Abstract:
An environmental condition sensing device arrangement and method for sensing an environmental condition are provided. A device case which is water-tight and/or air-tight is provided for sensing such condition. In addition, a sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition, a transmitter being operatively connected to the sensing device, and a power source supplying power to the sensing device and the transmitter are also provided. The sensing device, the transmitter and the power source are disposed within the device case.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a system and method for measuring an environmental condition, and more particularly to a system and method for measuring the environmental condition inside a sealed container during a pasteurization process and transmitting that measured environmental condition.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Pasteurization involves an application of mild heat for a specified time to a liquid food or beverage to enhance its keeping properties, and to destroy any harmful microorganisms present. For milk, the times and temperatures employed for such pasteurization are based upon the thermal tolerance of  Mycobacterium tuberculosis , one of the most heat resistant of non-spore-forming pathogens. Vegetative cells of most bacteria are generally eliminated by heat treatment, while endospores are unaffected.  
           [0003]    In the food preparation industry, pasteurization is accomplished by placing a batch of liquid food or beverage containers (which generally includes several sealed bottles) into an oven or heated area at a particular temperature for a particular period of time based on the characteristics of the liquid food or beverage. By heating the liquid food or beverage, its keeping properties are enhanced, and harmful microorganisms are destroyed therein. Once the batch of liquid food or beverage is removed from the oven or heated area, a bottle of the liquid food or beverage is tested to determine if it has been properly pasteurized. Many times, the liquid inside the test bottle is properly pasteurized. At times, however, the liquid inside the test bottle may be overly pasteurized causing the liquid to be burnt or under pasteurized. Thus, the keeping properties may be underdeveloped, and/or harmful microorganisms are possibly allowed to survive. Over-pasteurization or under-pasteurization can be the product of inadequate modeling of the thermodynamic properties of the liquid food or beverage, unexpected or uneven heating of the oven or heating area, unexpected environmental conditions, variations in the temperature of the liquid food or beverage prior to the pasteurization process, or other manufacturing variants. If the liquid food or beverage inside the test bottle is over pasteurized or under pasteurized, the entire batch of liquid food or beverage must be destroyed.  
           [0004]    Certain publications relate to systems and methods for measuring an environmental condition. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,781 issued to Duncombe et al. describes a method for detecting a threshold temperature by providing a sensor which includes a magnet inside a ferromagnetic shield that has a lower Curie point than that of the magnet. Below the threshold temperature, the sensor is magnetically characterless. Above the threshold is reached, the sensor displays a magnetic character which is detected at a solid state magnetometer. The sensor can be located inside a sealed containment vessel, and the solid state magnetometer can be located outside the vessel.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,977 issued to Eimer et al. (the Eimer Patent) describes a method and apparatus for monitoring the heat transfer and therefore the efficiency of a condenser. A temperature probe is used to measure the temperature within an outlet chamber, and transmit the measured temperature to evaluating means. The temperature probe and the evaluating means are connected by lines. The Eimer Patent also discloses that it is possible to provide wireless transmission from the temperature probe to the evaluating means.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,253 issued to Fletcher et al. describes an apparatus and method for temperature sensing through observable, temperature dependent effects on an interrogating magnetic field facilitated by a sensing module. The sensing module has a signal element that interacts with the interrogation field to product a remotely readable magnetic response, and disposed proximate to the signal element. In a three-layer sensor implementation, a signal layer, a modulation layer and a bias layer are provided. The shunting effect of the modulation layer on the bias layer generally occurs more gradually than the demagnetization of the bias layer alone in a two-layer implementation. It is possible to fabricate a three-layer sensor that is operative over varying temperature ranges through a selection of modulation layer compositions having appropriate Curie temperatures. Additionally, the three-layer implementation has a reversible harmonic type, such that the three-layer temperature sensor continues to function even after the temperature of the modulation layer of the sensor falls below the Curie temperature of the modulation layer of the sensor, i.e., after the temperature has been above the Curie temperature for a period of time.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,369,894 issued to Rasimas et al. describes a modular fluorometer and a method of using the same to control an industrial water system. The modular fluorometer can be used with water from any water system, including with water used in industrial water systems (e.g., indirect contact cooling and heating water, such as pasteurization water). The modular fluorometer may accommodate a temperature sensor. Also, it is possible to use a wireless communication protocol between the modular fluorometer and a controller.  
