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US 9,347,905 B2Granted
Transparency having moisture sensors
AssigneePPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
InventorsYu Jiao, Nicolas Benjamin Duarte, Jeremy D. Acord
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transparency, e.g. an aircraft laminated windshield, includes one or more moisture sensors to monitor moisture penetration to monitor performance of the moisture barrier. The moisture sensor includes a moisture corrodible article or sensor element, e.g. a strip or wire, which changes resistance as a function of corrosion. The sensor element can also include two dissimilar metals, e.g. a bimetal sensor element, or two similar metals having different physical dimensions. With the information provided by the moisture sensors performance of the windshield is available to schedule timely repair or replacement of the windshield that is performing outside of acceptable limits.
Claims18
An aircraft transparency comprising:
- a plurality of sheets joined together;
- a moisture seal overlaying marginal edges of outer opposed surfaces, and peripheral edge, of the aircraft transparency, and the sensor element between the sheets and/or between the sheets and the moisture seal;
- sensor element responsive to moisture, the sensor element between the sheets, wherein the sensor element is a first elongated moisture sensor having a first end and a second opposite end, and comprising second, third, and fourth elongated moisture sensors;
- each of the moisture sensors comprising a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first, second, third and fourth moisture sensors are mounted on a major surface of one of the pair of sheets adjacent peripheral edge of the sheet, wherein the second end of the first sensor is adjacent and spaced from the first end of the second sensor, the second end of the second sensor is adjacent and spaced from the first end of the third sensor, the second end of the third sensor is adjacent and spaced from the first end of the fourth sensor, and the second end of the fourth sensor is adjacent and spaced from the first end of the first sensor;
- sensor electronics operatively connected to the sensor to measure an electrical property of the sensor that changes as a function of corrosion caused by moisture, wherein
- operatively connecting the sensor element and the sensor electronics to a power source to measure the electrical property of the sensor to determine if the sensor element is a new sensor element, an operating sensor element, a saturated sensor element, or a broken sensor element.
3 more elements
A transparency comprising;
- a plurality of sheets joined together;
- sensor element responsive to moisture, the sensor element between the sheets, wherein the sensor element is a metal strip that corrodes in the presence of moisture, and the ohm resistance measured increases as the corrosion increases;
- sensor electronics operatively connected to the sensor to measure an electrical property of the sensor that changes as a function of corrosion caused by moisture, wherein
- operatively connecting the sensor element and the sensor electronics to a power source to measure the electrical property of the sensor to determine if the sensor element is a new sensor element, an operating sensor element, a saturated sensor element, or a broken sensor element.
1 more element
A transparency comprising:
- a plurality of sheets joined together;
- a sensor element responsive to moisture, the sensor element between the sheets, wherein the sensor element is a bimetallic strip of two metals that corrodes in the presence of moisture, and the ohm resistance of each of the two metals measured increases as the corrosion increases and the ohm resistance of each metal differs;
- sensor electronics operatively connected to the sensor to measure an electrical property of the sensor that changes as a function of corrosion caused by moisture, wherein
- operatively connecting the sensor element and the sensor electronics to a power source to measure the electrical property of the sensor to determine if the sensor element is a new sensor element, an operating sensor element, a saturated sensor element, or a broken sensor element.
1 more element
A method of determining life expectancy of a laminated aircraft transparency having moisture penetration, comprising:
- fabricating a laminated aircraft transparency having a moisture barrier over outer surface of the marginal edges of, and periphery of the laminated aircraft transparency;
- during fabrication of the laminated aircraft transparency placing a sensor element responsive to moisture between the sheets and/or between the sheets and the moisture seal of the aircraft transparency, wherein the sensor element is a metal strip that corrodes in the presence of moisture, and ohm resistance measured increases as the corrosion of the metal strip increases;
- operatively connecting sensor electronics to the sensor element to measure the ohm resistance of the sensor element that changes as a function of corrosion caused by moisture;
- operatively connecting the sensor element and the sensor electronics to a power source to measure the electrical property of the sensor to determine if the sensor element is a new sensor element, an operating sensor element, a saturated sensor element, or a broken sensor element, and
- replacing the aircraft transparency when the sensor element is at a predetermined value.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.