Low water mechanical CSD-1 manual switch conversion to electro-mechanical switch

Abstract

A switch assembly features an automatic switch and an electronic circuit board. The automatic switch has a common contact and a normally open switch contact to short when a boiler has sufficient water, and has the common contact and a normally closed switch contact to short when the boiler has a low water level. The electronic circuit board has a signal processor, a reset switch, and a low water status LED for providing a status indication of a low water condition that remains ON even if the water level has risen unless the reset switch is reset. The signal processor couples to the common contact, the normally closed switch contact and the normally open switch contact, senses signaling containing the status of the common contact, the normally closed switch contact and the normally open switch contact, provides corresponding signaling to turn ON the low water status LED when the water level is low, and responds to a reset switch signal and turn OFF the low water status LED.

Claims

1. A switch assembly for controlling a water heating device in a hot water application, including a hot water boiler or furnace, comprising: an electronic circuit board having a signal processor, a reset switch, and a low water status LED for providing a status indication of a low water condition in a water heating device that will remain ON even if the water level has risen unless the reset switch is reset, the signal processor being coupled to a common contact, a normally closed switch contact and a normally open switch contact of an automatic switch, the signal processor configured to: sense signaling containing information about the status of the common contact and the normally open switch contact configured to short when the water heating device has sufficient water, the common contact and the normally closed switch contact configured to short when the water heating device has a low water level, and sense reset switch signaling containing information about a reset switch being manually reset, and provide corresponding signaling to turn OFF the water heating device, and turn ON the low water status LED when the water level is low, and turn ON the water heating device and turn OFF the low water status LED when the water heating device has sufficient water, based upon the signaling sensed.

2. A switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to respond to the sensed switching condition of the common, normally closed and normally open switch contacts, and provide a normally open switch contact control signal and a normally closed switch contact control signal; and the electronic circuit board comprises a relay configured to respond to the normally open switch contact control signal and provide a normally open burner contact relay signal, and to respond to the normally closed switch contact control signal and provide a normally closed alarm contact relay signal.

3. A switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to respond to an initialization of the switch assembly, and provide a power LED status control signal; and the electronic circuit board comprises a power LED configured to respond to the power LED status control signal, and turn ON.

4. A switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch assembly is an E-2M switch assembly, the automatic switch is a type 2 automatic switch, and the switch assembly meets CSD-1 compliance.

5. A switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the reset switch responds to a user reset command, including pressing a reset button on the reset switch, and provides the reset switch signaling.

6. A switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch assembly comprises the automatic switch.

7. A switch assembly for controlling a water heating device in a hot water application, including a hot water boiler or furnace, comprising: an automatic switch having a common contact and a normally open switch contact configured to short when a water heating device has sufficient water, and having the common contact and a normally closed switch contact configured to short when the water heating device has a low water level; and an electronic circuit board having a signal processor, a reset switch, and a low water status LED for providing a status indication of a low water condition of the water heating device that will remain ON even if the water level has risen unless the reset switch is reset, the signal processor being coupled to the common contact, the normally closed switch contact and the normally open switch contact, the signal processor also configured to: sense signaling containing information about the status of the common contact, the normally closed switch contact and the normally open switch contact, sense reset switch signaling containing information about a reset switch being manually reset, and provide corresponding signaling to turn OFF the water heating device and turn ON the low water status LED when the water level is low, and turn ON the water heating device and turn OFF the low water status LED, based upon the signaling sensed.

8. A switch assembly according to claim 7, wherein the signal processor is configured to respond to the sensed switching condition of the common contact, the normally closed switch contact and the normally open switch contact, and provide a normally open switch contact control signal and a normally closed switch contact control signal; and the electronic circuit board comprises a relay configured to respond to the normally open switch contact control signal and provide a normally open burner contact relay signal, and to respond to the normally closed switch contact control signal and provide a normally closed alarm contact relay signal.

9. A switch assembly according to claim 7, wherein the signal processor is configured to respond to an initialization of the apparatus, and provide a power LED status control signal; and the electronic circuit board comprises a power LED configured to respond to the power LED status control signal, and turn ON.

