Systems and methods for detecting and communicating moisture leaks in fluid conduits

• US 9,080,922 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Glace, Hess, Mark A., Joseph J. Howard
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Glace, Hess, Mark A., Joseph J. Howard
• Inventors: Howard, Joseph J., Hess, Mark A., Glace, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERCADO, ALEXANDER A
• Application Number:
  US14/291,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20140260555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 73/405.R, 73/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/30 Detecting leaks
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/022 Test plugs for closing off the end of a pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/04 by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
• 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

Abstract

A system for detecting and communicating moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, wherein the system includes a sensor for detecting moisture, the sensor being positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting and configured to generate a signal representing a result of moisture detection, and a receiver configured to receive the signal generated by the sensor. The system may include a communication circuit to provide wired or wireless communication between the sensor and the receiver. Other systems and method for detecting and communicating moisture leakage are further disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system for detecting moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, the system comprising:

a sensor for detecting moisture, the sensor being positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting, the sensor including

a wrapped portion configured to extend around a circumference of the outer surface of the fitting at the outer edge portion of the fitting,

an extended portion extending coupled to and extended from the wrapped portion toward an end of the fitting opposite the fluid conduit, and

an RFID device coupled to the extended portion and configured to generate a signal representing a result of moisture detection detected by the wrapped portion; and

a receiver remote from the RFID device of the sensor, the receiver being configured to receive the signal generated by the RFID device of the sensor,

wherein the wrapped portion has a capillary layer, two conductive traces disposed on the capillary layer, the two conductive traces extending around an entire circumference of the wrapped portion, and a substrate layer configured to bond the wrapped portion of the sensor to the outer edge portion of the fitting.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID device is disposed on the outer surface of the fitting.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the fitting further includes a channel extending along a length of the fitting, the channel being configured to retain the extended portion of the sensor that connects the wrapped portion to the RFID device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID device includes a battery.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the fitting is barbed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the capillary layer is made of a capillary material.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the conductive traces are made of conductive ink printed on the capillary layer.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the substrate layer is attached to the capillary layer to provide a protective backing.

9. The system of claim 8, the sensor further comprising an internal layer made of a non-conductive adhesive material to bond the capillary layer to the substrate layer.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an adhesive layer made of a non-conductive adhesive material to bond the substrate layer to the fitting.

11. The system of claim 6, the sensor further comprising a plurality of conductive trace protrusions extending from said two of said conductive traces and disposed on the capillary layer to increase the sensitivity of moisture detection.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is an RFID reader.

13. A method for detecting moisture leaking from a fluid conduit of the type comprising a fitting configured to mate with the fluid conduit, the fitting including an outer surface including an outer edge portion that is enclosed within the fluid conduit when positioning the fluid conduit over at least a portion of the outer surface, the method comprising:

detecting moisture with a sensor positioned proximate to the outer edge portion of the fitting, the sensor including a wrapped portion configured to extend around a circumference of the outer surface of the fitting at the outer edge portion of the fitting, an extended portion extending coupled to and extended from the wrapped portion toward an end of the fitting opposite the fluid conduit, and an RFID device coupled to the extended portion and configured to generate a signal representing a result of moisture detection detected by the wrapped portion;

generating a signal with the RFID device of the sensor, the signal representing a result of moisture detection; and

receiving the signal generated by the sensor with a receiver,

wherein the wrapped portion has a capillary layer, two conductive traces disposed on the capillary layer, the two conductive traces extending around an entire circumference of the wrapped portion, and a substrate layer configured to bond the wrapped portion of the sensor to the outer edge portion of the fitting.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising positioning the RFID device on the outer surface of the fitting.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioning the extended portion in a channel extending along a length of the fitting.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising powering the RFID device with a battery.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiver is an RFID reader.