           [0008]    International Publication Number WO 02/27276 by Tietsworth et al. describes a flow meter and method for determining the corrected flow rate of a liquid falling into a predetermined class of liquids based on its viscosity and density. The flow meter includes a temperature sensor, which measures the temperature of the syrup and sends the measured temperature to a microprocessor. The flow meter can also include a wireless communication system.  
           [0009]    However, none of the above publications describe a system and method which effectively and continuously monitors environmental conditions.  
         OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    An object of the present invention is to provide an environmental condition sensing device which is operated continuously and effectively. The exemplary environmental sensing device configured to sense an environmental condition and including a device case which is water-tight and/or air-tight, a transmitter operatively connected to the sensing device, and a power source supplying power to the sensing device and the transmitter. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the sensing device, the transmitter and the power source are disposed within the device case.  
           [0011]    In the exemplary method of sensing the environmental conditions, the power is provided by a power device to the sensing device and the transmitter that are disposed within the water-tight, air-tight case, the environmental conditions are sensed from within the case, and the sensed environmental conditions are transmitted from within the case. The sensing device can sense the environmental condition (e.g., temperature or pressure) in real time. In addition, the case can be situated within a sealed container which has a liquid, and the sensed environmental condition may be associated with a characteristic of the liquid inside the sealed container during a heating process, a cooling process and/or a pasteurization process. For example, the transmitter may receive a measurement of the environmental condition from the sensing device, and then transmit a signal indicative of the sensed environmental condition via wireless communication, e.g., over a non-predetermined distance, and/or via wired communication. A microprocessor can receive and evaluates the signal transmitted by the transmitter, and may calculate the pasteurization unit and bacteria level of the liquid based on the sensed environmental condition.  
           [0012]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide an environmental condition sensing device which is configured to be placed within a sealed container containing a liquid during a pasteurization process. The sensing device includes a device case which is water-tight and/or air-tight, and configured to be placed within a sealed container containing a liquid during a pasteurization process.  
           [0013]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for sensing environmental conditions within a sealed container containing a liquid during a pasteurization process. The method including steps of sensing an environmental condition of a liquid contained within a sealed container during a pasteurization process from within the case which is watertight and/or air-tight, and transmitting the sensed environmental condition from within the case. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1( a ) is a block diagram of a process line that performs a pasteurization process on a batch of liquid food or beverage utilizing a wireless environmental condition sensing device, prior to heat being applied to a batch of liquid food or beverage according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1( b ) is a block diagram of a process line of FIG. 1( c ) while heat is being applied to the batch of liquid food or beverage;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1( c ) is a block diagram of a process line that performs a pasteurization process on the batch of liquid food or beverage utilizing a wired environmental condition sensing device, prior to heat being applied to the batch of liquid food or beverage according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1( d ) is a block diagram of the process line of FIG. 1( c ) that performs a pasteurization process while heat is being applied to the batch;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of an environmental condition sensing device according to the present invention; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of the environmental condition sensing device according to the present invention.  
         [0021]    Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, it is done so in connection with the illustrative embodiments. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1( a ) illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a process line  100  according to the present invention that monitors environmental conditions during a pasteurization process prior to the beginning of this process, during the process and thereafter. The process line  100  includes a heating chamber  102 , a conveyor mechanism  104 , a receiver  110  and a control unit  112 . The conveyor mechanism  104  passes through the heating chamber  102 , such that objects placed on the conveyor mechanism  104  can be exposed to heat produced within the heating chamber  102  for a period of time, e.g. to effectuate the pasterization process.  
