Water quality sensing apparatus, modules, sub-assemblies, sensor cartridge, and components

Abstract

A water quality sensing apparatus (14) includes a housing module (26) including an apparatus housing (34), a removable water quality sensor module (30) carried in the housing module and including a handle sub-assembly (122), an electronics sub-assembly (124) coupled to the handle sub-assembly, and a water quality sensor cartridge (126) including a water quality sensor cartridge housing (128).

Description

WATER QUALITY SENSING APPARATUS,MODULES, SUB-ASSEMBLIES, SENSOR CARTRIDGE, AND COMPONENTSTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to water quality sensing and, more particularly, to an apparatus and related modules, sub-assemblies, sensor cartridge, and components, for sensing water quality.BACKGROUND

[0002] Some consumer water products, like hot tubs, spas, swimming pools, and the like, carry a large amount of water whose quality consumers desire to be consistent and good. But the water quality can vary greatly and can be difficult to control if the water quality is not measured reliably and regularly. Manual methods of measuring water quality are adequate to inform certain adjustments to water quality, but only if consumers regularly measure the quality the water in their water products. But consumers want automatic methods of measuring water quality, and many presently known methods and their related apparatuses involve difficult and costly servicing of complex and cumbersome products.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] An illustrative embodiment of a water quality sensing apparatus includes a housing module and a removable sensor module carried in the housing module. The housing module includes an apparatus housing that extends along a longitudinal axis and that has a transverse outermost dimension along a transverse axis and an overall length greater than the transverse outermost dimension. The apparatus housing includes an upper end, a lower end, and a sensor well receptacle proximate the lower end and having a water inlet, a water outlet, and a receptacle interior between the water inlet and the wateroutlet. The removable sensor module includes a replaceable sensor cartridge having a sensor well carried in the sensor well receptacle of the apparatus housing of the housing module.

[0004] In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided a replaceable water quality sensor cartridge including a sensor cartridge housing, and sensor cartridge electronics carried by the sensor cartridge housing. The sensor cartridge housing includes a base wall having an electrical connector opening, a housing coupling extending away from the base wall in a first direction and having an outer skirt, a seal boss extending away from the housing coupling in the first direction, and a sensor well having a side wall extending away from the seal boss, a distal wall, an inlet port through the side wall and spaced away from the distal wall, and an outlet port through the side wall and spaced away from the distal wall, and establishing a sensing chamber. The sensor cartridge housing includes a circuit board carried by the sensor cartridge housing, an electrical connector coupled to the circuit board, a sensor socket coupled to the circuit board, and a water quality sensor coupled to the sensor socket and extending into the sensing chamber of the sensor well.

[0005] In accordance with a further illustrative embodiment, there is provided a removable water quality sensor module including a handle assembly, an electronics assembly coupled to the handle assembly, and a replaceable water quality sensor cartridge coupled to the electronics assembly. The cartridge includes a sensor cartridge housing including a base wall having an electrical connector opening, a housing coupling extending away from the base wall in a first direction and having an outer skirt, a seal boss extending away from the housing coupling in the first direction, and a sensor well having a side wall extending away from the seal boss and a distal wall. The cartridge also includes a sensor extending into the sensor well.

[0006] In accordance with an additional illustrative embodiment, there is provided a water quality sensor cartridge housing including a base wall having an opening through which extends a longitudinal axis, an outer skirt extending away from the base wall along a first direction and carrying a sensor module coupling, and an apparatus housing coupling portion including a side wall extending away from the base wall along a second direction different from the first direction. The housing also includes a seal boss extending awayfrom the housing coupling portion, and a sensor well establishing a sensing chamber and including a side wall extending away from the seal boss and having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, and a distal wall.

[0007] In accordance with still another illustrative embodiment, there is provided a water quality sensor apparatus housing module, including an apparatus housing and a valve carried in the apparatus housing. The apparatus housing includes an upper end, a lower end, and a sensor well receptacle proximate the lower end. The sensor well receptacle includes a water inlet, a water outlet, and a cylindrical wall in communication with the water inlet and the water outlet and establishing a valve receiver. The valve includes a body rotatably carried in the valve receiver of the apparatus housing and having a water inlet port and a water outlet port, a lower seal carried by the body below the water inlet and outlet ports, an upper seal carried by the body above the water inlet and outlet ports, and a valve seal carried by the body to selectively block the water inlet of the sensor well receptacle.

[0008] In accordance with yet a further illustrative embodiment, there is provided a water quality sensor apparatus housing including an upper end, a lower end, and a sensor well receptacle proximate the lower end. The sensor well receptacle includes a side wall, a water inlet through the side wall, a water outlet through the side wall, and an outer wall spaced transversely away from the side wall to establish one or more drain passages therebetween. The apparatus housing also includes a sensor module receptacle extending away from the sensor well receptacle toward the upper end, and including a base wall extending transversely outwardly from an upper end of the side wall of the sensor well receptacle, and a side wall extending axially away from the base wall and carrying one or more sensor module engagement features on an interior side of the side wall and one or more fastener engagement features on an exterior side of the side wall.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is an elevational view according to an illustrative embodiment of a system including a water vessel and an illustrative embodiment of a water quality sensing apparatus carried by the water vessel;

[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the water quality sensing apparatus of FIG. 1 , and including a housing module, a fastening apparatus, a removable sensor module including a replaceable sensor cartridge, an electronics assembly, a handle assembly, and a closure;

[0011] FIG. 3A is a first exploded view of the housing module of FIG. 2 including an apparatus housing, a valve, and a drain cover;

[0012] FIG. 3B is a second exploded view of the housing module of FIG. 2;

[0013] FIG. 3C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the housing module of FIG. 2, taken along line 3C-3C of FIG. 3A;

[0014] FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the apparatus housing of FIG. 3A;

[0015] FIG. 5 is an enlarged top view of the apparatus housing of FIG. 3A;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus housing of FIG. 3A, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

[0017] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus housing of FIG. 3A, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

[0018] FIG. 8 is an enlarged top view of the replaceable sensor cartridge of FIG. 2;

[0019] FIG. 9 is an enlarged bottom view of the replaceable sensor cartridge of FIG. 2;

[0020] FIG. 10 is an isometric sectional view of the replaceable sensor cartridge of FIG. 2, taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8;

[0021] FIG. 11 is an isometric sectional view of the replaceable sensor cartridge of FIG.2, taken along line 11 -11 of FIG. 8;

[0022] FIG. 12 is an enlarged bottom view of the electronics assembly of FIG. 2;

[0023] FIG. 13 is an enlarged top view of the electronics assembly of FIG. 2;

[0024] FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the electronics assembly of FIG.2, taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

[0025] FIG. 15 is an enlarged isometric view of the handle assembly of FIG. 2;

[0026] FIG. 16 is an enlarged isometric sectional view of the handle assembly of FIG. 2, taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

[0027] FIG. 17 is an enlarged isometric view of the closure of FIG. 2;

[0028] FIG. 18 is a top view of the closure on the apparatus of FIG. 2;

[0029] FIG. 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 2, taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18; and

[0030] FIG. 20 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 2, taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 18.

