Sensor for humidity and management system therefor

• US 8,381,575 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Se Yeol Seo
• Original Assignee: Se Yeol Seo
• Inventors: Seo, Se Yeol
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frank, Rodney T
• Application Number:
  US12/596,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 73/290.2
• US Class Current: 73/29.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sensor for humidity, etc. which has high precision, very small electrical power consumption and simplified composition, and a management system therefor. The sensor and the management system therefor according to the present invention are also economical. The sensor according to the present invention comprises two electrode pads and an absorption layer for absorbing moisture, etc. between them, and detects a capacitance variation and a resistance variation between the electrode pads, measuring humidity, etc. in real time. In the sensor, one or both of the electrode pads can be made by printing or coating a conductive material on a paper pad or a fabric pad in a mesh shape of fine lines. Or the electrode pads can be fabrics with fine thread of a mesh-type electric conductor coated by an absorptive material having an insulating property.

Claims

1. A humidity sensor for a diaper comprising:

two electrode pads having water-permeability conductivity and flexibility, wherein the electrode pads are made by combining fine thread of a mesh-type electric conductor to a paper pad or are made by mixing thread and fine thread of an electric conductor;

an absorption layer for absorbing moisture, the absorption layer being disposed between the two electrode pads; and

a sensing unit for detecting humidity through a capacitance variation between the two electrode pads.

2. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein the two electrode pads comprise a connection terminal (line), the connection terminal (line) being composed of a conductive material wound with a soft material.

3. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein the two electrode pads are arranged to be an upper layer and a lower layer.

4. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein the two electrode pads are arranged to be a right layer and a left layer.

5. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrode pads have a thickness ranging from 0.02 mm to 0.06 mm.

6. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein one or both of the electrode pads are made by printing or coating a conductive material on a fabric pad in a mesh shape of fine lines.

7. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein one or both of the electrode pads are made by printing or coating a conductive material on a paper pad in a mesh shape of fine lines.

8. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein one or both of the electrode pads are fabrics made of fine thread of a mesh-type electric conductor.

9. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, wherein one or both of the electrode pads are fabrics made of fine thread of a mesh-type electric conductor, the fine thread of the mesh-type electric conductor being coated by an absorptive material having an insulating property.

10. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display unit for receiving and showing a humidity signal detected by the sensing unit.

11. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transmitting unit for receiving a humidity signal detected by the sensing unit and transmitting the humidity signal to a receiving unit.

12. A management system for a diaper, comprising;

a humidity sensor for a diaper, which is according to claim 11 and is one or more;

the transmitting unit, which, is one or more and transmits identification signals respectively intrinsic to a receiving unit;

the receiving unit, which receives a urination or stooling signal from the transmitting unit and distinguishes the one or more humidity sensors through the intrinsic identification signals;

a management display unit, which shows whether urination or stooling has been made or not according to the urination or stooling signal received by the receiving unit and whether urination or stooling has been made or not according to each the one or more humidity sensors;

an alarm unit for informing whether urination or stooling has been made, through a speaker, etc., when, the urination or stooling signal is received by the receiving unit; and

a transmitting unit for management, which informs a wired or wireless terminal of the urination or stooling signal received by the receiving unit.

13. The humidity sensor for a diaper as recited in claim 1, comprising one of the electrode pads and a waterproof layer positioned between the absorption layers.