10. A switch assembly according to claim 7, wherein the switch assembly is an E-2M switch assembly, the automatic switch is a type 2 automatic switch, and the switch assembly meets CSD-1 compliance.

11. A switch assembly according to claim 7, wherein the reset switch responds to a user reset command, including pressing a reset button on the reset switch, and provides the reset switch signaling.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The drawing includes the following Figures, not necessarily drawn to scale, including:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a photograph of the current 2M switch connections, including a connection to the boiler, a connection to the alarm, and a connection from a mains supply phase wire, where the neutral wire is not present, as well as a manual reset button/lever.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a system block diagram of the E-2M switch assembly, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a functionality table setting forth the functionality related to the operation of the E-2M switch assembly.

(5) In the Figures, similar parts are labeled with similar reference numerals. Moreover, not every part is labelled with a reference numeral and lead line in every Figure, so as to reduce clutter in the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 2

(6) FIG. 2 shows a switch assembly generally indicated as 5, e.g., featuring a new and unique combination of an electronic circuit board 10 and an automatic switch 11 (e.g., a type 2 automatic switch). The switch assembly 5 may be used in conjunction with a hot water application 15, that may include a water heating device like a hot water boiler or furnace, as well as a water level sensor or controller. By way of example, the switch assembly 5 may form be a stand-alone component, may form part of the water level sensor, or may form part of a controller component, module, etc. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to how the switch assembly 5 and the hot water application 15 are implemented in conjunction with one another. The type 2 automatic switch and its associated functionality are known in the art. The electronic board 10 according to the present invention is backward compatible with the type 2 automatic switch and has the advantage of providing the option to users of converting an automatic LWCO (e.g., using an automatic switch like the type 2 automatic switch) to a CSD-1 complaint LWCO.

(7) By way of example, the electronic circuit board 10 may include a processor or signal processor 14, a reset switch 16, and a low water status LED 18a for providing a status indication of a low water condition in the water heating device that will remain ON even if the water level has risen unless the reset switch 16 is reset, e.g., by manually pressing a reset button. The signal processor 14 may be coupled to contacts 11a, 11b, 11c of the automatic switch 11, which include a common (COM) contact labeled 11c, a normally open (NO) switch contact labeled 11b and a normally closed (NC) switch contact labeled 11a.

(8) In operation, the signal processor 14 may be configured to implement the following signal processing functionality: receive and/or sense signaling along lines 11a′ and 11b′ containing information about the status of the normally open (NO) switch contact 11b that is configured to short when the water heating device has sufficient water, and also containing information about the normally closed (NC) switch contact 11a that is configured to short when the water heating device has a low water level; and provide corresponding signaling along line 14a to turn ON the low water status LED 18a when the water level is low, and respond to a reset switch signal along line 16a and turn OFF the low water status LED.
By way of example, the signal processor 14 may be configured to provide either suitable signaling along line 14d and sense if corresponding suitable signaling is received along line 11a′, or the suitable signaling along line 14d and sense if corresponding suitable signaling is received along line 11b′, indicating when either switch contact 14a, 14b is shorted.

(9) The signal processor 14 may also be configured to respond to the sensed switching condition of the common contact, the normally closed switch contact and normally open switch contact 11a, 11b, 11c, and provide relay control signaling along line 14b to control the relay 20, e.g., causing it to provide a normally open burner contact relay signal along line 20a (aka a no-burner contact signal) and/or a normally closed alarm relay signal along line 20b (aka a nc-burner alarm contact signal). This relay control signaling may be provided along line 14e to control the hot water application 15, e.g., by turning on/off the boiler or furnace.

(10) By way of example, the signal processor 14 may be configured to respond to an initialization of the switching assembly 5, as well as the hot water application as a whole, and provide a power status LED signal along line 14a′. The electronic circuit board 10 may include a power LED configured to respond to the power status LED signal, and turn ON to indicate that the power in turned ON.