[0031] FIG. 21 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of a water quality sensing apparatus including a removable sensor module including a replaceable sensor cartridge, and an electronics assembly.

[0032] FIG. 22 is another enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of the water quality sensing apparatus of FIG. 21 , taken ninety degrees from that of FIG. 21 .

[0033] FIG. 23 is a fragmentary perspective longitudinal sectional view of the water quality sensing apparatus of FIG. 21 .

[0034] FIG. 24 is a fragmentary perspective longitudinal sectional view of the water quality sensing apparatus of FIG. 21 , taken ninety degrees from that of FIG. 23.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In general, a water quality sensing apparatus and related portions thereof are described herein and illustrated in the drawing figures. The apparatus is configured to be relatively simple, inexpensive, and manageable in comparison to prior water quality sensing products for consumer product vessels that carry water, for example, hot tubs, spas, swimming pools, and the like. In particular, the apparatus is configured to be easily assembled to such consumer products, and includes a removable sensor module that is configured to be easily removed from a spa or the like and that includes a replaceable sensor cartridge that is configured to be easily removed from the removable sensor module and easily replaced with a new replaceable sensor cartridge. Accordingly, the present disclosure describes and illustrates relatively easy and inexpensive servicing of a relatively simple and manageable apparatus. Although described with reference to an example consumer product, those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the presently disclosed subject matter may be used in other applications including public swimming pools, water supply and / or treatment systems, or in any consumer, commercial, public, or industrial products and systems where it is desirable to sense water quality.

[0036] Referring specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a system 10 including a vessel 12 that holds water, and a water quality sensing apparatus 14 coupled to the vessel 12 to monitor or sense quality of water held in the vessel 12. The system 10 also may include a controller 16 that controls the apparatus 14 and that may control other portions of the system 10, a user interface 18 coupled to the controller 16 and that may be carried by the vessel 12, and a device interface 20 coupled to the controller 16 and to the apparatus 14. The system 10 may be, or may be part of, a consumer product, for example, a hot tub, spa, swimming pool, or the like. Although not separately shown, the system 10 may include one or more water pumps, water filters, water nozzles and / or jets, water heaters, and / or any other equipment suitable for use with a hot tub, spa, swimming pool, or the like. Such other equipment may be in communication with and controlled by the controller 16, or some other controller(s).

[0037] The vessel 12 may be configured in any manner suitable to contain water, and includes a wall 22, which may be part of a panel, a bar top, a recessed well, or any other structural element suitable to carry a water quality sensing apparatus. The wall 22 includes an opening 24 therein and through which a portion of the apparatus 1 extends. The wall 22 also may include a user interface portion that may be used to carry the user interface 18. The wall 22 may be substantially horizontally oriented, for example, within plus or minus twenty angular degrees from horizontal.

[0038] With reference to FIG. 2, the water quality sensing apparatus 14 includes a housing module 26 that may carry the rest of the apparatus 14, and a housing fastening apparatus 28 that may be used to fasten the housing module 26 to the vessel 12 (FIG. 1 ). The apparatus 14 also includes a removable sensor module 30 that is carried by the housing module 26 and that senses quality of the water in the vessel 12 (FIG. 1 ), and a closure 32 to enclose the removable sensor module 30 in the housing module 26. The water quality sensing apparatus 14 may be used to sense water quality, for example, water quality physical parameters like water temperature and water flow, water quality chemical parameters like conductivity, Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) and acidity (pH) and derivatives thereof like equivalent chlorine, oxygen, ozone, or bromine, and Total Dissolved Salt (TDS), that may be used to maintain good water quality.

[0039] With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the housing module 26 includes an apparatus housing 34, and also may include a valve 36 carried inside the apparatus housing 34, a drain cap 38 coupled to the apparatus housing 34, a closure seal 40, and a mounting gasket 41 carried by the apparatus housing 34. The apparatus housing 34 extends along a longitudinal axis A, and has a transverse outermost dimension (e.g., a major diameter) along a transverse axis B and an overall length along the longitudinal axis A and greater than the transverse outermost dimension. The apparatus housing 34 includes an upper end 42, a lower end 44, and a sensor well receptacle 46 proximate the lower end 44 and having a water inlet 48 and a water outlet 50. As used herein, the term proximate means closer to one end than to an opposite end. The apparatus housing 34 may be a monolithic component.

[0040] With reference to FIG. 3C, the sensor well receptacle 46 may be at least partially established by a receptacle side wall 52 that may be cylindrical and having an innerdiameter, wherein an interior length of the cylindrical wall 52 may be greater than the inner diameter. The cylindrical wall 52 may establish a receptacle interior in the form of a valve receiver to receive the valve 36 (FIG. 3A) therein. The sensor well receptacle 46 also includes an outer wall 53 that has diametrically opposed portions 53a, b connected to the cylindrical wall 52 and transverse diametrically opposed portions spaced away from the cylindrical wall 52 to establish drain channels 53e,f therebetween.

[0041] With reference again to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the water inlet 48 may include a tubular projection 49 extending transversely outwardly from the receptacle 46 and may be positioned relatively proximate with respect to the lower end 44, and the water outlet 50 likewise may include a tubular projection 51 extending transversely outwardly from the receptacle 46, for example, diametrically opposite that of the water inlet 48 and may be positioned longitudinally further away from the lower end 44 than the water inlet 48. The water inlet and outlet tubular projections 49, 51 may include conduit engagement features, for instance, barbs, for good coupling to inlet and outlet tubing or other conduit. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the water inlet 48 may be supplied with water via an inlet conduit in fluid communication with an interior of the vessel 12 (FIG. 1 ) and one or more water pumps of the system 10 (FIG. 1 ), and that the water outlet 50 may be in fluid communication with the vessel interior via an outlet conduit to return water thereto.

