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Particle fallout/activity sensorA particle fallout/activity sensor measures relative amounts of dust or other particles which collect on a mirror in an area to be monitored. The sensor includes a sensor module and a data acquisition module, both of which can be operated independently of one another or in combination with one another. The sensor module includes a housing containing the mirror, an LED assembly for illuminating the mirror and an optical detector assembly for detecting light scattered off of the mirror by dust or other particles collected thereon. A microprocessor controls operation of the sensor module's components and displays results of a measurement on an LCD display mounted on the housing. A push button switch is also mounted on the housing which permits manual initiation of a measurement. The housing is constructed of light absorbing material, such as black delrin, which minimizes detection of light by the optical detector assembly other than that scattered by dust or particles on the mirror. The data acquisition module can be connected to the sensor module and includes its own microprocessor, a timekeeper and other digital circuitry for causing the sensor module to make a measurement periodically and send the measurement data to the data acquisition module for display and storage in memory for later retrieval and transfer to a separate computer. The time tagged measurement data can also be used to determine the relative level of activity in the monitored area since this level is directly related to the amount of dust or particle fallout in the area.
Document ID
19950021941
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other - Patent
Authors
Curtis, Ihlefeld M. (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Youngquist, Robert C. (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Moerk, John S. (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Rose, Kenneth A., III (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
May 2, 1995
Subject Category
Instrumentation And Photography
Accession Number
95N28362
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
NASA-CASE-KSC-11687-1|US-PATENT-5,412,221
Patent Application
US-PATENT-APPL-SN-233584

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