Patent ID: 8578770

Claim:
A method of encapsulating a liquid level sensor device within a protective monolithic block through over-molding a printed circuit board assembly supporting a plurality of electronic components and a sensor to sense the accumulation of condensate to a predetermined level within a collection reservoir from a condensate producing source comprising: (a) mounting the plurality of electronic components to the upper surface of the printed circuit board; (b) mounting the external sensor to the lower surface of the printed circuit board; (c) mounting a relay to the upper surface of the printed circuit board; (d) enclosing the relay within a protective relay cover by aligning at least two alignment pins disposed on the lower portion of the protective relay cover over a corresponding alignment aperture formed in the printed circuit board to align the protective relay cover over the relay and placing the alignment pins through the alignment apertures extending through the printed circuit board; (e) sealing the relay cover on the upper surface of the printed circuit board in surrounding relationship relative to the relay to isolate the relay from the monolithic block; (f) placing the printed circuit board and relay/relay cover within a mold comprising an upper modular block including a resin filling gate and a lower modular block including a sensor aperture to receive a portion of the sensor therein such that the alignment pins engage the upper surface of the lower module block to support the printed circuit board in spaced relationship relative to the lower module block; (g) filling the mold with a low pressure molding resin through the resin filling gate; (h) allowing the low pressure molding resin to set to form the protective monolithic block entirely around the printed circuit board, relay, protective relay cover and the upper portion of the sensor and (i) removing the liquid level sensor device encapsulated in the protective monolithic block from the mold.