Patent · US Expired

Optical fiber water sensor

US5430815A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
18References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1993
Grant dateJul 4, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N19/10
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical fiber water sensor includes a mandrel having a convex or concave shape adjacent to an optical fiber which is adjacent to a water swellable material held in a reservoir. Upon coming in contact with water, the material swells and deforms a section of the optical fiber about a contour defined by the mandrel thus attenuating a signal propagating through the fiber which is detected by an optical detector to indicate the presence of water.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.