Electronic converter unit for retrofitting to an external part of a housing of a pump unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697649-B2
Application number	US-201515532238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

An electronic converter unit for retrofitting to an external part of a housing of a pump unit is described. The housing comprises a light source for emitting light to display an operating status of the pump unit. The electronic converter unit comprises: a photo detector for measuring light emitted from the light source of the pump unit, a converter unit for converting optical signals to electrical signals, and transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the electrical signals to an external communication unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic converter unit for a pump unit, wherein the pump unit includes a housing, which comprises a signal generator for emitting a signal, wherein the electronic converter unit comprises:
an emitted signal sensor detecting the signal emitted by the signal generator of the pump unit, wherein the electronic converter unit is adapted to be detachably coupled to the pump unit and the electronic converter unit further comprises:
an electronic converter circuit converting said detected signal to an electrical signal comprising an operating status; and
a transmitter transmitting the electrical signal to an external communication unit, wherein the electronic converter unit is adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrical signal as infrared or as a radio signal, wherein the external communication unit comprises a handheld device, wherein the operating status is received by the handheld device from the electronic converter unit, and the operating status is displayed on the handheld device, wherein the operating status is chosen from a group of: a flow information, a speed information, an electrical current information, a pressure information relating to a liquid flowing in pipes connected to the pump unit, a temperature of the liquid and a rotational speed of a shaft of the pump unit, and wherein said operating status is used by an app in the handheld device to guide a service technician to balance liquid flow or pressure in a heating system comprising multiple radiators or heat radiating pipes.

2. The electronic converter unit according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical signal is transmitted using a communication protocol chosen from a group comprising: GSM, CDMA, 3G, 4G and Bluetooth®.

3. The electronic converter unit according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic signal amplification circuit, and a switch shutting off the electronic converter unit or lowering energy consumption of the electronic converter unit, if a communication idle-time-limit has been reached.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the app in the handheld device processes the electrical signal received from the electronic converter unit.

5. The electronic converter unit according to claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is a light source, and wherein the sensor detecting the signal emitted by the signal generator is a photo detector for measuring a light emitted from the light source of the pump unit, and wherein the electronic converter circuit is adapted to convert optical signals to electrical signals.

6. The electronic converter unit according to claim 5 , wherein the electronic converter unit is provided with a housing having an aperture, and wherein the photo detector is arranged within the housing behind the aperture.

7. The electronic converter unit according to claim 6 , wherein the aperture is provided with an optical transparent cover comprised of glass, artificial glass or plastic.

8. The electronic converter unit according to claim 6 , wherein the photo detector is arranged in a range of 0.5 mm to 5 mm from the aperture.

9. The electronic converter unit according to claim 6 , wherein the aperture is further provided with a sheet or layer of conductive material, the sheet or layer having a number of apertures.

10. The electronic converter unit according to claim 9 , wherein the sheet or layer of conductive material is a mesh structure.

11. The electronic converter unit according to claim 10 , wherein a mesh size of the mesh structure is adjusted to a pitch size being larger than a wavelength of the emitted light but smaller than a wavelength of electric noise emitted from the electronic converter unit.

12. The electronic converter unit according to claim 9 , wherein the conductive material is a metal comprised of copper or brass.

13. The electronic converter unit according to claim 9 , wherein:
the aperture is provided with an optical transparent cover; and
the conductive material is integrated into the optical transparent cover.

14. The electronic converter unit according to claim 9 , wherein:
the aperture is provided with an optical transparent cover; and
the optical transparent cover and the sheet or layer of conductive material are provided as two separate layers or as an in-molded or embedded mesh within a transparent cover.

15. The electronic converter unit according to claim 9 , wherein the conductive material is connected to electrical ground.

16. The electronic converter unit according to claim 9 , wherein the housing of the electronic converter unit is covered by a conductive material and the sheet or layer of conductive material is grounded to said housing of the electronic converter unit.

17. The electronic converter unit according to claim 6 , further comprising an attachment attaching the electronic converter unit to the housing of the pump unit.

18. The electronic converter unit according to claim 7 , wherein the attachment is chosen from a group of: mechanical fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and adhesive fasteners.

19. The electronic converter unit according to claim 7 , wherein the attachment is adapted to align the aperture of the electronic converter unit with the light source of the pump unit.

20. A kit of parts comprising a pump unit and an electronic converter unit comprising:
an emitted signal sensor detecting a signal emitted by a signal generator of the pump unit, wherein the electronic converter unit is adapted to be detachably coupled to the pump unit;
an electronic converter circuit converting said detected signal to an electrical signal comprising an operating status; and
a transmitter transmitting the electrical signal to an external communication unit, wherein the electronic converter unit is adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrical signal as infrared or as a radio signal, wherein the pump unit comprises a housing and said signal generator comprising a light source, for emitting said signal comprising light and to display or communicate the operating status of the pump unit, and wherein the electronic converter unit is adapted to be retrofitted to an external part of the housing of the pump unit, wherein the external communication unit comprises a handheld device, wherein the operating status is received by the handheld device from the electronic converter unit, and the operating status is displayed on the handheld device, wherein the operating status is chosen from a group of: a flow information, a speed information, an electrical current information, a pressure information relating to a liquid flowing in pipes connected to the pump unit, a temperature of the liquid and a rotational speed of a shaft of the pump unit, and wherein said operating status is used by an app in the handheld device to guide a service technician to balance liquid flow or pressure in a heating system comprising multiple radiators or heat radiating pipes.

21. The kit of parts according to claim 20 , wherein the pump unit comprises an electric motor and at least one rotating shaft.

22. The kit of parts according to claim 20 , wherein the pump unit is further provided with a receiver for receiving instructions from the electronic converter unit, and wherein the electronic converter unit is provided with a transmitter for transmitting instructions to the pump unit.

23. The kit of parts according to claim 20 , wherein the pump unit comprises an electronic switch-mode converter.

24. A system for checking an o

Assignees

• Grundfos Holding As

Inventors

• Bergqvist René Stig
• Wolf Christian
• Milthers Jens

Classifications

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H04Q2209/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems · CPC title

• F04D15/0088

  Testing machines · CPC title