Automatic refrigerant tank volume fill control apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic refrigerant tank volume fill control apparatus to be used in a refrigerant recovering and recycling process in conjunction with a refrigerant recovering device which is operable upon the establishment of electrical connection between the recovering device and an electrical power source, the control apparatus comprising: a. a recycling tank for retaining a recovered refrigerant received from said recovering device; b. a switching unit electrically interconnected between said electrical power source and said recovering device; c. said switching unit having an electrical circuit which includes a single-pole-single-throw electrical relay, the electrical relay being normally open which causes electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. a float switch installed in said recycling tank, the float switch being normally closed when said tank is less than approximately 80% filled in volume with said recovered refrigerant, but automatically becoming open when said recycling tank is approximately 80% filled in volume with said recovered refrigerant; and e. means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling tank to said electrical circuit of said switching unit, such that when said float switch is closed, said relay is also closed for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device, and when said float switch is open, said relay is caused to be open for causing electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; f. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that said recycling tank is not more than approximately 80% filled in volume with said recovered refrigerant, which ensures the safety of said refrigerant recovering and recycling process.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said float switch of said recycling tank comprises two electrical terminals which are normally closed, said float switch of said recycling tank further comprises a float attached with a shaft, where the shaft can move vertically with the float as said refrigerant is filling into said recycling tank, and the vertical movement of the shaft can cause the two electrical terminals to disconnect electrically as said recycling tank is approximately 80% filled with said recovered refrigerant.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling tank to said electrical circuit of said switching unit includes electrical cable means.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said single-pole-single-throw relay is a 30 ampere single-pole-single-throw normally open relay.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said electric circuit of said switching unit further comprises means for suppressing high frequency electrical spikes on said single-pole-single-throw relay.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said suppressing means is a circuit path electrically connected in parallel with said single-pole-single-throw relay, the circuit path includes a capacitor and a resistor electrically connected in series.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said capacitor is a 0.1 microfarad 60 cycles per second capacitor and said resistor is a 100 ohm 1/4 watt resistor.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said electric circuit of said switching unit further comprises additional means for suppressing high frequency electrical spikes on said float switch.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said additional suppressing means in an additional circuit path electrically connected in parallel with said float switch, the additional circuit path includes an additional capacitor and an additional resistor electrically connected in series.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said additional capacitor is a 0.1 microfarad 60 cycles per second capacitor and said additional resistor is a 100 ohm 1/4 watt resistor.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said switching unit further comprises electrical light means for indicating electrical connection between said electrical power source and said switching unit.

Claim 13

An automatic refrigerant container volume fill control apparatus to be used in a refrigerant recycling process in conjunction with a refrigerant recovering device which is operable upon the establishment of electrical connection between the recovering device and an electrical power source, the control apparatus comprising: a. a recycling container for retaining a refrigerant received from said recovering device; b. a control unit electrically interconnected between said electrical power source and said recovering device; c. said control unit having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical relay means, the electrical relay means being normally open which causes electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. a float switch installed in said recycling container, the float switch being normally closed when the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container is below a predetermined level, but automatically becoming open when the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container reaches the predetermined level; and e. means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling container to said electrical circuit of said control unit, such that when said float switch is closed, said electrical relay means is also closed for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device, and when said float switch is open, said electrical relay means is caused to be open for causing electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; f. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container is not over said predetermined level, which ensures the safety of said refrigerant recycling process.

Claim 14

An automatic refrigerant container volume fill control apparatus to be used in a refrigerant recycling process in conjunction with a refrigerant recovering device which is operable upon the establishment of electrical connection between the recovering device and an electrical power source, the control apparatus comprising: a. a recycling container for retaining a refrigerant received from said recovering device; b. a control unit electrically interconnected between said electrical power source and said recovering device; c. said control unit having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical relay means, the electrical relay means being normally open which causes electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. a float switch installed in said recycling container, the float switch being normally closed when the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container is below a predetermined level, but automatically becoming open when the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container reaches the predetermined level; and e. means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling container to said electrical circuit of said control unit, such that when said float switch is closed, said electrical relay means is also closed for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device, and when said float switch is open, said electrical relay means is caused to be open for causing electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; f. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container is not over said predetermined level, which ensures the safety of said refrigerant recycling process.

Claim 15

The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said float switch of said recycling container comprises electrical terminals which are normally closed, said float switch of said recycling container further comprises a float and means attached to the float for causing the electrical terminals to disconnect electrically as the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container reaches said predetermined level.

Claim 16

The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling container to said electrical circuit of said control unit includes electrical cable means.

Claim 17

The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said electric circuit of said control unit further comprises suppressing means for protecting said electrical relay means.

Claim 18

The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein said suppressing means is a circuit path electrically connected in parallel with said float switch, the circuit path includes capacitor means and resistor means.

Claim 19

The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said electric circuit of said control unit further comprises additional suppressing means for protecting said float switch.

Claim 20

The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein said additional suppressing means is an additional circuit path electrically connected in parallel with said float switch, the additional circuit path includes additional capacitor means and additional resistor means.

Claim 21

An automatic volume fill control apparatus to be used in conjunction with a recovering device which is operable upon being electrically connected to an electrical power source, comprising: a. a container for retaining a chemical solution received from said recovering device; b. a control unit electrically interconnected between said electrical power source and said recovering device; c. said control unit having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical switch means, the electrical switch means being able to cause electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. means installed in said container for sensing automatically the volume of said chemical solution in said container; e. means for electrically connecting said sensing means to said electrical circuit of said control unit for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container is below a predetermined amount; and f. said control unit being able to terminate said electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container reaches said predetermined amount; g. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said chemical solution in said container is not over said predetermined amount, which ensures the safety of said container.

