GB2390207A

GB2390207A - Remote rain detector

Info

Publication number: GB2390207A
Application number: GB0313547A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Lewis-Dalby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-25
Filing date: 2003-06-12
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: GB0214591D0; GB0313547D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a precipitation detection device (1) for warning a user when precipitation occurs. The device (1) comprises a precipitation detection means such as a moisture or rain sensitive plate (13); a signal transmitter (7) such as a radio frequency transmitter; a signal transmission means such as air or an electrical cable; a signal receiver (37) such as a radio frequency receiver; and an alarm mechanism such as an audible alarm (39). There is also provided a method of preventing precipitation from substantially wetting laundry drying outside.

Description

( 1 "Apparatus and Method for Detecting Moisture" 3 The present invention

relates to a moisture detector 4 and more particularly but not exclusively relates to 5 a rain detector and alarm.

7 Conventionally, people much prefer to dry their 8 laundry such as clothes and bedlinen etc outside on 9 washing lines. However, in rain prone climates such 10 as the United Kingdom, drying laundry outside can 11 prove troublesome if rain showers pass overhead.

12 Furthermore, even if rain showers do not pass 13 overhead, the person drying their laundry outside 14 will usually feel required to periodically monitor 15 the weather outside in order to make sure that it 16 does not look as if it will start raining.

18 It is an object of the present invention to provide 13 a means to enable people to be able to dry laundry 20 outside without having to worry about the laundry 21 getting unintentionally wet again due to rain 22 occurring.

2 According to a first aspect of the present invention 3 there is provided precipitation detecting apparatus 4 comprising: 5 a precipitation detection means; 6 a signal transmitter; 7 a signal transmission means; 8 a signal receiver; and 9 an alarm mechanism.

11 Embodiments of the invention have the advantage 12 that, in use, they can warn a user when 13 precipitation occurs.

15 Typically, the precipitation detection means is 16 electrically coupled to the signal transmitter and 17 the signal receiver is typically electrically 18 coupled to the alarm mechanism. The signal l9 transmitter may either provide a second portion or 20 alternatively may be coupled to a first portion or 21 end of the signal transmission means. The signal 22 receiver may either provide a second portion or 23 alternatively may be coupled to a second portion or 24 end of the signal transmission means.

26 According to a second aspect of the present 27 invention there is provided a method of preventing 28 precipitation from substantially wetting laundry 29 drying outside, the method comprising the steps of: 30 locating a precipitation detection means in 31 close proximity to the laundry, the precipitation

( 1 detection means being coupled to a signal 2 transmitter; 3 locating a signal receiver in a remote location 4 from the laundry and in a close proximity to the 5 user, the signal receiver being coupled to an alarm 6 mechanism; such that 7 precipitation causes the precipitation 8 detection means to actuate the signal transmitter to 9 transmit a signal via a signal transmission means to 10 the signal receiver which actuates the alarm 11 mechanism. 13 Typically, the apparatus is arranged such that when 14 precipitation occurs, the precipitation detection 15 means instructs the transmitter to send a signal via 16 the signal transmission means to the signal 17 receiver, and the signal receiver actuates the alarm 18 mechanism. Typically, the precipitation detection 19 means and the signal transmitter are provided in one 20 unit that, in use, will typically be placed by the 21 user outside in close proximity to laundry that is 22 outside for drying. Preferably, the signal receiver 23 and the alarm mechanism are provided in one unit 24 that, in use, will typically be either carried upon 25 the user or may be placed at some remote location 26 from the precipitation detection means and the 27 signal transmitter unit. Preferably, the signal 28 transmission means is adapted to permit the signal 29 receiver and the alarm mechanism unit to be remotely 30 located from the precipitation detection means and 31 the signal transmitter unit.

( 1 Preferably, the precipitation detection means 2 comprises a pair of electrical conductors normally 3 insulated from one another when no precipitation 4 occurs. Typically, when precipitation occurs and 5 such precipitation falls on the precipitation 6 detection means, the said pair of electrical 7 conductors are no longer insulated from one another 8 and are electrically conductive with one another.

9 Preferably, the said pair of electrical conductors 10 comprise a pair of electrodes which are in close 11 proximity to one another but which have no direct 12 coupling with one another. Preferably, each 13 electrode comprises a plurality of parallel and 14 longitudinally extending tracks formed from an 15 electrically conductive material, and more 16 preferably, the pair of electrical conductors are 17 spaced apart, when no precipitation occurs, by an 18 insulating means. Typically, precipitation landing 19 across the pair of electrical conductors forms a 20 bridge or electrically conductive path therebetween, 21 over the insulating means. Typically, the 22 electrically conductive material is resistant to 23 corrosion and is preferably formed from a non 24 ferrous material such as aluminium or the like.

26 Preferably, the signal transmitter is a radio 27 frequency transmitter capable of transmitting radio 28 frequency signals and preferably the signal 29 transmission means comprises air. Typically, the 30 signal receiver is a radio frequency receiver 31 capable of receiving radio frequency signals such as 32 those sent by the radio frequency transmitter.

