For Analysis Of Gas, Vapor, Or Particles Of Matter Patents (Class 324/464)
  • Patent number: 11913981
    Abstract: An electrostatic sensing system configured to sense an electrostatic information of a fluid inside a fluid distribution component and including an electrostatic sensing assembly, a signal amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter. The electrostatic sensing assembly includes a sensing component, and a shield. The sensing component is configured to be disposed at the fluid distribution component. The sensing component is disposed through the fluid distribution component so as to be partially located in the fluid distribution component. The shield surrounds a part of the sensing component that is located in the fluid distribution component. At least part of the shield is located on an upstream side of the sensing component. The signal amplifier is electrically connected to the sensing component. The analog-to-digital converter is electrically connected to the signal amplifier. The shield has an opening spaced apart from the sensing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Mean-Jue Tung, Ming-Da Yang, Shi-Yuan Tong, Yu-Ting Huang, Chun-Pin Wu
  • Patent number: 11885766
    Abstract: An electrode stack assembly includes an electrically insulative substrate having a cavity therethrough extending, a first counter electrode on a top surface thereof and extending through the substrate, a second sensing electrode on a bottom surface thereof and extending through the substrate, and a third electrode having a top body portion on a top of the substrate, a bottom body portion on a bottom of the substrate, and a coupling pin passing through the substrate and electrically coupling the top and bottom body portions. The third electrode electrically separates the pin of the sensing electrode from the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Miao Xu, Wenfeng Peng, Mariusz Kloza, Amram Netanel Afenzer
  • Patent number: 11869743
    Abstract: Multiple electron beamlets are split from a single electron beam. The electron beam passes through an acceleration tube, a beam-limiting aperture, an anode disposed between an electron beam source and the acceleration tube, a focusing lens downstream from the beam-limiting aperture, and a micro aperture array downstream from the acceleration tube. The micro aperture array generates beamlets from the electron beam. The electron beam can be focused from a divergent illumination beam into a telecentric illumination beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: KLA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xinrong Jiang
  • Patent number: 11781214
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a processing chamber are provided herein. The apparatus includes, for example, an inner volume defined in the processing chamber; a first sensor assembly coupled to a surface located in the inner volume of the processing chamber and including a first electrode configuration configured to measure an electrical characteristic associated with a film deposited within the inner volume of the processing chamber; and a second sensor assembly coupled to the surface located in the inner volume of the processing chamber in relative proximity to the first sensor assembly and including a second electrode configuration, different from the first electrode configuration, configured to measure the same electrical characteristic as the first electrode configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Tae, Yaoling Pan, Leonard M. Tedeschi
  • Patent number: 11782392
    Abstract: A physics cell includes a sealed glass vial that contains a high-purity dipolar gas (e.g., OCS) at a low pressure (e.g., between about 0.01 millibar and 0.2 millibar). The vial can be sealed using a laser cutting process that involves only local heating of the vial that does not denature the bulk of the contained gas. One or more electromagnetically translucent windows or vial-end access points provide access to electromagnetic waves launched or received by one or more electromagnetic antennas at a frequency that is adjusted to match the quantum transition frequency of the gas based on a detected maximum absorption frequency. The glass-vial physics cell can be fabricated at lower cost than physics cells fabricated from bonded wafers. Multiple vials can be joined by a waveguide in an enclosure so that launch and receive antennas can be provided at a single end of the vials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Juan Alejandro Herbsommer, Baher S. Haroun
  • Patent number: 11764796
    Abstract: Vapor cells may include a body including a cavity within the body. A first substrate bonded to a second substrate at an interface within the body, at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, or an interfacial material between the first and second substrates may define at least one recess or pore in a surface. A smallest dimension of the at least one recess or pore may be about 500 microns or less, as measured in a direction parallel to at least one surface of the first substrate partially defining the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Lutwak, Bomy Chen
