Fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus

• US 6,489,895 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Petro-Meter Corporation
• Original Assignee: Steven P. Apelman
• Inventors: Apelman, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/977,810
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 340/605, 340/604, 340/602, 340/531, 340/525, 200/61.04, 200/61.05, 200/61.06, 137/312, 137/314, 73/407, 73/232, 324/464
• US Class Current: 340/605
• 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: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting

Abstract

A fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus includes an induced current, transconductive darlington amplifier and tuned-frequency standing water detector mounted at a lowest point of a potential leak plane for sensing variations of standing water conditions on the potential leak plane, and an induced current amplifier in communication with the standing water detector. A sensitivity control device for controlling sensitivity of the standing water detector for humidity, or dampness, level and for detecting a standing water leak; the sensitivity control device being in communication with the induced current amplifier. A latching relay driver connected to the sensitivity control device with the latching relay driver being able to memorize a leak condition when electrical power is lost. A control rectifier driven by the latching relay driver, with the control rectifier driving a 120-volt AC line voltage load. A normally closed 120-volt AC line operated fail-safe water cutoff device is connected with the control rectifier, so that when the standing water detector becomes wet, the induced current generated by the standing water detector changes the transconductance of the input darlington amplifier causing the induced current amplifier to indicate the leak condition, which removes electrical power from the normally closed 120-volt AC line operated fail-safe water cutoff device for shutting off water flow.

Claims

1. A fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus, comprising:

an induced current, transconductance darlington amplifier controlled standing water detector mounted at a lowest point of a potential leak plane for sensing variations of standing water conditions on the potential leak plane;

an induced current amplifier in communication with said standing water detector;

a discriminator/sensitivity control device for controlling sensitivity of said standing water detector for humidity, or dampness, level and for detecting a standing water leak, said discriminator/sensitivity control device being in communication with said induced current amplifier;

a latching relay driver connected to said discriminator/sensitivity control device, said latching relay driver being capable of memorizing a leak condition when electrical power is lost;

a control rectifier driven by said latching relay driver, said control rectifier drives a 120-volt AC line voltage load; and

,

a normally closed 120-volt AC line operated fail-safe water cutoff device connected with said control rectifier, so that when said standing water detector becomes wet, the induced current generated at a detector/water interface feeds said transconductive amplifier for indicating the leak condition, which removes electrical power from said normally closed 120-volt AC line operated fail-safe water cutoff device for shutting off water flow.

2. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said induced current generated creates a 1-10 microampere signal which feeds said transconductance darlington amplifier with an adjustable gain of from 100-10,000 for accomplishing a sensitivity selection function for an alarm state.

3. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a system-reset device for reactivating the water flow after the leak condition has been detected and the water flow shut off.

4. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an audio sounder for altering of the leak condition.

5. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said audio sounder for altering of the leak condition is electrically hard-wired.

6. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said audio sounder for altering of the leak condition is controlled by remote radio.

7. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for initiating an outgoing telephone call to a predetermined telephone number for warning of the leak condition.

8. The fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control rectifier is made of four-layer silicon driver.