The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 01, 1990
Filed:
Jun. 03, 1988
Peter Kamas, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Raychem Corporation, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Abstract
A system for detecting a fault, e.g. a liquid leak from a pipe or vessel containing an electrolyte or a hydrocarbon. In one embodiment, the system comprises a central unit and a plurality of sub-units; each of the sub-units is powered in turn from a power source in the central unit, and the sub-unit generates a signal which is observed by the central unit and which identifies the presence of a fault. In another embodiment, signals generated by a detection system at different times are compared and the decision whether to generate a fault alarm is based on that comparison. In another embodiment the system (a) when there is no fault, is a monitoring system which comprises a continuous loop which can be tested to ensure continuity of the system, and which comprises a continuity connection, and (b) when a fault occurs, is a test system in which the location (or other characteristic) of the fault can be determined; there is a constant current source in the continuity connection, and/or the continuity connection is present in the test system as well as the monitoring system and comprises a constant current source in the test system.