Overflow detection system for a grease trap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12287232-B2
Application number	US-202418661798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2024
Priority date	May 26, 2023
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

An overflow detection system for a grease trap or other receptacle is provided. The overflow detection system includes an overflow sensor. The overflow sensor can include a switch and a processor. The switch can include a float configured to float in a fluid in the receptacle, a surface that is separate from the float, and a resilient member coupled between the float and the surface. The switch can generate a signal in response to the float being within a predefined distance of (e.g., contacting) the surface. The processor can receive the signal from the switch and, in response, transmit a notification to a user device that is remote from the receptacle. The notification can indicate a high fluid level in the receptacle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An overflow sensor comprising:
a switch including:
a float configured to float in a fluid in a receptacle, wherein the float has a first contact;
a surface that is separate from the float, wherein the surface has a second contact;
a resilient member coupled between the float and the surface, wherein a first portion of the resilient member is affixed to the float and a second portion of the resilient member is affixed to the surface, the resilient member being configured to normally hold the switch in an open position by spacing the float at a first distance from the surface, the switch being configured to generate a signal in response to the float being within a second distance of the surface that is closer than the first distance, wherein the resilient member is configured to allow the float to come within the second distance of the surface when the fluid in the receptacle exceeds a predefined fluid level, and wherein the resilient member is configured to prevent the float from coming within the second distance of the surface when the fluid in the receptacle does not exceed the predefined fluid level; and
a contact sensor configured to detect when the first contact of the float physically contacts the second contact of the surface and responsively generate the signal;

a processor coupled to the switch; and
a memory including instructions that are executable by the processor for causing the processor to:
receive the signal from the switch; and
in response to receiving the signal, transmit a notification to a user device that is remote from the overflow sensor;

wherein the overflow sensor is configured to generate the signal only when the first contact contacts the second contact.

2. The overflow sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless interface for transmitting the notification, wherein the entire overflow sensor including the wireless interface is configured to be positioned inside the receptacle.

3. The overflow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the surface is movable toward or away from the float depending on a fluid level of the fluid in the receptacle, wherein the float includes the processor and the memory, and wherein the float is configured to float freely in the fluid in at least two degrees of freedom.

4. The overflow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the surface is part of a body that includes the processor and the memory, the body being configured to be attached to an interior surface of the receptacle.

5. The overflow sensor of claim 4 , wherein the float is movable toward or away from the body depending on a fluid level of the fluid in the receptacle.

6. The overflow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the switch includes a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor comprising an inductive proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, or an acoustic proximity sensor; and
wherein the proximity sensor is configured to:
detect that the float is within the second distance of the surface; and
in response to detecting that the float is within the second distance of the surface, generate the signal.

7. A receptacle comprising:
a fluid; and
an overflow sensor that includes:
a switch comprising:
a float configured to float in the fluid in the receptacle, wherein the float has a first contact;
a surface that is separate from the float, wherein the surface has a second contact;
a resilient member coupled between the float and the surfacer, wherein a first portion of the resilient member is affixed to the float and a second portion of the resilient member is affixed to the surface; and
a contact sensor configured to detect a contact between the first contact of the float and the second contact of the surface and responsively generate a signal;

a processor coupled to the switch; and
a memory including instructions that are executable by the processor for causing the processor to:
receive the signal from the switch; and
in response to receiving the signal, transmit a notification to a user device that is remote from the receptacle;

wherein the overflow sensor is configured to generate the signal only when the first contact contacts the second contact.

8. The receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the resilient member is configured to expand in length and thereby space the surface apart from the float at a default distance absent a force on the float from the fluid, the default distance being greater than a predefined distance for triggering the notification.

9. The receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the resilient member is a spring that is configured to compress in response to a force applied to the float by the fluid.

10. The receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the entire overflow sensor is configured to be positioned inside the receptacle.

11. The receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the float includes the processor and the memory.

12. The receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the surface is part of a body that includes the processor and the memory, the body being configured to be attached to an interior top surface of the receptacle.

13. A method comprising:
detecting, by a contact sensor of an overflow sensor positioned in a fluid in a receptacle, that a first contact of a surface of the overflow sensor has contacted a second contact of a float of the overflow sensor, wherein a resilient member is coupled between the float and the surface of the overflow sensor, and wherein a first portion of the resilient member is affixed to the float and a second portion of the resilient member is affixed to the surface;
generating, by the contact sensor, a signal in response to detecting that the first contact of the surface has contacted the second contact of the float, wherein the overflow sensor is configured to generate the signal only when the first contact contacts the second contact;
receiving, by a processor of the overflow sensor, the signal from the contact sensor; and
based on receiving the signal, transmitting, by the processor of the overflow sensor, a notification to a user device that is remote from the receptacle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the resilient member expands and contracts in length during operation of the overflow sensor, and wherein the resilient member maintains the float at a default distance from the surface absent a force on the float from the fluid, the default distance being greater than a predefined distance for triggering the notification.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the resilient member compresses to allow the float to come within a predefined distance of the surface when the fluid exceeds a predefined fluid level, and wherein the resilient member expands to prevent the float from coming within the predefined distance of the surface when the fluid does not exceed the predefined fluid level.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the entire overflow sensor is positioned inside the receptacle.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the float includes the processor, and wherein the overflow sensor is configured to float freely in the fluid in three degrees of freedom.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the surface is part of a body that includes the processor, the body being configured to be attached to an interior surface of the receptacle.

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Venkatakrishnan Natarajan
• Bell Ryan T
• Abrahamsen Lucas S

Classifications

• G01F23/443

  using electromechanically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• G01F23/0007

  for discrete indicating and measuring (G01F23/02 - G01F23/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F23/76

  characterised by the construction of the float · CPC title

• H01H35/18

  Switches operated by change of liquid level or of liquid density, e.g. float switch (by magnet carried on a float H01H36/02) · CPC title