( 1 Typically, the alarm mechanism comprises an audible 2 alarm.

4 Embodiments of the present invention will now be 5 described, by way of example only, with reference to 6 the accompanying drawings, in which: 8 Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a transmitter for 9 use with the apparatus in accordance with the 10 present invention; and 12 Fig. 2 is a receiver for use with an apparatus 13 in accordance with the present invention.

15 Fig. 1 shows a transmitter unit 1 which comprises 16 four main component parts. The transmitter unit 1 17 comprises a battery 3, such as a 9 volt battery 18 which is electrically coupled by means of electrical 19 wiring S to an electrical main circuit board 7. The 20 electrical main circuit board 7 has various 21 components mounted upon it including a radio 22 frequency transmitter and an example of a suitable 23 circuit board is product No PMK108'1 provided by the 24 company Velleman.

26 The main circuit board 7 is further coupled to an 27 auxiliary circuit board 9 via an electrical wiring 28 11. It should be noted that auxiliary circuit board 29 9 has a push button switch mounted thereon, but for 30 the purposes of the embodiments, the push button 31 switch is short circuited by being continually 32 depressed. Accordingly, auxiliary circuit board 9

( 1 could be omitted with the electrical wiring 11 being 2 coupled together in order to replicate the short 3 circuit that occurs on auxiliary circuit board 9.

4 Although it is not important to the operation of the 5 embodiment, an example of a suitable auxiliary 6 circuit board 9 is part No 927TB produced by the 7 company C H Byron. The main circuit board 7 may 8 conveniently be provided with an on/off switch in 9 order to conserve the life of the battery 3 when use 10 of the apparatus is not required.

12 The main circuit board 7 is further coupled to a 13 conductive metal plate 13 via electrical wiring 15.

14 The conductive metal plate 13 comprises two 15 electrodes 13a and 13b which when dry are 16 electrically isolated from one another, by the 17 insulated gap therebetween. Each electrode 13a, 13b 18 comprises a respective long side member 17a, 17b and 19 a series of parallel fork members 19a, l9b, where 20 one end of each parallel fork member 19a is integral 21 with the long side member 17a and one end of each 22 parallel fork member l9b is integral with the long 23 side member 17b. The parallel fork members 19a lie 24 in between the gaps provided between the parallel 25 fork members l9b. Thus, whilst the electrodes 13a 26 and 13b do not physically touch one another, the 27 inter-meshing arrangement as shown in Fig. l 28 provides the advantage that the vast majority of the 29 surface area of the conductive metal plate 13a 30 constitutes the surface area of the electrodes 13a, 31 lab.

1 One of the electrodes 13a is coupled to one of the 2 electrical wires 15a and the other electrode 13b is 3 coupled to the other electrical wire 15b.

5 The overall dimensions of the transmitter unit 1 are 6 likely to be no larger than the typical size of a 7 mobile phone; that is in the region of 10cm in 8 length by Scm in width by 3cm in depth. Thus, the 9 transmitter unit 1 is readily mobile and 10 transportable. 12 A receiver unit 31 is shown in Fig. 2 and comprises 13 a battery 33, which is typically a 3 volt battery 14 which may be made up of 2 x 1.5 volt batteries such 15 as conventional AA size batteries. The battery 33 16 is coupled to a circuit board 37 via electrical 17 wiring 35. The circuit board 37 has various 18 components mounted upon it including a radio 19 frequency receiver, and a suitable example of a 20 circuit board is product No 969R1C from the company 21 C H Byron. The radio frequency receiver is coupled 22 to an alarm 39, which is preferably an audible alarm 23 39 such as a sounder or klaxon but which may also 24 include a visual alarm such as a flashing LED or the 25 like. The circuit board 37 is coupled to the alarm 26 39 via electrical wiring 41. The circuit board 37 27 may conveniently be provided with an on/off switch 28 in order to conserve the life of the battery 33 when 29 use of the apparatus is not required.

1 The receiver unit 31 is likely to be of dimensions 2 in the same region as the transmitter unit 1 or of 3 smaller dimensions than the transmitter unit 1.

5 In use, the transmitter unit 1 is placed outside the 6 user's dwelling in the vicinity of the user's 7 laundry which the user will have placed outside for 8 drying such as on a washing line. The transmitter 9 unit 1 is arranged with the conductive metal plate 10 13 exposed to the sky such that if moisture such as 11 raindrops land on the conductive metal plate 13, the 12 raindrops provide a short circuit between the two 13 electrodes 13a, lab. This short circuiting of the 14 electrodes 13a, 13b actuates the radio frequency 15 transmitter provided on the circuit board 7 to 16 transmit a radio signal. This radio signal is 17 received by the radio frequency receiver provided on 18 the circuit board 37, and the receipt of the signal 19 actuates the alarm 39. Actuation of the alarm 39 20 informs the user that it is raining outside and thus 21 warns the user that they should bring their laundry 22 inside to prevent it from becoming wetter.

