Device, method, and system for detecting the presence of liquid in proximity to electronic components
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJohn William Andberg, Stephen Jerry Chaikin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elongated sensor is provided for detecting the presence of a liquid in an electronics system. The sensor includes an elongated sensor element having a pair of adjacent electrical conductors, and a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors. The sensor also includes a detector operable to detect the presence of the liquid by sensing the electrical coupling of the conductors.
Claims45
An elongated sensor element for detecting the presence of a liquid, the sensor comprising:
- a pair of adjacent electrical conductors;
- and
- a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors,
- the elongated sensor element having a maximum cross-sectional width of not more than 1.100 inches.
An elongated sensor element for detecting the presence of a liquid, the sensor comprising:
- first and second adjacent electrical conductors;
- and
- an insulator insulating the first electrical conductor from the second electrical conductor, and comprising a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors,
- the elongated sensor element having a maximum cross-sectional width of not more than 1.100 inches.
An elongated sensor element for detecting the presence of a liquid, the sensor comprising:
- first and second adjacent electrical conductors;
- a first insulator insulating the first electrical conductor;
- and
- a second insulator insulating the second electrical conductor;
- at least one insulator comprising a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors,
- the elongated sensor element having a maximum cross-sectional width of not more than 1.100 inches.
A sensor for detecting the presence of a liquid, the sensor comprising:
- An elongated sensor element having a pair of adjacent electrical conductors, and a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with the liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors;
- and
- a detector operable to detect the presence of the liquid by sensing the electrical coupling of the conductors.
A sensor for detecting the presence of a liquid, the sensor comprising:
- An elongated sensor element having a pair of adjacent electrical conductors, and a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with the liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors;
- and
- a detector operable to detect the presence of the liquid by sensing the electrical coupling of the conductors.
An electronics system comprising:
- at least one electronic component;
- an elongated sensor element placed in proximity to at least one electronic component, the sensor element having a pair of adjacent electrical conductors, and a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with the liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors;
- and
- a detector operable to detect the presence of the liquid by sensing the electrical coupling of the conductors.
A method of forming an elongated sensor element comprising:
- insulating a first electrical conductor with a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductor, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductor allows electrical coupling of the conductor;
- insulating a second electrical conductor with the liquid permeable material;
- and
- arranging the insulated first electrical conductor and the insulated second electrical conductor into a pair of adjacent conductors, such that the arrangement has a maximum cross-sectional width of not more than 1.100 inches.
A method of forming an elongated sensor element comprising:
- obtaining a ready made wire comprising a pair of adjacent electrical conductors insulated from each other by an insulation material, and having a maximum cross-sectional width of not more than 1.100 inches;
- and
- treating the insulation material so that it becomes a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.