System and method for utilizing a pasteurization sensor

• US 6,870,486 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smar Research Corp.
• Original Assignee: Smar Research Corp.
• Inventors: Selegatto, Gilberto, Souza, Leonardo de Oliveira de Freitas, Caldeira, Gilmar de Matos, Alves, Evaristo Orellana
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US10/266,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20040066314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.16, 426/34, 994/53, 994/70
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/003 Control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/04 Dairy products

Abstract

An environmental condition sensing device arrangement and method for sensing an environmental condition are provided. A device case which is water-tight and/or air-tight is provided for sensing such condition. In addition, a sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition, a transmitter being operatively connected to the sensing device, and a power source supplying power to the sensing device and the transmitter are also provided. The sensing device, the transmitter and the power source are disposed within the device case.

Claims

1. An environmental condition sensing arrangement comprising:

a case being one of water-tight and air-tight;

a sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition;

a transmitter being operatively connected to the sensing device; and

a power source supplying power to the sensing device and the transmitter, wherein the sensing device, the transmitter and the power source are disposed within the device case, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during at least one of a heating process and a cooling process.

2. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensing device senses the environmental condition in real time.

3. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensed environmental condition is temperature.

4. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensed environmental condition is pressure.

5. An environmental condition sensing arrangement comprising:

a case being one of water-tight and air-tight;

a sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition;

a transmitter being operatively connected to the sensing device; and

a power source supplying power to the sensing device and the transmitter, wherein the sensing device, the transmitter and the power source are disposed within the device case, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during a pasteurization process.

6. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the transmitter receives a measurement of the environmental condition from the sensing device.

7. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wired communication.

8. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wireless communication.

9. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 8, wherein the signal is transmitted over a non-predetermined distance.

10. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 6, further comprising a microprocessor which receives and evaluates the signal transmitted by the transmitter.

11. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor calculates the pasteurization unit and bacteria level of the liquid based on the sensed environmental condition.

12. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 10, wherein the environmental condition is temperature of the liquid.

13. A method of sensing environmental conditions, comprising:

providing power by a power device to a sensing device and a transmitter, the power device, the sensing device and the transmitter being disposed within a case which is one of water-tight and air-tight;

sensing an environmental condition from within the case; and

transmitting the sensed environmental condition from within the case, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during at least one of a heating process and a cooling process.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensing device senses the environmental condition in real time.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the environmental condition is temperature.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the environmental condition is pressure.

17. A method of sensing environmental conditions, comprising:

providing power by a power device to a sensing device and a transmitter, the power device, the sensing device and the transmitter being disposed within a case which is one of water-tight and air-tight;

sensing an environmental condition from within the case; and

transmitting the sensed environmental condition from within the case, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during a pasteurization process.

18. The method claim 17, wherein the transmitter receives a measurement of the environmental condition from the sensing device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wired communication.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wireless communication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the signal is transmitted over a non-predetermined distance.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein a microprocessor receives the signal transmitted by the transmitter.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising calculating with the microprocessor, the pasteurization unit and bacteria level of the liquid based on the sensed environmental condition.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the environmental condition is temperature of the liquid.

25. An environmental condition sensing arrangement configured to be placed within a sealed container containing a liquid during a pasteurization process, comprising:

a device case being one of water-tight and air-tight, wherein the device case is configured to be placed within a sealed container containing a liquid during a pasteurization process;

a sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition; and

a transmitter being operatively connected to the sensing device, wherein the sensing device and the transmitter are disposed within the device case.

26. The environmental condition sensing arrangement of claim 25, wherein the sensing device senses the environmental condition in real time.

27. The environmental condition sensing device of claim 25, wherein the environmental condition is temperature.

28. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the environmental condition is pressure.

29. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during at least one of a heating process and the cooling process.

30. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during the pasteurization process.

31. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 30, wherein the transmitter receives a measurement of the environmental condition from the sensing device.

32. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 31, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wired communication.

33. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 31, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wireless communication.

34. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 33, wherein the signal is transmitted over a non-predetermined distance.

35. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a microprocessor which receives and evaluates the signal transmitted by the transmitter.

36. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 35, wherein the microprocessor calculates the pasteurization unit and bacteria level of the liquid based on the sensed environmental condition.

37. The environmental condition sensing apparatus of claim 35, wherein the environmental condition is temperature of the liquid.

38. A method of sensing environmental conditions of within a sealed container containing a liquid during a pasteurization process, comprising:

sensing an environmental condition of a liquid contained within a sealed container with a sensing device during a pasteurization process from within a case which is one of water-tight and air-tight; and

transmitting the sensed environmental condition by a transmitter situated within the case.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the sensing device senses the environmental condition in real time.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the environmental condition is temperature.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the environmental condition is pressure.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container, which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during at least one of a heating process and a cooling process.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the case is situated within a sealed container, which has a liquid, and wherein the sensed environmental condition is associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during the pasteurization process.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the transmitter receives a measurement of the environmental condition from the sensing device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wireless communication.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the signal is transmitted over a non-predetermined distance.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wired communication.

48. The method of sensing environmental conditions of claim 44, further comprising a microprocessor which receives and evaluates the signal transmitted by the transmitter.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the microprocessor calculates the pasteurization unit and bacteria level of the liquid based on the sensed environmental condition.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the environmental condition is temperature of the liquid.

51. An environmental condition sensing arrangement comprising:

a case being one of water-tight and air-tight and situated within a sealed container;

a sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition;

a transmitter being operatively connected to the sensing device; and

a power source supplying power to the sensing device and the transmitter, wherein the sensing device, the transmitter and the power source are disposed within the device case.