Condensate sensor enclosure

Abstract

A condensate sensor enclosure to house an electromechanical control system to limit the level of condensate within a drain pan of an air conditioning system comprising a control system compartment and cover coupled together by a coupling assembly including a first coupler and a second coupler to enclose the electromechanical control system therein and a pair of probe housings each extending downwardly from the bottom of the control system compartment to operatively receive and house at least a portion a corresponding pair of electrically conductive sensor probes operatively coupled to the electromechanical control system to sense when the condensate within the drain pan reaches a predetermined level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A condensate sensor enclosure to house an electromechanical control system to limit the level of condensate within a drain pan of an air conditioning system comprising a control system compartment and cover coupled together by a coupling assembly to enclose the electromechanical control system therein and at least one probe housing extending downwardly from the bottom portion of said control system compartment to operatively receive and house at least a portion of a pair of electrically conductive sensor probes operatively coupled to the electromechanical control system to sense when the condensate within the drain pan reaches a predetermined level. 
     
     
         2 . The condensate sensor of  claim 1  wherein said control system compartment comprises a front and a rear compartment wall, a first and second compartment side wall, and a bottom compartment wall to cooperatively form a compartment cavity to house the electromechanical control system therein and said cover comprises a front and rear cover wall, a first and second cover side wall and a top cover wall. 
     
     
         3 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 2  wherein said coupling assembly comprises a first coupler formed on one side of said condensate sensor enclosure and a second coupler formed on the opposite side of said condensate sensor enclosure. 
     
     
         4 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 3  wherein said first coupler comprises a first lower coupling member extending outwardly from said first compartment side wall and a first upper coupling member extending outwardly from said first cover side wall disposed to engage each other and said second coupler comprises a second lower coupling member extending outwardly from said second compartment side wall and a second upper coupling member extending outwardly from said second cover side wall disposed to engage each other. 
     
     
         5 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 4  wherein said first lower coupling member comprises an externally threaded substantially semi cylindrical protrusion and said the upper coupling member comprises an externally threaded substantially semi cylindrical protrusion to cooperatively for an externally threaded substantially cylindrical member to receive an internally threaded fastener, and said second lower coupling member comprises an externally threaded substantially semi cylindrical protrusion and second upper coupling member comprises an externally threaded substantially semi cylindrical protrusion to cooperatively for an externally threaded substantially cylindrical member to receive an internally threaded fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 5  wherein said first lower coupling member further comprises a longitudinally disposed lower channel including a plurality of conductor or wire engaging ridges formed therein and said first upper coupling member further comprises a longitudinally disposed channel including a plurality of conductor or wire engaging ridges formed therein to engage conductors coupled to the electromechanical control system to secure the conductors to said condensate sensor enclosure. 
     
     
         7 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 2  wherein a coupling assembly comprises the first lower coupling member on said control system compartment and the first upper coupling member on said cover cooperatively forming a first coupler comprising a substantially cylindrical first coupler to receive a corresponding fastener to compress a corresponding compressor nut seal against said control system compartment and said cover and a second lower coupling member on said cover cooperatively forming a second coupler comprising a substantially cylindrical second coupler to receive a corresponding compression nut or fastener to compress a corresponding compression nut seal against said control system compartment and said cover. 
     
     
         8 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 1  further comprising an upper electromechanical control system retainer formed on said cover to engage said electromechanical control system. 
     
     
         9 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 10  wherein said cover further comprises a cable retainer formed thereon to engage and secure the conductors in place. 
     
     
         10 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 1  further comprises a mounting member disposed in spaced relationship relative to said rear compartment wall to cooperatively form a mounting channel or groove therebetween to engage a wall of the drain pan. 
     
     
         11 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 10  wherein a peripheral ledge is formed about the upper portion of said control system compartment and disposed above the uppermost extent of said mounting groove or channel such that condensate can not enter said compartment cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 10  further includes a fastener extending through said mounting member to secure said condensation sensor enclosure in place on the drain pan. 
     
     
         13 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 11  further comprising a lower electromechanical control system retainer comprising a groove formed on the inner surface of said first compartment side wall and said second compartment side wall to form a seat to receive and secure the lower portion of the electromechanical control system within said compartment cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 13  further comprising a pair of alignment members formed on the inner surface of said rear compartment wall to engage the electromechanical control system to maintain the electromechanical control system in position. 
     
     
         15 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 14  further comprising an upper electromechanical control system retainer formed thereon to engage said electromechanical control system. 
     
     
         16 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 1  including a pair of probe housings each comprising probe housing having a lower stepped probe channel including a lower enlarged space or portion and an upper reduced space or portion cooperatively forming a limit or stop to engage a portion of said corresponding electrically conductive sensor probe and an upper probe channel separated by an intermediate wall having an aperture formed therethrough concentrically aligned with the corresponding probe aperture formed in said bottom compartment wall. 
     
     
         17 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 15  wherein each electrically conductive sensor probe comprises an upper substantially vertical shaft and a lower probe element including a reduced substantially circular intermediate disk or shelf to engage said limit or stop to limit the upward position of each electrically conductive sensor probe within said lower enlarged space or portion and to press a seal into said upper space or portion of said stepped probe channel and against said lower surface of said intermediate wall to form a watertight seal between said compartment cavity and said corresponding hollow probe housing or protrusion. 
     
     
         18 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 17  wherein a condensate sensing convex surface is formed on said lower probe element and disposed within said corresponding lower space or portion above the bottom of said substantially cylindrical probe housing. 
     
     
         19 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 16  wherein lower end of each said hollow probe housing or protrusion comprises a diagonal surface so that said corresponding electrically conductive sensor probe entirely disposed therein so long as the lowest extent of each hollow probe housing or protrusion is below or lower than the lowest extend of said corresponding electrically conductive sensor probe to prevent either said electrically conductive sensor probe from engaging the bottom of the drain pan. 
     
     
         20 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 1  wherein each said electrically conductive sensor probe is electrically coupled to the electromechanical control system by a corresponding electrically conductive member disposed to engage said corresponding electrically conductive sensor probe. 
     
     
         21 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 20  wherein each said electrically conductive member comprises a first and second contact to engage the electromechanical control system at two points. 
     
     
         22 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 1  wherein each said electrically conductive sensor probe is electrically coupled to the electromechanical control system by a corresponding electrically conductive member comprising an electrically conductive clip including a first leg having a first and second contact surface disposed in vertical relationship to each other to engage the said corresponding electrically conductive sensor probe and a second leg of the flexible material to engage and retain the lower portion of the electromechanical control system therebetween. 
     
     
         23 . The condensate sensor enclosure of  claim 22  wherein each said electrically conductive clip further includes a bias comprising an arcuate member or engaging finger to bias said second leg against said electromechanical control system.