Balboa Instruments, Inc.

Balboa Water Group, Inc.

Paul Rosenau

David J Cline

Myk Wayne Lum

Jerrell Penn Hollaway

Robert Fletcher

Timothy S Clark

Cindy Otto

Loren R Perry

Robert Pittman

Charles Joseph Heiden

Christopher P Caronna

Stephen J Scherer

Tony Pipitone

Tim Clark

Alan Gordon

A waterproof user interface panel includes an electronic display assembly having a touch sensitive surface for activation of touch switches, and a housing including a cutout area. A protective film is disposed over the assembly and secured to the housing. The housing includes a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral sidewall to define a housing cavity. Sealing material covers the bottom surface, with a void between the top surface of the sealing material and the electronic display assembly. A vent is provided between the void and the external environment to allow air to pass. A filter may be positioned in the vent to prevent the passage of water droplets through the filter while allowing the passage of air and water vapor.

Vented waterproof touch screen panel

An exemplary embodiment of a heater assembly includes a heater housing structure defining an elongated heater chamber having a first port and a second port and defining a wetted side on the interior of the heater chamber and a non-wetted side on the exterior of the heater chamber. A resistive heater element is has an active region disposed within the heater chamber, free of any brazed or welded bulkhead members. The housing structure includes a first heater terminal opening and a second heater terminal opening, a first terminal end of the heater element passed through the first terminal opening from the wetted side to the non-wetted side, and a second terminal end of the heater element passed through the second terminal opening from the wetted side to the non-wetted side. First and second seal members are disposed on the non-wetted side respectively onto the first terminal end and the second terminal end and in contact with respective first and second seal surfaces defined on the housing structure. First and second fastener members respectively engage the first terminal end and the second terminal end and the first and second seal members. The housing structure may be fabricated of plastic, with respective current collectors in the form of unitary wire forms disposed at opposite ends of the housing structure.

Bathing installation heater assembly

An exemplary embodiment of an inductive electrical sensor assembly includes a hollow housing structure defining an open space within the housing structure and a circuit board mounted in the open space. The circuit board includes an inductive sense area. A flexible metal domed spring structure is mounted over the inductive sensor area. A stem portion extends from a actuator area of the housing structure and having a distal end disposed adjacent to or in contact with the spring structure. The domed spring structure is adapted to be flexed toward the inductive sensor area by force exerted by the stem portion when a user exerts force on the actuator area, the flexing of the domed spring structure resulting in a change of inductance of the inductive sensor area which may be sensed to indicate an actuator push. An exemplary embodiment of the sensor assembly may include a resiliently deformable potting material substantially filling open spaces in the hollow housing structure between the top surface and the circuit board, and an open space below the circuit board, enabling flexure of the domed spring structure while providing environmental protection.

Environmentally sealed inductive sensor assembly

Remote control

A system for remotely monitoring and/or controlling a pool or spa. The remote control can utilize a microprocessor-based data acquisition and processing system, along with a network interface, to provide remote access to the pool or spa parameters, including but not limited to: temperature, pH, and ORP levels; and the status and control of pumps, heaters, ozone apparatus, and filters. The information is presentable via the Internet, a private or other networks, and can be accessed through known browsers or other convenient interfaces, allowing for operation across all computing platforms.

Method and apparatus for remotely monitoring and controlling a pool or spa

An improved water heater for use in spas, hot tubs, pools, hydrotherapy pools, bath tubs, and similar bodies of water used indoors, outdoors, or both indoors and outdoors are used for both therapeutic and recreational purposes. The water heater uses heating element technology know as thick film on substrate comprising resistive elements bonded to the outer dry surface of a pipe to heat the pipe which in turn heats the water flowing therethrough. The heater is highly efficient due to the direct contact of the wet heating surface with the water and provides a smooth seamless inner heating surface by eliminating the need to pass electrical leads into the wet region of the heater. This virtually eliminates the risk of leaks in the water heater due to bulkhead fittings. The invention further eliminates the need for a heating element to be contained in the inner wet region of a spa heater, thereby reducing the risk of corrosion. The water heater is used in combination with an electronic controller having a microprocessor to control and regulate the operation of the water heater. The water heater can be used with electrical, electro-mechanical, and mechanical control systems for spas and can be retrofitted into existing spa applications.

Water heater

A control system for a pool and spa. Main line voltage is provided through a single line voltage service and a single ground fault circuit interrupter circuit, facilitating a ground fault test and simplifying installation. The control system controls the pool and spa equipment, with a circuit board assembly including individual fuse protection devices and switching circuits. A test algorithm is included, wherein the control system is disabled from normal operation if the GFCI test fails. The pool operator manually enters a water fill command, and the controller system automatically opens the fill valve for a predetermined time interval, and then automatically closes the valve. An emergency disconnect switch is mounted near the bathing area, connected by low voltage wiring to the controller system cabinet. The controller system senses the emergency switch closure and disconnects line voltage to the line voltage loads. The emergency switch closure also remotely induces a ground fault, tripping the GFCI. A sensing circuit allows the controller system to sense the presence of the emergency switch system, and issues a warning and prevents normal operation of the pool and spa system if not connected. A gas pressure sensor monitors the natural gas line, and the heater is disabled and a warning given under low pressure conditions. Abnormal filter backpressure triggers a warning when the filter needs service. A temperature sensor has parallel sensing elements in a common housing to provide separate sensing circuits.

Controller system for pool and/or spa

A method and apparatus utilizing a low voltage level actuator and a signal processing device such as a microprocessor to selectively electrically couple an electrical appliance with a switch circuit associated with a power source of relatively high voltage. The microprocessor is responsive to low level electrical signals from the actuator to control operation of the switch circuit and the appliance without posing a shock hazard to the user. One form of actuator includes a piezoelectric element.

Method and apparatus using low voltage level actuator to control

An electrical switch assembly that is especially useful in a damp or moisture laden atmosphere. It can be used to operate remotely located electrical equipment, including household garbage disposers, hot tubs, spas and swimming pools. The assembly includes a receptacle and a piezoelectric element that is carried by an insert slidably fitted within the receptacle. Conductive wires in engagement with the element extend into a recess in the insert for engagement with a plug in the recess. Resiliently deformable potting material is poured through passageways in the insert to fill the insert and the receptacle, and to surround the element and the plug to prevent moisture entry. An end wall of the receptacle can be depressed to deform the element to generate electrical signals which are picked up by the plug and transmitted to an exterior control to operate the electrical equipment.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

Paul Rosenau