Burn saver device

• US 9,823,134 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tda Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tda Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Srinivas, Girish, Karpuk, Michael, Gebhard, Steven, Fredrickson, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aiello, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/523,516
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 7320423, 374 1, 374 29, 374E17001, 374E17004, 374179, 702130, 702136, 257497
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0018 Flames, plasma or welding
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0215 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0853 having infrared absorbers other than the usual absorber layers deposited on infrared detectors like bolometers, wherein the heat propagation between the absorber and the detecting element occurs within a solid
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/12 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 17/00 Measuring quantity of heat measuring temperature by calorimetry G01K3/00 - G01K11/00; specially adapted for measuring thermal properties of materials, e.g. specific heat, heat of combustion G01N
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/02 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/427 Temperature calculation based on spatial modeling, e.g. spatial inter- or extrapolation

Abstract

A decoupling radiant and convective heat sensing device, and a decoupling radiant and convective heat sensing device with a means for performing calculations and then determining a heat flux and an ambient temperature using formulas or reference tables, and also with a means for alerting a person of hazardous fire conditions based on a calculated heat flux and ambient temperature.

Claims

1. A decoupling radiant and convective heat sensing device, comprising:

a. a first sensor, wherein the first sensor is a thin, high thermal conductivity body, and wherein the first sensor has a first surface area, an obverse side a reverse side, a mass and a heat capacity;

b. a first high emissivity surface coating on the obverse side;

c. a first thermocouple operably connected to the reverse side;

d. a second sensor, wherein the second sensor is a thin, high thermal conductivity body, and wherein the second sensor has a second surface area, a second sensor obverse side, a second sensor reverse side, a second sensor mass and a second sensor heat capacity;

e. a second high emissivity surface coating on the second sensor obverse side;

f. a second thermocouple operably connected to the second sensor reverse side;

wherein, the first surface area is larger than the second surface area, and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are mechanically coupled;

g. a means for measuring a temperature output from the first thermocouple and the second thermocouple;

h. a means for performing calculations comprising calculating a rate of temperature change for both the first thermocouple and second thermocouple and determining a heat flux and an ambient temperature using formulas or reference tables; and

i. a means for alerting a person of hazardous fire conditions based on the heat flux and the ambient temperature;

wherein the first high emissivity coating and the second high emissivity coating have essentially equivalent emissivity, and wherein the means for performing calculations comprises an equation;

2. The device of claim 1 wherein, h_S and h_L are constants.