Water-Infiltration Indicating Cable Element for Prolonged Exposure Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cable technologies fail to distinguish between brief and prolonged water contact, leading to unnecessary alarms and potential damage, as they are overly sensitive to humidity and moisture, and existing indicators react too quickly or are not durable enough to indicate prolonged water exposure.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a water-insoluble, irreversible marker that discolours only after at least 10 minutes of contact, which remains visible even after drying, and is associated with a heat-resistant, chemically inert supporting material, allowing for accurate detection of prolonged water exposure without false alarms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing water-sensitive indicators are used in cables, then water penetration can be detected, but false alarms occur due to over-sensitivity to brief water contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable operation reliabilityVSAvoidwater contact duration detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the sensitivity parameter of the water indicator by using water-insoluble markers that require prolonged water contact (at least 10 minutes) to discolor. This parameter change filters out brief water exposures that cause false alarms while maintaining detection capability for harmful prolonged water penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses disposable water-insoluble markers that are consumed only after prolonged water exposure. These markers are designed to be replaced rather than reused, providing a simple and cost-effective solution to distinguish between brief and prolonged water contact without requiring complex reusable sensing systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Speed

If water-soluble indicators are used, then they react quickly to water contact, but they are washed away by brief water washings causing false alarms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater contact response speedVSAvoidindication accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the solubility parameter of the indicator from water-soluble to water-insoluble. This parameter change allows the indicator to remain in place during brief water washings (preventing false alarms) while still providing visible discoloration after prolonged water contact that compromises cable integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by requiring at least 10 minutes of water contact for the marker to discolor. This threshold approach allows brief water exposures (such as manufacturing washings) to pass without triggering false alarms, while ensuring that prolonged water penetration (which is harmful) is reliably detected.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If existing indicators are used, then water penetration can be spotted, but they cannot distinguish between brief harmless contact and prolonged damaging contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater exposure detectionVSAvoidwater contact duration information

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the time parameter required for indicator activation from immediate response to requiring at least 10 minutes of continuous water contact. This temporal parameter change enables the system to preserve information about water contact duration, allowing distinction between brief harmless exposures and prolonged damaging contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces water-insoluble markers as intermediary elements that mediate between water exposure and visual indication. These markers act as a filter, only transitioning to their discolored state after prolonged water contact, thereby preserving the distinction between different water exposure durations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively differentiates between brief and prolonged water contact, preventing unnecessary alarms and ensuring cable integrity by using a durable, insoluble marker that maintains its discolouration even after drying, thus enhancing cable reliability and operability.

Implementation Method 1

an indicating element irreversibly discolouring after being in contact with water for a time of at least 10 minutes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIrreversible discolouration: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS9697927B2Cable comprising an element indicating water infiltration and method using said element

Publication Date: 2017.07.04 PRYSMIAN SPA

AI summary

A cable includes an indicating element for detecting the infiltration of water into the cable and a method using such indicating element.