         [0023]    During a pasteurization process, one or more containers  106  are placed on the conveyor mechanism  104  outside of the heating chamber  102 . The containers  106  are typically sealed, and contain a liquid food or beverage. At least one of the containers  106  contains an environmental condition sensing device  108 . The environmental condition sensing device  108  measures an environmental condition of the liquid within the one of the containers  106  (e.g., temperature or pressure), and transmits the measurement to the receiver  110  wirelessly.  
         [0024]    In an exemplary embodiment, more than one of the containers  106  contain the environmental condition sensing device  108 . In yet another embodiment, each of the containers  106  contains the environmental condition sensing device  108 .  
         [0025]    The exemplary environmental condition sensing device  108  illustrated in FIG. 1( a ) transmits the measurements of the environmental condition to the receiver  110  utilizing a wireless transmitter via a wireless transmission protocol, such as Bluetooth. The transmission of measurements from the environmental condition sensing device  108  to the receiver  110 . The receiver  110 , in turn, transmits the measurements received from the environmental condition sensing device  108  to the control unit  112 . The control unit  112  controls the heating chamber  102  and the conveyor mechanism  104 .  
         [0026]    Referring now to FIG. 1( b ), which shows the process line  100  that is substantially the same as that of FIG. 1( a ) except for the location of the containers  106  and the environmental condition sensing device  108 , the pasteurization process begins when the control unit  112  causes the conveyor mechanism  104  to move the containers  106  into the heating chamber  102 . The heating chamber  102  is controlled by the control unit  112 , and is preheated to a predetermined temperature. The environmental condition sensing device  108  transmits measurements of the environmental condition to the receiver  110 . The environmental condition measured by the environmental condition sensing device  108  is preferably the temperature of a fluid in the container  106  or an external temperature. The receiver  110  transmits these measurements to the control unit  112  utilizing a wireless device or a wired device. The control unit  112  utilizes this received information to compute the number of pasteurization units of the liquid in the containers  106 . Once the liquid in the containers  106  reaches a predetermined number of pasteurization units, the liquid in the containers  104  is fully pasteurized, and the control unit  112  causes the conveyor mechanism  104  to move the containers  106  out from the heating chamber  102 . In another exemplary embodiment, the environmental condition can be pressure, or the like.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1( c ) shows a second exemplary embodiment of a process line  140  according to the present invention, which is substantially similar to the process line  100  of FIGS.  1 ( a ) and  1 ( b ) except that the environmental condition sensor  108  is replaced by a wired environmental condition sensor  128 , and a wire  118 , a wire channel  120  and wire guide  122  are additionally provided. This process line  140  shown in FIG. 1( c ) is illustrated for a time prior to the beginning of the pasteurization process. The process line  140 , similarly to the process line  100 , includes the heating chamber  102 , the conveyor mechanism  104 , the receiver  110  and the control unit  112 . The conveyor mechanism  104  passes through the heating chamber  102 , such that objects placed on the conveyor mechanism  104  can be exposed to heat produced within the heating chamber  102  for a period of time. The heating chamber  102  also includes the wire channel  120  and the wire guide  122 . The wire channel  120  accommodates the wire  118  as the wired environmental condition sensor  128  passes through the heating chamber  102 . The wire  118  allows the wired environmental condition sensor  128  to communicate with the receiver  110  in a wired manner. The wire can be an electrical wire, coaxial wire, etc.  
         [0028]    During the pasteurization process, the containers  106  provided on the process line  140  are placed on the conveyor mechanism  104  outside of the heating chamber  102 . The containers  106  are typically sealed and contain a liquid food or beverage. One of the containers  106  contains the environmental condition sensing device  128  which is wired to the receiver  110 . The wired environmental condition sensing device  128  measures the environmental condition of the liquid within the one of the containers  106 , e.g. temperature, pressure, etc., and transmits this measurement to the receiver  110  via the wire  118 . In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, more than one of the containers  106  contain the wired environmental condition sensing device  128 . In yet another exemplary embodiment, each of the containers  106  contain the wired environmental condition sensing device  128 .  
