CA1100328A - Temperature indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A luminescent tube filled with a temperature responsive liquid which causes the tube to glow as the liquid moves up and down the tube is encased within an opaque expansible sleeve which is aligned with graduations on the tube to indicate a critical temperature to be sensed when the tube is mounted on an object, so that if the tube glows above the sleeve the temperature is readily discern-able. The tube and sleeve may be permanently mounted on the object or removably mounted by a magnet or clip on the sleeve.

Description

EACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

m is invention relates to an industrial temperature indicator constructed so as to be easlly visible under daylight or night operating conditions to detect a change ln the operating temperature or a mechanical device.
A temperature indicator of this nature ~inds use in heating and air conditioning ducts of office buildings to spot insufficient cooling or heating . or can be permanently installed on a motor housing to determlne overheating, etc, - 1 - ~,",.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance wlth the inventlon, a con-ventional electro-luminescent temperature indi-cator tube is mounted in an expansible shield.
m e shield is slid along the graduated tube to a desired "critical 1I temperature which when senqed will lndicate that a mechanical device is overheating or ~hat the devlce is operatln~
properly. The shield and tube may be attached to to the deYice permanently, by a magnet or clip.
I~ the indicator glow i_ vlslble above the shield, the l'critlcal" temperature i9 immedlately discernable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRdWING

Further objects and advantages of the lnvention will become apparent from the following descri~tion and claimq,and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:
Figure 1 ls a perspective vie~ of the tempera-ture indicator of the pre~ent invention permanentlymounted on a mechanical device.
F~gure 2 is a perspective view of another f`orm of ~he indicator rern~vabl~y clipped to a mechanical device; and FIG~RE 3 is a perspecti~e vie~ of still anoth~r ~orm of the indicator removably rnounted b~ a r~gnet on a mechanical device.

` 110(13Z8 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, a conventional electro-luminescent indicator tube 10 made of clear glass coated with electro-luminescent particles and filled with a conductive temperature responsive liquid which will rise in tube 10 upon an increase in temperature is provided. Tube 10 is calibrated and graduated in degrees as indicated by indicia 12.
The particular details of construction of tube 10 is not part of the present invention, as it is well known by those skilled in the state of the art.
Tube 10 may be encased in an expansible, bellows type opaque shield 14 having a base 16 fixed by suitable fasteners to a mechanical device such as a motor housing 18 to sense the temperature of the motor ln housing 18. Shield 14 includes the expan-sible sleeve 20 which is slid along the graduatedtube 10 so that the top edge 22 of sleeve so is aligned with a desired graduated indicia 12 which will indicate, for example, that the motor in housing 18 is overheating. The indicator tube 10 is then checked periodically to see if it is glowing above edge 22, which will indicate immediately whether the mechanical device is operating properly.
Sleeve 20 may also include a clip 24 (FIGURE 2) or a magnet 26 (FIGURE 3) to attach the temperature lndlcator unlt to a blade-llke structure 28 or any galvanized metal or 3teel surrace 30, respectlvely.
Sleeve 20 may also be provlded wlth indlcla 32 to lndlcate the manner Or u~e or sleeve 20.
Whlle a speclric embodiment Or a temperature lndlcator has been dlsclosed ln the foregoing descriptlon, lt will be understood that various modlflcatlons wlthin the 3plrit Or the lnventlon may occur to those skllled in the art. merefore, lt i~ lntended that no llmltatlons be placed on the invention except as derlned by the scope or the appended clalms.

Claims (6)

I claim:

1. A temperature indicator comprising:
a graduated electro-luminescent tube which glows along a length in accordance with the movement of temperature-responsive liquid up and down the tube, an opaque expansible sleeve encasing said tube whereby the top edge of said sleeve is alignable with a graduation on said tube with the sleeve covering the entire tube below said graduation, and means con-nected to said sleeve for mounting said sleeve and tube on an object, the temperature of which is to be sensed.

2. The indicator of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a base on said sleeve adapted to be mounted by fasteners on an object.

3. The indicator of claim 1 wherein said mounting means is a magnet.

4. The indicator of claim 1 wherein said mounting means is a clip.

5. The indicator of claim 1 wherein said sleeve has a bellows-like configuration enabling it to be expanded and compressed.

6. The indicator of claim 1 wherein said sleeve includes indicia adjacent its top edge to indicate the direction of movement of said sleeve.