Moisture sensing device for pipes and the like

• US 4,374,379 A
• Filed: 08/25/1980
• Issued: 02/15/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Everett G. Dennison Jr
• Original Assignee: Everett G. Dennison Jr
• Inventors: Dennison, Everett G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myer, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US06/181,128
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/602, 340/605, 340/620, 73/40, 73/40.5 R, 73/49.1, 200/61.04, 200/61.05, 200/61.06
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/18 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

A moisture sensing device for application to water pipes and the like utilizes a pair of closely spaced electrical conductors partially positioned in an elongated flexible insulating member which can be adhesively affixed to a water pipe or the like with the spaced partially exposed electrical conductors in oppositely disposed relation to the pipe. An alarm actuating circuit is connected with the spaced conductors and arranged to initiate an alarm when moisture bridges the closely spaced conductors.

Claims

1. A device capable of detecting an extremely small drop of liquid associated with a leak from a pipe or the like comprising an alarm means, an elongated strip of insulating material having inner and outer faces, spaced longitudinally extending electrical conductors partially embedded in said strip, continuous portions of each of said conductors exposed on said outer face of said strip, said conductors being closely spaced to one another with a maximum spacing of about 3/64th of an inch therebetween so that extremely small particles of liquid can be detected, means on the inner face of said strip for mounting said strip to said pipe or the like, said electrical conductors connected with said alarm means, said alarm means arranged to initiate an alarm upon moisture bridging said electrical conductors.

2. The device of claim 1 and wherein said elongated strip is flexible dielectric material, the inner and outer faces thereof being substantially transversely flat.

3. The device of claim 1 and wherein said elongated strip is a continuous section of insulated two conductor electric wire with the insulation material thereof arranged to expose parallel longitudinal portions of said conductors.

4. The device of claim 1 and wherein said conductors are cross sectionally small, closely spaced with respect to one another and the strip of insulating material is about 1/32 of an inch thick and less than 5/8 of an inch in width.