Patent · US Expired

Gas monitors

US5973326A · kind A · utility

31Cited by
7References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 5, 1997
Grant dateOct 26, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 5, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/031
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A gas monitor includes an infra-red source enclosed within a housing having inner surfaces which are reflective. Radiation emitted from the source reflects off ellipsoidal surfaces and intermediate planar surfaces to be focussed at a sensor, being reflected five times. Radiation is absorbed by gas within the housing and a comparison of the source intensity and detected intensity gives a measure of the gas concentration. Use of ellipsoidal reflective surfaces directs emitted radiation along a plurality of routes having substantially the same path length, hence giving an accurate measure of the gas concentration with a compact device. In another embodiment, off axis parabolas are used to direct the radiation through the gas.

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