  • Patent number: 11630031
    Abstract: An instrumentation assembly configured to measure properties of an engine exhaust stream is disclosed in this paper. The instrumentation assembly may include an outer support ring that extends around a central axis, an inner support ring arranged radially inward of the outer support ring around the central axis, and a plurality of instrumentation rake assemblies. The plurality of instrumentation rake assemblies extends from the outer support ring to the inner support ring across an annular passageway defined between the outer support ring and the inner support ring configured to carry the engine exhaust stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Mark O'Leary
  • Patent number: 11630219
    Abstract: A pressure-regulating large-area windowless airflow proportional counter is provided, which includes a chamber, a metal tray, a side cover, a gas cylinder, and a voltage input and signal output terminal. The chamber has a side opening. A large-area source is placed on the metal tray and the metal tray is moved into or out of the chamber via the side opening. The side cover is fixed to the side opening by an O-ring via a locking device to form an airtight structure. The gas cylinder is used to supply a dedicated gas into the chamber. The voltage-input/signal-output terminal is used to supply voltage to an anode wire net. The free electrons generated by the large-area source due to the free phenomenon are collected by the anode wire net, and outputted to a voltage signal processing module through the voltage-input/signal-output terminal for analysis of pulse height or pulse count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH, ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE YUAN, R.O.C
    Inventors: Chin-Chi Chen, Ming-Chen Yuan
  • Patent number: 11604164
    Abstract: An electrode stack assembly includes an electrically insulative substrate having a cavity therethrough extending, a first counter electrode on a top surface thereof and extending through the substrate, a second sensing electrode on a bottom surface thereof and extending through the substrate, and a third electrode having a top body portion on a top of the substrate, a bottom body portion on a bottom of the substrate, and a coupling pin passing through the substrate and electrically coupling the top and bottom body portions. The third electrode electrically separates the pin of the sensing electrode from the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Miao Xu, Wenfeng Peng, Mariusz Kloza, Amram Netanel Afenzer
  • Patent number: 11561153
    Abstract: An instrumentation assembly configured to measure properties of an engine exhaust stream is disclosed in this paper. The instrumentation assembly may include an outer support ring that extends around a central axis, an inner support ring arranged radially inward of the outer support ring around the central axis, and a plurality of instrumentation rake assemblies. The plurality of instrumentation rake assemblies extends from the outer support ring to the inner support ring across an annular passageway defined between the outer support ring and the inner support ring configured to carry the engine exhaust stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Mark O'Leary, Nathan Ottow
  • Patent number: 11506631
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting properties of a gas, gas mixture, or a gas or gas mixture containing particles, all collectively referred to as a “gas”. A flow tube contains a pair of electrodes arranged such that at least a portion of the gas flows between the electrodes. A controller applies voltage to the electrodes and measures response data from the electrodes representing the voltage-current relationship and voltage breakdown between the electrodes while the gas is between the electrodes. Based on the response data, the controller determine a concentration of the gas or a concentration of particles within the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Maher Abdulhamid Aldayeh, Imad Said Abdul-Khalek
  • Patent number: 11493468
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for preparing nitrogen oxide gas sensor based on sulfur-doped graphene. The method includes: 1) providing graphene and a micro heater platform substrate, and transferring the graphene onto the micro heater platform substrate; 2) putting the micro heater platform substrate covered with the graphene into a chemical vapor deposition reaction furnace; 3) performing gas feeding and exhausting treatment to the reaction furnace by using inert gas; 4) simultaneously feeding inert gas and hydrogen gas into the reaction furnace at a first temperature; 5) feeding inert gas, hydrogen gas and sulfur source gas into the reaction furnace at a second temperature for reaction to perform sulfur doping to the graphene (21); and 6) stopping feeding the sulfur source gas, and performing cooling in a hydrogen gas and insert gas shielding atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Tie Li, Lianfeng Guo, Chen Liang, Yuelin Wang
  • Patent number: 11353420
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor is in a system including compensator circuitry connected to the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor includes a pump cell and the compensator circuitry includes a feedback control loop which includes a digital compensator which determines and outputs a compensation current to the pump cell or adjusts a pump cell voltage. A method of controlling the oxygen sensor includes, subsequent to a period of time when the feedback control loop is disrupted, pumping a balancing current into or out the pump cell for a balancing time interval, the balancing current and/or the balancing time interval is dependent on a current pumped into or out of the pump cell prior to the feedback control loop being disrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark W. Gose, Jerry W. Campbell, Eugene V. Ripley, Marc R. Engelhardt, Jingyi Hou
  • Patent number: 11262420
    Abstract: A magnetometer can include a single, integrated, unitary structure that has a gas cell defining a cavity having a vapor or vaporizable material disposed therein, a collimating element coupled to the gas cell and configured for collimating light directed toward the gas cell, and a lens element coupled the gas cell and configured for redirecting at least a portion of light that has passed through the gas cell. Additionally or alternatively, a gas cell of a magnetometer may be made of sapphire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Zorzos, Jamu Alford, Ricardo Jiménez-Martínez
  • Patent number: 11248961
    Abstract: The disclosure features methods for analyzing a sample, the methods including exposing the sample to plurality of pulses of electromagnetic radiation to convert a portion of the sample into a plasma, recording a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted in response to each of the plurality of pulses to define a sequence of spectra for the sample, and using an electronic processor to determine information about the sample based on the spectra, where exposing the sample to the plurality of pulses of electromagnetic radiation includes directing the pulses to be incident on different spatial regions of the sample, and where a temporal delay between exposing the sample to each successive radiation pulse is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAT International Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Catherine E. McManus, James W. Dowe, III, Tristan M. Likes, James W. Dowe, IV, Paul McManus, Nelson Winkless, III, Ashley Shelton, Karly Baughn, Robert Baughn, Regan Orr
  • Patent number: 11201045
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an ionization apparatus 10 for ionizing an analyte S, comprising an inlet E, an outlet A, a first electrode 1, a second electrode 2 and a dielectric element 3. The first electrode 1, the second electrode 2 and the dielectric element 3 are arranged relative to one another such that, by applying an electric voltage between the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2, a dielectric barrier discharge is establishable in a discharge area 5 in the ionization apparatus 10. The first and second electrodes 1, 2 are arranged such that they are displaceable or movable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: PLASMION GMBH
    Inventor: Jan-Christoph Wolf
  • Patent number: 11164730
    Abstract: A plasma probe device includes an antenna unit installed at an opening formed in a wall of a processing chamber or a mounting table through a sealing member configured to seal between a vacuum space and an atmospheric space, an electrode connected to the antenna unit, and a dielectric support portion made of a dielectric material and configured to support the antenna unit from an outer peripheral side. A surface of the antenna unit which is exposed through the opening and separated from a facing surface of the wall or the mounting table facing the antenna unit by a width is depressed from a surface of the wall or the mounting table where the opening is formed, which faces a plasma generation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Taro Ikeda, Tomohito Komatsu, Yuki Osada, Hiroyuki Miyashita, Susumu Saito, Kazuhiro Furuki, Mikio Sato, Eiki Kamata
  • Patent number: 11131646
    Abstract: A device to electrochemically sequence DNA that includes a redox species includes at least one edge electrode, at least one stack of insulator material, and a pair of DNA translocation electrodes including a DNA translocation working electrode and a DNA translocation counter electrode, where the thickness of the at least one edge electrode is about 0.5 nanometers, and the thickness of the at least one stack of insulator material is about 10 nanometers. Methods of electrochemically sequencing a strand of DNA are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Christopher Johnson, Habib Ahmad, Nadezda Fomina, Gary Yama, Franz Laermer, Jochen Hoffmann, Patrick Staley, Christoph Lang, Young Shik Shin
  • Patent number: 11112343
