Water detection assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10121353-B1
Application number	US-201715636352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to supply an electrical voltage upon contact with water, an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, where the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device upon receipt of the electrical voltage, and a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, where the housing has passageways configured to facilitate movement of water into the housing and toward the battery.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A water detection device, comprising:
a water-activated battery configured to supply an electrical voltage upon contact with water;
an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device upon receipt of the electrical voltage; and
a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, wherein the housing comprises passageways configured to facilitate movement of water into the housing and toward the battery, wherein the passageways are formed in an external surface of the housing, and wherein the passageways comprise channels configured to direct water into the housing via capillary action.

2. The water detection device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit is removably connected to the water-activated battery within the housing.

3. The water detection device of claim 1 , comprising memory disposed in the housing, wherein the memory is electrically coupled to the electronic circuit and configured to store instructions executed by the electronic circuit.

4. The water detection device of claim 3 , comprising an interrogator configured to electrically communicate with the memory external to the housing.

5. The water detection device of claim 1 , comprising an additional power source electrically coupled to the electronic circuit and configured to provide electrical voltage to the electronic circuit for periodic testing of the electronic circuit.

6. The water detection device of claim 1 , wherein the passageways comprise openings disposed over the water-activated battery.

7. The water detection device of claim 1 , wherein the passageways are spaced a uniform distance apart from one another.

8. The water detection device of claim 7 , wherein the uniform distance is between 0.3 centimeters (cm) and 0.5 cm.

9. The water detection device of claim 1 , wherein a coating is disposed over the passageways, and wherein water is configured to dissolve the coating upon contact with the coating.

10. A water detection and notification device, comprising:
a housing;
a multiple-layer wall of the housing, the multiple-layer wall defining at least one side of a chamber of the device;
a water porous layer of the multiple layer wall;
a water soluble layer of the multiple layer wall that limits or blocks access of water, contaminants, or both into the chamber through openings of the water porous layer;
a material of a water-activated power source disposed within the chamber, the material changeable upon exposure to water from a dormant condition, in which no electrical voltage is generated by the water-activated power source, to an active condition, in which electrical voltage is generated by the water-activated power source;
passageways formed in an external surface of the multiple-layer wall of the housing, wherein the passageways comprise channels configured to direct water into the housing toward the water-activated power source via capillary action; and
an electronic circuit connected to the water-activated power source configured to transmit an electrical signal out of the device in response to a change of the material of the water-activated power source from the dormant condition to the active condition to indicate a water leak.

11. The water detection and notification device of claim 10 , wherein the water soluble layer comprises sugar glass, a water-soluble polymer, or a combination thereof.

12. The water detection and notification device of claim 11 , wherein the water soluble layer comprises the water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sorbitol, or a combination thereof.

13. The water detection and notification device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic circuit is disposed within a component housing configured to be disposed in an opening of the housing, wherein the component housing is modular with respect to the housing, and wherein the electronic circuit is removably connected to the water-activated power source.

14. The water detection and notification device of claim 10 , wherein the dormant power source has an anode comprising magnesium, aluminum, zinc, lead, thallium, manganese, silicon, iron, calcium, nickel, copper, or a combination thereof.

15. The water detection and notification device of claim 10 , wherein the dormant power source has a cathode comprising silver chloride, cuprous iodide, cuprous thiocyanate, lead chloride, cuprous chloride, or a combination thereof.

16. The water detection and notification device of claim 15 , wherein the cathode comprises a depolarizer.

17. A method, comprising:
linking a water detection device having a water activated battery and an electronic circuit with an electronic device;
directing water into a housing of the water detection device via a plurality of capillary passageways disposed on an external surface of the housing, wherein the plurality of capillary passageways comprises a plurality of channels configured to direct water into the housing via capillary action;
activating the water-activated battery upon exposing the water detection device to water; and
reporting a detection event upon activation of the water-activated battery to at least the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the water is directed into the housing and toward the water-activated battery through adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 , comprising dissolving a coating on a surface of a housing of the water detection device to expose the water-activated battery to water.

Assignees

• Usaa

Inventors

• Billman Bradly Jay
• Scott Kade
• Flachsbart Matthew T
• Matheson Cory
• Ethington Benjamin D

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• H01M6/32

  activated through external addition of electrolyte or of electrolyte components · CPC title

• G01N27/048

  for determining moisture content of the material · CPC title