Probe-type liquid detector
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting the presence of liquid at a given location comprising;
- a first housing mountable at positions remote from said given location;
alarm means mounted within said first housing and energizable to provide an output signal;
means within said housing for retaining a d.c. power supply;
at least two spaced metal probes each said probe comprising;
a base component formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, niobium and tantalum;
a noble metal layer intimately adhered to one surface of said base component;
an oxide of said select metal substantially covering, in situ, the remaining surface portions of said base component;
solid state switching means electrically coupled with said probes and having an output switching condition when said probes are simultaneously immersed in said liquid;
a second housing for supporting said probes and said solid state switching means in substantially close adjacency and configured for encapsulatively sealing said switching means from the environment of said liquid means retained within said second housing for electrically coupling said noble metal layer of each said probe with said solid state switching means; and
flexible cable means connected between said first and second housing means for asserting current from said power supply to said solid state switching means, and for effecting the energization of said alarm means in the presence of said output switching condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and system for monitoring sites for the presence of moisture or the collection of conductive liquids. Two housings are utilized with the apparatus to facilitate user convenience. A first of these housings, mounted at a location selected for easy access by the user, retains manually actuated switching, alarm components and batteries. This housing is electrically coupled with a second, smaller housing serving to encapsulate solid-state switching logic components and moisture detecting probes. Spurious R.F. noise is avoided within the system through the positioning of this solid state switching at the second housing in close adjacency with the probes. The probes are formed of a base material, one surface portion of which is covered with a noble metal, such as platinum. The remaining surfaces of the base are permitted to develop, in situ, a surface oxide which is immune to galvanic corrosive participation.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting the presence of liquid at a given location comprising;
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a first housing mountable at positions remote from said given location; alarm means mounted within said first housing and energizable to provide an output signal; means within said housing for retaining a d.c. power supply; at least two spaced metal probes each said probe comprising; a base component formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, niobium and tantalum; a noble metal layer intimately adhered to one surface of said base component; an oxide of said select metal substantially covering, in situ, the remaining surface portions of said base component; solid state switching means electrically coupled with said probes and having an output switching condition when said probes are simultaneously immersed in said liquid; a second housing for supporting said probes and said solid state switching means in substantially close adjacency and configured for encapsulatively sealing said switching means from the environment of said liquid means retained within said second housing for electrically coupling said noble metal layer of each said probe with said solid state switching means; and flexible cable means connected between said first and second housing means for asserting current from said power supply to said solid state switching means, and for effecting the energization of said alarm means in the presence of said output switching condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a liquid level responsive system of a variety wherein at least two conductive probes are utilized which, upon being simultaneously positioned in contact with a conductive liquid, serve to complete a d.c. electrical circuit path through electrical leads to circuit components developing an output signal, the improvement wherein each of said probes comprises:
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a base component formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of;
aluminum, tantalum, niobium and titanium and having first and second surface portions;a noble metal layer intimately and substantially uniformly adhered to said first surface portion; said second surface portion comprising an in situ covering of oxide of said metal of said base component; and means electrically coupling said noble metal layer with a said lead. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification