Handheld sensing apparatus
US6418783B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 28, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N33/0031
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A vapor sensing device that is sufficiently small and lightweight to be handheld, and also modular so as to allow the device to be conveniently adapted for use in sensing the presence and concentration of a wide variety of specified vapors. The device provides these benefits using a sensor module that incorporates a sample chamber and a plurality of sensors located on a chip releasably carried within or adjacent to the sample chamber. Optionally, the sensor module can be configured to be releasably plugged into a receptacle formed in the device. Vapors are directed to pass through the sample chamber, whereupon the sensors provide a distinct combination of electrical signals in response to each. The sensors of the sensor module can take the form of chemically sensitive resistors having resistances that vary according to the identity and concentration of an adjacent vapor. These chemically sensitive resistors can each be connected in series with a reference resistor, between a reference voltage and ground, such that an analog signal is established for each chemically sensitive resistor. The resulting analog signals are supplied to an analog-to-digital converter, to produce correspond…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.