(11) By way of example, the reset switch 16 may be configured to respond to a user reset command, including pressing a reset button on the reset switch, and provides the reset switch signal, e.g., along line 16a as shown, to the processor 14.

(12) FIG. 2 shows one example for converting an automatic switch (e.g., such as a type 2 automatic switch) into the new E-2M (M-Manual) switch, according to some embodiments of the present invention. (This example disclosed herein is not intended to be restricted to only an E-2M switch, e.g., the scope of the invention is intended to include, and embodiment are envisioned in which, the present invention is implemented to as to form other types or kinds of switches.)

The Processor 14

(13) By way of example, the signal processing functionality of the processor 14 may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In a typical software implementation, the processor 14 would include one or more microprocessor-based architectures having, e.g., at least one signal processor or microprocessor. One skilled in the art would be able to program such a microcontroller (or microprocessor)-based implementation to perform the functionality described herein without undue experimentation. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular implementation using technology either now known or later developed in the future. The scope of the invention is intended to include implementing the functionality of the processor 14 as stand-alone processor or processor module, as separate processor or processor modules, as well as some combination thereof.

(14) The processor 14 may also include other signal processor circuits or components, e.g. including random access memory (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), input/output devices and control, and data and address buses connecting the same, and/or at least one input processor and at least one output processor.

The Other Components in the Electronic Board 14

(15) The other components in the electronics board 10 are known in the art, including the manual switch 16, the power converter 19, the LEDs 18a, 18b for indicating the power and lower water status, and the relay 20. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of such components. Moreover, one skilled in the art would be able to implement the underlying functionality without undue experimentation, e.g., consistent with that disclosed herein.

Figure 3

(16) FIG. 3 shows a functionality table setting forth the functionality related to the operation of the E-2M switch assembly.

(17) The functionality table includes rows labeled Functional and CSD compliance.

(18) The functionality table includes columns of testing function(s), e.g., including Power, Water condition, Automatic 2 switch (e.g., including NO contact, NC contact), manual reset button, Relay contacts (e.g., including burner contacts, alarm/feeder contacts), LED status (e.g., including Red LED, Green LED).

(19) The functional row includes two sets of functional conditions for the testing functions, as follows: The first set of functional conditions includes: the power (on), the water condition (inwater), the automatic 2 switch—NO contact (short), the automatic 2 switch—NC contact (open), manual reset button (off), the relay contact—burner contacts (close), the relay contacts—alarm/feeder contact (open), LED status—Red LED (DOM of 3 secs and off), and LED status—Green LED (on). The second set of functional conditions includes: the power (on), the water condition (outwater), the automatic 2 switch—NO contact (open), the automatic 2 switch—NC contact (short), manual reset button (off), the relay contact—burner contacts (open), the relay contacts—alarm/feeder contact (close), LED status—Red LED (DOM of 5 secs and on), and LED status—Green LED (on).

(20) The CSD compliance row includes three sets of CSD compliance conditions for the testing functions, as follows: The first set of CSD compliance conditions includes: the power (off), the water condition (outwater), the automatic 2 switch—NO contact (open), the automatic 2 switch—NC contact (short), manual reset button (off), the relay contact—burner contacts (open), the relay contacts—alarm/feeder contact (close), LED status—Red LED (off), and LED status—Green LED (off). The second set of CSD compliance conditions includes: the power (on), the water condition (inwater), the automatic 2 switch—NO contact (short), the automatic 2 switch—NC contact (open), manual reset button (off), the relay contact—burner contacts (open), the relay contacts—alarm/feeder contact (close), LED status—Red LED (on), and LED status—Green LED (on). The third set of CSD compliance conditions includes: the power (on), the water condition (inwater), the automatic 2 switch—NO contact (short), the automatic 2 switch—NC contact (open), manual reset button (press and release), the relay contact—burner contacts (close), the relay contacts—alarm/feeder contact (open), LED status—Red LED (DOM of 3 secs and off), and LED status—Green LED (on).

The Scope of the Invention

(21) It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. Also, the drawing herein is not drawn to scale.

(22) Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.