Integrated auxiliary load control and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238918-B2
Application number	US-201113285524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2011
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A method of controlling a liquid movement system, such as a pool system. The method includes receiving a maximum time that an auxiliary load is to operate, receiving a minimum pump speed of a pump system that pumps a liquid through the auxiliary load, monitoring the time that an auxiliary load has been in operation, monitoring the pump speed of a pump system that pumps a liquid through the auxiliary load, and deactivating the auxiliary load if the maximum time or minimum pump speed has been met. Also disclosed are a pool system and a controller for controlling the pool system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pool system for controlling an auxiliary load, the pool system comprising:
a vessel to hold a fluid;
an auxiliary load;
a pump system coupled to the vessel and the auxiliary load, the pump system to pump the fluid through the auxiliary load, the pump system including
a motor, and
a fluid pump powered by the motor; and

a controller having a processor and memory, the controller
receiving a maximum time that the auxiliary load is to be activated,
receiving a minimum speed of the motor that the auxiliary load is to be activated,
controlling a pump speed of the pump system, and
controlling a power source to the auxiliary load.

2. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the controller includes an integrated timer for determining a time that the auxiliary load has been active.

3. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the controller includes a relay switch for activating or deactivating the auxiliary load.

4. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the controller includes a processor which receives an input from a user interface, executes a software program for analyzing the input, and generates one or more control signals to control the auxiliary load and the motor, the user interface including at least one of a display screen, one or more push buttons, or a control knob.

5. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the controller further controls the pump speed of the pump system based on an inputted normal pump schedule.

6. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the controller further controls the power source to the auxiliary load based on the maximum time that the auxiliary load is to be activated.

7. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the controller further controls the power source to the auxiliary load based on the minimum pump speed of the pump system pumping the fluid through the auxiliary load.

8. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary load includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a pool heater, a saltwater chlorinator, a booster pump, a pool cleaner, a solar heater, and lights.

9. A pool system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motor includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a variable-speed motor, a multi-speed motor, and a single-speed motor.

10. A pool system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a user interface to receive the maximum time that the auxiliary load is to be activated and the minimum speed of the motor that the auxiliary load is to be activated, the user interface includes at least one of a display screen, one or more push buttons, or a control knob.

11. A pool system of claim 1 wherein the controller further
monitors the time that the auxiliary load has been in operation,
monitors the pump speed of the pump system that pumps the liquid through the auxiliary load, and
deactivates the auxiliary load if the maximum time requirement or minimum pump speed requirement has been met.

12. A pool system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a user interface, the user interface includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a display screen, one or more push buttons, and a control knob.

13. A pool system of claim 1 wherein the controller further monitors the time that the auxiliary load has been in operation, and the time is based on a repetitive time period.

14. A pool system of claim 10 , wherein the maximum time that the auxiliary load is to be activated and the minimum speed of the motor that the auxiliary load is to be activated are user-inputted.

Assignees

• Mckinzie Marc C
• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Mckinzie Marc C

Classifications

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• Y10T137/8158

  With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means · CPC title

• E04H4/1672

  Connections to the pool water circulation system · CPC title

• E04H4/129 Primary

  Systems for heating the water content of swimming pools (solar collectors using pools F24S10/17, F24S10/10; by solar radiation F24S20/02) · CPC title

• E04H4/1281 Primary

  Devices for distributing chemical products in the water of swimming pools · CPC title