CN115917158A - Control interface for a pump - Google Patents

Abstract

A control interface (150) for a pump (100). The control interface (150) includes a power source (130). The control interface (150) includes a controller (120) for activating an operating feature of the pump (100). The controller (120) is actuated by a user action (160). The control interface (150) is characterized in that the pumping action of the pump (100) is activated by an activation signal provided by the determination unit.

Description

pump control interface

technical field

This disclosure relates to pumps. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a control interface that allows safe and convenient operation of pumps, particularly submersible pumps.

Background technique

Pumps, such as submersible pumps, may include a control interface for operating the pump. The control interface includes one or more buttons, switches and indicators to allow the user to interact with the different modes and more importantly activate the pump. However, there are safety, legal and enforcement constraints on operating (ie, switching on) the pump in its submerged state.

Additionally, there are concerns about operating or starting the pump out of water, which could lead to dry run conditions. Dry running can cause undesired damage and degassing-related problems if the pump is submerged in liquid while it is running

US 4021700 (hereinafter referred to as the '700 reference) provides an example of a submersible pump. The '700 reference provides a three-phase submersible pump motor that includes a time delay before shutting down to avoid undesired nuisance shutting down due to transient or momentary conditions. When the pump motor loses power in response to an underload condition, it automatically restarts after a predetermined time delay. All delay functions are precisely determined by dividing the power line frequency. Downhole pressure and temperature are also sensed and if it becomes too high, the motor is automatically de-energized to prevent overheating. However, the '700 reference does not disclose a simple, secure interface that allows automatic activation of the pump motor based on factors such as user-specified conditions.

The US 5,190,442 reference (hereinafter referred to as the '442 reference) discloses an electronic pump control system comprising a container fluidly coupled to a plurality of pumps. Multiple pumps can be operated by the pump controller. Additionally, a processor is provided to start/stop one or more of the plurality of pumps based on programming between the pump controller and the processor. However, the '442 reference does not appear to describe the automatic and time-based activation of any pump thus after a predetermined time of receipt of power. Furthermore, the '442 reference and US 4,444,545 and US 4,705,456 references do not appear to have any features that would allow time-based activation of the pump to be combined with a liquid sensor. The absence of this critical feature can lead to safety and efficiency constraints on the operation of the pump. Furthermore, the pumps of these references lack preset time-based pump operation and may be prone to undesired failures and maintenance events, which may even endanger the safety of the pump and its users.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved control interface for a pump that provides safe and user-friendly operation of the pump.

Contents of the invention

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to solve or at least reduce the above mentioned disadvantages. This object is achieved at least in part by the control interface of the pump. The control interface includes a power source. The control interface includes a controller to control power and activate operating features of the pump. The controller is actuated by user action. The control interface is characterized in that the controller comprises a metering unit, wherein the pumping action of the pump is activated by the controller supplying power to the motor of the pump after receiving an activation signal provided by the metering unit. Thus, the present disclosure provides a simple, user Friendly and efficient control interface which allows safe activation of pumping action based on preset time periods. This is achieved by avoiding unnecessary dry running of the pump or the need to maneuver the pump when at least partially submerged.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the preset time period is in the range of about 10 seconds to about 90 seconds. The countdown of this preset period of time gives the operator of the pump the opportunity to perform an activity on the pump if the pump has not already performed a pumping action. The range of preset time periods may be any value based on pump, user preference, or other implementation factors.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit further comprises a memory storing a value representative of the time at which the pump receives power from the power source. If the memory stores a value associated with the remaining period of time during which the pump's motor is not powered, it is possible to pause the process of automatically switching on the pumping action for an indefinite period of time and resume the countdown at the paused position later. This can be started by the manual action of pressing the start/stop button. Alternatively, especially if the memory is permanent, the countdown could be paused when the pump is removed from the power source, and resumed when reconnected. This avoids supplying a preset period of time after the pump is reconnected to the power supply after which the assay unit provides an activation signal to power the pump's motor from the beginning (thus ignoring the already existing period of countdown in the past). Furthermore, this allows application benefits, such as accurate storage and checking of preset time periods by the memory unit.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the count for a preset period of time is displayed by one or more of an LED and an LCD provided on one of the control interface and a separate location. This can be used as a visual indicator for the operator of the pump to count for a preset period of time.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the user interface is integrated into the housing of the pump (100). This avoids the need for separate parts other than the pump housing, which makes the pump smoother and user friendly. According to one embodiment of the invention, the control interface includes a memory unit associated with the power supply and the controller. This allows application benefits to be accurately stored and checked by the memory unit for a preset period of time.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the operating characteristic is one or more of pump activation, mode change and timer mode. This may allow the control interface to activate different operating features or modes of the pump.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the pump is a submersible pump. Submersible pumps often create safety concerns associated with activation in submerged conditions, which are safely and conveniently addressed by the control interface of the present disclosure.

