The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 14, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 15, 1998
John C Graham, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Other;
Abstract
A drain plug sensor for determining whether a drain plug is inserted into a drain hole of a watercraft is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a reed switch for sensing a magnetic field is threadably mated with a receiver at one end thereof. The receiver and reed switch are emplaced into the drain hole. The drain plug, which is capable of being inserted into another end of the receiver, is formed together with a samarium cobalt magnet such that a magnetic field is created and emanated therefrom. In this manner, whenever the drain plug is inserted into the receiver, the reed switch detects the presence of the magnetic field. Conversely, whenever the drain plug is not inserted into the drain hole, no magnetic field is detected. Regardless of whether the drain plug is inserted into the drain hole, an indication is supplied to a user to alert the user as to whether the drain hole is operational.