Claim 22

An automatic volume fill control apparatus to be used in conjunction with a recovering device which is operable upon being electrically connected to an electrical power source, comprising: a. a container for retaining a chemical solution received from said recovering device; b. a control unit electrically interconnected between said electrical power source and said recovering device; c. said control unit having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical switch means, the electrical switch means being able to cause electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. means installed in said container for sensing automatically the volume of said chemical solution in said container; e. means for electrically connecting said sensing means to said electrical circuit of said control unit for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container is below a predetermined amount; and f. said control unit being able to terminate said electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container reaches said predetermined amount; g. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said chemical solution in said container is not over said predetermined amount, which ensures the safety of said container.

Claim 23

The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said means for electrically connecting said sensing means of said container to said electrical circuit of said control unit includes electrical cable means.

Claim 24

The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said electric circuit of said control unit further comprises circuit means for protecting said electrical switch means.

Claim 25

The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said electric circuit of said control unit further comprises additional circuit means for protecting said sensing means of said container.

Claim 26

An automatic refrigerant container volume fill control apparatus to be used in a refrigerant recycling process in conjunction with a refrigerant recovering device and a recycling container, where the recovering device is operable upon the establishment of electrical connection between the recovering device and an electrical power source, and the recycling container is used for retaining a refrigerant received from said recovering device and has a self-contained float switch which is normally closed when the volume of the refrigerant in the recycling container is below a predetermined level, but automatically becomes open when the volume of the refrigerant in the recycling container reaches the predetermined level, the control apparatus comprising: a. means for electrically interconnecting said control apparatus between said electrical power source and said recovering device; b. said control apparatus having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical relay means, the electrical relay means being normally open which causes electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; and c. means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling container to said electrical circuit of said control apparatus, such that when said float switch is closed, said electrical relay means is also closed for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device, and when said float switch is open, said electrical relay means is caused to be open for causing electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container is not over said predetermined level, which ensures the safety of said refrigerant recycling process.

Claim 27

An automatic refrigerant container volume fill control apparatus to be used in a refrigerant recycling process in conjunction with a refrigerant recovering device and a recycling container, where the recovering device is operable upon the establishment of electrical connection between the recovering device and an electrical power source, and the recycling container is used for retaining a refrigerant received from said recovering device and has a self-contained float switch which is normally closed when the volume of the refrigerant in the recycling container is below a predetermined level, but automatically becomes open when the volume of the refrigerant in the recycling container reaches the predetermined level, the control apparatus comprising: a. means for electrically interconnecting said control apparatus between said electrical power source and said recovering device; b. said control apparatus having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical relay means, the electrical relay means being normally open which causes electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; and c. means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling container to said electrical circuit of said control apparatus, such that when said float switch is closed, said electrical relay means is also closed for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device, and when said float switch is open, said electrical relay means is caused to be open for causing electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; d. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said refrigerant in said recycling container is not over said predetermined level, which ensures the safety of said refrigerant recycling process.

Claim 28

The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said means for electrically connecting said float switch of said recycling container to said electrical circuit of said control apparatus includes electrical cable means.

Claim 29

The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said electric circuit of said control apparatus further comprises suppressing means for protecting said electrical relay means.

Claim 30

The invention as defined in claim 25 wherein said suppressing means is a circuit path electrically connected in parallel with said float switch, the circuit path includes capacitor means and resistor means.

Claim 31

The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said electric circuit of said control apparatus further comprises additional suppressing means for protecting said float switch.

Claim 32

The invention as defined in claim 27 wherein said additional suppressing means is an additional circuit path electrically connected in parallel with said float switch, the additional circuit path includes additional capacitor means and additional resistor means.

Claim 33

An automatic volume fill control apparatus to be used in conjunction with a recovering device and a container, where the recovering device is operable upon being electrically connected to an electrical power source, and the container is used for retaining a chemical solution received from the recovering device and equipped with means for sensing automatically the volume level of the chemical solution in the container, comprising: a. means for electrically interconnecting said control apparatus between said electrical power source and said recovering device; b. said control apparatus having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical switch means, the electrical switch means being able to cause electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; and c. means for electrically connecting said level sensing means to said electrical circuit of said control apparatus for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container is below a predetermined amount; and d. said control apparatus being able to terminate said electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container reaches said predetermined amount; e. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said chemical solution in said container is not over said predetermined amount, which ensures the safety of said container.

Claim 34

An automatic volume fill control apparatus to be used in conjunction with a recovering device and a container, where the recovering device is operable upon being electrically connected to an electrical power source, and the container is used for retaining a chemical solution received from the recovering device and equipped with means for sensing automatically the volume level of the chemical solution in the container, comprising: a. means for electrically interconnecting said control apparatus between said electrical power source and said recovering device; b. said control apparatus having an electrical circuit which includes an electrical switch means, the electrical switch means being able to cause electrical disconnection between said electrical power source and said recovering device; and c. means for electrically connecting said level sensing means to said electrical circuit of said control apparatus for establishing electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container is below a predetermined amount; and d. said control apparatus being able to terminate said electrical connection between said electrical power source and said recovering device when the volume of said chemical solution in said container reaches said predetermined amount; e. whereby when electrically disconnected from said electrical power source, said recovering device will stop operating so that the volume of said chemical solution in said container is not over said predetermined amount, which ensures the safety of said container.

Claim 35

The invention as defined in claim 29 wherein said means for electrically connecting said level sensing means of said container to said electrical circuit of said control apparatus includes electrical cable means.

Claim 36

The invention as defined in claim 29 wherein said electric circuit of said control apparatus further comprises circuit means for protecting said electrical switch means.

Claim 37

The invention as defined in claim 29 wherein said electric circuit of said control apparatus further comprises additional circuit means for protecting said sensing means of said container.