    Abstract: Provided is a dust measurement apparatus for accurately measuring the dust concentration of two spaces and minimizing the possibility of noise generation, comprising: a dust sensor; a body housing having the dust sensor loaded therein, and having an inner space; a first outer hole and a second outer hole, which are respectively formed at two points of the body housing so as to connect the outside and the inner space; a first fan and a second fan, which are provided at the positions corresponding to each of the first outer hole and the second outer hole and driven so as to form a flow toward the inner space from the outside; and a control part for selectively driving the first fan or the second fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kangsun Lee, Taehyung Kim, Seunghyun Lee, Misook Kim, Seonghyok Kim, Oedong Kim, Hyekyoung Seo
  • Patent number: 10996131
    Abstract: A refrigerant gas sensing system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, wherein the refrigerant gas sensing system is configured to collect a sample from a monitored gas volume, to introduce an ignition source to the sample, to detect an amount of combustion product in the sample after ignition, to determine an amount of leaked refrigerant in the monitored gas volume based on the measured amount of combustion product, and to indicate the amount of leaked refrigerant in the monitored gas volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: William F. McQuade, Neelkanth Gupte
  • Patent number: 10996191
    Abstract: A sensor element includes an element main body having an oxygen ion-conducting solid electrolyte body, a detection electrode which is disposed on an outer surface of the element main body and contains Pt and Au, a reference electrode which is disposed in the element main body, a connecting terminal for detection electrode which is disposed on the outside of the element main body, a lead portion for detection electrode which contains Pt, is disposed on the outside of the element main body, and electrically connects between the detection electrode and the connecting terminal for detection electrode, a lower insulating layer which is disposed between the lead portion for detection electrode and the element main body and insulates the two from each other, and an upper insulating layer which covers a surface of the lead portion for detection electrode and has a porosity of 10% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taku Okamoto, Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10935454
    Abstract: A refrigerant leak management system of a HVAC unit includes a sensor configured to detect a refrigerant in an interior of an air handling enclosure. The refrigerant leak management system includes a plurality of airflow management assemblies configured to fluidly isolate the interior of the air handling enclosure in a closed configuration. The plurality of airflow management assemblies includes a return inlet assembly, a supply outlet assembly, and a purge exhaust outlet assembly. The refrigerant leak management system includes a controller configured to actuate the purge exhaust outlet assembly based on detection of the refrigerant by the sensor such that the purge exhaust outlet assembly transitions from a closed position of the purge exhaust outlet assembly to an open position of the purge exhaust outlet assembly that opens the interior of the air handling enclosure to an external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Douglas A. Kester
  • Patent number: 10883959
    Abstract: A plate-shaped sensor element (10) including at least a first layer (150), a second layer (130), and a third layer (140) being stacked in a stacking direction. The first layer and the third layer are mainly formed of ceramic. The second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer in the stacking direction. The second layer has an air introduction hole (131) opened at an end surface. In a cross-section perpendicular to a direction of an axis O, a length L1 of a shortest line segment P1 connecting an upper end surface (10a, 10b) of the sensor element and the centroid G1 of the sensor element and a length L2 of a shortest line segment P2 connecting the upper end surface of the sensor element and the centroid G2 of the air introduction hole, satisfy a relationship of |L2?L1|/L1?0.05.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ai Igarashi, Kouji Toida, Shun Sakuma
  • Patent number: 10859531
    Abstract: A sensor for sensing ions, comprising a circuit board assembly, and a core assembly connected to the circuit board assembly, the core including a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: NRD LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Maroni, Jeremy Paul Willden, Martin Robert Johnson, Helaman David Pratt Ferguson, John Patrick Filoso, Jonathan Scott Jensen, Victor Habinshuti, Derek Brim, Spencer Ralph Dodge, Robert Edmund Gooch, Gary Burridge, John M. Glynn, II
  • Patent number: 10830730
