Systems and methods for detecting a liquid
First Claim
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1. A pad for detecting a liquid, the pad comprising:
- an absorbent material, the absorbent material includes a perimeter along an outer edge of the absorbent material;
a first conductor, a second conductor, and a third conductor;
wherein;
the first conductor, the second conductor, and the third conductor do not contact each other to form an electrical circuit between the conductors;
the first conductor is positioned a first distance inside the perimeter along substantially an entire length of the perimeter;
a first portion of the second conductor and a first portion of the third conductor are positioned along a length of a first portion of the first conductor and along a length of a second portion of the first conductor respectively, the length of the first portion of the first conductor does not overlap the length of the second portion of the first conductor;
the first portion of the second conductor and the first portion of the third conductor are positioned a second distance away from the first portion of the first conductor and the second portion of the first conductor respectively along a length of the first portion and a length of the second portion respectively;
a second portion of the second conductor is positioned a third distance from a second portion of the third conductor along a length of the second portion of the second conductor and a length of the second portion of the third conductor;
a first electrical circuit between the first conductor and at least one of the second conductor and the third conductor indicates that the liquid is positioned proximate to the outer edge of the absorbent material so as to exit the absorbent material; and
a second electrical circuit between the second conductor and the third conductor indicates that the liquid is positioned within the perimeter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting a liquid. Detection a liquid may include detecting liquid at a boundary of an area and reporting the presence of the liquid. Reporting liquid at a boundary may prevent leaking of the liquid form the area. Detecting also includes detecting liquid inside the area. The amount of liquid detected inside the boundary may relate to a range of amounts of liquid. The minimum amount of the range may represent the minimum amount of liquid that is permissible in the area prior to taking action to deal with the liquid.
57 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A pad for detecting a liquid, the pad comprising:
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an absorbent material, the absorbent material includes a perimeter along an outer edge of the absorbent material; a first conductor, a second conductor, and a third conductor;
wherein;the first conductor, the second conductor, and the third conductor do not contact each other to form an electrical circuit between the conductors; the first conductor is positioned a first distance inside the perimeter along substantially an entire length of the perimeter; a first portion of the second conductor and a first portion of the third conductor are positioned along a length of a first portion of the first conductor and along a length of a second portion of the first conductor respectively, the length of the first portion of the first conductor does not overlap the length of the second portion of the first conductor; the first portion of the second conductor and the first portion of the third conductor are positioned a second distance away from the first portion of the first conductor and the second portion of the first conductor respectively along a length of the first portion and a length of the second portion respectively; a second portion of the second conductor is positioned a third distance from a second portion of the third conductor along a length of the second portion of the second conductor and a length of the second portion of the third conductor; a first electrical circuit between the first conductor and at least one of the second conductor and the third conductor indicates that the liquid is positioned proximate to the outer edge of the absorbent material so as to exit the absorbent material; and a second electrical circuit between the second conductor and the third conductor indicates that the liquid is positioned within the perimeter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for reporting a presence of a liquid, the system comprising:
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a pad, the pad includes an absorbent material, a first conductor, a second conductor, and a third conductor; and a reader, the reader for electrically coupling to the first conductor, the second conductor, and the third conductor;
wherein;the absorbent material includes a perimeter along an outer edge of the absorbent material; the first conductor, the second conductor, and the third conductor do not contact each other to form an electrical circuit between the conductors; the first conductor is positioned a first distance inside the perimeter along substantially an entire length of the perimeter; a first portion of the second conductor and a first portion of the third conductor are positioned along a length of a first portion of the first conductor and along a length of a second portion of the first conductor respectively, the length of the first portion of the first conductor does not overlap the length of the second portion of the first conductor; the first portion of the second conductor and the first portion of the third conductor are positioned a second distance away from the first portion of the first conductor and the second portion of the first conductor respectively along a length of the first portion and a length of the second portion respectively; a second portion of the second conductor is positioned a third distance from a second portion of the third conductor along a length of the second portion of the second conductor and a length of the second portion of the third conductor; the reader applies a first voltage across the first conductor and at least one of the second conductor and the third conductor to detect a first electrical circuit between the first conductor and at least one of the second conductor and the third conductor; the reader applies a second voltage across the second conductor and the third conductor to detect a second electrical circuit between the second conductor and the third conductor; responsive to detecting the first electrical circuit, the reader reports that the liquid is positioned proximate to the outer edge of the absorbent material so as to exit the absorbent material; and responsive to detecting the second electrical circuit, the reader reports that the liquid is positioned within the perimeter. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification