Ice detector

• US 3,240,054 A
• Filed: 12/24/1962
• Issued: 03/15/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1962
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilfred Roth
• Original Assignee: Wilfred Roth
• Inventors: Roth, Wilfred
• Application Number:
  US04/246,731
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• US Class Current: 73/576
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0251 Solidification, icing, curing composites, polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0256 Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/036 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice

Claims

1. A ICE DETECTOR WHICH COMPRISES (A) A TRANSDUCER INCLUDING AN ELASTICALLY VIBRATORY RESONANT MEMBER HAVING AN ELASTICALLY VIBRATORY RESONANT FREQUENCY DETERMINED IN SUBSTANTIAL PART BY THE STIFFNESS THEREOF, (B) SAID MEMBER BEING EXPOSED TO THE ACCRETION OF ICE THEREON WHEREBY THE STIFFNESS OF AN ACCRETED LAYER OF ICE INCREASES SAID RESONANT FREQUENCY OF THE MEMBER, (C) A SECOND REFERENCE TRANSDUCER SIMILAR TO THE FIRSTMENTIONED TRANSDUCER AND PROTECTED FROM THE ACCRETION OF ICE ON THE ELASTICALLY VIBRATORY MEMBER THEREOF, (D) MEANS FOR ENERGIZING SAID TRANSDUCERS FROM A COMMON SOURCE OF ALTERNATING CURRENT IN THE REGION OF THE ELASTICALLY VIBRATORY RESONANT FREQUENCY THEREOF, (E) THE ACCRETION OF ICE ON THE EXPOSED TRANSDUCER SHIFTING THE RESONANT CHARACTERISTIC THEREOF WITH RESPECT TO THE FREQUENCY OF SAID ALTERNATING CURRENT SOURCE, (F) AND MEANS FOR DETERMINING CHANGES IN THE RELATIVE PHASE OF SAID TRANSDUCERS AND THE DIRECTION THEREOF.