    Abstract: A plate-shaped sensor element (10) including at least a first layer (150), a second layer (130), and a third layer (140) being stacked in a stacking direction. The first layer and the third layer are mainly formed of ceramic. The second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer in the stacking direction. The second layer has an air introduction hole (131) opened at an end surface. In a cross-section perpendicular to a direction of an axis O, a length L1 of a shortest line segment P1 connecting an upper end surface (10a, 10b) of the sensor element and the centroid G1 of the sensor element and a length L2 of a shortest line segment P2 connecting the upper end surface of the sensor element and the centroid G2 of the air introduction hole, satisfy a relationship of |L2?L1|/L1?0.05.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ai Igarashi, Kouji Toida, Shun Sakuma
  • Patent number: 10748752
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for analyzing ions by mass spectrometry by repeatedly executing a data acquisition cycle to acquire product ion data across a precursor mass range of interest. The data acquisition cycle comprises performing, for each of a plurality of isolation windows having different mass ranges, steps of (i) isolating precursor ions within the mass range of the isolation window, (ii) fragmenting the isolated precursor ions to generate product ions, and (iii) mass analyzing the product ions. The step of mass analyzing the product ions includes concurrently mass analyzing product ions corresponding to N isolation windows, N being an integer greater than or equal to one, wherein N is changed at least once across the data acquisition cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: THERMO FINNIGAN LLC
    Inventor: James S. Chang
  • Patent number: 10741362
    Abstract: An impedance matching method includes: calculating an output impedance of a theoretical circuit model set in advance from actual values of two variable components and a measured value of an input impedance; calculating values of the two variable components at the time of impedance matching through an arithmetic operation under a matching condition in the theoretical circuit model based on the calculated value of the output impedance assuming that the output impedance due to matching transition has the same value; and controlling the actual values of the variable components of the impedance matching device to correspond to the calculated two variable component values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hiroshi Miki
  • Patent number: 10697934
    Abstract: The present application relates to pulsed discharge ionization detectors (PDIDs) and non-radioactive ionization sources, including miniaturized forms thereof. In some examples, the PDID includes annular electrodes, where each electrode is disposed between annular insulators. Also provided herein are methods of making and using such PDIDs, such as for detecting one or more volatile organic compounds, as well as non-radioactive ionization sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald P. Manginell, Matthew W. Moorman, Kent B. Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 10634644
    Abstract: To suppress baseline current other than baseline current derived from the ionization of impurities, and to achieve the enhancement of the SN ratio of a detection signal and the improvement of the lower limit of detection, the inner diameter of a bias electrode for collecting an ion derived from a sample component is made smaller than the inner diameter of an insulating member separating the bias electrode and a collector electrode. Light emitted from plasma formed by dielectric barrier discharge is shielded by the bias electrode, so that the light is not cast directly on the surface of the insulating member. Therefore, the photoelectric effect caused by casting light of high energy does not occur on the surface of the insulating member, whereby a decrease in electric resistance of the surface can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kei Shinada
  • Patent number: 10520415
    Abstract: A particulate matter detection element for detecting particulate matter in a gas to be measured includes flat-shaped conductor layers, flat-shaped insulating layers, a laminated structure in which the conductor layers and the insulating layers are alternately laminated, and a detecting unit having the conductor layers of different polarities as a pair of detection electrodes on a cross section of the laminated structure. The conductor layers each have a constant thickness, and include conductor layer planar portions having a stripped-pattern cross section, and tapered conductor layer end edge portions each having a triangular cross section, provided on both sides of the respective conductor layer planar portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Koike, Hirokatsu Imagawa
  • Patent number: 10473548
