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
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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.
Claims39
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 dimension of not more than 1.100 inches.
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 diameter 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 enveloping the first electrical conductor and second electrical conductor, the 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 dimension 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 dimension 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 wicks the liquid to the conductors at a controlled rate and 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 wicks the liquid to the conductors at a controlled rate and 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 dimension of not more than 1.100 inches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.