MULTICHANNEL FROST ICE AND SNOW DETECTING DEVICE

• US 3,596,264 A
• Filed: 03/13/1969
• Issued: 07/27/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael F. Ciemochowski
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Ciemochowski
• Inventors: Ciemochowski, Michael F.
• Application Number:
  US04/806,882
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice

Abstract

A device for both anticipating and detecting the formation and presence of frost, ice or snow on a particular surface employs signal-producing sensing means to sense the temperature of the surface, the temperature of the atmosphere, the atmospheric humidity, as well as the presence of either free water, frost, ice or snow. The signals produced in response thereto are compared to certain established reference values indicative of freezing temperature, a predetermined difference between atmospheric temperature and surface temperature, a preselected relative humidity as well as relative electrical conductivity of free water, frost, ice or snow in order to logically determine if the formation of frost or ice is anticipated and in accordance with such determination create an appropriate first output response and to in accordance with the same signals logically determine whether it is merely free water which is being sensed or if it is actually frost, ice or snow and in accordance with such a determination create an appropriate second output response.

Claims

1. A device for both anticipating the occurrence and detecting the presence of an atmospheric formation on a surface, comprising first means for creating a first output signal indicating that said surface has attained a first predetermined temperature, second means for creating a second output signal indicating that a predetermined difference in temperature is attained between said first predetermined temperature and the temperature of the ambient atmosphere, third means for creating a third output signal indicatiNg that the ambient atmosphere has attained a predetermined value of relative humidity, fourth means effective for creating a fourth output signal indicative of the presence of said formation on said surface, fifth means effective for determining if said formation is merely free water or if said formation consists of frost, snow or ice and creating in accordance therewith a fifth output signal, sixth means adapted to receive said first, second and third signals, and seventh means adapted to receive said first, fourth and fifth signals, said sixth means being effective upon simultaneously receiving said first, second and third signals for causing actuation of related first output means, said seventh means being effective upon simultaneously receiving said first, fourth, and fifth signals for causing actuation of related second output means.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said first means comprises first temperature sensing means adapted to sense the temperature of said surface and produce in accordance therewith a first parameter output signal, temperature reference means adapted to produce a first reference signal of a predetermined magnitude indicative of a predetermined temperature, and additional means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said first reference signal, said additional means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said first reference signal for determining if said temperature of said surface is equal to or less than said predetermined temperature.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said temperature reference means comprises an adjustable potentiometer, and wherein said additional means comprises an electronic comparator, said comparator being effective for producing said first output signal.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said second means comprises first temperature sensing means adapted to sense the temperature of said surface and produce in accordance therewith a first parameter output signal, transducer means responsive to ambient atmospheric temperature and effective to produce in accordance therewith a second parameter output signal, and additional means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said second parameter output signal, said additional means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said second parameter output signal for determining if a predetermined minimum difference in temperature is indicated by said first and second parameter output signals and if said predetermined minimum difference is attained to create in response thereto said second output signal.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said first temperature sensing means comprises second temperature responsive transducer means, and wherein said additional means comprises an electronic comparator, said comparator being effective for producing said second output signal.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said third means comprises transducer means responsive to ambient atmosphere for determining the relative humidity thereof and creating in response thereto a first parameter output signal, humidity reference means adapted to produce a first reference signal of a predetermined magnitude indicative of a predetermined value of relative humidity, and additional means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said first reference signal, said additional means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said first reference signal for determining if said first parameter output signal indicates a value of relative humidity at least equal to said minimum value of relative humidity established by said first reference signal and to create in response thereto said third output signal.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein said humidity reference means comprises an adjustable potentiometer, and wherein said additional means comprises an electronic comparator, said comparator being effective for pRoducing said third output signal.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein said fourth means comprises transducer means responsive to the presence of said formation and thereupon effective for creating a first parameter output signal, reference means for creating a reference signal of a predetermined magnitude, and additional means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said reference signal, said additional means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said reference signal for determining if said first parameter output signal is equal to or greater than said predetermined magnitude of said reference signal.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said transducer comprises spaced electrodes normally having an infinitely large electrical resistance between said electrodes and a range of finite electrical resistances between said electrodes depending on the electrical conductivity properties of said formation when said spaced electrodes experience a bridging of said formation across said spaced electrodes, and means for maintaining said spaced electrodes at a temperature above the freezing temperature of water so as to assure the transformation to free water of any formation comprised of frost, sleet or snow which may otherwise tend to bridge said spaced electrodes.

