52  in the lower portion  58  is energized and removes water via a flexible discharge conduit or pipe  53 . 
     The typical existing sump pump  18  includes a power cord  27  having a standard 3 prong plug (hot, neutral and ground) attached to one end of the power cord  27  with the opposite end of the power cord  27  mechanically secured to and electrically connected to an electrical motor detachably secured to the sump pump  18 . The pump  18  further includes a high water level switch (not depicted) that ultimately energizes the motor which rotates the pump  18  when a high level occurs  34  in the well  20 . The pump  18 , power cord  27  and high water level switch assembly enables a user to remove water from the well  20  by depositing the pump  18  in the well  20  and inserting the plug into a standard 120 V.A.C. electrical receptacle  24  adjacent to the pump  18 ; whereupon, a predetermined high water level  34  causes electrical contacts in the high water level switch to close, thereby energizing the motor and rotating the pump  18  to remove water from the well  20  until a predetermined low water level is sensed by the high water level switch. 
     The present device  10  is manually mobile and enables a user to dispose the device  10  adjacent to the preexisting pump  18  in the well  20 , such that the device  10  can energize the motor-pump  18  combination and remove water from the well  20  after power has been interrupted to the receptacle  24 . The device  10  energizes the pump motor via a first 12 V.D.C. battery  22  connected to an inverter  23  that converts the 12 V.D.C. to 120 V.A.C., which is supplied to the motor detachably secured to the pump  18 . Further, the inverter  23  together with all cooperating electrical equipment required to energize a sump pump  18  having a voltage rating other than 120 V.A.C., can include a voltage rating corresponding to the sump pump  18  voltage, irrespective of the sump pump  18  voltage being A.C. or D.C. 
     The battery  22  has an amp-hour rating sufficient to operate the sump pump  18  for a predetermined time span (twenty-four hours for example) after a power outage. The required amp-hour rating for a predetermined sump pump  18  is easily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art. The preferred battery  22  is lithium having relatively light weight and a relatively high amp-hour rating that supplies a nominal 12 V.D.C. power to the inverter  23  in the enclosure  12 . Inverters  23  are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are readily sized to convert 12 V.D.C. power to the required 120 V.A.C. power required by the preexisting sump pump  18  or by a replacement sump pump  18  having greater water pumping capacity. 
     A battery charger  21  is disposed in the enclosure  12  and is connected to the battery  22  via wires  25 . The battery charger  21  is ultimately plugged into a standard 120 V.A.C. home electrical receptacle  24  to supply power to the battery charger  21 , which converts the 120 V.A.C. to 12 V.D.C. to maintain the battery  22  fully charged until the battery  22  is required to energize the sump pump  18  via the inverter  23 . A double pole-single throw disconnect switch  28  is secured to the outer side wall  26  of the enclosure  12 . The disconnect switch  28  isolates the battery  22  and voltage inverter  23  from the sump pump  18  to promote safety for a person inspecting and/or touching the sump pump  18  in the sump pump well  20 . 
     A level sensor  30  is disposed in the sump pit  20  containing the sump pump  18  and the cooperating level controller  32  is disposed in the enclosure  12 . The level controller  32  receives an electrical signal from the level sensor  30  that represents the water level in the well  20 . The electrical signal is transmitted from the level sensor  30  to the controller  32  via a pair of wires in a flexible water proof cover  33 , the same wires  33  supply power from the controller  32  (which receives power from the battery  22 ) to the sensor  30  at a relatively low voltage that prevents injury to anyone coming in contact with the wet surface of the sensor  30 . The sensor  30  enables the controller  32  to continuously determine the water level in the sump pump well  20  at any point between a low water level  36  and a high water level alarm point  59 , thereby enabling the controller  32  to control water level in the well  20  by closing contacts  35 , resulting in the battery  22  energizing the sump pump  18 . The sensor  30  also provides continuous well  20  water level information to the controller  32  that can be relayed to a computer (not depicted) via a Universal Serial Bit (UBS) port  60  connected to the controller  32 . The controller  32  is linked to the computer via hard wire or wireless modems, thereby allowing a person concerned about a possible loss of power at the receptacle  24  to watch or listen via a smart phone or computer screen in real time water removal from the well  20  by the device  10 . 
     The level controller  32  energizes the sump pump  18  motor by closing electrical contacts  35  inside and operated by the controller  32  when a predetermined high water level  34  in the sump well  20  is detected. The level sensor  30  and level controller  32  also cooperate to de-energize the sump pump  18  by opening the contacts  35  when a predetermined low water level  36  in the sump pump is detected. The level sensor  30  and controller  32  can be replaced by a myriad of level sensor and controlling devices including but not limited to electrical float switches, sonic sensors, sensing rods and combinations thereof; and electrical or digital controllers having a myriad of control parameters. The level sensors and controllers are all well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The mobility of the device  10  enables the device  10  to be manually disposed adjacent to the well  20  to remove water from the well  20  after power is lost at the power source receptacle  24 . The combination of the above described electrical components enables the device  10  to automatically start when a high water level is measured in the well  20 , thereby allowing the device  10  to be disposed adjacent to the well  20  before power is lost at the receptacle  24 , and initiating device  10  water removal operation after power is lost at the receptacle  24 . The device continuously removes water from the well  20  after the water level has reached the high level  34 , and continues to remove water until a low water level  36  is reached, whereupon, the level controller  32  opens contacts  35  and de-energizes the motor coupled to the sump pump  18 , thereby allowing water to again accumulate in the well  20 . 
     The level sensor  30  is manually disposed in the sump well  20 , and the plug of the sump pump flexible power cord  27  is manually inserted into an electrical receptacle in the disconnect switch  28 , thereby enabling the device  10  to start and stop the sump pump  18  automatically, resulting in the maintaining of a predetermined water level range  38  in the sump well  18 . The water level range  38  is defined by the high and low water setpoints  34  and  36  programmed into level controller  32 , resulting in the sump pump  18  motor being energized when the level controller  32 , via the level sensor  30 , detects a high water level  34  in the pit  20 . The energized sump pump  18  removes water from the sump pit  20  via a discharge pipe  19  until the level controller  32  detects a low water level  36  in the sump pit  20 ; whereupon, the level controller  32  de-energizes the sump pump  18  motor, thereby allowing the water level in the pit  20  to increase until again reaching the high level set point  34  causing the water removing cycle to repeat. 
     The device  10  further includes a solar panel  40  for charging the battery  22  (when a 120 V.A.C. electrical receptacle  24  is not available) via wires encased in a flexible weather proof cover  41 . To safely promote the connection of the solar panel  40  to the battery  22 ; a double pole-single throw disconnect switch  42  for isolating the solar panel  40  from the battery  22 , and a voltage regulator  44  for maintaining the charging current from the solar panel  40  to the battery  22  at a nominal 12 V.D.C. are included. 
     The mobile power supply device  10  can be modified to include a second 12 V.D.C. battery  50  or multiple 12 V.D.C. batteries (secured to the device  10  via a bracket (not depicted)) and electrically connected in parallel with the first batter  22  to provide additional operating time for the device  10  after a power outage occurs. Further, the mobile device  10  can be expanded to include a 12 V.D.C. sump pump  52  secured to a bottom portion of the device  10  such that the sump pump  52 , when energized via the battery  22 , can suction water into an intake port of the sump pump  52 , when the intake port is below the surface of the water of a flooded basement (for example), then discharge the suctioned water via a flexible conduit  53  secured to a discharge port of the sump pump  52  such that the suctioned water is deposited remotely from the flooded area. 
     To enable the mobile device  10  to remove relatively deep water from a remote area where no sump pump is available, the enclosure  12  with all electrical components, batteries  22  and  50 , and a double pole-single throw disconnect switch  51  that manually connects the batteries  22  and  50  to the sump pump  52 , are secured in an upper portion  56  of the enclosure  12  of the device  10 . The 12 V.D.C. sump pump  52  is secured in a lower portion  58  of the device  10 , and the upper and lower portions  56  and  58  are slidably joined such that the upper portion  56  snugly inserts into the lower portion  58 , thereby enabling the upper portion  56  to be manually elevated relative to the lower portion  58 . A peripheral gasket  57  prevents moisture from seeping between engaging vertical walls of the upper and lower portions  56  and  58  as the upper portion  56  is slidably positioned relative to the lower portion  58 . 
