Patent Application
20230228645
The present invention pertains to leak detection devices. More particularly, the present invention pertains to leak detection devices that employ sonic and spectral density techniques to differentiate sound distortions for the purpose of detecting water leaks. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful as a device for detecting sub-surface water leaks in building structures.
Water leaks are a problem wherever and whenever they occur, and they typically involve costly repair. Moreover, the source of a water leak is often difficult to detect. This is particularly the situation when there is no visible water intrusion into an area near the leak, and when the plumbing system has somehow been concealed or isolated during the construction of a building structure. Suffice to say, there are many different causes for water leaks and there are many different scenarios for their detection. The scenarios of interest for the present invention involve audio techniques.
It is well known that a water leak will make a discernable noise. It is also well known that wherever there is a water leak, there will also always be white noise. By definition, “white noise” is a random noise that has a constant energy per unit bandwidth at the frequency in the range of interest. Unlike a water leak, however, white noise has no discernable characteristic. Therefore, in the context of the present invention, white noise will always cause some degree of a masking effect on the water leak noise.
It is also well known that non-random noises, i.e. those with discernable characteristics like water leaks, will exhibit what is referred to here as a spectral density. Succinctly stated, spectral density describes the distribution of power for frequency components, within a range of interest. Importantly, spectral densities are discernable and can be visually displayed. The import for the present invention is that audio signals can be used for aurally and/or visually detecting the location of an otherwise non-observable phenomenon, i.e. a water leak.
With the above in mind, it is an object of the present invention, to provide a device and a methodology for detecting water leaks that rely exclusively on sonic and spectral density determinations. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device and methodology that differentiates an audio signal from white noise to determine the location of an otherwise non-observable water leak. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a leak detection device and methodology which is easy to use, is simple to manufacture and is commercially cost-effective.
In accordance with the present invention, a device for detecting water leaks in the plumbing system of a structure includes a microphone that is electronically connected with a sound amplifier. Specifically, the microphone is adapted to be moved over inside/outside surfaces of the structure to detect audio signals that are indicative of a water leak which is emanating from a subsurface location in the structure.
For one embodiment of the present invention, a headset is connected to the sound amplifier to aurally receive audio signals, some of which may be indicative of a water leak. Of particular interest for this purpose are audio signals that are created by sound distortions such as hissing, humming, dripping, trickling, bubbling, burbling, gargling, gurgling, fluttering, and whistling sounds. In the event, the received audio signal, i.e. sound distortion, is evaluated by discriminating it from white noise. Further, this aural evaluation can detect and determine the location of the water leak in the plumbing system of the structure.
For another embodiment of the present invention, a sound analyzer is connected to the amplifier to detect and determine the location of a water leak. Specifically, with a sound analyzer, sound distortions characterized by frequencies in an audio signal can be identified by their spectral density. These identifications can then be used to provide a visual presentation of frequencies in the audio signal. Preferably, the sound analyzer is a commercially available computer software application that is adapted for display on a cell phone.
As envisioned for the present invention, either an aural evaluation of audio signals can be made using a headset, or a visual presentation of the audio signals can be provided by a sound analyzer. This is an either-or possibility. However, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for the combined use of both a headset (aural) and a sound analyzer (visual). This combination then provides for a simultaneous aural evaluation, which is complemented by a visual presentation, to thereby provide for a redundant detection of the location of a water leak.
Operationally, the location of the water leak is indicated by the location of the microphone on the surface during receipt of the audio signal. Further, movements of the microphone are based on a search pattern of trace lines that are extrapolated onto the surface of the structure for use in guiding the microphone over the surface of the structure being searched. As envisioned for the present invention, the search pattern can be determined in any of several ways. For one, the search pattern can be derived from construction plans of the structure. For another, the search pattern can be based merely on identifiable features of the surface. In any event, the search pattern will be somehow predetermined.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:
Referring initially to
The sound analyzer 18 will include a display 20 which provides a visual presentation of power in audio signals according to frequencies in the signal. For example, the spectral density 22 shown in
For the present invention, the detection of a water leak can be accomplished by either an aural evaluation of the leak using the headset 16, or with a visual presentation of the leak’s spectral density 22 on the display 20 of the sound analyzer 18. Preferably, the simultaneously use of both an aural evaluation and a visual presentation is employed to achieve redundancy for the leak detection operation.
In an operation of the system 10, portions of a building structure 28 are inspected by moving the microphone 14 along trace lines 30 over surfaces 32 of the building structure 28. The trace lines 30a-c, shown in
As envisioned for the system 10, the sound analyzer 18 may be a cell phone 34 that includes a computer with a software application which is adapted for creating the display 20 (see
While the particular Leak Detection System as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.