Other features and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a pump according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a pump submerged in a liquid according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the control interface of the pump according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a pump according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed ways

The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the invention incorporating one or more aspects of the invention are shown. However, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey to those skilled in the art scope of the invention. For example, one or more aspects of the invention can be used in other embodiments, and even in other types of structures and/or methods. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

Certain terms are used herein for convenience only and should not be considered as limitations of the invention. For example, "up", "down", "front", "back", "side", "portrait", "sideways", "landscape", "up", "down", "forward", " Backwards, Sideways, Left, Right, Horizontal, Vertical, Up, Inward, Outward, Inward, Outward, top", "bottom", "higher", "above", "below", "center", "middle", "middle", "between", "end", "adjacent", "adjacent" , "near", "distal", "remote", "radial", "circumferential" and the like describe only the configurations shown in the figures. In fact, components may be oriented in any orientation, and thus, the term should be understood to cover such variations unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 shows a pump 100 with a control interface 150 . This disclosure shows submersible pumps, however, this disclosure may be practiced with any other pump such as but not limited to pulse pumps, battery pumps, velocity pumps, gravity pumps as this disclosure is not in any way affected by the type/size/ Institutional limitations.

1 , 2 show the pump 100 before and after immersion in a liquid 110 . Liquid 110 may be water or any other liquid as used or known in the related art. The pump 100 includes a pump body 102 . The pump body 102 forms a main compartment 104 having an inlet port 106 (shown in FIG. 2 ) and a discharge port 108 for a liquid 110 (shown in FIG. 2 ). Liquid 110 is pumped up from inlet port 106 and out from outlet port 108 . In one embodiment, pump body 102 may also include a liquid sensor, or alternatively have a liquid sensor attached thereto. With this embodiment, the liquid sensor is able to detect liquid when the pump is at least partially submerged in the liquid sensor.

Advantageously, the control interface 150 of the pump 100 includes one or more lighting units 152 (typically LEDs 152, and the two terms are used interchangeably hereinafter). The control interface 150 of the present disclosure may typically be an electronic screen with touch-sensitive LEDs 152 that detect user actions 160. The one or more lighting units 152 may be sensing devices that detect user action 160 and enable operation of the pump 100 after a preset time period T based on the user action 160 . As will be appreciated with combined reference to FIGS. 1 , 2 , the lighting unit 152 allows adjustment of the maximum and minimum water levels controlled by the pumping action of the pump 100 . The one or more lighting units 152 may be present between the top 112 and the bottom 114 of the pump body 102 . This disclosure shows the lighting unit 152 starting around the top 112 of the pump body 102 , however actual implementations may have the lighting unit 152 in any location, orientation, style, component, etc. of the pump body 102 . The present disclosure relates to constraints related to handling, operating, running pump 100 , particularly submersible pump 100 , before and during the submerged condition in liquid 110 as shown in FIG. 2 . As will be apparent, any interaction with the pump 100 in the submerged state may result in safety, operational and other hazards to both the user and the pump 100 .

In one embodiment, the pump body 102 is made of any material, such as a waterproof material. For aesthetic and practical benefits, some parts or components of the pump body 102 may be made of transparent materials. Additionally, the pump body 102 or any component of the pump 100 may be fabricated from any one or combination of metals and polymers or any other material as used or known in the relevant art.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the pump 100 sets a preset time period T by interacting with the control interface 150 . This may be required due to safety, legal and implementation constraints of operating the pump 100 in a submerged state. The control interface 150 of the present disclosure allows the user to safely set the pump 100 for a preset time period T before placing the pump 100 within the liquid 110 as shown in FIG. 2 . The control interface 150 only allows the preset time period T to begin after detecting power from the power source 130 (shown in FIG. 3 ) connected to the pump 100 . This may ensure additional safety and checks to allow operation of the pump 100 based on a pre-fixed time period T and power from the power supply 130 .

