US 11,717,835 B2
Food waste disposer monitoring using phase difference between motor voltage and motor current
Thomas R. Berger, Peoria, AZ (US); Charles A. Farago, Kenosha, WI (US); Ronnie A. Wunderlich, Endicott, NY (US); Gregory L. Cleveland, Owego, NY (US); and Alan S. Rohulich, Endwell, NY (US)
Assigned to InSinkErator LLC, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by InSinkErator LLC, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/512,096.
Application 17/512,096 is a continuation of application No. 16/673,921, filed on Nov. 4, 2019, granted, now 11,161,123.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/773,508, filed on Nov. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0048038 A1, Feb. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B02C 25/00 (2006.01); B02C 18/00 (2006.01); E03C 1/266 (2006.01); G01R 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC B02C 25/00 (2013.01) [B02C 18/0092 (2013.01); E03C 1/2665 (2013.01); G01R 25/005 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a food waste disposer comprising:
providing a food waster disposer comprising a motor, a controller programmed with control logic comprising an auto-off timer routine, and wherein the food waste disposer is powered by an alternating current electrical power source having a line frequency, a line voltage and a line current;
powering ON the food waste disposer;
after expiration of a start-up period and at regular intervals of the line frequency, determining a phase shift between the line voltage and the line current, communicating the phase shift to the controller, and comparing the phase shift to a grind check phase shift threshold;
determining that the food waste disposer is grinding in response to each of a first predetermined number of consecutively determined phase shifts being below a grind check phase shift threshold;
determining that the food waste disposer is not grinding in response to each of the first predetermined number of consecutively determined phase shifts being not below the grind check phase shift threshold;
determining whether the auto-off timer routine has expired in response to determining that the food waste disposer is not grinding; and
powering OFF the food waste disposer in response to determining that the auto-off timer routine has expired.