METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DRYING WET FLOORS
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors, comprising:
- a floor mat;
a controller;
a detector mat that is positioned adjacent to the floor mat, the detector mat having at least one moisture sensing element that is operable to detect moisture and transmit a moisture detection signal to the controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location; and
a floor dryer that is operative to turn on and off for drying the floor mat by directing moving air toward the floor mat in response to an operating signal from the controller, wherein the controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal.
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Abstract
An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors includes a floor mat; a controller; a detector mat that is positioned adjacent to the floor mat, the detector mat having at least one moisture sensing element that is operable to detect moisture and transmit a moisture detection signal to the controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location, and a floor dryer that is operative to turn on and off for drying the floor mat by directing moving air toward the floor mat in response to an operating signal from the controller, wherein the controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors, comprising:
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a floor mat; a controller; a detector mat that is positioned adjacent to the floor mat, the detector mat having at least one moisture sensing element that is operable to detect moisture and transmit a moisture detection signal to the controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location; and a floor dryer that is operative to turn on and off for drying the floor mat by directing moving air toward the floor mat in response to an operating signal from the controller, wherein the controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors, comprising:
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a floor mat having a backing layer and a carpet layer that is disposed on the backing layer; a controller; a detector mat that is positioned adjacent to the floor mat, the detector mat having at least one moisture sensing element that is operable to detect moisture and transmit a moisture detection signal to the controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location, wherein the detector mat includes a body that is liquid impervious, the at least one moisture sensing element includes a plurality of electrodes that are disposed on the body, the body of the detector mat includes a plurality of channels that are recessed with respect to a top surface of the detector mat, and at least some of the electrodes are positioned along the channels; and a floor dryer that is operative to turn on and off for drying the floor mat by directing moving air toward the floor mat in response to an operating signal from the controller, wherein the controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A detector mat for detecting moisture, comprising:
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a body that is liquid impervious and includes a plurality of channels that are recessed with respect to a top surface of the body; and at least one moisture sensing element that is operable to detect moisture and output a moisture detection signal in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location, wherein the at least one moisture sensing element includes a plurality of electrodes that are disposed on the body and at least some of the electrodes are positioned along the channels of the body. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification