Combination airborne substance detector

• US 7,248,156 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marine Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MTI Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Olinger, Karl T., Wisniewski, Jeffrey T., Wisniewski, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US10/981,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 340/517, 340/521, 340/522, 340/525, 340/511, 340/514, 340/627, 340/628, 340/691.1
• US Class Current: 340/517
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/16 Combustible gas alarms

Abstract

A combination airborne substance detection apparatus includes an enclosure, a first module disposed within the enclosure for detecting the presence of a quantity of a first airborne substance, a second module disposed within the enclosure for detecting the presence of a quantity of a second airborne substance, and an alarm module for producing a first perceivable emission when the first substance is detected and for producing a second perceivable emission when the second substance is detected. The first perceivable emission includes at least one of an audible and a visible emission that is distinguishable from the second perceivable emission. The first and second detector modules are each capable of independently and continuously detecting the first and second substances, respectively.

Claims

1. A combination airborne substance detection apparatus comprising:

(a) an enclosure;

(b) a first module disposed within said enclosure for detecting the presence of a quantity of a primary airborne substance;

(c) a second module disposed within said enclosure for detecting the presence of a quantity of a secondary airborne substance; and

(d) an alarm module capable of producing a first perceivable emission when said primary substance is detected and for producing a second perceivable emission when said secondary substance is detected, wherein when said primary and secondary substances are at least one of simultaneously or near simultaneously detected said first perceivable emission is implemented first and includes continuous audio and visual emissions followed by implementation of a non-audio second perceivable emission;

wherein said first and second detector modules are each capable of independently and continuously detecting said primary and secondary substances, respectively.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first module and second module constitute a single module capable of sensing a plurality of airborne substances.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said primary and secondary airborne substances are each selected from the group consisting of smoke, propane, carbon monoxide, methane, butane, mercury, ethylene oxide, volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen, ammonia, combustible gases, chlorofluorocarbons, toxic gases, and optically-detectable gases, and said primary substance and said secondary substance are different group members.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said primary airborne substance is a combustible gas and said secondary airborne substance is carbon monoxide.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said quantity of at least one of said primary and secondary airborne substances is recorded at predetermined intervals from at least one of said first and second modules, respectively.

6. A combination airborne substance detection apparatus comprising:

(a) an enclosure having at least one opening;

(b) a circuit board disposed within said enclosure;

(c) a first electronic sensing device connected to said circuit board, said sensing device located near said at least one opening, said sensing device capable of continuously and independently detecting the presence of a quantity of a first airborne substance;

(d) a second electronic sensing device connected to said circuit board, said sensing device located near said at least one opening, said sensing device capable of continuously and independently detecting the presence of a quantity of a second airborne substance; and

(e) an alarm module capable of producing a continuous first perceivable audio and visual emission and a second perceivable non-audio emission, when said first substance and said second substance are detected at least one of simultaneously and near simultaneously.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first electronic sensing device and the second electronic sensing device constitute a single electronic sensing device capable of sensing a plurality of airborne substances.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first airborne substance is a combustible gas and said second airborne is carbon monoxide substance.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said quantity of at least one of said first and second airborne substances is recorded at predetermined intervals from at least one of said first and second sensing devices, respectively.

10. A method of monitoring concentrations of airborne substances comprising:

(a) continuously detecting the presence of a quantity of a primary airborne substance;

(b) continuously detecting the presence of a quantity of a secondary airborne substance; and

(c) implementing a continuous first perceivable audio and visual emission when said primary substance is detected and a second perceivable non-audio emission when said secondary substance is detected;

wherein said first emission is implemented first followed by implementation of said second emission when said primary and secondary substances are at least one of simultaneously and near simultaneously detected.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said primary and secondary airborne substances are each selected from the group consisting of smoke, propane, carbon monoxide, methane, butane, mercury, ethylene oxide, volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen, ammonia, combustible gases, chiorofluorocarbons, toxic gases, and optically-detectable gases, and said primary substance and said secondary substance are different group members.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said quantity of at least one of said primary and secondary airborne substances is recorded at predetermined intervals.