[0042] Proximate a lower end of the sensor well receptacle 46, the apparatus housing 34 also may include a drain outlet flange 54 extending radially outwardly and longitudinally away from the sensor well receptacle 46. The drain outlet flange 54 may include a base wall 56 extending radially outwardly, an inner skirt 58 (FIG. 4) extending axially away from the base wall 56 and an outer skirt 60 spaced radially outwardly of the outer skirt 60 and extending axially away from the base wall 56.

[0043] With reference again to FIG. 3A, the drain cap 38 of the housing module 26 may include a base wall 62, an outer skirt 64 extending axially away from the base wall 62 toward the drain outlet flange 54 of the apparatus housing 34 and fit between the outer and inner skirts 60, 58 (FIG. 4) of the drain outlet flange 54 to couple the drain cap 38 to the apparatus housing 34. The drain cap 38 also may include a drain outlet 66 through the base wall 62 that may be in the form of a tubular projection 67 extending away from the base wall 62.

[0044] With continued reference to FIG. 3A, the valve 36 of the housing module 26 may include a valve body 68 that includes a valve cylindrical wall 70 having an outer diameter and that may have a length greater than the outer diameter, a base wall 72 extending radially continuously across an inner diameter (not shown) of the cylindrical wall 70 and that also may extend radially outward of the outer diameter of the cylindrical wall 70 in the form of a mounting flange to axially locate the valve 36 inside the cylindrical wall 52 (FIG. 3C) of the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34. The valve 36 establishes a valve interior in which a portion of the sensor module 30 may extend, as will be described in greater detail below. The valve 36 also may include a lower seal 74 carried between the valve body 68 and the sensor well receptacle 46, more specifically, between the cylindrical walls 70, 52 (FIG. 3C) thereof, for instance, in a corresponding lower seal groove in an outer diameter of the valve body cylindrical wall 70. The lower seal 74 may be positioned axially proximate to the water inlet 48 of the apparatus housing 34. The valve 36 also may include an upper seal 76 carried between the valve body 68 and the sensor well receptacle 46, more specifically, between the cylindrical walls 70, 52 (FIG. 3C) thereof, for instance, in a corresponding upper seal groove in an outer diameter of the valve body cylindrical wall 70. The valve body 68 additionally includes an inlet port 75 in selective registration with the water inlet 48 of the sensor well receptacle 46 and an outlet port 77 in selective registration with the water outlet 50 of the sensor well receptacle 46, and that may be axially and circumferentially spaced away from the inlet port 75. The valve body 68 also may include rotatably driven features 78, 79, for example, interruptions or slots in an upper end of the valve body 68. One of the features 78 may be larger in circumferential width than another one of the features 79 to provide a failsafe assembly feature.

[0045] With reference again to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the valve 36 may include a shutoff seal 80 carried by the cylindrical body 70 between the lower and upper seals 74, 76. The shutoff seal 80 may have a circumferential width greater than an axial length. The shutoff seal 80 may be composed of an elastomer and may be a molded shutoff seal that is coupled to the valve body 68 by overmolding, co-injection molding, insert molding, or in any other suitable manner. In any event, and with reference to FIG. 3C, the shutoff seal 80 may be interlocked to the valve body 68 by interlocking portions of the valve body 68 and the shutoff seal 80. The valve body 68 may be composed of a thermoplastic incontrast to the elastomer of the shutoff seal 80. When the valve body 68 is rotated relative to the apparatus housing 34, the shutoff seal 80 selectively blocks or covers an inlet aperture 47 of the water inlet 48 to prevent water from entering the apparatus. To facilitate good sealing, the cylindrical wall 52 of the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34 may have thickened wall portions surrounding the portion of the water inlet aperture 47 that becomes sealed off by the shutoff seal 80.

[0046] With reference now to FIG. 4, the apparatus housing 34 is illustrated in a bottom view to show the relationship between the cylindrical wall 52 of the sensor well receptacle 46 and the drain outlet flange 54 of the apparatus housing 34. Specifically, the base wall 56 connects a lower portion of the cylindrical wall 52 to the inner skirt 58 of the flange 54.

[0047] With reference now to FIG. 5, the apparatus housing 34 is illustrated in a top view to show the relationship between the cylindrical wall 52 of the sensor well receptacle 46 and a sensor module receptacle 82 of the apparatus housing 34 above the sensor well receptacle 46. Specifically, a base wall 84 of the receptacle 82 connects an upper end of the cylindrical wall 52 to a cylindrical wall 86 of the receptacle 82, as will be better understood with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0048] With reference now to FIGS. 6 and 7, proximate the upper end of the sensor well receptacle 46, the apparatus housing 34 also may include the sensor module receptacle 82. The sensor module receptacle 82 may include the base wall 84 extending transversely outwardly from the upper end of the cylindrical wall 52 of the sensor well receptacle 46, and the cylindrical wall 86 of the sensor module receptacle 82 that extends axially away from the base wall 84.

[0049] More specifically, the cylindrical wall 86 may be stepped to include a lowermost or first portion 88 including a shoulder 89, sensor module engagement features 90 projecting radially inwardly to lock the sensor module 30 thereto, and failsafe assembly ribs 91 that may extend between the base wall 84 and the first portion 88. The stepped cylindrical wall 86 also may include a second portion 92 extending away from the first portion 88 and being of transverse dimension (e.g. diameter) larger than the first portion 88, and a third portion 94 extending away from the second portion 92 and being of transverse dimension larger than the second portion 92 to accommodate wiring routingand having a grommet aperture 96 therethrough. The stepped cylindrical wall 86 also may include a fourth portion 98 extending away from the third portion 94 and being of transverse dimension larger than the third portion 94 to carry fastener engagement features 100, and a fifth portion 102 extending away from the fourth portion 98 and being of transverse dimension larger than the fourth potion 98 to carry closure engagement features 104 and to accommodate and cooperate with a portion of the closure 32 (FIG. 2).

[0050] The fastener engagement features 100 may include one or more helical threads, and the closure engagement features 104 may include radially inwardly projecting lugs, for instance, diametrically opposed from one another. At the upper end 42 of the apparatus housing 34, the apparatus housing 34 may include an apparatus mounting flange 106 to locate against an upper surface of the wall 22 of the vessel 12 (FIG. 1 ), and a seal portion 108 including a seal cylindrical wall 110 extending away from the mounting flange 106 and a seal flange 112 extending transversely away from the seal cylindrical wall 110 and terminating the upper end 42 of the apparatus housing 34. The closure engagement features 104 and the mounting flange 106 may constitute a mount portion of the apparatus housing 34. The seal portion 108 thus establishes a seal groove between the mounting and sealing flanges 106, 112. As shown in FIG. 3A, the closure seal 40 is carried by the seal groove of the seal portion 108 of the apparatus housing 34, and the mounting gasket 41 is carried by a lower surface of the mounting flange 106.

