Chemical sensor and method
US5796097A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 5, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 5, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/77
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A chemical sensor (11) including a light source (12) for producing a light flux bundle (16), an optical detector (14) for receiving a transmitted light flux bundle (24), and an absorber/expander sensor element (18) supported by a holder or support (20). Absorber/expander sensor element (18) is positioned in the space between light source (12) and optical detector (14). The absorber/expander material of sensor element (18) changes its size by either expanding or contracting in the presence of a particular chemical component. An edge (22) of sensor element (18) acts like a shutter and moves in and out of the path of travel of light flux (16), as the sensor element changes in size, which affects the intensity of light reaching and detected by optical detector (14). A method of detecting changes in the amount of a chemical analyte comprising the steps of transmitting a light flux (16) from a light source (12) past an absorber/expander (18) having a movable edge (22), exposing the absorber/expander (18) to the chemical analyte, and sensing the change in transmitted light flux (24) reaching the optical detector (14).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.