# US 12,190,704 B1 · Moisture sensor including volume sensing

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- Number: US 12,190,704 B1
- Document ID: US12190704B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/364,240
- Filed: 2021-06-30
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-20
- Assignees: Enco Electronic Systems, LLC
- Applicants: Enco Electronic Systems, LLC
- Inventors: Terry Lance Beasley; Daniel L. Dietzen; Gary H. Dietzen; Ronald R. Murphy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190704B1

## CPC

- G01M 3/186: {for containers, e.g. radiators}
- G01N 27/223: {for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity (rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825)}
- G01N 27/226: {Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor}
- G01N 27/228: {Circuits therefor (measuring capacitance per se G01R27/26)}
- G08B 21/20: responsive to moisture
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A moisture sensor includes a circuit board and a plurality of circuits monitoring a plurality of moisture probes, wherein at least two sets of a plurality of probes are on the bottom of the sensor, one set in direct contact with the floor, a second set separated from the floor; a set of conductive pins that enable the body of the circuit board to be spaced from the floor to help any moisture accumulation beneath the sensor to evaporate, preventing mold growth; two sets of a plurality of probes along the edge of the sensor, such that when the sensor is installed edge on, these edge sensors will be in direct contact with the floor. The sensor transmits data periodically when sensed resistance is below a predetermined value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A moisture sensor comprising:
a) a case which is at least water resistant and has an exterior, said case having an upper portion and a lower portion that is a circuit board;
b) a plurality of sensing contacts on the exterior of the case, said plurality including a first plurality positioned to sense moisture when the case is in a generally horizontal position and a second plurality positioned to sense moisture when the case is in an inclined position;
c) resistance sensing circuits to allow measurements of electrical resistance between at least two sensing contacts representing a relative level of moisture present near the plurality of sensing contacts;
d) a timer to cause periodic measurements of electrical resistance between at least two sensing contacts;
e) a transmitter for periodically transmitting electrical resistance measurements; and
f) wherein a plurality of the sensing contacts are fasteners that secure the case upper portion to the case lower portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The moisture sensor of claim 1, comprising more than two sensing contacts, and the resistance sensing circuits allow measurements of electrical resistance between at least two sets of sensing contacts representing a relative level of moisture present near the sensing contacts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The moisture sensor of claim 1, further comprising a capacitive moisture sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The moisture sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises electrical components on the circuit board.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The moisture sensor of claim 4, wherein the case includes a bottom, and the circuit board is the bottom of the case.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The moisture sensor of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The moisture sensor of claim 1, including a plurality of circuits monitoring the plurality of sensing contacts, wherein the case includes a bottom, and some of the sensing contacts are on the bottom of the case, and some of the sensing contacts are not on the bottom of the case.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The moisture sensor of claim 2, wherein the resistance sensing circuits connect to pairs of the sensing contacts, and the levels of electrical resistance between each pair of sensing contacts which are connected with the resistance sensing circuits are detected and reported.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the case has a bottom, and at least two sets of sensing contacts are on the bottom of the case, one set in direct contact with a floor when the sensor is placed on the floor, and a second set separated from the floor.

### Claim 10

A moisture sensor comprising:
a) a case which is at least water resistant and has an exterior, an upper portion, a lower portion and a periphery;
b) electrical conductors in or on the case;
c) a capacitive sensing circuit electrically connected to a pair of the electrical conductors for measuring a volume of water in a space near the case by measuring the capacitance between a pair of the electrical conductors;
d) wherein the conductors include a first plurality that are positioned to sense moisture when the case is generally horizontally positioned and a second plurality at said periphery that enable sensing of moisture when the case is in an inclined position;
e) a timer to cause periodic measurements of capacitance between the pair of conductors;
f) a transmitter for periodically transmitting capacitance measurements; and
g) wherein a plurality of the conductors are fasteners that secure the case upper portion to the case lower portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The sensor of claim 10, wherein the electrical conductors comprise two insulated, parallel substrate conductors.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The sensor of claim 10, wherein the electrical conductors comprise multiple, alternately energized parallel conductors to independently measure the total volume of water solely beneath, solely beside, solely above, solely inside, or at any other implied angle to the sensor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The sensor of claim 10, wherein the electrical conductors comprise multiple parallel conductors not associated with a substrate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The sensor of claim 13, wherein the electrical conductors comprise insulated wiring.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sensor of claim 14, wherein the insulated wiring is energized.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The sensor of claim 14, wherein the insulated wiring is not energized.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The sensor of claim 10, wherein RC decay is used to determine capacitance.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The sensor of claim 10, wherein the case has a bottom, and at least two sets of sensing contacts are on the bottom of the case, one set in direct contact with a floor when the sensor is placed on the floor, and a second set separated from the floor.

### Claim 19

A moisture sensor comprising:
a) a case which has an exterior, an upper portion, a lower portion and a periphery;
b) a plurality of sensing contacts on the exterior of the case, said plurality including a first plurality positioned to sense moisture when the case is in a generally horizontal position and a second plurality positioned to sense moisture when the case is in an inclined position;
c) resistance sensing circuits to allow measurements of electrical resistance between at least two sensing contacts representing a relative level of moisture present near the plurality of sensing contacts;
d) a timer to cause periodic measurements of electrical resistance between at least two sensing contacts;
e) a transmitter for periodically transmitting electrical resistance measurements, wherein the sensing contacts include points distal from the case which are sharp enough to pierce gypsum board or wood; and
f) wherein a plurality of the sensing contacts are fasteners that secure the case upper portion to the case lower portion.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The sensor of claim 19, wherein the points are sharp enough to pierce gypsum board.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The sensor of claim 19, wherein the points are sharp enough to pierce wood.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The sensor of claim 19, wherein the points are sharp enough to pierce wood from the group consisting of pine, cedar, cypress, oak and engineered wood.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The sensor of claim 19, wherein the case has a bottom, and at least two sets of sensing contacts are on the bottom of the case, one set in direct contact with a floor when the sensor is placed on the floor, and a second set separated from the floor.