In some embodiments, any number of checks and safety precautions may be provided with the pump 100, depending on user preference or application requirements. In a non-limiting example, the pump 100 may start running after a preset time period T based on the detection of the liquid 110 or a sufficient level of the liquid 110 to ensure safe and efficient operation. Thus, a controller comprising a metering unit to activate the pumping action of the pump 100 by providing power can function in different ways. That is, for example, after a preset time period T of the controller 120 receiving power from the power source 130 has elapsed, the determination unit provides the start signal. In another example, the pump 100 also includes a liquid sensor, and if this liquid sensor detects liquid, the assay unit provides an activation signal. Or alternatively, the aforementioned two conditions must be fulfilled, ie the activation signal is only provided if a preset time period T has elapsed and liquid is detected.

Furthermore, the control interface 150 may allow a visual, audio, notification or any other alert to be provided to the user regarding the end of the preset time period T, which will also signal activation/operation of the pump 100 .

The pump 100 may have a preset posture for setting a preset time period T. FIG. The preset gesture may include pressing any of the one or more lighting units 152 of the control interface 150, as shown by user action 160 in FIG. Any other type/location/setting of user action 160).

The pump 100 may be equipped with an indicator 154, which is one or more lighting units (e.g. LEDs) or an LCD display allowing to show a preset time period T and its running count, which is set after a user action 160 (e.g. by hand) . The one or more indicators 154 dynamically show the current count for the preset time period T and make it more visible and obvious to the user. In practice, the pump 100 will only start running after the preset time period T has elapsed, as would be indicated by the lighting or display status.

FIG. 3 shows the control interface 150 of the pump 100 . Control interface 150 includes power supply 130 . Control interface 150 includes controller 120 to activate operating features of pump 100 by powering the motor of pump 100 . In some embodiments, the operational feature is one or more of pump 100 activation, mode change, and timer mode. This may allow control interface 150 to activate different operating features of pump 100 . Controller 120 is actuated by user action 160 (shown in FIG. 1 ). The control interface 150 of the present disclosure allows the pumping action of the pump 100 to be activated by powering the motor of the pump after a preset time period T after receiving power from the power source 130 . In another possible embodiment, power is supplied to the motor after a liquid sensor on the pump 100 has detected liquid. In yet another embodiment, the controller 120 powers the motor of the pump 100 only after a preset time period T after receiving power from the power source 130 and if the liquid sensor on the pump 100 has detected liquid.

Thus, the present disclosure provides a simple, user-friendly, and efficient control interface 150 that allows for safe activation of the pump 100 based on a preset time period T. Additionally, control interface 150 includes memory unit 140 associated with power supply 130 and controller 120 . This allows the memory unit 140 to store and check the preset time period T and/or power from the power supply 130 . It is advantageous if this memory stores the current value even after removal of the power supply. In this case, after the pump 100 is reconnected to the mains, it is possible to count down the remainder of the preset time period T, avoiding the situation where the full preset time period T comes into play.

In some embodiments, one or more pumping actions or operating characteristics of the pump 100 are activated based on the detection of the power source 130 by the memory unit 140 of the pump 100 . This allows the pump 100 to be activated only after a safety check to detect the power source 130 and after a preset time period T has been verifiably counted by the user. This disclosure shows the pump 100 as a submersible pump 100, however, the control interface 150 can be readily applied to any pump without any limitation.

