Patent · US Expired

Optical sensor apparatus for detecting vapor of organic solvent

US5783836A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
3References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 28, 1995
Grant dateJul 21, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 28, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/7776
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical sensor apparatus for detecting a vapor of an organic solvent is characterized by a simple structure which allows easy manufacture, high reliability, low cost, compactness in size, and portability. The optical sensor apparatus has a light source unit which emits light for irradiating a polymer thin film formed on a flat reflecting substrate of a sensing element. Light reflected by the sensing element is detected by a light detecting unit. The light source unit, the sensing element, and the light detecting unit are integrally supported by a housing. The polymer thin film which comes into contact with a vapor of an organic solvent causes a change in the thickness and a reflective index thereof. This change is utilized to detect the existence and/or concentration of a vapor of an organic solvent.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.