IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0860394
(2010-08-20)
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등록번호 |
US-8739620
(2014-06-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Haberbusch, Mark S.
- Ickes, Jacob C.
- Thurn, Adam
- Lawless, Branden J.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
A sensor assembly includes a main body, a sensor, and a filler. The main body includes an outer surface having a continuously-variable radius of curvature in at least one portion. A sensor in thermal communication with a region of that surface having relatively low radius of curvature is disposed in
A sensor assembly includes a main body, a sensor, and a filler. The main body includes an outer surface having a continuously-variable radius of curvature in at least one portion. A sensor in thermal communication with a region of that surface having relatively low radius of curvature is disposed in the assembly recessed from the outer surface. Liquid droplets adhered to the outer surface in this region tend to migrate to a distant location having a higher radius of curvature. The main body has low thermal conductivity. The filler has a relatively higher thermal conductivity and, in embodiments, fills an opening in the outer surface of the main body, providing a thermally-conductive pathway between the sensor and the surrounding environment via the opening. A probe having a plurality of such sensors, and methods of detecting the presence of liquid and phase transitions in a predetermined space are also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
1. A sensor assembly comprising: a main body comprising an outer surface, at least a portion of which is curved such that its radius of curvature increases continuously from a first location on said outer surface to a second location on said outer surface;a sensor recessed in said main body beneath
1. A sensor assembly comprising: a main body comprising an outer surface, at least a portion of which is curved such that its radius of curvature increases continuously from a first location on said outer surface to a second location on said outer surface;a sensor recessed in said main body beneath said outer surface; anda conductive pathway between said sensor and an environment outside said main body adjacent said first location, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity greater than the thermal conductivity of said main body. 2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity at least one order of magnitude greater than the thermal conductivity of said main body. 3. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said main body having a thermal conductivity not more than 2 W/m-K, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity of at least 14 W/m-K. 4. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said main body having a thermal conductivity not more than 1 W/m-K, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity of at least 18 W/m-K. 5. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said outer surface being conical such that its radius of curvature in a direction normal to an axis of symmetry of said conical surface increases continuously in a longitudinal direction from a first end thereof to a second end thereof. 6. The sensor assembly of claim 5, further comprising an opening in said outer surface at said first location adjacent said first end, and a conductive filler in thermal contact with said sensor, said conductive filler providing said conductive pathway via said opening. 7. The sensor assembly of claim 6, said conductive filler filling said opening such that an exposed portion of said filler has a continuous contour with, and matches the curvature of, said outer surface. 8. The sensor assembly of claim 7, said exposed portion of said filler being substantially seamless with said outer surface adjacent said opening. 9. The sensor assembly of claim 5, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity at least one order of magnitude greater than the thermal conductivity of said main body. 10. The sensor assembly of claim 5, said main body having a thermal conductivity not more than 2 W/m-K, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity of at least 14 W/m-K. 11. The sensor assembly of claim 5, said conical outer surface having a cone angle not more than 20°. 12. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said main body comprising polyamide-imide polymer having a thermal conductivity of about 0.5 W/m-K. 13. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said outer surface being entirely curved. 14. The sensor assembly of claim 1, said sensor comprising a diode. 15. A probe comprising a support strip having at least one conductor extending therein along the probe's length, and a sensor assembly as in claim 1, the sensor in said sensor assembly being in electrical communication with said at least one conductor for conducting signals to and/or from said sensor. 16. The probe of claim 15: the main body of said sensor assembly further comprising a flange at an end thereof, andsaid support strip comprising a first cover layer, a second cover layer and a circuit layer sandwiched therebetween, said circuit layer comprising said conductor, said first cover layer having an aperture through which the main body of said sensor assembly extends and which is sized to prevent the flange from passing therethrough, said flange being sandwiched between said circuit layer and said first cover layer adjacent said aperture. 17. The probe of claim 16, comprising a plurality of said sensor assemblies disposed along the length of said support strip, having respective main bodies extending through respective apertures in said first cover layer, their respective flanges being sandwiched between said circuit layer and said first cover layer, said circuit layer comprising a plurality of conductors extending along the strip's length and in electrical communication with respective sensors in said plurality of sensor assemblies. 18. The probe of claim 16, said conductive pathway having a thermal conductivity at least one order of magnitude greater than the thermal conductivity of said main body. 19. The probe of claim 16, the outer surface of said main body being conical such that its radius of curvature in a direction normal to an axis of symmetry of said conical surface increases continuously in a longitudinal direction from a first end thereof to a second end thereof. 20. The probe of claim 19, said flange being located at said second end. 21. The probe of claim 19, further comprising an opening in said outer surface adjacent said first end, and a conductive filler in thermal contact with said sensor, said conductive filler providing said conductive pathway via said opening. 22. The probe of claim 21, said conductive filler filling said opening such that an exposed portion of said filler has a continuous contour with, and matches the curvature of, said outer surface. 23. A method of detecting whether liquid is present in a predetermined space, comprising the steps of: exposing the main body of the sensor assembly of claim 1 to said predetermined space;applying a current to the sensor in said sensor assembly to generate heat at the sensor, wherein heat generated at said sensor is dissipated via the conductive pathway in said sensor assembly to the predetermined space; anddetecting the voltage drop across said sensor as a function of time and correlating voltage drop-versus-time data for said sensor with the rate of dissipation of said heat to determine the presence or absence of liquid in the predetermined space. 24. The method of claim 23, said predetermined space being in a reduced-gravity environment. 25. The method of claim 23, said predetermined space being a location inside a storage vessel in a reduced-gravity environment, wherein the liquid whose presence or absence is detected is a cryogenic liquid within said storage vessel. 26. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining a transition from liquid-to-vapor or vapor-to-liquid by calculating a first derivative of the voltage drop across said sensor as a function of time, and correlating a peak in said first derivative with said transition. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising operating a computer according to an algorithm so that said computer carries out said first-derivative calculation based on voltage-versus-time data from said sensor, and records vapor-to-liquid or liquid-to-vapor transitions based on correlated peaks in said first derivative, said computer storing information related to said transitions in a memory and/or outputting said information to a medium.
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