[0051] With reference again to FIG. 2, the housing fastening apparatus 28 may include a nut 114 and a centering ring 116. The nut 114 includes one or more housing engagement features 115, for example, one or more internal threads, and one or more tool engagement features 117, for example, wrench flats, and a radially outwardly extending centering flange 118 that may be internally tapered. The centering ring 116 may be externally tapered for cooperating with the internally tapered nut 114, and includes a mounting surface 120 for locating against a lower surface of the wall 22 of the vessel 12 as shown in FIG. 1 .

[0052] With reference again to FIG. 1 , to couple the apparatus 14 to the vessel 12, the apparatus 14 may be inserted through the opening 24 in the wall 22 of the vessel 12, and the housing fastening apparatus 28 may be assembled over the lower end 44 of the housing module 26 and threaded to the housing module 26 and tightened against the wall22. Those of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the apparatus 14 could be coupled to the wall 22 of the vessel 12 directly, for example, by integral bayonet features (not shown) on the apparatus housing 34 that pass through corresponding cutouts (not shown) in the opening 24 of the wall 22 and engage the lower surface of the wall 22 upon rotation of the apparatus 14, or in any other manner suitable for coupling a water quality sensing apparatus to a vessel.

[0053] With reference again to FIG. 2, the removable sensor module 30 is carried in the housing module 26, and includes a replaceable sensor cartridge 126 having a portion carried in the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34 of the housing module 26, an electronics sub-assembly or assembly 124 coupled to the replaceable sensor cartridge 126, and a handle sub-assembly or assembly 122 coupled to the electronics assembly 124 to facilitate removal of the sensor module 30 out of the housing module 26 and reinsertion of the sensor module 30 into the housing module 26. As will be described below, the removable sensor module 30 may be configured for turn-and-pull removal and for push-and-turn replacement with respect to the housing module 26, and the replaceable sensor cartridge 126 may be configured for quick-disconnect coupling from the electronics assembly 124.

[0054] With reference now generally to FIGS. 8-11 , the replaceable sensor cartridge 126 includes a sensor cartridge housing 128, and sensor cartridge electronics 130 carried in the sensor cartridge housing 128. With more specific reference to FIGS. 10-11 , the cartridge 126 further may include a sensor support 132 carried by the cartridge housing 128, and potting compound 134 that may be carried within the sensor cartridge housing 128 and around a portion of the electronics 130 and a portion of the circuit board 186. The cartridge 126 also may include a seal 136 carried by the sensor cartridge housing 128 and a gasket 138 carried by the cartridge housing 128. The cartridge housing 128 may be a monolithic component.

[0055] The sensor cartridge housing 128 includes a base wall 140 including an electrical connector opening 142, and a gasket piloting inner skirt 144 surrounding the opening 142 and extending away from the base wall 140. The cartridge housing 128 also includes a housing coupling that may include an outer skirt 146 extending away from the base wall 140, coupling apertures 148 in the outer skirt 146, and barb guides 150extending away from the outer skirt 146. As shown in FIG. 11 , the housing coupling also may include deflectable coupling release arms 152 extending away from the barb guides 150 and back toward the coupling apertures 148 where they terminate in finger tabs 154 having radially inwardly projecting release lugs 155 corresponding to the coupling apertures 148. The outer skirt 146 also may have failsafe assembly features. For example, the barb guides 150 and corresponding deflectable coupling release features 152 may be of different widths to indicate to a user how to align the electronics assembly 124 (FIG. 2) with respect to the sensor cartridge 126 during assembly. In another example, the skirt 146 may include alignment ribs 156 (FIG. 10) and an alignment flat 158 (FIG. 11 ) projecting radially inwardly therefrom to facilitate proper assembly with the electronics assembly 124 (FIG. 2).

[0056] With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 , the sensor cartridge housing 128 also may include a housing module coupling 160 extending away from the base wall 140 in a direction opposite that of the outer skirt 146. The coupling 160 may include a side or outer wall that may have opposed flats 162 (FIG. 11 ) and opposed semi-cylindrical portions 164 (FIG. 10). The coupling 160 includes apparatus housing engagement features 166, 167 (FIG. 10), for instance projections that may be axially spaced away from the base wall 140 and may extend radially outwardly from the wall, more specifically from the cylindrical portions 164 thereof, and that may be sector shaped. The features 166, 167 may be of different radial and / or circumferential dimensions as a failsafe assembly feature. The features 166, 167 cooperate with the engagement features 90 (FIGS. 4-6) of the apparatus housing 34.

[0057] The sensor cartridge housing 128 also may include a cylindrical seal boss 168 extending in a direction away from the base wall 140 and may be located below the housing module coupling 160. The seal boss 168 may have a transverse outermost dimension smaller than that of the housing module coupling 160, and carries the seal 136 in a seal groove therein.

[0058] With reference to FIG. 11 , the sensor cartridge housing 128 further may include valve engagement features 170, 171 extending in a direction away from the base wall 140 and may be located below the seal boss 168. The valve engagement features 170, 171 , with reference to FIG. 3A, cooperate with the corresponding rotatably driven features 78,79 of the valve 36 of the housing module 26 to engage and impart rotation to the valve 36 to selectively open and close the valve 36 with respect to the apparatus housing 34 of the housing module 26. The valve engagement features 170, 171 may be of different configuration such as size and / or shape to cooperate with likewise differently configured rotatably driven features 78, 79 of the valve 36 as a failsafe assembly feature.

[0059] With reference to FIG. 11 , the cartridge housing 128 also includes a sensor well 172 extending in a direction away from the base wall 140 and located below the housing module coupling 160 and the seal boss 168 and, more specifically, below the valve engagement features 170, 171. The sensor well 172 is carried in the sensor well receptacle 46 (FIG. 3C) of the housing module 26 and, more specifically, in the interior of the valve 36. The sensor well 172 includes a distal end wall 174, and a side wall 176 extending away from the distal end wall 174 and that may be of cylindrical shape. The side wall 176 includes an inlet port 178 therein spaced away from the distal wall 174 and configured to be in selective registration with the water inlet 48 (FIG. 4) of the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34, and an outlet port 180 therein spaced further away from the distal wall 174 and configured to be in selective registration with the water outlet 50 (FIG. 4) of the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34. The distal wall 174 and the side wall 176 establish a sensing chamber 182 into which water flows via the inlet port 178 and out of which water flows via the outlet port 180. The distal wall 174 may include a sensor standoff 184 projecting into the sensing chamber 182.

