SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING AND COMMUNICATING MOISTURE LEAKS IN FLUID CONDUITS

• US 20130180318A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Glace, Hess, Mark A., Joseph J. Howard
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Glace, Hess, Mark A., Joseph J. Howard
• Inventors: Hess, Mark A., Howard, Joseph J., Glace, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 8,746,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/49.2
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/30 Detecting leaks
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/022 Test plugs for closing off the end of a pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/04 by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/18 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators

Abstract

A system for detecting and communicating moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, wherein the system includes a sensor for detecting moisture, the sensor being positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting and configured to generate a signal representing a result of moisture detection, and a receiver configured to receive the signal generated by the sensor. The system may include a communication circuit to provide wired or wireless communication between the sensor and the receiver. Other systems and method for detecting and communicating moisture leakage are further disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system for detecting moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, the system comprising:

a sensor for detecting moisture, the sensor being positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting and configured to generate a signal representing a result of moisture detection; and

a receiver configured to receive the signal generated by the sensor.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a communication circuit configured to connect the sensor to the receiver.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the communication circuit is partially disposed on the outer surface of the fitting.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer surface of the fitting further includes a channel extending along a length of the fitting, the channel being configured to retain the communication circuit.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the communication circuit is configured to wirelessly communicate the result of moisture detection from the sensor to the receiver.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communication circuit is a radio frequency identification device.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communication circuit further includes a battery.

8. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the communication circuit is an integrated circuit wrapped around the outer surface of the fitting.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the communication circuit further includes a battery wrapped around the outer surface of the fitting.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication circuit is configured to wirelessly communicate the result of moisture detection over a wireless range.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a repeater placed within the wireless range of the communication circuit, the repeater being coupled wirelessly to the communication circuit and configured to increase the wireless range.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the fitting is barbed.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises

a capillary paper layer made of a capillary material, and

at least two conductive traces disposed on the capillary paper layer.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the conductive traces are made of conductive ink printed on the capillary paper layer.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sensor further comprises a substrate layer attached to the capillary paper layer to provide a protective backing.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, the sensor further comprising an internal layer made of a non-conductive adhesive material to bond the capillary paper layer to the substrate layer.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an adhesive layer made of a non-conductive adhesive material to bond the sensor to the fitting.

18. The system as claimed in claim 13, the sensor further comprising a plurality of conductive trace protrusions extending from at least two of said conductive traces and disposed on the capillary paper layer to increase the sensitivity of moisture detection.

19. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is wrapped around the outer edge portion.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sensor includes two conductive traces extending along a length of the sensor and a plurality of conductive trace prongs extending from each conductive trace towards the outer edge portion of the fitting.

21. A system for detecting moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, the system comprising:

means for detecting moisture, being positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting and configured to generate a result of moisture detection; and

means for receiving the result generated by the means for detecting moisture.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, further comprising means for communicating the result from the means for detecting moisture to the means for receiving the result.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the means for communicating is partially disposed on the outer surface of the fitting.

24. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the means for communicating embodies a communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate the result of moisture detection.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the communication circuit is a radio frequency identification device.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the communication circuit further includes a battery.

27. A method for detecting moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, the method comprising:

detecting moisture with a sensor positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting and generating a signal representing a result of moisture detection; and

receiving the signal generated by the sensor with a receiver.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising communicating the signal from the sensor to the receiver.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein communicating the signal from the sensor to the receiver occurs wirelessly.