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:
Oct. 03, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 02, 1998
William C Schuh, Delavan, WI (US);
Claud S. Gordon Company, Richmond, IL (US);
Abstract
A dew point sensor includes a micro-cantilever beam formed on a substrate. A cooling device and a temperature sensor are in thermal contact with the micro-cantilever beam and a control circuit is coupled to the micro-cantilever beam, the cooling device and the temperature sensor. The control circuit controls and monitors a resonance of the micro-cantilever beam, controls a temperature of the cooling device and receives a temperature indication from the temperature sensor. Using the above information, the dew point temperature is determined by identifying the temperature of the micro-cantilever beam when its resonance changes due to a change in mass caused by the formation of dew on the micro-cantilever beam when the dew point is reached. A method of determining the dew point is also disclosed. The method includes exciting a micro-cantilever beam in a vibratory mode and decreasing a temperature of the micro-cantilever beam. When the temperature of the micro-cantilever beam reaches the dew point, dew forms thereon, thus changing its mass which causes a resonance of the micro-cantilever beam to change. The resonance of the beam is then monitored to detect the dew point.