[0060] With continued reference to FIG. 11 , the electronics 130 may include a circuit board 186 carried by the sensor cartridge housing 128 for instance by longitudinally and radially inwardly extending mounting ribs 143 of the cartridge housing 128, an electrical connector 188 coupled to the circuit board 186 for coupling to the electronics assembly 124 (FIG. 2), a sensor socket 190 coupled to the circuit board 186, and a water quality sensor 192 coupled to the sensor socket 190 and extending into the sensor well 172. Although not separately shown, the circuit board 186 includes a substrate and electronic circuits, chips, and / or any other electronics suitable for use with a water quality sensor. For example, the electronics 130 may include and edge connector for mechanical and electrical connection with the sensor 192, and electronic memory, for example, an onboard eeprom memory module, to hold unique calibration data for the sensor 192 and ause cycle activation counter to track actual use of the sensor 192. Although not separately shown, the sensor 192 includes a substrate and socket contacts at an upper end for electrical connection to corresponding portions of the sensor socket 190, and electrodes extending away from the socket 190 and carried on an upstream face of the substrate so that water entering the inlet port 178 flows into and up the upstream face, around the sensor 192, and out of the outlet port 180. The sensor standoff 184 in the sensing chamber 182 may ensure that water can flow axially around a distal end of the sensor 192 between the distal end of the sensor 192 and the distal wall 174 of the cartridge housing 128. Also, water may flow circumferentially around the sensor 182 because the width of the sensor 192 is less than an inner diameter of the side wall 176 of the sensor well 172.

[0061] The sensor support 132 may include a grommet that may include an aperture through which a portion of the sensor 192 extends so that the sensor support 132 centers or otherwise transversely positions the sensor 192 within the sensor well 172 with respect to the cartridge housing 128, and also may provide sealing protection against ingress of water to the circuit board 186. Likewise, the potting compound 134 may be positioned above the sensor support 132 and around the circuit board 186 within the confines of a corresponding portion of the cartridge housing 128 to provide additional sealing protection and support for the components of the sensor cartridge 126. The sensor support 132 may be composed of an elastomer, and the potting compound 134 may be composed of a thermoset or any other material suitable for use with a water quality sensor, whereas the cartridge housing 128 may be composed of a thermoplastic.

[0062] With reference now generally to FIGS. 12-14, the electronics assembly 124 includes an electronics housing 200 to carry other components of the electronics assembly 124, a lower or sensor cartridge electrical connector 202 (FIG. 12), and an end wall 204 (FIG. 12) carrying the lower connector 202 and coupled to the housing 200. The assembly 124 also includes an upper or handle assembly electrical connector 206 (FIG. 13), and a circuit board 208 (FIG. 14) coupled to the electrical connectors 206, 202. An upper edge of circuit board 208 and the upper connector 206 extend through a portion of the housing 200 and a lower edge of the circuit board 208 and the lower connector 202 extend through the end wall 204. The assembly 124 also may include a handle assembly seal 210 (FIG.13) carried by the electronics housing 200 for sealing to the handle assembly 122 (FIG. 2). The electronics housing 200 may be a monolithic component.

[0063] With reference to FIG. 14, the electronics housing 200 includes a base wall 212 having a connector opening 213 therein carrying the upper edge of the circuit board 208 and the upper connector 206, a side wall 214 extending away from the base wall 212, and a stepped outer skirt 216 extending away from the side wall 214 and terminating in a seal edge 218 for sealing against the gasket 138 of the sensor cartridge 126 (FIG. 10). Locating shoulders 220 extend between the side wall 214 and the stepped outer skirt 216 to provide a locating surface for the end wall 204 to locate against. Snap fit barbs 222 project inwardly from the stepped outer skirt 216 and have ramps on lower faces to facilitate assembly of the end wall 204 into the housing 200 and have shoulders on upper faces to facilitate retention of the end wall 204 once assembled into the housing 200.

[0064] The housing 200 also includes a sensor cartridge coupling that may include deflectable arms 224, 225 extending away from a lower portion of the side wall 214 and terminating in outwardly projecting barbs 226, 227. The housing 200 also may have failsafe assembly features. For example, the arms 224, 225 and / or barbs 226, 227 may be of different widths to indicate to a user how to align the electronics assembly 124 with respect to the corresponding guides of the sensor cartridge 126 (FIG. 2) during assembly.

[0065] With reference to FIGS. 10-11 and 14, the sensor cartridge coupling of the electronics assembly 124 may be coupled to the module coupling of the replaceable sensor cartridge 126, for example, by aligning the arms 224, 225 of the electronics housing 200 with the respective guides 150 of the sensor cartridge housing 128 until the barbs 226, 227 snap into engagement in the apertures 148 of sensor cartridge housing 128. Conversely, the sensor cartridge coupling of the electronics assembly 124 may be uncoupled from the module coupling of the replaceable sensor cartridge 126, for example, by pressing inwardly on the finger tabs 154 of the release arms 152 of the cartridge housing 128 so that the lugs 156 displace the barbs 226, 227 out of the apertures 148 of the cartridge housing 128 to allow the housings 128, 200 to be pulled away from one another.

[0066] Also, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 12, the outer skirt 216 may include different quantities of alignment ribs 228a-c, 230a-b projecting radially outwardly therefrom to facilitate proper assembly with the sensor cartridge 126, for instance wherein a center rib 228b registers between corresponding alignment ribs 156 of the cartridge housing 128. Also, as shown in FIG. 13, the housing 200 may include a fastener boss 232 extending outwardly therefrom for facilitating fastening with the handle assembly 122 (FIG. 2).

[0067] With reference again to FIG. 14, the end wall 204, the lower electrical connector 202, the upper electrical connector 206, and the circuit board 208 may be sub-assembled together and then assembled to the housing 200. For example, the upper end of the circuit board 208 and the upper connector 206 may be inserted into and through the skirt 216 within the side wall 214. Likewise, the end wall 204 carrying the lower connector 202 may be pushed past the barbs 222 and into engagement with the shoulders 220 wherein the upper end of the circuit board 208 and the upper connector 206 fit into the connector opening 213. The circuit board 208 may carry electronics that may perform signal processing for signals received via electrodes carried by the sensor 192.