         [0029]    The wired environmental condition sensing device  128  transmits measurements of the environmental condition to the receiver  110 . The receiver  110  in turn transmits the measurements received from the wired environmental condition sensing device  128  to the control unit  112 . The control unit  112  controls the heating chamber  102  and the conveyor mechanism  104 .  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIG. 1( d ), which shows the process line  140  that is substantially the same as that of FIG. 1( c ) except for the location of the containers  106  and the wired environmental condition sensing device  128 . The pasteurization process begins when the control unit  112  causes the conveyor mechanism  104  to move the containers  106  into the heating chamber  102 . The heating chamber  102  is controlled by the control unit  112 , and is preheated to a particular temperature. The wired environmental condition sensing device  128  transmits measurements of the environmental condition to the receiver  110 . The environmental condition measured by the wired environmental condition sensing device  128  can be an internal or external temperature. The receiver  110  transmits these measurements to the control unit  112  via a wired or wireless manner. The control unit  112  utilizes this information to compute the number of pasteurization units of the liquid in the containers  106  as discussed above. Once the liquid in the containers  106  reaches a predetermined number of pasteurization units, the liquid in the containers  104  is fully pasteurized and the control unit  112  causes the conveyor mechanism  104  to move the containers  106  out of the heating chamber  102 . In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the environmental condition is pressure, or the like. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the wire  118  can be replaced by a general purpose communication network. In still another exemplary embodiment, the wire  118  can be replaced by the connection to the Internet.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the environmental condition sensing device  108  of the first exemplary process line  100  shown in FIG. 1( a ). The environmental condition sensing device  108  includes a case  202 , a transmitter  204 , a sensor  206  and a power source  208 . The transmitter  204 , the sensor  206  and the power source  208  are disposed within the case  202 . The case  202  can preferably be water-tight and/or air-tight. The exemplary details of the environmental condition sensing device  108  is configured to transmit analog and/or digital signals indicative of an environmental condition of a substance or area measured by the sensor  206 . The sensor  206  measures the environmental condition of the substance in real time over a range of values. The substance is located outside the case  202 . The sensor  206  is in communication with the transmitter  204 . The sensor  206  and the transmitter  204  are both connected to and powered by the power source  208  (e.g., a battery). The sensor  206  transmits the measurements of the environmental condition to the transmitter  204 , and in turn, the transmitter  204  wirelessly transmits the received readings to the receiver  110 . The transmitter  204  and the receiver  110  can be provided at a variable distance from one another, depending on the power of the transmitter  204 . In another exemplary embodiment, the power source  208  is absent, and the transmitter  204  and the sensor  206  are powered by a remote power device (not shown).  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 illustrates the exemplary details of the wired environmental condition sensing device  128  shown in FIG. 1( c ). This environmental condition sensing device  128  also includes a case  302 , a transmitter  304 , a sensor  306  and a power source  308 . The transmitter  304 , the sensor  306  and the power source  308  are disposed within the case  302 . The case  302  is water-tight and/or air-tight. The environmental condition sensing device  128  is configured to transmit digital signals indicative of an environmental condition of a substance measured by the sensor  306  via a wire. The sensor  306  measures the environmental-condition of the substance or area in real time over a range of values. The substance areas are preferably located outside the case  302 . The sensor  306  is in communication with the transmitter  304 , which are both connected to and powered by the power source  308  (e.g., a battery). The sensor  306  transmits readings of the environmental condition to the transmitter  304 , and in turn, the transmitter  304  transmits the received readings to a receiver, here the receiver  110 , utilizing a wired transmission protocol over a communication link (e.g., the wire  118 ). The transmitter  304  and the receiver  110  can be provided at a variable distance from one another, depending on the power of the transmitter  304  and possibly the length of the wire  118 .  
         [0033]    In another embodiment, the wire  118  can be replaced by a general purpose communication network or a connection to the Internet. In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the power source  308  is absent from the sensing device  128 , and the transmitter  304  and the sensor  306  are powered by remote power devices. In yet another examplary embodiment, the sensor  306  communicates with the receiver  110  directly via wired transmission.  
         [0034]    While the invention has been described in connecting with preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that other variations and modifications of the preferred embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and the described examples are considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention indicated by the following claims.