METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DRYING WET FLOORS

• US 20130298421A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norgren Automation Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Norgren Automation Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Key, Timothy John, Kalb, James R., McCallum, Scott R., Koski, Richard Daniel, Begin, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,441,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/487
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/001 Drying-air generating units, e.g. movable, independent of drying enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/022 with provisions for changing the drying gas flow pattern, e.g. by reversing gas flow, by moving the materials or objects through subsequent compartments, at least two of which have a different direction of gas flow varying fan speed F26B21/12
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/028 by air valves, movable baffles or nozzle arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/12 Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow , e.g. by varying fan speed, by modifying cross flow area F26B21/004 takes precedence; changing air flow pattern F26B21/022
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/02 in buildings special types of buildings E04H

Abstract

An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors includes a controller, a moisture detector that is operable to detect the presence of moisture at a first location and transmit a moisture detection signal to the controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location, and a blower. The blower is operative to turn on and off for drying the wet floors by directing moving air toward the first location in response to an operating signal from the controller. The controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors, comprising:

a controller;

a moisture detector that is operable to detect the presence of moisture at a first location and transmit a moisture detection signal to the controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location; and

a blower that is operative to turn on and off for drying the wet floors by directing moving air toward the first location in response to an operating signal from the controller, wherein the controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector includes a camera that is operable to output an image showing the first location and an image processor that is operable to detect the presence of moisture at the first location based on the image showing the first location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is located at a second location and is operable to transmit the moisture detection signal based on a sensed weather condition at the second location.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first location is inside a building and the second location is outside of a building.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector includes a floor mat having at least one moisture sensing element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector includes a floor mat located at the first location, the floor mat having a carpet layer and a plurality of spaced-apart moisture sensing electrodes that are disposed in the carpet layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart moisture sensing electrodes includes a first group of electrodes that are electrically connected to one another and a second group of electrodes that are electrically connected to one another, wherein the moisture detector outputs the moisture signal in response to determining that an electrical connection has been established between the first group of electrodes and the second group of electrodes.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the moisture detector outputs the moisture detection signal in response to a completed electrical circuit that includes at least two electrodes from the plurality of spaced-apart moisture sensing electrodes and a wetted area of the carpet layer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein moisture detector includes a floor mat located at the first location, the floor mat having:

a carpet layer that includes carpet fibers that define a carpet surface;

an impermeable and nonconductive carpet backing layer that has a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the carpet backing layer having the carpet fibers affixed thereto;

a first electrode assembly having a first conductor portion that is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the carpet backing layer and a plurality of first electrodes that are electrically connected to first conductor portion, extend through the carpet backing layer, and are disposed within the carpet layer; and

a second electrode assembly having a second conductor portion that is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the carpet backing layer and a plurality of second electrodes that are electrically connected to second conductor portion, extend through the carpet backing layer, and are disposed within the carpet layer,

wherein the moisture detector outputs the moisture detection signal in response to a completed electrical circuit that includes electrical communication between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly via a wetted portion of the carpet layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the floor mat includes an impermeable and nonconductive base layer, wherein the first conductor portion of the first electrode assembly and the second conductor portion of the second electrode assembly are disposed between the carpet backing layer and the base layer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the floor mat includes an adhesive layer that is disposed between the carpet backing layer and the base layer, and the first conductor portion of the first electrode assembly and the second conductor portion of the second electrode assembly are embedded in the adhesive layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the adhesive layer prevents water from coming into contact with the first conductor portion of the first electrode assembly and the second conductor portion of the second electrode assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a warning indicator that is operative to turn on and off for warning pedestrians in response to a warning control signal from the controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the warning indicator includes an illuminated indicator.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the warning indicator includes an audio output device for generating an audible warning.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is in wireless electrical communication with the moisture detector for wireless receipt of the moisture detection signal.

17. An apparatus for automatically drying wet floors, comprising:

a controller;

a floor mat having;

a carpet layer that includes carpet fibers that define a carpet surface,

an impermeable and nonconductive carpet backing layer that has a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the carpet backing layer having the carpet fibers affixed thereto,

a first electrode assembly having a first conductor portion that is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the carpet backing layer and a plurality of first electrodes that are electrically connected to first conductor portion, extend through the carpet backing layer, and are disposed within the carpet layer,

a second electrode assembly having a second conductor portion that is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the carpet backing layer and a plurality of second electrodes that are electrically connected to second conductor portion, extend through the carpet backing layer, and are disposed within the carpet layer, and

a control circuit for transmitting a moisture detection signal to the controller by wireless communication with the controller in response to a completed electrical circuit that includes electrical communication between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly via a wetted portion of the carpet layer; and

a blower that is operative to turn on and off for drying the wet floors by directing moving air toward the floor mat in response to an operating signal from the controller, wherein the controller outputs the operating signal to the blower based on the moisture detection signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a warning indicator that is operative to turn on and off for warning pedestrians in response to a warning control signal from the controller.

19. A method for automatically drying wet floors, comprising:

detecting the presence of moisture by a moisture detector at a first location;

transmitting a moisture detection signal from the moisture detector to a controller in response to detecting the presence of moisture at the first location;

outputting an operating signal from the controller to a blower based on the moisture detection signal if an operating condition is satisfied; and

operating the blower in response to the operating signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein moisture detector includes a floor mat located at the first location, the floor mat having:

a carpet layer that includes carpet fibers that define a carpet surface;

an impermeable and nonconductive carpet backing layer that has a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the carpet backing layer having the carpet fibers affixed thereto;

a first electrode assembly having a first conductor portion that is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the carpet backing layer and a plurality of first electrodes that are electrically connected to first conductor portion, extend through the carpet backing layer, and are disposed within the carpet layer; and

a second electrode assembly having a second conductor portion that is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the carpet backing layer and a plurality of second electrodes that are electrically connected to second conductor portion, extend through the carpet backing layer, and are disposed within the carpet layer,

wherein the moisture detector outputs the moisture detection signal in response to a completed electrical circuit that includes electrical communication between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly via a wetted portion of the carpet layer.