    Abstract: A device for detecting presence of a fluid is described, and includes a resistive sensing element including a first conductive element proximal to a second conductive element, wherein the first conductive element is electrically isolated from the second conductive element, and a controller disposed to monitor electrical conductivity between the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The controller includes an instruction set that is executable to periodically monitor a signal associated with the electrical conductivity between the first conductive element and the second conductive element. A baseline value for the electrical conductivity between the first conductive element and the second conductive element can be determined based upon the periodically monitored signal, and a signal waveform can be determined based upon the periodically monitored signal. The signal waveform can be characterized, and presence of a fluid can be detected based upon the characterized waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Philip S. Jack, Douglas R. Drauch, John M. Thornton, Philip Wolschendorf, Joshua L. Engle, Derek M. Arrotta
  • Patent number: 10436750
    Abstract: The dielectric barrier discharge ionization detector includes: a dielectric tube through which a plasma generation gas is passed; a high-voltage electrode formed on the outer wall of the dielectric tube; two ground electrodes and formed on the outer wall of the dielectric tube, with the high-voltage electrode in between; a voltage supplier for applying AC voltage between the high-voltage electrode and each ground electrode to generate electric discharge within the dielectric tube and thereby generate plasma from the plasma generation gas; and a charge-collecting section for detecting an ion current formed by ionized sample-component gas produced by the plasma. The distance between one ground electrode and the high-voltage electrode is longer than a discharge initiation distance between these two electrodes, while the distance between the other ground electrode and the high-voltage electrode is shorter than the discharge initiation distance between these two electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation, Osaka University
    Inventors: Kei Shinada, Katsuhisa Kitano
  • Patent number: 10337970
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for in-situ testing impact strength of a micro-structure are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes: a flexible beam, one end of which being fixed; an impact mass block disposed at the other end of the flexible beam and being for exerting an impact on the micro-structure; and a locking member including a beam arm and a plurality of locking teeth. The beam arm is perpendicular to the flexible beam and one end of the beam arm is fixed, and the plurality of locking teeth are distributed at intervals along the beam arm, such that the other end of the flexible beam is engaged to one of the plurality of locking teeth when the flexible beam is loaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: PEKING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Li Zhang, Dacheng Zhang, Fang Yang, Wei Wang, Dayu Tian, Peng Liu, Ting Li, Kui Luo
  • Patent number: 10228338
    Abstract: A measuring device for determining a gas concentration includes a gas-sensitive element, a sensing device, a stimulation unit, and a processing unit. The gas-sensitive element is configured to absorb a gas. The sensing device is configured to determine a parameter of the gas-sensitive element in a predetermined time period, where the parameter depends on an absorbed quantity of the gas. The stimulation unit is configured to stimulate the gas-sensitive element and accelerate desorption of the gas out of the gas-sensitive element. The processing unit is configured to determine a rate of change of the parameter, to control the stimulation such that a concentration of the gas in the gas-sensitive element lies outside of an equilibrium state, and to determine the gas concentration based on the rate of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Petersen, Andreas Krauss, Michael Badeja
  • Patent number: 10127167
    Abstract: System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data, particularly between two devices within an electronic apparatus. Information is transmitted in N-phase polarity encoded symbols. Drivers may be adapted or configured to align state transitions on two or more connectors in order to minimize a transition period between consecutive symbols. The drivers may include circuits that advance or delay certain transitions. The drivers may include pre-emphasis circuits that operate to drive the state of a connector for a portion of the transition period, even when the connector is transitioned to an undriven state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Chulkyu Lee, George Alan Wiley
  • Patent number: 10041917
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of detection of combustible, flammable and toxic gases present in the air, particularly any way generated by pipe leaks, such as leaks of gaseous hydrocarbons or evaporation or similar potentially toxic and/or explosive gases. For example a sector object of the present invention is the gas environmental detection, more particularly for safety and protection of operators in gas drilling, extraction, transport and stocking. The present invention described a system of detection of flammable and/or toxic gases, comprising detection elements able to increase the reliability of detection of said elements dangerous for both human beings and the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: IMX S.R.L.