[0068] With reference now to FIGS. 15 and 16, the handle assembly 122 includes a handle housing 234 that carries other components of the handle assembly 122, a wiring assembly 236 carried by the handle housing 234, and a sealant 238 carried by the handle housing 234. The handle assembly 122 also includes a fastener 240 carried through a portion of the handle housing 234 to fasten to the fastener boss 232 of the electronics assembly housing 200. (FIG. 14) for coupling the electronics assembly 124 (FIG. 2) to the handle assembly 122. The handle assembly 122 facilitates insertion and removal of the sensor module 30 into and out of the apparatus housing 34, is electrically connected to the electronics assembly 124 (FIG. 2), and also may be mechanically fastened to the electronics assembly 124 (FIG. 2). The handle housing 234 may be a monolithic component.

[0069] With reference to FIG. 16, the handle housing 234 includes a base wall 242, an outer skirt 244 extending axially away from the base wall 242, and an inner skirt 246 extending axially away from the base wall 242 and including barbs 248. The outer skirt 244 establishes a socket in which, and with additional reference to FIG. 14, a corresponding upper portion of the electronics assembly 124 is sealingly received and thatmay be fastened to the outer skirt 244 via the fastener 240 that may fasten to the fastener boss 232 of the electronics housing 200. The handle housing 234 also includes a grommet boss 250 extending away from the base wall 242, and a handle 252 extending away from the base wall 242 and partially surrounding the grommet boss 250. The handle 252 includes a columnar portion 254 having a semi-cylindrical interior portion 256, and a finger bar 258 extending transversely across a top of the columnar portion 254 to establish a T-shape for the handle 252.

[0070] With reference to FIG. 15, the wiring assembly 236 includes an external electrical connector 260 for connecting to another portion of the system 10, an internal electrical connector 262 coupled to and carried by the handle housing 234, and an insulated wire 264 coupled to the external connector 260 and to the internal connector 262 and including one or more conductive wires therein (not separately shown). The wiring assembly 236 also includes an external grommet 266 through which the insulated wire 264 extends and that seats in the grommet aperture 96 of the apparatus housing 34 (FIG. 6), and a collared grommet 268 through which the wire 264 extends and that is coupled to the grommet boss 250 of the handle housing 234. The internal connector 262 may be coupled to the handle housing 234 by the sealant 238 that may be carried by the inner skirt 246, the base wall 242, and a portion of the grommet boss 250.

[0071] With reference now to FIG. 17, the closure 32 includes a cover 270 that may be a single, unitary, monolithic component, a failsafe assembly plate 272, and a fastener 274 to fasten the plate 272 to the cover 270. The cover 270 includes a base wall 276 that may be excurvate and may have a dimpled incurvate portion 278 that may be offset from a center of the cover 270, an outer skirt 280 extending away from the base wall 276, and an inner skirt 282 spaced radially away from the outer skirt 280 and extending away from the base wall 276. The cover 270 also may include one or more plate support ribs 284 extending along an inner surface of the inner skirt 282 to support the plate 272, and a fastener boss 286 extending away from the base wall 276 to receive the fastener 274. The inner skirt 282 may include locking lug passages 288 in a free end of the skirt 282 and extending circumferentially through portions of the skirt 282 to accommodate the locking lugs 104 of the apparatus housing 34 (FIG. 2). Once fastened to the cover 270, the failsafe plate 272 produces a reduced transverse dimension across an interior of the innerskirt 282. Accordingly, if the sensor module 30 is not suitably rotated into its fully engaged position with the apparatus housing 34, then the finger bar 258 of the handle 252 (FIG. 16) will interfere with the failsafe plate 272 when the closure 32 is installed to the rest of the apparatus 14. Conversely, when the sensor module 30 is suitably rotated to its fully engaged position with the apparatus housing 34, then the closure 32 can be installed to the apparatus housing 34 and rotated with respect thereto to its locked position without interfering with the finger bar 258 of the handle 252 (FIG. 16).

[0072] With reference to FIG. 18, the closure 32 is shown on the apparatus 14 and the dimpled incurvate portion 278 is shown substantially occupying a lower right quadrant position of the base wall 276 or centered at about a four o’clock position. Longitudinal cross sections 19-19 and 20-20 are taken through the apparatus 14 at side-to-side and front-to-back locations respectively.

[0073] With reference now to cross-sectional FIG. 19, the apparatus 14 illustrates the removable sensor module 30 carried in and coupled to the housing module 26. More specifically, the sensor well 172 of the replaceable sensor cartridge 126 is rotatably carried within the valve 36 in the cylindrical wall 52 of the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34. In this coupled position, the valve engagement features 170, 171 (FIG. 19) of the sensor cartridge housing 128 are registered in the corresponding driven features 78 (FIG. 20, only one shown) of the valve body 68 of the valve 36. Also in this coupled position, the inlet port 178 of the sensor well 172 is aligned with the inlet port 75 of the valve 36 that is in turn aligned with the inlet 48 of the apparatus housing 34 and, likewise, the outlet port 180 of the sensor well 172 is aligned with the outlet port 77 of the valve 36 that is in turn aligned with the outlet 50 of the apparatus housing 34. The sensor 192 extends longitudinally downwardly to a distal end thereof that may be longitudinally past or below the inlet port 178.

[0074] With reference now to cross-sectional FIG. 20, the apparatus 14 illustrates the removable sensor module 30 carried in and coupled to the housing module 26. More specifically, the engagement features 166, 167 of the housing module coupling 160 are coupled to corresponding engagement features 90 of the cylindrical wall 86 of the sensor module receptacle 82 of the apparatus housing 34. The engagement features 90, 166, 167 may be bayonet-type of push-and-turn locking features. Additionally, this viewillustrates a drainage path for water that may enter the apparatus housing 34. For example, if water enters the upper end 42 of the apparatus housing 34 when the closure 32 is removed, then the water flows downwardly between interior surfaces of the cylindrical wall 82 and exterior surfaces of the removable sensor module 30, flows into the first portion 88 of the cylindrical wall 82 radially inwardly over the shoulder 89, down onto the base wall 84 (FIG. 19) and radially inwardly and down through the apertures 85 (FIG. 5) in the base wall 84 and down through the drain channels 53e,f (FIG. 7) between the cylindrical wall 52 and the outer wall 53 of the sensor well receptacle 46 of the apparatus housing 34 and down to the drain cap 38 and out of the drain cap outlet 66.

[0075] FIGS. 21 -24 show another illustrative embodiment of a water quality sensing apparatus 314. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 -20 and like numerals between the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are hereby incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated.

[0076] The water quality sensing apparatus 314 includes a removable sensor module 330 carried in the housing module 26, and includes a replaceable sensor cartridge 426 and an electronics sub-assembly 424 coupled to the replaceable sensor cartridge 426. As will be described below, the replaceable sensor cartridge 426 may be configured for threaded coupling and uncoupling to and from the electronics assembly 424. The replaceable sensor cartridge 426 includes a sensor cartridge housing 428 including a base wall 440, and a housing coupling that may include an outer skirt 446 extending away from the base wall 140, external threads 448 on an external surface of the outer skirt 446. The electronics sub-assembly 424 includes an electronics housing 500 including a side wall 514, and a stepped outer skirt 516 extending away from the side wall 514. The housing 500 also includes a sensor cartridge coupling that may include a flange 524 extending away from a lower portion of the side wall 514.

[0077] The removable sensor module 330 also includes a module coupler, which may include an internally threaded nut 590 to threadably couple the replaceable sensor cartridge to the electronics sub-assembly 424. The nut 590 includes an apertured base wall 592 for locating against the flange 524 of the housing 500 of the electronics sub-assembly 424 and having an aperture 594, and an internally threaded skirt 594 extending away from the base wall and having internal threads 596 for threaded coupling to the external threads 448 of the outer skirt 446 of the sensor cartridge housing 428.

[0078] As used in herein, the terminology “for example,” “e.g.,” for instance,” “like,” “such as,” “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and the like, when used with a listing of one or more elements, is to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listing does not exclude additional elements. Also, as used herein, the term “may” is an expedient merely to indicate optionality, for instance, of a disclosed embodiment, element, feature, or the like, and should not be construed as rendering indefinite any disclosure herein. Moreover, directional words such as front, rear, top, bottom, upper, lower, radial, circumferential, axial, lateral, longitudinal, vertical, horizontal, transverse, and / or the like are employed by way of example and not necessarily limitation.

[0079] Finally, the subject matter of this application is presently disclosed in conjunction with several explicit illustrative embodiments and modifications to those embodiments, using various terms. All terms used herein are intended to be merely descriptive, rather than necessarily limiting, and are to be interpreted and construed in accordance with their ordinary and customary meaning in the art, unless used in a context that requires a different interpretation. And for the sake of expedience, each explicit illustrative embodiment and modification is hereby incorporated by reference into one or more of the other explicit illustrative embodiments and modifications. As such, many other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereto, either exist now or are yet to be discovered and, thus, it is neither intended nor possible to presently describe all such subject matter, which will readily be suggested to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. Rather, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such embodiments and modifications of the subject matter of this application, and equivalents thereto, as fall within the broad scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A water quality sensing apparatus (14), comprising: a housing module (26) including an apparatus housing (34) that extends along a longitudinal axis (A) and that has a transverse outermost dimension along a transverse axis (B) and an overall length greater than the transverse outermost dimension, and that includes an upper end (42), a lower end (44), and a sensor well receptacle (46) proximate the lower end and having a water inlet (46), a water outlet (50), and a receptacle interior between the water inlet and the water outlet; and a removable sensor module (30) carried in the housing module, and including a replaceable sensor cartridge (126) having a sensor well (172) carried in the sensor well receptacle of the apparatus housing of the housing module.

2. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a valve (36) carried in the sensor well receptacle of the apparatus housing and including a cylindrical wall (70) between the sensor well and the sensor well receptacle and having an inlet port (75) in selective registration with the water inlet of the sensor well receptacle, an outlet aperture (77) in selective registration with the water outlet of the sensor well receptacle, and a valve interior configured to carry therein the sensor well of the replaceable sensor cartridge of the removable sensor module.

3. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the removable sensor module is rotatably coupled to the valve so that when the removable sensor module is rotated to remove the removable sensor module from the housing module, the removable sensor module rotates the valve to selectively block the water inlet.

4. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a drain cover (38) coupled to the apparatus housing and including a base wall (62), a housing coupling (64) extending away from the base wall and coupled to the lower end of the apparatus housing, and a drain outlet (66).

5. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus housing also includes a mount portion proximate the upper end and having a fastener engagement feature (100) and a mounting flange (106).

6. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 5, further comprising: a fastener (114) having a housing engagement feature (115) to engage the fastener engagement feature of the apparatus housing; and a centering ring (116) configured carried between the fastener and the mounting flange of the apparatus housing.

7. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a closure (32) to couple to the upper end of the apparatus housing of the housing module and enclose the removable sensor module in the housing module.

8. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a closure seal (40) carried between the closure and the apparatus housing.

9. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the removable sensor module also includes: an electronics assembly (126) coupled to the replaceable sensor cartridge, and a handle assembly (122) coupled to the electronics assembly.

10. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the handle assembly includes: a handle housing (234) includinga base wall (242), an outer skirt (244) extending away from the base wall in a first direction and establishing a socket in which a corresponding portion of the electronics assembly is received, and a handle (252) extending away from the base wall in a second direction opposite that of the first direction.

11. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the handle assembly further includes: a handle grommet (268) carried by a grommet boss (250) extending away from the base wall in the second direction, an insulated wire (264) coupled to the electronics of the electronics assembly, extending through the grommet, and terminating in an electrical connector (260) externally of the apparatus housing, and a housing grommet (266) carried in a grommet aperture (96) in the apparatus housing and through which the insulated wire extends.

12. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electronics assembly includes: an electronics housing (200) coupled to the handle assembly, and including an end wall (204) having a connector opening (213), an outer skirt (216) extending away from the end wall, and a sensor cartridge coupling extending away from the outer skirt.

13. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electronics assembly further includes: electronics carried in the electronics housing, and including a circuit board (208) carrying electronic circuits, a handle assembly connector (204) coupled to the circuit board, and a sensor cartridge connector (202) coupled to the circuit board.

14. The water quality sensing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the replaceable sensor cartridge includes:a sensor cartridge housing (128) coupled to the electronics housing of the electronics assembly, and including a base wall (140) having an electrical connector opening (142), a housing coupling extending away from the base wall and having an outer skirt (146) carrying a housing coupling feature (148), the sensor well (172) having a side wall (176) extending away from the housing coupling, a distal wall (174) connecting the side wall, an inlet port (178) in the side wall in selective registration with the water inlet of the sensor well receptacle of the apparatus housing, and an outlet port (180) in the side wall selective registration with the water outlet of the sensor well receptacle of the apparatus housing, and a sensor support (132) carried in the sensor well receptacle, and a sensor (192) carried by the sensor cartridge housing and extending through the sensor support and terminating proximate the distal wall of the sensor well.

