Moisture detector

• US 3,864,676 A
• Filed: 09/10/1973
• Issued: 02/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Angos Winke, Helene Macias
• Original Assignee: Angos Winke, Helene Macias
• Inventors: Macias, Helene, Winke, Angos
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Alfred E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Application Number:
  US05/395,722
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 324/71R 340/235 128/138A,418 328/4 307/251,308,315 200/61.05
• US Class Current: 600/382
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/48 Devices for preventing wetting or pollution of the bed

Abstract

An elongated sensor is longitudinally crimped to provide electrical isolation between two closely spaced wire conductors and to form around each conductor a surrounding elongated tube of porous soft material which permits the two conductors to become electrically shorted together in the presence of an electrically conductive fluid on the sensor. A connector detachably secured to one end of the sensor connects the conductors across the high impedance input of a signaling circuit to activate an indicator when the two conductors are shorted together.

Claims

1. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in a specified region, comprising:

a sensor portable with the body of the user comprising two closely spaced, elongated, flexible conductors, each conductor being enclosed in a soft, porous sheath separating the conductors from each other and from the user'"'"''"'"'s body to normally provide electrical isolation between the conductors but allowing an electrical short between them in the presence of a bridging fluid;

signal generator and alarm means electrically connected to said sensor to provide an indication of a short between said conductors; and

an electrically insulated connector for receiving one end of said sensor and providing said electrical connection between said sensor and said signal generator and alarm means, said connector comprising a slotted connector base, a connector cover, and means for providing an enclosed electrical connection between said sensor and said signal generator and alarm means and for mechanically gripping and supporting the end of said sensor inserted into the connector slot when the connector cover is closed.

2. A moisture detector as defined in claim 1 wherein, said electrical connection and mechanical gripping means comprises a pair of electrically conductive spiked rails spaced apart in said slotted connector base and electrically connected to said signal generator and alarm means, and at least two raised bars mounted on said connector cover, each bar being aligned with an opposed one of said rails to press the spikes thereof through an aligned sensor sheath and into contact with the enclosed sensor conductor when the cover is closed.

3. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of a fluid in a specified region as defined in claim 2, wherein said sheath is composed of a non-absorbent material longitudinally crimped to provide said electrical isolation between the conductors.

4. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in a specified region as defined in claim 3, wherein means are provided along at least one side of said crimping for removably attaching the sensor in the specified region .

5. A portable moisture detector as defined in claim 4 wherein said attaching means are removably secured to material adjacent the specified region.

6. A portable, self-positioning moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in user'"'"''"'"'s crotch region, comprising:

an elongated, disposable sensor portable with the user'"'"''"'"'s body in the crotch region comprising two closely spaced, flexible conductors enclosed in an elongated, porous, non-absorbent sheath of soft, non-conductive material, said sheath being crimped longitudinally between the conductors to normally provide electrical isolation from the user'"'"''"'"'s body and between the conductors but allowing an electrical short between the conductors in the presence of a bridging fluid, the largest transverse sensor dimension being less than about one inch, whereby, due to the sensor'"'"''"'"'s elongated, narrow dimensions and soft, flexible construction, the sensor remains substantially positioned in the user'"'"''"'"'s crotch near the area of fluid discharge when worn and is readily cut into shorter lengths;

an electrically insulated connector for receiving one end of said sensor and providing electrical connection to said sensor, said connector including a pair of electrically conductive spiked rails spaced apart in an slotted connector base and at least two raised bars mounted on a connector cover, each bar being aligned with an opposed one of said rails to press the spikes thereof through an aligned sheath and into contact with the enclosed sensor connector when the cover is closed, whereby the connector supports and hold the end of said sensor inserted into the connector slot in a positive mechanical grip when the connector cover is closed and provides an enclosed electrical connection between said sensor and said spiked rails;

an alarm electrically connected through a switch to said rails; and

signal generator means electrically connected to actuate said alarm when said conductors are shorted together, said signal generator means having a high input impedance and a low power input so that current flow through said conductors when shorter together is one microampere or less.

7. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in the user'"'"''"'"'s crotch region as defined in claim 6 wherein, said conductors are wires, and further comprising:

an adhesive strip along one side of said crimping for removably attaching said sensor to the user'"'"''"'"'s clothing adajcent the crotch area.

8. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in the user'"'"''"'"'s crotch region as defined in claim 7 wherein, said connector slot is about the same width as the sensors largest transverse dimension whereby each conductor is aligned with one of said conductive rails, and further comprising:

a third raised bar mounted on said cover between said two bars to press the crimped portion of said sensor against the base, whereby electrical isolation between the conductors is ensured and the conductors are prevented from moving out of alignment with said rails.

9. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in the user'"'"''"'"'s crotch region as defined in claim 8 wherein said connector wires consist of a material which is inert when contacted by expected fluids.

10. A portable moisture detector for sensing and indicating the flow of fluid in the user'"'"''"'"'s crotch region as defined in claim 8 wherein, said signal generator means includes a battery power source and said alarm and switch are connected in series with the positive battery terminal, said signal generator means further comprising;

a transistor having its collector and emitter connected to said switch and to the negative battery terminal respectively, the base of said transistor being connected through first and second resistors to the positive and negative battery terminals respectively, said second resistor having a greater resistance than said first resistor;

a field effect transistor having its source connected through third and fourth resistors to the positive and negative battery terminals respectively, said third resistor having a greater resistance than said fourth resistor, the drain terminal of said F.E.T. being connected to the base of said transistor so that the potential at the transistor base is below its operating potential when said F.E.T. is conducting to terminate current flow through the alarm. a first one of said conductors being connected to the negative battery terminal and to the F.E.T. source through said fourth resistor while the second conductor is connected to the F.E.T. gate through a fifth resistor whereby a short between the two conductors imposes a negative potential at said gate to render the F.E.T. non-conducting and switch said transistor to its conducting state so that current flows through said alarm; and

a second switch having a first terminal connected to the F.E.T. gate through a capacitor and to the positive battery terminal and having a second switch terminal connected to said fifth resistor and directly to the F.E.T. gate, whereby an electrical short across the second switch terminals discharges any previous negative potential maintained by said capacitor at the F.E.T. gate and provides the battery positive potential directly to said gate thereby rendering the F.E.T. conducting And concurrently reducing the potential at the transistor base below its operating level to switch off said alarm.