Method and apparatus for monitoring an environmental condition with a tag

• US 20070096920A1
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Cargonja, Nikola, Lockyer, Richard, Redler, Timothy, Merritt, Kent
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A support includes a base having an outwardly extending projection with a passageway therethrough, and having a tag receiving portion configured to removably support a tag on the base adjacent one end of the passageway. A different arrangement involves a tag that includes a housing having an opening therethrough and having an annular surface around the opening, an annular gasket engaging the annular surface, and circuitry within the housing having a sensor located in the region of the opening and having a transmitter that can transmit wireless signals. A method includes defining a passageway that provides fluid communication between an interior and exterior of a container, supporting a tag on the exterior of the container, and causing the tag to sense, at a location in the region of an end of the passageway, a condition within the container.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a support that includes:

a base;

a projection extending outwardly from said base in a selected direction and having a passageway therethrough, said passageway having first and second ends respectively adjacent and remote from said base; and

a tag receiving portion provided on said base and configured to removably support a tag on said base adjacent said first end of said passageway.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said support includes mounting structure on a side of said base facing in said selected direction for removably supporting said base on a wall.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said mounting structure includes a strip of double-sided tape.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, including sealing structure cooperable with said support, wherein when said projection is extending through an opening in a wall, said sealing structure effects a fluid seal between the wall and said support while said passageway provides fluid communication between opposite sides of the wall.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said projection has threads;

and

wherein said sealing structure includes a nut that threadedly engages said projection on a side of a wall opposite from said base, an annular first gasket that extends around said projection between said nut and the wall, and an annular second gasket that extends around said projection between said base and the wall.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein said base has an opening therethrough;

wherein said projection is a tubular fitting having said threads on an exterior thereof and having a flange at one end thereof, said projection extending through said opening in said base and having said flange disposed adjacent said base; and

wherein said sealing structure includes an annular third gasket that extends around said projection between said flange and said flange.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said projection has outwardly-facing holding surfaces in the region of an end remote from said base.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said tag receiving portion includes a resilient portion configured to yieldably urge a tag toward said first end of said passageway.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said resilient portion includes a leaf spring.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, including a tag removably disposed in said tag receiving portion, said tag having an annular gasket thereon and said resilient portion causing said gasket on said tag to be sealingly pressed against an annular surface portion on said base that extends around said first end of said passageway, and said tag having a sensor for sensing a selected condition through a center opening in said gasket thereon in the region of said first end of said passageway.

11. An apparatus comprising a tag that includes:

a housing having a wall portion with an opening therethrough and having thereon an annular surface portion that extends around said opening;

an annular gasket engaging said annular surface portion; and

circuitry disposed within said housing, said circuitry including a sensor located in the region of said opening, and including a transmitter that can transmit wireless signals.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said tag includes a sheet of filter material supported with respect to said housing so that all fluid flowing through said opening must flow through said sheet of filter material.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein said wall portion has said annular surface portion on an inner side thereof;

and

wherein said tag includes a circuit board having said sensor thereon, and having thereon an annular surface portion that extends around said sensor, said gasket sealing engaging said annular surface portion on said wall portion and said annular surface portion on said circuit board.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said gasket includes a layer of a foam material with adhesive on each side thereof, said adhesive securing said gasket to each of said annular surface portions.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein said wall portion has on an outer side thereof a further annular surface portion that extends around said opening therethrough;

and

wherein said tag includes a further annular gasket engaging said further annular surface portion.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said further annular gasket is adhesively secured to said further annular surface portion.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said wall portion has a sensing recess in the outer side thereof, said opening through said wall portion communicating with said sensing recess, and said further annular surface portion extending around said sensing recess.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said wall portion has a shallow gasket recess in the outer side thereof, said sensing recess being provided in a central portion of an inner surface of said gasket recess, and said further annular surface portion being provided within said gasket recess.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said wall portion has a shallow gasket recess in the outer side thereof, said further annular surface portion being provided within said gasket recess.

20. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said wall portion has said annular surface portion on an outer side thereof.

21. An apparatus. according to claim 20, wherein said annular gasket is adhesively secured to said annular surface portion.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said wall portion has a sensing recess in the outer side thereof, said opening through said wall portion communicating with said sensing recess, and said annular surface portion extending around said sensing recess.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said wall portion has a shallow gasket recess in the outer side thereof, said sensing recess being provided in a central portion of an inner surface of said gasket recess, and said annular surface portion being provided within said gasket recess.

24. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sensor detects at least one of temperature and humidity.

25. An apparatus according to claim 11,

including a support having:

a base with an opening therethrough; and

a tag receiving portion provided on said base and configured to removably support said tag on said base so that said opening through said base is in the region of and communicates with said opening through said housing.

26. A method comprising:

defining a passageway providing fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of a container;

supporting a tag on the exterior of said container in the region of an outer end of said passageway; and

causing said tag to sense, at a location in the region of said outer end of said passageway, an environmental condition within said container.

27. A method according to claim 26, including selecting said environmental condition to be one of temperature and humidity within said container.

28. A method according to claim 26, including causing said tag to transmit a wireless signal containing information relating to said environmental condition.