Apparatus for detecting leaks in circuits

• US 5,203,202 A
• Filed: 02/25/1992
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Spencer, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dombroske, George M.
• Application Number:
  US07/841,135
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 73/40.5 R, 73/40, 324/534
• US Class Current: 73/40.50R
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/165 by means of cables or similar elongated devices, e.g. tapes
• 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

Abstract

A leak detection assembly that employs a layer of pliable conductive construction between a fluid conduit or tube and a tape containing signal carrying elements disposed along the length of the tape. The signal carrying element can be a series of parallel electrical conductors disposed longitudinally.

Claims

1. A fluid carrying conduit equipped for leak detection, which comprises a conduit surrounded around its circumference with a pliable fluid permeable conductive material, and which has a series of parallel insulated electrical conductors disposed generally longitudinally along the conduit and wrapped around the outside of said pliable conductive material, said insulated electrical conductors having bare conductor elements exposed at adjacent areas of insulated conductor material on the side of the insulated conductor material that is adjacent the pliable conductive material wherein the conductive material is adapted to be expanded by the pressure of leaking fluid and thereby contact the conductor elements at adjacent exposed areas.

2. The conduit of claim 1 wherein the pliable fluid permeable conductive material is a conductive polymeric material.

3. The conduit of claim 1 wherein the series of parallel insulated electrical conductors are constructed in the form of a ribbon cable having at least two parallel conductor elements embedded in the cable.