     When the upper portion  56  has been manually elevated to a selected position, multiple extractable retaining rods  64  are inserted through cooperating apertures (not depicted) in the lower and upper portions  58  and  56 , thereby maintaining the elevated position of the upper portion  56 . Added support for the upper portion  56  can be provided by including telescoping legs similar in design to the shaft of an umbrella (not depicted) that are joined to a bottom inner wall of the lower portion  58  and a bottom wall of the dividing member  70 . The elevated upper portion  56  prevents water from engaging electrical components in the upper portion  56  of the enclosure, and allows water to engage the sump pump  52  disposed in the lower portion  58 , such that a suction port of the sump pump  52  is disposed below the water level at a position that promotes the removal of substantially all standing water via a flexible conduit  53  connected to a discharge port of the sump pump  52 . A relatively long power cord  55  connects the load side of the disconnect switch  51  to the 12 V.D.C. pump  52 , thereby allowing maximum manual elevation of the upper portion  56  relative to the lower portion  58 . 
     The mobile power supply device  10  for sump pumps further includes a high water level alarm that is activated by the level controller  32  when the water level in the sump pit  20  reaches a preselected high level  59  above the high water level  34 . In the event that the high sump pump  18  cannot prevent the water level in the well  20  from rising to the preselected high water alarm level  59  in the well  20 , a high water level alarm will sound at a preselected location and will be transmitted to a smart phone of a person responsible for preventing water damage due to rising water level in the well  20  rising above the well  20  and into the surrounding area. The high water level alarm can include, but not be limited to an audio signal or visual signal, or by using a USB port  60  connected to the level controller  32 , alarms can be routed to a preselected designee via phone lines or a WIFI system connected to the level controller  32  to provide an alarm to a designated smart phone. The alarm can be in achieved via a recorded phone call, text, email or similar communication means. 
     In operation, when using the device  10  as an automatic start-stop back-up for an existing sump pump  18 , a flexible power cord  72  connected to the battery charger  21  is plugged into an electrical receptacle  24 , and a power cord  27  connected to the existing sump pump  18  is plugged into an electrical receptacle  31  secured to a power switch  28  that is secured to an outer side wall  26  of the enclosure  12 . To prevent the existing float switch attached to the installed sump pump  18  from interfering with the operation of the device  10 , the existing float switch is removed, bypassed or locked in a closed position, such that the contacts  35  in the level controller  32  are wired in series with the existing closed contacts of the existing pump  18 , resulting in only the contacts  35  controlling the operation of the sump pump  18  as described above. 
     When using the device  10  to remove water from a flooded basement that has lost power to operate an existing sump pump  18  or to remove water from a flooded area that has no existing sump pump, the upper portion  56  of the enclosure  12  is elevated (if necessary) to position the upper portion  56  above an existing water level. A second or 12 V.D.C. sump pump  52  is attached to an inner bottom wall forming a lower portion  58  of the enclosure  12 , such that an intake port (not depicted) of the sump pump  52  is positioned to remove a maximum amount of water from a flooded area. The second sump pump  52  is energized by positioning a double pole-single throw switch  51  in a closed position. A flexible conduit  53  having a predetermined length is attached to a discharge port (not depicted) of the sump pump  52 , the predetermined length of the conduit  53  enabling the transport of water from a flooded area to an area sufficiently remote to the flooded area to prevent removed water from seeping back into the flooded area. Power cord  72  is independently “wound-up” and secured to the carrying handle  14 , wires  33  and level sensor  30  are disconnected from the level controller  32 , and power cord  27  is disconnected and disposed adjacent to the sump pump, thereby preventing the cords, plugs and wires from being damaged when the device is being operated to remove water from the flooded area. 
     In the event that the device  10  is being used as a back-up power supply for a basement sump pump  18  that has had a main power source interrupted, and rising water in the sump well  20  is faster than sump pump  18  can remove, upon an accumulation of water in the basement, the sump pump  52  in the enclosure  12  of the device  10  can be energized by manually closing the starting switch  51 , thereby increasing the pumping capacity for removing water from the sump well  20 , and lowering the water collecting in the basement. To prevent the sump pump  52  from being damaged when water level in the basement is reduced such that no water or very little water is circulating through the sump pump  52 , a low water level shutdown switch can be included in the lower portion  58  of the enclosure  12  to de-energize the sump pump  52 . Furthermore, a relay can be installed in place of the starting switch  51  to enable a person to remotely energize or de-energize the sump pump  52  by “instructing” the level controller  32  by a smart phone to energize or de-energize the relay, thereby correspondingly closing or opening contacts in the electrical circuit providing power to the sump pump  52 , resulting in the starting or stopping of the sump pump  52 . 
     The foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection accorded this invention. The scope of protection is to be measured by the following claims, which should be interpreted as broadly as the inventive contribution permits.