Pumps – Motor driven – Including means for selectively varying motor speed or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-05-01
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Pumps
Motor driven
Including means for selectively varying motor speed or...
C417S044200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224353
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to pumping systems. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a pumping system used for evacuating a septic system.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A great number of homes, especially those at a significant distance from an urban center, rely on septic systems for receiving and treating wastes. Over time, a septic tank fills or otherwise is unable to process waste received. An improperly functioning septic tank poses a threat to the health and safety of the occupants of the home connected to the septic tank as well as other local inhabitants. An improperly functioning septic system may not breakdown or otherwise treat pathogens in the waste which, if released untreated into the environment, may afflict local living organisms. Accordingly, septic tanks periodically must be serviced and evacuated so that the septic tank may continue to receive and treat wastes properly.
Evacuating a septic tank typically involves a septic service worker driving a septic service vehicle with evacuation and storage capabilities to the home owner's property and locating the service vehicle as close to the septic tank as possible. In many cases, the septic tank is not conveniently located for easy access from the road. Often, it is positioned in a remote section of a backyard. The septic tank also may be fenced off from the rest of the yard and surroundings so that children, domestic animals or other entities do not come into contact with the septic tank or commonly associated leach fields.
Because of the inconvenient positioning of the septic tank, a septic service worker often must navigate many obstacles in order to reach the septic tank. Additionally, because the septic tank may not be situated such that the service vehicle may park next to it, a septic service worker often must drag a large evacuation hose form the service vehicle over and through the same obstacles to access the septic tank.
Once the septic service worker reaches the septic tank, pries open the lid and introduces the evacuation hose into the tank, the septic service worker must cause the evacuation hose to withdraw the contents from the septic tank. Typically, the septic service worker must go from the septic tank to the service vehicle, turn on a pump which imparts a vacuum in the hose, then return to the septic tank to monitor the evacuation process.
Very often during evacuation of a septic tank, the evacuation hose becomes blocked by oversized or accumulated solids in the septic tank. A common practice used to unblock the evacuation hose is to reverse the flow to clear the blockage, then reverse the flow again to continue evacuating the tank. This “reverse and reverse again” technique may be required many times during evacuation of a septic tank.
In order to reverse the flow of the evacuation hose, the septic service worker must go to the service vehicle and manipulate appropriate controls for the pump. In order to do so, the septic service worker must negotiate again and again the obstacles between the septic tank and the service vehicle for every blockage.
This situation makes an unpleasant job all the more difficult. This practice also poses a significant health risk to the home owner and the home owner's neighbors. For example, while the septic worker is manipulating pump controls at the service vehicle, it is possible for the end of the hose to propel itself with septic contents from inside of the septic tank and spew harmful material into the surrounding environment. These waste materials spewed into the environment may be the source of pathogens and bacteria which may afflict the local inhabitants.
To avoid such a mishap, a septic service worker should be able to operate the pump while monitoring the end of the evacuation hose. To this end, the septic service worker should be able to operate the pump controls while being proximate to the end of the evacuation hose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a remote pump control that allows a septic tank service worker to physically control the end of an evacuation hose and operate a pump which induces flow in the evacuation hose while servicing a septic tank. The invention conserves the amount of labor otherwise required to service a septic system. The invention reduces the wear and tear that ordinarily occurs during evacuation to the property on which a septic system is situated, namely the back and forth travel a septic tank service worker typically undertakes between the service vehicle and the remotely-located septic tank. The invention promotes safe operation of septic tank evacuation hose and associated servicing by allowing a septic service worker to remain at the end of the evacuation hose during septic system servicing. The invention promotes optimal septic system servicing because a septic service worker may finely tune septic tank evacuation and quickly overcome evacuation hose blockage. The invention is adaptable to septic service equipment in use in the field. The invention provides improved elements and arrangements thereof, in an apparatus and method for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
An embodiment configured according to principles of the invention includes an actuator that mounts on and manipulates the flow control of a conventional pump. Movement of the compressed fluid-driven actuator is controlled by a hand-held remote signal sender. A septic tank service worker depresses a switch on the hand-held remote signal sender and generates a signal which is received in a control box. The control box activates a solenoid which directs compressed fluid into one of two conduits. Compressed fluid delivered by one conduit into one passage of a housing of the actuator causes the actuator to manipulate the pump flow control in one direction, while compressed fluid delivered by the other conduit into another passage causes the actuator to manipulate the pump flow control in an opposite direction.
These and other features of the invention will be appreciated more readily in view of the drawings and detailed description below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in detail below with reference to the following drawings, throughout which similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently, wherein:
FIG. 1
is an environmental perspective view of an embodiment of a remote pump control apparatus constructed according to principles of the invention incorporated in a service vehicle;
FIG. 2
is a schematic representation of the embodiment of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a top, right side elevational view of an embodiment of an actuator assembly constructed according to principles of the invention;
FIG. 4
is a right side elevational view of the embodiment of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is a bottom view of the embodiment of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 6
is a top, right side elevational view of another embodiment of an actuator assembly constructed according to principles of the invention, mounted on a valve member of a pump, shown in dashed lines and not defining any part of the invention; and
FIG. 7
is a top, right, rear view of an embodiment of an adaptor constructed according to principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 3990815 (1976-11-01), De Vial
patent: 4072443 (1978-02-01), Heath
patent: 4805653 (1989-02-01), Krajicek et al.
patent: 4934565 (1990-06-01), Heisey et al.
patent: 5056561 (1991-10-01), Byers
patent: 5540554 (1996-07-01), Masuzawa
patent: 5848877 (1998-12-01), Dill et al.
patent: 5974797 (1999-11-01), Nakao
patent: 5999087 (1999-12-01), Gunton
Bonk, III William A.
Dykema Gossett PLLC
Fastovsky Leonid
Walberg Teresa
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