초록 ▼

An improved bilge water level monitor, alert and control system for boats and other vessels. The system provides a method of detecting excessive leakage of water into the bilge and in response to the excessive water in the bilge, triggering an alarm to notify the operator and others and energizes bi

An improved bilge water level monitor, alert and control system for boats and other vessels. The system provides a method of detecting excessive leakage of water into the bilge and in response to the excessive water in the bilge, triggering an alarm to notify the operator and others and energizes bilge pumps to remove the excessive water. The system is designed with many redundancies in the sub elements and subsystems for safety. The system provides a means for reducing the likelihood of exhausting battery power in the event of a significant seawater leakage problem. The electrical power rating of the monitoring circuitry components is relatively low, thereby reducing the size and weight of those components relative to prior bilge pump monitoring and alert systems. There is no electrical wiring exposed to bilge water during system operation thereby reducing damage to the wiring components. The water level detection and control circuitry operates with sufficiently low amperage to substantially eliminate the hazard of spark-induced combustion.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed: 1. An apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel, said system comprising: (a) a water level sensing assembly constructed for operation within a sea vessel's bilge compartment comprising; (i) a low water level sensing unit including a water level sensing hou

What is claimed: 1. An apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel, said system comprising: (a) a water level sensing assembly constructed for operation within a sea vessel's bilge compartment comprising; (i) a low water level sensing unit including a water level sensing housing body, a water level sensing housing bottom, a water level sensing housing bottom opening with an outward facing counter sunk opening for reducing clogging while allowing bilge water to enter a float chamber disposed within the water level sensing housing body from outside the water level sensing housing body, a float chamber sidewall opening allowing water flow directly to a float assembly disposed within the float chamber when a slosh guard disposed within said float chamber is clogged, the float assembly adapted and configured for applying force to a reed switch when the water level raises, the reed switch for completing an electrical circuit to a first relay, a slosh guard for reducing water particles from contacting the float assembly and two reed switch wires for transferring an electrical signal from the reed switch to the first relay; and (ii) a high water level sensing unit including a water level sensing housing body, a water level sensing housing bottom, a water level sensing housing bottom opening with an outward facing counter sunk opening for reducing clogging while allowing bilge water to enter the float chamber from outside the housing, a float chamber sidewall opening to allow water flow directly to the float when the slosh guard is clogged, a float for applying force to the reed switch when the water level raises, a reed switch for completing an electrical circuit to a second relay, a slosh guard for reducing water particles from contacting the float assembly and two reed switch wires for transferring an electrical signal from the reed switch to the second relay; (b) a power pack unit constructed for operation within an engine room area comprising; a housing for enclosing the logic and control circuitry for the power pack unit, power input terminals for connecting the power pack unit to multiple DC power supplies, power output terminals for connecting to multiple bilge pumps, a diode pack connected to the power input terminals to isolate batteries disposed in said housing and operatively connected to said diode pack for multiple power source connections, harness ports for connecting a low and high water level sensing unit wiring harness, a harness port for connection of a wiring harness from a main control panel, a harness port for an optional wiring harness connection from a remote status panel, an electrical connection from the low water level sensing unit's reed switch and a negative coil terminal of the first relay, an electrical connection from the high water level sensing unit's reed switch and a positive coil terminal of the second relay, first timer switch, second timer switch, and an on-site manual switch for manually turning on pumps without disengaging a monitoring and alarm system, said power pack unit responds to signal inputs to control bilge pump function; (c) a main control panel constructed for operation within the engine room area comprising; a main control panel housing, an indicator for indicating that the monitoring and alarm system is in an automatic mode, an indicator for indicating that the monitoring and alarm system is in a manual mode, indicator for indicating that the bilge pumps have been energized, an indicator for indicating that the bilge pumps have been energized for an extended time period, a main control panel wiring harness for connecting the main control panel to the power pack unit, a remote status panel harness for connecting a remote status panel to the main control panel and a double-throw triple-pole switch for switching the system from the automatic to the manual mode of operation; (d) a remote status panel constructed for operation within any area of the vessel comprising; a main status panel housing, the automatic mode indicator, the manual mode indicator, the pimp on indictor, the check bilge indicator the automatic mode indicator, the manual mode indicator, the pimp on indictor, the check bilge indicator, a remote status panel wiring harness for connecting the remote status panel to the main control panel; (e) a back-up high water alarm/control unit constructed for operation within the engine room area comprising; a housing for enclosing alarm/control logic and control circuitry for the back-up high water alarm/control unit, power input terminals for connecting the power pack to multiple DC power supplies which can be either an existing DC power supply or an independent power supply for redundancy, power output terminals for connecting to multiply bilge pumps which can be either existing bilge pumps or independent bilge pumps, a diode pack connected to the power input terminals isolating batteries from multiple power source connections, a system on-off switch which is normally closed and connected in series with a first action float switch, the first action float switch being located in a bilge area at an elevation higher than the high water level sensing unit as a safety back up feature, a Low Float On light, a second action float switch located in the bilge at an elevation slightly higher than the highest elevation that water in the bilge would ever reach during normal operation, a first alarm for activation when the first action float switch is closed, a Float Signal Initiated light for activation when the first action float switch is closed, and a second action float switch which is connected to a positive terminal of the relay thereby turning on the backup pumps when the second action float switch is closed; (f) a redundant high water level sensing unit constructed for operation within the engine room area comprising; a water level sensing housing, a water level sensing housing bottom, a water level sensing housing bottom opening with an outward facing counter sunk opening for reducing clogging while allowing bilge water to enter a float chamber from outside the water level sensing housing, a float chamber sidewall opening allowing water flow directly to a float when a slosh guard is clogged, a float for applying force to a reed switch when the water level raises, the redundant high water level sensing unit being connected in parallel with an on-site manual switch, the the redundant high water level sensing unit being preferably installed in the bilge at an elevation higher than the high water level sensing unit. 2. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein said low water level sensing unit and the high water level sensing unit are mechanically supported to a structure of a vessel and the low water level sensing unit is preferably located at a lower elevation than the high water level sensing unit. 3. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein said first alarm is preferably located in a vessel's living quarters. 4. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein said power pack unit includes a manual pump operating switch for manually operating a pump without deactivating a monitoring and alarm system. 5. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the water level sensing unit, the power pack unit, the main control panel and the remote status panel are operated with low voltage circuitry and components and wired with and connected to each other with low voltage cables thereby not reducing voltage drop to the bilge pumps. 6. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the wiring between the water level sensing unit, the power pack unit, the main control panel and the remote status panel are not exposed to bilge water thereby reducing the damage to wiring. 7. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the power pack is equipped with a diode pack connected between the DC power supply and the power supply bus for connecting a plurality of batteries in parallel thereby reducing the likelihood of exhausting battery power in the event of a significant seawater leakage problem. 8. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the backup high water alarm/control unit is used for a redundant unit or a stand alone unit. 9. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 8 wherein at least one of the first action float switch and the second action float switch is preferably positioned at a higher elevation than the redundant high water level sensing unit for safety. 10. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 8, further comprising a manual off switch for safety, and wherein said manual off switch is designed to be reset manually after the first alarm, the second alarm and the backup pumps have been energized. 11. The apparatus for detecting and controlling bilge water in a sea vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the power pack unit's first timer switch has a preset time such as 2 minutes for energizing a check bilge alarm light after the preset time period is completed and the second timer switch has a preset time such as 4 minutes for energizing an audible alarm after the preset time period is completed.