24 The user would typically place the receiver unit 31 25 inside their house or would typically keep the 26 receiver unit on their person such as in a pocket 27 etc. 29 Accordingly, the embodiments of the present 30 invention provide a warning to a user that it is 31 raining outside and will generally aid those persons 32 that require to dry their laundry.

2 Modifications and improvements may be made to the 3 embodiments described herein without departing from 4 the scope of the invention. For instance, the radio 5 frequency transmitter provided on the circuit board 6 7 and the radio frequency receiver provided on the 7 circuit board 37 could be replaced with some other transmission means such as an infra-red transmitter 9 or the like or indeed the aforementioned radio 10 frequency transmitter and receiver could be replaced 11 by means of an electrical wire arrangement but this 12 would be less convenient to the user than the 13 aforementioned radio frequency transmitter and 14 receiver arrangement.

Claims

1 Clai_s

3 1. Precipitation detecting apparatus comprising: 4 a precipitation detection means; 5 a signal transmitter; 6 a signal transmission means; 7 a signal receiver; and 8 an alarm mechanism.

10

2. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 11 claim 1, wherein the precipitation detection means 12 is electrically coupled to the signal transmitter.

14

3. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 15 either of claims 1 or 2, wherein the signal receiver 16 is electrically coupled to the alarm mechanism.

18

4. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to l9 any preceding claim, wherein the transmitter forms a 20 first portion of the signal transmission means.

22

5. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 23 any preceding claim, wherein the signal receiver 24 forms a second portion of the signal transmission 25 means. 27

6. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 28 any preceding claim, wherein the precipitation 29 detecting apparatus is arranged such that when 30 precipitation occurs, the precipitation detection 31 means instructs the transmitter to send a signal, 32 via the signal transmission means, to the signal

1 receiver, and the signal receiver actuates the alarm 2 mechanism.

4

7. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 5 any preceding claim, wherein the precipitation 6 detection means and the signal transmitter are 7 provided in one unit that, which is adapted such 8 that it may be placed by the user outside in close 9 proximity to laundry that is outside for drying.

11

8. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 12 any preceding claim, wherein the signal receiver and 13 the alarm mechanism are provided in one unit which 14 is adapted such that it may be either carried upon 15 the user or may be placed at some remote location 16 from the precipitation detection means and the 17 signal transmitter unit.

19

9. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 20 any preceding claim, wherein the signal transmission 21 means is adapted to permit the signal receiver and 22 the alarm mechanism unit to be remotely located from 23 the precipitation detection means and the signal 24 transmitter unit.

26

10. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 27 any preceding claim, wherein the precipitation 28 detection means comprises a pair of electrical 29 conductors normally insulated from one another when 30 no precipitation occurs.

1

11. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 2 claim lo, wherein when precipitation occurs and such 3 precipitation makes contact with the precipitation 4 detection means, the said pair of electrical 5 conductors are no longer insulated from one another 6 and are electrically conductive with one another.

8

12. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 9 either of claims 10 or 11, wherein the said pair of 10 electrical conductors comprise a pair of electrodes 11 which are in close proximity to one another but 12 which have no direct coupling with one another.

14

13. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 15 claim 12, wherein each electrode comprises a 16 plurality of parallel and longitudinally extending 17 tracks formed from an electrically conductive 18 material, the tracks being electrically isolated 19 from one another by an insulating means.

21

14. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 22 claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive 23 material is resistant to corrosion.

25

15. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 26 either of claims 13 or 14, wherein the electrically 27 conductive material is formed from a non-ferrous 23 material.

30 15. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 31 any preceding claim, wherein the signal transmitter 32 is a radio frequency transmitter capable of

1 transmitting radio frequency signals and the signal 2 transmission means comprises air.

4 17. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to 5 any preceding claim, wherein the signal receiver is 6 a radio frequency receiver capable of receiving 7 radio frequency signals such as those sent by the 8 radio frequency transmitter.

10 18. Precipitation detecting apparatus according to ll any preceding claim, wherein the alarm mechanism 12 comprises an audible alarm.

14 19. A method of preventing precipitation from 15 substantially wetting laundry drying outside, the 16 method comprising the steps of: 17 locating a precipitation detection means in 18 close proximity to the laundry, the precipitation l9 detection means being coupled to a signal 20 transmitter; 21 locating a signal receiver in a remote location 22 from the laundry and in close proximity to the user, 23 the signal receiver being coupled to an alarm 24 mechanism; such that 25 precipitation causes the precipitation 26 detection means to actuate the signal transmitter to 27 transmit a signal via a signal transmission means to 28 the signal receiver which actuates the alarm 29 mechanism.

1 20. Precipitation detecting apparatus substantially 2 as hereinbefore described, with reference to the 3 accompanying drawings.

5 21. A method of preventing precipitation from 6 substantially wetting laundry drying outside, 7 substantially as hereinbefore described, with 8 reference to the accompanying drawings.