Contaminant sensing system
First Claim
1. In combination with a fluid contamination sensor having axially spaced discs and an absorbent element held in contact with two of said discs to establish a conductive path of variable resistance therethrough, means for seating the absorbent element in abutment with said two of the discs radially outward of one of the two discs and means for insulating said two of the discs from each other radially inwardly of the absorbent element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An annular absorbent filter element of a sensor probe is exposed to fluid while held by one end of a coil spring in contact with magnetic and non-magnetic discs non-conductively spaced from a third non-magnetic disc to supply a contamination signal to a two-stage detection circuit through which internal deterioration conditions of machinery are monitored. Electrically conductive and magnetic flux paths are established through the filter element and a flux gap to magnetically attract contaminants and establish parallel connected, variable resistances through which said contamination signal is derived. The signal output of the sensor probe thereby provides an early warning alert to prevent machinery damage.
16 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. In combination with a fluid contamination sensor having axially spaced discs and an absorbent element held in contact with two of said discs to establish a conductive path of variable resistance therethrough, means for seating the absorbent element in abutment with said two of the discs radially outward of one of the two discs and means for insulating said two of the discs from each other radially inwardly of the absorbent element.
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8. In combination with a variable resistance sensor and a detection system connected thereto having at least two indicators, alarm control means responsive to a decrease in resistance of the sensor from a normal level for energizing the two indicators in sequence intermittently and continuously, respectively, means responsive to said continuous energization of one of the two indicators for disabling the other of the two indicators, a third indicator and means for intermittently energizing the third indicator in response to said normal resistance level of the sensor, said sensor including a pair of discs, means mounting said discs in axially spaced relation to each other, a non-conductive spacer in axial abutment between said discs, an absorbent element seated on one of said discs and means holding the absorbent element on the other of the discs and electrically grounding the same for rendering the absorbent element operative as a reversible variable resistor electrically interconnecting the discs.
- 9. In combination with a fluid contamination sensor having axially spaced discs and an absorbent filter, means in abutment with one of said discs for establishing a magnetic field through which an electrically conductive path extends and means holding the filter seated on one of the discs for establishing another electrically conductive path therethrough in parallel with said first mentioned path within the magnetic field.
Specification