Patents Assigned to Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
  • Publication number: 20150196167
    Abstract: Spa side panels are trapezoidally-shaped and mounted in respective grooves defined by adjacent tapered corner pieces and their mounting brackets to accommodate differences in coefficients of expansion of the respective parts and prevent structural damage. Angled force transfer members are configured to mate with swept back side surfaces of a spa base pan to achieve a pedestal appearance, and the bottom surface of the base pan is constructed to reduce heat transfer to the spa support surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Zeljko Dragovic, Sam Shifron
  • Publication number: 20150192523
    Abstract: A method of measuring the level of chlorine in a salt water solution and the pH of that solution comprises measuring the UV absorption of a first sample of the first solution to generate a first absorption value, subjecting the solution to electrolysis to generate a catholyte, measuring the UV absorption of the catholyte to generate a second absorption value, and then determining the level of chlorine in the solution and the pH of the solution using the first and second absorption values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: WATKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Klaus Brondum
  • Patent number: 9058027
    Abstract: A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen S. Macey
  • Patent number: 9006616
    Abstract: Control circuitry for controlling a spa water heater, wherein a microcontroller is configured to detect zero crossings of an A.C. line voltage from a voltage sense signal, to cause closing of a first heater relay and a second heater relay, to detect the time at which heater current is initially sensed by a current sensor after the initial closing of the second heater relay, to measure a time delay between the time that the second heater relay is closed and the time at which heater current is initially sensed, and to adjust the time at which a second closing of the second heater relay occurs such that zero crossings of the heater current occur at the same time as zero crossings of the voltage waveform. The control circuitry further includes a voltage sense circuit comprising a first diode connected in series with a current limiting resistance connected in series with a Zener diode, which is in turn connected in series with an optical coupler LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Larry Nicholson
  • Publication number: 20140379146
    Abstract: A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: WATKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Stephen S. Macey
  • Publication number: 20140354309
    Abstract: Control circuitry for controlling a spa water heater, wherein a microcontroller is configured to detect zero crossings of an A.C. line voltage from a voltage sense signal, to cause closing of a first heater relay and a second heater relay, to detect the time at which heater current is initially sensed by a current sensor after the initial closing of the second heater relay, to measure a time delay between the time that the second heater relay is closed and the time at which heater current is initially sensed, and to adjust the time at which a second closing of the second heater relay occurs such that zero crossings of the heater current occur at the same time as zero crossings of the voltage waveform. The control circuitry further includes a voltage sense circuit comprising a first diode connected in series with a current limiting resistance connected in series with a Zener diode, which is in turn connected in series with an optical coupler LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Larry Nicholson
  • Patent number: 8838280
    Abstract: A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen S. Macey
  • Publication number: 20140231248
    Abstract: An oxidizer generating apparatus comprising a cylindrical housing and an electrode assembly attached at one end of the housing comprising at least three vertically disposed electrodes, the electrodes being spaced apart so as to define a water flow path between them, the electrodes comprising titanium outer electrodes and at least one inner diamond electrode
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: WATKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael McCague
  • Patent number: 8745774
    Abstract: An oxidizer generating apparatus comprising a cylindrical housing and an electrode assembly attached at one end of the housing comprising at least three vertically disposed electrodes, the electrodes being spaced apart so as to define a water flow path between them, the electrodes comprising titanium outer electrodes and at least one inner diamond electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael McCague
  • Patent number: D702808
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D702846
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D719663
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D721817
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D721818
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D722700
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D722701
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D722702
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D723706
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D726328
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker
  • Patent number: D730534
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Carl Larsen, Sage Nathan Baker