15. A replaceable water quality sensor cartridge (126), comprising: a sensor cartridge housing (128) including a base wall (140) having an electrical connector opening (142), a housing coupling extending away from the base wall in a first direction and having an outer skirt (146), a seal boss (168) extending away from the housing coupling in the first direction, and a sensor well (172) having a side wall (176) extending away from the seal boss, a distal wall (174), an inlet port (178) through the side wall and spaced away from the distal wall, and an outlet port (180) through the side wall and spaced away from the distal wall, and establishing a sensing chamber; and sensor cartridge electronics (130) carried by the sensor cartridge housing and including a circuit board (186) carried by the sensor cartridge housing, an electrical connector (188) coupled to the circuit board, a sensor socket (190) coupled to the circuit board, and a water quality sensor (192) coupled to the sensor socket and extending into the sensing chamber of the sensor well.

16. The replaceable water quality sensor cartridge of claim 14, further comprising: a sensor support (132) carried by the sensor cartridge housing and through which the water quality sensor extends, a potting compound (134) carried within the sensor cartridge housing and around a portion of the sensor cartridge electronics, a seal (136) carried by the seal boss of the sensor cartridge housing, and a gasket (138) carried by the base wall of the sensor cartridge housing.

17. The replaceable water quality sensor cartridge of claim 14, wherein the housing coupling also includes coupling apertures (148) in the outer skirt, barb guides (150) extending away from the outer skirt, and deflectable coupling release arms (152) extending away from the barb guides and back toward the coupling apertures and terminating in finger tabs (154) having radially inwardly projecting release lugs (156) corresponding to the coupling apertures.

18. The replaceable water quality sensor cartridge of claim 14, wherein the housing coupling outer skirt includes external threads.

19. A removable water quality sensor module (30), comprising: a handle assembly (122); an electronics assembly (124) coupled to the handle assembly; and a replaceable water quality sensor cartridge (126) coupled to the electronics assembly, and including a sensor cartridge housing (128) including a base wall (140) having an electrical connector opening (142), a housing coupling extending away from the base wall in a first direction and having an outer skirt (146), a seal boss (168) extending away from the housing coupling in the first direction, and a sensor well (172) having a side wall (176) extending away from the seal boss and a distal wall (174), and a sensor (192) extending into the sensor well.

20. The removable water quality sensor module of claim 19, wherein the handle assembly includes a handle housing (234) including a base wall (242), an outer skirt (244) extending away from the base wall in a first direction and establishing a socket in which a corresponding portion of the electronics assembly is received, and a handle (252) extending away from the base wall in a second direction opposite that of the first direction a handle grommet (268) carried by a grommet boss (250) extending away from the base wall in the second direction, and an insulated wire (264) coupled to the electronics of the electronics assembly, extending through the handle grommet, and terminating in an electrical connector (260).

21. The removable water quality sensor module of claim 19, wherein the electronics assembly includes an electronics housing (200) coupled to the handle assembly, and including an end wall (204) having a connector opening (213), an outer skirt (216) extending away from the end wall, and a sensor cartridge coupling extending away from the outer skirt; and electronics carried in the electronics housing, and including a circuit board (208) carrying electronic circuits, a handle assembly connector (206) coupled to the circuit board, and a sensor cartridge connector (202) coupled to the circuit board.

22. A water quality sensor cartridge housing (128), comprising: a base wall (140) having an opening (142) through which extends a longitudinal axis (A); an outer skirt (146) extending away from the base wall along a first direction and carrying a sensor module coupling; an apparatus housing coupling portion (160) including a side wall extending away from the base wall along a second direction different from the first direction; a seal boss (168) extending away from the housing coupling portion; and a sensor well (172) establishing a sensing chamber and including a side wall (176) extending away from the seal boss and having an inlet aperture (178) and an outlet aperture (178), and a distal wall (174).

23. The water quality sensor cartridge housing of claim 22, wherein the apparatus housing coupling includes apparatus housing engagement features 166, 167 extending radially outwardly from the side wall and being of different dimensions as a failsafe assembly feature.

24. The water quality sensor cartridge housing of claim 22, wherein the sensor module coupling includes apertures (148) in the outer skirt, barb guides (150) extending away from the outer skirt, and deflectable coupling release arms (152) extending away from the barb guides and back toward the coupling apertures and terminating in finger tabs (154) having radially inwardly projecting release lugs (156) corresponding to the coupling apertures.

25. A water quality sensor apparatus housing module (26), comprising: an apparatus housing (34), including an upper end (42), a lower end (44), and a sensor well receptacle (46) proximate the lower end and including a water inlet (48), a water outlet (50), and a cylindrical wall (52) in communication with the water inlet and the water outlet and establishing a valve receiver; and a valve (36) carried in the apparatus housing, and including a body (70) rotatably carried in the valve receiver of the apparatus housing and having a water inlet port (75) and a water outlet port (77), a lower seal (74) carried by the body below the water inlet and outlet ports, an upper seal (76) carried by the body above the water inlet and outlet ports, and a valve seal (80) carried by the body to selectively block the water inlet of the sensor well receptacle.

26. The water quality sensor apparatus housing module of claim 25, further comprising: a drain cover (38) coupled to the lower end of the apparatus housing.

27. The water quality sensor apparatus housing module of claim 25, wherein the apparatus housing further includes a sensor module receptacle (82) extending away from the sensor well receptacle toward the upper end, and including a base wall (84) extending transversely outwardly from an upper end of the receptacle cylindrical wall, and a side wall (86) extending axially away from the base wall and carrying one or more sensor module engagement features (90).

28. A water quality sensor apparatus housing (34), comprising: an upper end (42); a lower end (44); a sensor well receptacle (46) proximate the lower end and including a side wall (50), a water inlet (48) through the side wall, a water outlet (50) through the side wall, and an outer wall (53) spaced transversely away from the side wall to establish one or more drain passages (53e,f) therebetween; and a sensor module receptacle (82) extending away from the sensor well receptacle toward the upper end, and including a base wall (84) extending transversely outwardly from an upper end of the side wall of the sensor well receptacle, and a side wall (86) extending axially away from the base wall and carrying one or more sensor module engagement features (90) on an interior side of the side wall and one or more fastener engagement features (100) on an exterior side of the side wall.

Images