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:
Jan. 26, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 23, 2006
Raul Eduardo Ayala, Clifton Park, NY (US);
James Rulon Young Rawson, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Todd Vincent Graves, Ballston Lake, NY (US);
Andrew Michael Leach, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Raul Eduardo Ayala, Clifton Park, NY (US);
James Rulon Young Rawson, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Todd Vincent Graves, Ballston Lake, NY (US);
Andrew Michael Leach, Clifton Park, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Abstract
An appliance using water including an incoming water valve is provided. The appliance includes a sensor disposed in-line to an incoming flow of water received from the incoming water valve and is configured to sense a degree of hardness in the incoming flow of water. The sensor includes a sensing element disposed on a substrate. The sensing element includes a sensing matrix, an indicator for one or more chemical species in flow of water, and a selectivity component that reacts reversibly with one or more chemical species in the water. The sensor also includes a light source configured to direct light through the substrate and the sensing matrix. The sensor further includes a light detector configured to receive transmitted light from the substrate and the sensing matrix and to generate a signal representative of selective wavelengths of the light indicative of one or more chemical species in flow of water.