Multipurpose transducer for an appliance using water

• US 8,291,769 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Dobravec, Klemen
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US12/745,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/726
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/006 using wireless communication between internal components of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4297 Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/10 Water cloudiness or dirtiness, e.g. turbidity, foaming or level of bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/12 Water temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/14 Water pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/05 for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/22 Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity

Abstract

A multipurpose transducer for an appliance using water, like a washing machine, a dishwasher or a hot-water tank converts physical parameters like water temperature, cleanness and pressure in said appliance into electric signals. It is provided with a temperature transducer (TT), a turbidity transducer (TurbT) and a pressure transducer (PT), all of them being fixed on an electrically insulating mounting support (MS). The pressure transducer (PT) is made as an uncompensated strain gauge in a thick film technology. The temperature transducer (TT) made as a termistor is also manufactured in the thick film technology. The multipurpose transducer (MPT) of the invention requires less work steps to be manufactured, mounted and connected in the appliance of said type than earlier transducers.

Claims

1. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for an appliance using water,

the multipurpose transducer (MPT) being provided with

a temperature transducer (TT) and

a turbidity transducer (TurbT),

which are fixed on a first side of an electrically insulating mounting support (MS), on whose first part of said first side a transparent housing (TH) is fixed in a watertight manner, and with a pressure transducer (PT) fixed on said first side of the electrically insulating mounting support (MS),

said transparent housing (TH) covering the temperature transducer (TT) and the turbidity transducer (TurbT) and

a wiring (W) to them made on the mounting support (MS),

and on one of its other sides of which a first transmission-line coupler (TLC1) is fixed, whereto the wining (W) is conducted,

characterized in

that the pressure transducer (PT) is an uncompensated strain gauge,

that the pressure transducer (PT) is fixed on a second part of said first side of the mounting support (MS)

and that the wirring (W) connects the pressure transducer (PT) to the first transmission-line coupler (TLC1).

2. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for the appliance using water as recited in claim 1, characterized in

that the pressure transducer (PT) made as the uncompensated strain gauge is manufactured in a thick film technology.

3. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for the appliance using water as recited in claim 1, characterized in

that the temperature transducer (TT) made as a termistor is manufactured in the thick film technology.

4. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for the appliance using water as recited in claim 1, characterized in

that the first transmission-line coupler (TLC1) is made as a transponder in a radio frequency identification system

and that a second transmission-line coupler (TLC2) connected to a control circuit of the appliance using water through a transmission line (t1), is carried out as an interrogator in the same radio frequency identification system.

5. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for the appliance using water as recited in claim 4, characterized in

that the first transmission-line coupler (TLC1) is made as a passive transponder in the radio frequency identification system.

6. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for the appliance using water as recited in claim 4, characterized in

that the first transmission-line coupler (TLC1) is made as an active transponder in the radio frequency identification system.

7. Multipurpose transducer (MPT) for the appliance using water as recited in claim 4, characterized in

that the electrically insulating mounting support (MS) is made as a ceramic plate.