Figure 4 shows a pump 100 with a control interface 150 according to an embodiment of the invention. Control interface 150 allows for different levels or modes of control of pump 100 . Control interface 150 may allow various levels of control of pump 100 to be performed, such as, but not necessarily, overall control of pump 100 , wherein control interface 150 may be used to control any function of pump 100 without limitation. Furthermore, there may be situations where the control interface 150 may be able to control the pump 110 with some limitations, such as power control of the pump 100 only, for any reason. As shown, the control interface 150 includes control buttons 156 and an indicator 154 (eg, an LCD display). The present disclosure provides a control interface 150 having a compact, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing arrangement without compromising ease of use and convenience of application of the control interface 150 . The present disclosure further avoids the need for multiple levers, buttons, etc. to perform changes to the various modes, parameters operable by the control interface 150 of the pump 100 . This allows the average user to easily operate and set up the pump 100 to operate under submersion.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the count of the preset time period T is displayed by one or more indicators 154 or any display device provided on the control interface 150 . This can be used as a visual indicator of the user's count for a preset time period T. The indicators 154 of the present disclosure are preferably placed around the top 112 of the pump body 102 for easy access, visibility, and attention by the user. In a non-limiting example, the preset time period T is in the range of about 10 seconds to about 90 seconds. The range of preset time periods T may be any value based on pump 100, user preference, or other implementation factors. The preset time period T may generally be determined based on the user's ability to safely and conveniently move and set the pump 100 from a dry state (as shown in FIG. 1 ) to submerged in a liquid 110 (as shown in FIG. 2 ). Furthermore, the preset time period T may be easily configurable, modifiable through user interaction with the control interface 150 of the pump 100 .

In some embodiments, the control buttons 156 operate the pump 100 based on user action 160 . Additionally, indicator 154 may also indicate one or more operating characteristics (or parameters) of pump 100, such as by different colors, patterns, and any other indicators. Such an embodiment may make the control interface 150 safe and convenient to use, while providing ease of operation and aesthetic benefits to the application of the control interface 150 . In this case, based on the security provided by the preset time period T of the pump 100, different operations such as "on", "off", mode changes, etc. can be performed by different actions taken by different users on the control interface 150 .

In some embodiments, the control interface 150 may be adapted to interact with a user-portable device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, etc.) to communicate to the user-portable device information about mode changes, operating characteristics, time periods, in real time or according to user-set feature preferences. Any messages/notifications/alerts from . The control interface 150 may also allow activation, switching of different modes, operational features through the application of a user portable device. This arrangement is for exemplary purposes only, and the present disclosure can be readily used with any wireless device to communicate messages/notifications/alerts, as known or used in the art.

The control interface 150 of the present disclosure allows interaction and activation of the pump 100 using one or more of electronic devices (lighting unit 152), indicators 154, mechanical devices (control buttons 156), or wireless devices (user portable device, etc.). pumping action. In addition, the control interface 150 allows safe, user-friendly activation of the pump 100 by utilizing a buffer preset time period T that is activated after power 130 is supplied to the pump 100 . The control interface 150 also provides a visual indication and/or an alert to the user via one or more indicators 154 regarding the count of the preset time period T.

In the drawings and specification, preferred embodiments and examples of the present invention have been disclosed and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as set forth in the appended claims the scope of the invention.

component list

100 pumps

102 pump body

104 main compartment

106 entrance

108 outlet

110 liquid

112 top

114 bottom

120 controller

130 power supply

140 memory cells

150 control units

152 lighting units/LED

154 indicators

156 control buttons

160 user actions

T preset time period

Claims (7)

1. A control interface (150) of a pump (100), the control interface (150) comprising:

a power supply (130); and

a controller (120) configured to control the power source (130) and activate an operational feature of the pump (100), wherein the controller (120) is configured to be actuated by a user action (160),

the controller (120) comprises a determination unit,

wherein the pumping action of the pump (100) is activated by the controller (120) powering the motor of the pump (100) after receiving a start signal provided by the determination unit,

the method is characterized in that:

wherein the determination unit provides an activation signal in case a preset time period (T) has elapsed after the controller (120) receives power from the power source (130), or in case the pump (100) further comprises a liquid sensor and the liquid sensor detects liquid.

2. The control interface (150) of claim 1, wherein the preset time period (T) is in a range of about 10 seconds to about 90 seconds.

3. The control interface (150) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the controller (120) further comprises a memory storing a value representing a time at which the pump (100) receives power from the power source (130).

4. The control interface (150) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the count of the preset time period (T) is displayed by one or more of an LED and an LCD (154) provided on one of the control interface (150) and a separate location.

5. The control interface (150) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control interface (150) is integrated in a pump body (102) of the pump (100).

6. The control interface (150) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operational characteristic is one or more of an activation, a mode change and a timer mode of the pump (100).

7. A pump (100) associated with the control interface (150) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump (100) is a submersible pump (100).

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