Celebrity Inventors
Glam girl Heddy Lamar may have used her good looks to good effect on the silver screen, but she put her smarts to better use as an inventor. During World War II, she co-patented a frequency-switching system for torpedo guidance that was considered years ahead of its time.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7334938 | Mold and fungus growth warning apparatus and method An apparatus for monitoring environmental conditions favorable for mold, mildew and fungus growth includes a microprocessor having a data map, a temperature sensor attached to the microprocessor, a relative humidity sensor attached to the microprocessor, an indicato... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7102527 | Multiple sensor vehicle occupant detection for air bag deployment control A passenger detection system is provided. The passenger detection system utilized an oscillation circuit that causes an antenna electrode to emit an electric field that is disrupted by the electrical characteristics of n object placed on the seat. This disruption al... | 09/05/2006 |
| 6977351 | Moisture absorptive rain sensor with sealed position sensing element for irrigation watering program interrupt A rain sensor for use with an irrigation control system includes a position sensing element. A moisture absorptive element is supported for receiving rainfall. An actuating element is mechanically connected to the moisture absorptive element for movement adjacent th... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6853305 | Air-conduit condensation sensor A tape-drive condensation sensor includes a probe with first and second spaced-apart electrodes that define a passage for air flow within a pneumatic conduit. A voltage source is coupled between the electrodes and the voltage of the source and the spacing between th... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6841745 | Battery device A battery device has a plurality of batteries connected in series. Each of the batteries includes a thermally responsive switch, a first conductive plate connected to a first terminal of the thermally responsive switch, a second conductive plate connected to a commo... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6816077 | Multiple sensor vehicle occupant detection for air bag deployment control A passenger detection system is provided. The passenger detection system utilizes an oscillation circuit that causes an antenna electrode to emit an electric field that is disrupted by the electrical characteristics of an object placed on the seat. This disruption a... | 11/09/2004 |
| 6679101 | Device for detecting leakage in membranes A device for detecting leaks in membranes, etc., for liquid media, whereby the membrane is provided, over at least one partial area of its surface extension, with at least one electrical conductor that produces a change in a measurement signal of the elec... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6570109 | Quick shut-off extended range hygroscopic rain sensor for irrigation systems A micro-switch is mounted within a housing and is electrically connectable to an irrigation controller. The switch has a spring biased actuating lever pivotable between ON and OFF positions. A single disc made of a hygroscopic material is mounted within t... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6489895 | Fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus A fail-safe leak detection and flood prevention apparatus includes an induced current, transconductive darlington amplifier and tuned-frequency standing water detector mounted at a lowest point of a potential leak plane for sensing variations of standing ... | 12/03/2002 |
| 5732879 | Comfont control by combined temperature and humidity A method and thermostat for controlling comfort in an area with temperature altering equipment, but no specific humidity altering equipment. An on-off thermostat which mechanically combines temperature and humidity measurements in a predetermined ratio ba... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5101083 | Rain switch An improved rain switch includes a tubular L-shaped housing having an enclosed compartment in one arm in which an electrical switch is contained and an apertured compartment in the other arm in which a moisture absorptive assembly is contained. When mount... | 03/31/1992 |
| 4864269 | Portable electrical adapter In a portable electrical adapter removably securable to an electrical wall receptacle for controlling electrical power, including; a housing adapted to house spaced first and second electrical conductors, said first electrical conductor presented at one e... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4696319 | Moisture-actuated apparatus for controlling the flow of water A moisture-actuated apparatus for controlling the flow of water by expandingly absorbing moisture from and contractingly emitting moisture into a moisture-conducting medium. The actuation is binary, with one state resulting from the expansion of an actuat... | 09/29/1987 |
| 4581503 | Humidity control with adjustment for variations in element sensitivity A humidity control having a Nylon ribbon sensing element which changes in length with moisture changes has an adjustable connecting member for changing the effect of the element on an operated switch to compensate for different expansion rates of manufact... | 04/08/1986 |
| 4489603 | Moisture sensitive element A moisture sensitive element including a sheet made from a mixture of electrically insulating fibers having the property to expand upon adsorbing the moisture (e.g., cellulose fiber) and electroconductive fibers (e.g., activated carbon fiber). The moistur... | 12/25/1984 |
| 4207562 | Apparatus for determining optimum hay baling conditions An alarm device for indicating the optimum humidity conditions for baling of hay is disclosed which comprises a humidity sensing device with its normally closed switch in circuit between an electrical power source and an audible alarm. The device is mount... | 06/10/1980 |
| 4169261 | Liquid level sensing apparatus A liquid level sensing apparatus includes a housing having disposed therein circuit means and a power source for providing an indication when the liquid on a surface reaches a predetermined level. The sensing device which activates the circuit means is a ... | 09/25/1979 |
| 4095458 | Hygrostat A hygrometer or hygrostat containing a hygroscopic body formed of wood.... | 06/20/1978 |
| 4091992 | Pneumatic pressure transmitter responsive to temperature and humidity A force-balance transmitter for producing a pressure signal proportional to the enthalpy of air has a flapper associated with a nozzle and employs a control force acting on the flapper in opposition to a feedback force applied to the flapper by the contro... | 05/30/1978 |
| 4083030 | Electric hygrometer An electric hygrometer wherein a body of viscous hygroscopic electrolyte is supported exclusively by two or more spaced-apart carriers so that the electrolyte contacts the gaseous medium whose relative humidity requires determination and is in conductive ... | 04/04/1978 |
| 4052691 | Humidity sensor A humidity sensor comprising a pair of spaced electrodes on an insulating substrate is formed by coating an orthophosphate as a sensitive membrane over at least a portion of the gap between the electrodes.... | 10/04/1977 |
| 4050048 | Humidity sensor, material therefor and method A novel humidity sensor printed and fired on a dielectric substrate comprising an interdigitated pattern of a conductive precious metal with cobalt oxide as the only binder. Sensors according to the invention may be employed as hermeticity detectors in se... | 09/20/1977 |
| 4025892 | Probe for detecting gaseous polar molecules such as water vapor Probe for selectively detecting polar molecules in a gaseous atmosphere in contact with the probe, characterized by a layer of semiconductor material covered by a film of dielectric material.... | 05/24/1977 |
| 3979569 | Water level sensing device having rupturable hygroscopic-type switch actuator A water level sensing device includes a housing having a bottom opening and a micro-switch mounted in the housing above its bottom and provided with a spring loaded horizontally projecting actuating arm. An upper support arm depends from the actuating arm... | 09/07/1976 |
| 3970246 | Air conditioning control system A multiple zone forced air type air conditioning system is disclosed in which the amount of atmospheric air admitted to the system is governed according to sensed temperature conditions of air being circulated through the warmest zone. An atmospheric air ... | 07/20/1976 |
| 3961301 | Humidity sensor The operation of relative humidity sensors made from cobalt oxide on a non-conductive ceramic substrate is improved by (1) providing a porous, sputtered overcoat of polytetrafluoroethylene which renders the sensor surface non-wettable without affecting ot... | 06/01/1976 |
| 3949607 | Enthalpy control apparatus for air conditioning A control apparatus responding to enthalpy or "total" heat content, temperature and moisture content, of air wherein a moisture responsive element changes in length and is reset by a temperature responsive element to control a switch with means to limit t... | 04/13/1976 |
| 3936793 | Humidity and temperature responsive switch A humidity-biased temperature responsive switch for controlling an automobile air conditioning compressor which closes at a warmer ambient temperature when the humidity is low than when the humidity is greater. The switch includes a sensor element having ... | 02/03/1976 |