    Inventor: Giovanni Mario Bardoni
  • Patent number: 10004740
    Abstract: Compounds of Formula I are described: wherein R1 and R2 are defined herein. The compounds of Formula I are useful in the inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase, the prophylaxis and treatment of infection by HIV, and the prophylaxis, delay in the onset or progression, and treatment of AIDS. The compounds can be employed as ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions, optionally in combination with other antivirals, immunomodulators, antibiotics or vaccines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Burgey, Jeffrey F. Fritzen, Jaume Balsells, Mehul Patel
  • Patent number: 9987290
    Abstract: Assay methods for determining purity of a sample of a sterol are provided. These methods include providing an HPLC eluent including a sterol, other compounds related to the sterol and a mobile volatile phase; generating an aerosol of liquid droplets from the HPLC eluent; drying the liquid droplets to obtain residue particles of the sterol; contacting the residue particles of the sterol with an ion stream which applies a size-dependent electrical charge to each of the residue particles to generate an electrical signal and measuring the electrical signal to determine the purity of the sterol in the sample. The sterol can be OXY133 or OXY133 monohydrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger E. Harrington, Jerbrena C. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9534998
    Abstract: A maximum number of charges on aerosol particles which are measurement targets is decided as a natural number x equal to or larger than 2. First and second electrical mobility groups are derived based on x. The first group includes electrical mobility Zc(U) and electrical mobilities having voltage values equal to a voltage U multiplied by values from 2 to x respectively, and the second group includes electrical mobilities having respective voltage values equal to voltage U multiplied by irreducible fractions which are coprime to each other among values with regularity. A ratio of flow rate with which range corresponding to the electrical mobilities included in the first group do not interfere with one another and the range corresponding to the electrical mobilities included in the first group and range corresponding to the electrical mobilities included in the mobility group do not interfere with one another is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: RION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chiryo Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 9528967
    Abstract: A liquid leakage decision unit includes a leak sensor value storage part that stores a leak sensor value that is based on the intensity of a signal received from a gas sensor; a difference calculation part that, when the signal is received from the gas sensor, calculates, as a difference value, a value obtained by subtracting a previous leak sensor value stored in the leak sensor value storage part from a current leak sensor value; and a liquid leakage detection part that compares the difference value calculated by the difference calculation part with a preset threshold, thereby to detect liquid leakage in the column oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Takahashi, Yosuke Iwata
  • Patent number: 9518909
    Abstract: The invention relates to a particle detector including a substrate made of a semiconductor material, in which at least one through-cavity is formed, defined by an input section and an output section, wherein the input section thereof is to be connected to an airflow source, the substrate supporting: an optical means including at least one laser source, and at least one waveguide connected to the at least one laser source and leading into the vicinity of the output section of the cavity; and a photodetector located near the output section of the cavity and offset relative to the optical axis of the optical means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventor: Sergio Nicoletti
  • Patent number: 9513243
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide methods and systems for detecting cracks in ceramic electrolytes using electrical conductors. A method for testing an electrolyte material, such as a ceramic electrolyte material for use in a solid oxide fuel cell device, includes providing a conductive path on the electrolyte material, electrically connecting a probe across the conductive path, and measuring a value associated with the conductive path to determine the presence or absence of a crack in the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Sanjiv Kapoor
  • Patent number: 9510431
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of automatically balancing ionized air stream created in bipolar corona discharge is provided. The method comprises: providing an air moving device with at least one ion emitter and reference electrode connected to a micro-pulsed AC power source, and a control system with at least one ion balance monitor and corona discharge adjustment control; generating variable polarity groups of short duration ionizing micro-pulses: wherein said micro-pulses are predominantly asymmetric in amplitude and duration of both polarity voltages and have a magnitude of at least one polarity ionizing pulses exceed the corona threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Illinois Tools Works Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Oldynski, Peter Gefter, Leslie Partridge
  • Patent number: 9480375
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides for high particle removal rate and/or heat transfer from surfaces. The device removes particulate matter from a surface using a bounded vortex generated over the surface, with suction in the vortex center and jets for blowing air along the periphery. The jets are tilted in the tangential direction to induce vortex motion within the suction region. The vortex is said to be bounded because streamlines originating in the downward jets are entrained back into the central vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: The University of Vermont & State Agricultural College
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Marshall, Darren Hitt, Jun-ru Wu, Nicholas M. Vachon, Di Chen
  • Patent number: 9347974
    Abstract: The application relates to a method for determining beam parameters of a charge carrier beam, a measuring device, and a charge carrier beam device. The charge carrier beam (4) from a charge carrier beam device (1) is guided, by means of a beam deflection unit (3), over a slit aperture arrangement which is provided in an aperture device (7) and which has one or more slit apertures (8). Measurement plane coordinates of the beam components that penetrate the slit aperture arrangement are determined. On the basis of the measurement plane coordinates, the aperture device automatically moves in such a way that a measuring aperture (9) arranged in the aperture device moves over a predefined measurement reference point. The beam parameter is measured by the measuring aperture. In a measuring device (5) suitable for carrying out said method, the slit aperture arrangement has at least two non-parallel slit aperture sections (12, 13, 15, 16) which can be part of a single continuous slit aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignees: RWTH AACHEN KOERPERSCHAFT DES OEFFENTLICHEN RECHTS, AIXACCT SYSTEMS GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Reisgen, Jens De Vries, Alexander Backhaus, Hans-Peter Bauer, Sebastian Ufer, Bernd Reichenberg, Thorsten Schmitz-Kempen
  • Patent number: 9322742
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to be able to determine an appropriate purge time in a hydrogen flame ionization type exhaust gas analyzer and a system incorporating the analyzer which includes: a collector electrode for capturing ions generated from exhaust gas by hydrogen flame; an acquisition circuit adapted to acquire ion current caused by the ions captured by the collector electrode; and an abnormality determining part for determining an abnormality in the case where a difference between a first output value of the acquisition circuit in the case where there flows no ion current caused by the exhaust gas to the collector electrode and a second output value of the acquisition circuit in the case where zero gas is introduced into the hydrogen flame is equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: HORIBA, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Miyai, Hiroshi Nakamura, Masahiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 9263236
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a condition in an enclosed plasma processing space (102). The system comprises a sensor (338), arranged to be provided within the enclosed plasma processing space, for sensing a condition in the enclosed plasma processing space and a modulation circuit (342), connected to the sensor, and arranged to modulate an output of the sensor to provide a modulated signal. The system further comprises a first transmission line coupler (330) arranged to be disposed within the enclosed plasma processing space. The first transmission line coupler (546) is connected to the modulation circuit and is arranged to couple the modulated signal to a transmission line, which is arranged to deliver energy into the enclosed plasma space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: IMPEDANS LTD
    Inventors: Paul Scullin, David Gahan, Donal O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9250162
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatuses for collecting aerosol samples by ionizing an air sample at different degrees. An air flow is generated through a cavity in which at least one corona wire is disposed and electrically charged to form a corona therearound. At least one grounded sample collection plate is provided downstream of the at least one corona wire so that aerosol ions generated within the corona are deposited on the at least one grounded sample collection plate. A plurality of aerosol samples ionized to different degrees can be generated. The at least one corona wire may be perpendicular to the direction of the flow, or may be parallel to the direction of the flow. The apparatus can include a serial connection of a plurality of stages such that each stage is capable of generating at least one aerosol sample, and the air flow passes through the plurality of stages serially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Jason D. Braden, Andrew G. Harter, Brad J. Stinson, Nicholas M. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9140653
    Abstract: Techniques and devices are disclosed for detecting particle composition. In one aspect, a method performed by a detector to detect particles includes receiving particles at an aerosol inlet of the detector. The method includes carrying the received particles within a stream of gas and charging the particles within the stream of gas using a charger to have a charge. The method includes transporting the charged particles to a location of a collection electrode. The method includes biasing the collection electrode to a voltage using a high-voltage supply to attract either negatively or positively charged particles, and analyzing the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TSI Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven G. Buckley, Gregg A. Lithgow
  • Patent number: 9113543
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for measuring the density of a plasma by determining an impulse response to a high-frequency signal coupled into a plasma. The density, electron temperature and/or collision frequency as a function of the impulse response can be determined. A probe having a probe head and a probe shaft can be introduced into the plasma, wherein the probe shaft is connected to a signal generator for electrically coupling a high-frequency signal into the probe head. The probe core is enclosed by the jacket and has at its surface mutually insulated electrode areas of opposite polarity. A balun is arranged at the transition between the probe head and an electrically unbalanced high-frequency signal feed to convert electrically unbalanced signals into balanced signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: RUHR-UNIVERSITÄT BOCHUM
    Inventors: Ralf Peter Brinkmann, Jens Oberrath, Peter Awakowicz, Martin Lapke, Thomas Musch, Thomas Mussenbrock, Ilona Rolfes, Christian Schulz, Robert Storch, Tim Styrnoll, Christian Zietz