10. A device according to claim 8 wherein said reference means comprises an adjustable potentiometer, and wherein said additional means comprises an electronic comparator, said comparator being effective to produce said fourth output signal.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein said first means comprises transducer means responsive to the presence of said formation and thereupon effective for creating a first parameter output signal, said transducer means comprising spaced electrodes normally having an infinitely large electrical resistance between said electrodes and a range of finite electrical resistances between said electrodes depending on the electrical conductivity properties of said formation when said spaced electrodes experience a bridging of said formation across said spaced electrodes in order to thereby produce said first parameter output signal, said first parameter output signal having a first particular predictable magnitude when said bridging formation comprises free water and a second particular predictable magnitude when said bridging formation comprises frost, ice or snow, reference means for creating a reference signal of a predetermined magnitude functionally equivalent to said second particular predictable magnitude, and additional means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said reference signal, said additional means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said reference signal for determining whether the magnitude of said first parameter output signal is functionally equivalent to said reference signal and if so to create said fifth output signal.

12. A device according to claim 1 wherein said first means comprises first temperature sensing means adapted to sense the temperature of said surface and produce in accordance therewith a first parameter output signal, first temperature reference means adapted to produce a first reference signal of a predetermined magnitude indicative of a predetermined temperature, first comparator means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said first reference signal, said first comparator means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said first reference signal for determining if said temperature of said surface is equal to or less than said predetermined temperature and if so create said first output signal, wherein said second means comprises first transducer means responsive to ambient atmospheric temperature and effective to produce in accordance therewith a second parameter output signal, second comparator means for receiving said first parameter output signal and said second parameter Output signal, said second comparator means being effective upon receiving said first parameter output signal and said second parameter output signal for determining if a predetermined minimum difference in temperature is indicated by said first and second parameter output signals and if said predetermined minimum difference is attained to create in response thereto said second output signal, wherein said third means comprises second transducer means responsive to ambient atmosphere for determining the relative humidity thereof and creating in response thereto a third parameter output signal, humidity reference means adapted to produce a second reference signal of a predetermined magnitude indicative of a predetermined value of relative humidity, third comparator means for receiving said third parameter output signal and said second reference signal, said third comparator means being effective upon receiving said third parameter means being effective upon receiving said third parameter output signal and said first reference signal for determining if said third parameter output signal indicates a value of relative humidity at least equal to said minimum value of relative humidity established by said first reference signal and to create in response thereto said third output signal, wherein said fourth means comprises third transducer means responsive to the presence of said formation and thereupon effective for creating a fourth parameter output signal, second reference means for creating a third reference signal of a predetermined magnitude, fourth comparator means for receiving said fourth parameter output signal and said third reference signal, said fourth comparator means being effective upon receiving said fourth parameter output signal and said third reference signal for determining if said fourth parameter output signal is equal to or greater than said predetermined magnitude of third reference signal and to create in accordance therewith said fourth output signal, and wherein said fifth means comprises fifth transducer means responsive to the presence of said formation and thereupon effective for creating a fifth parameter output signal, said fifth transducer means comprising spaced electrodes normally having an infinitely large electrical resistance between said electrodes and a range of finite electrical resistances between said electrodes depending on the electrical conductivity properties of said formation when said spaced electrodes experience a bridging of said formation across said spaced electrodes in order to thereby produce said fifth parameter output signal, said fifth parameter output signal having a first predictable magnitude when said bridging formation comprises free water and a second predictable magnitude when said bridging formation comprises frost, ice or snow, third reference means for creating a fourth reference signal of a predetermined magnitude functionally equivalent to said second predictable magnitude, and fifth comparator means for receiving said fifth parameter output signal and said fourth reference signal, said fifth comparator means being effective upon receiving said fifth parameter output signal and said fourth reference signal for determining whether the magnitude of said fifth parameter output signal is functionally equivalent to said fourth reference signal and if so to create said fifth output signal.