Abstract: A miniature lower cost optical sensing apparatus and method are provided for determining the concentration and/or hazard from a target gas by means of IR or visible photon monitoring one or more sensors that responds to carbon monoxide. The apparatus comprises a photon source optically coupled to the sensor and at least a portion of the photon intensity passing through the sensor is quantified by one or more photodiode(s) in a system, so that the photon flux is a function of at least one sensor's response to the target gas, e.g., transmits light through the sensor to the photodiode. The photo current from the photodiode is converted to a sensor reading value proportional to the optical characteristics of the sensors and is loaded into a microprocessor or other logic circuit. In the microprocessor, the sensor readings may be differentiated to determine the rate of change of the sensor readings and the total photons absorbed value may be used to calculate the CO concentration and/or dose.

Abstract: The present invention is a new sensor system with catalyst for control and one with a dummy catalyst. An apparatus and method for rapidly determining the concentration of CO, water vapor, and temperature. One of the major reasons to rapidly determine a small but sudden rise CO is for fire detection. The combination of the CO, followed by rapid relative humidity rise is a clear indication of possible fire or an appliance malfunction, blocked flu or other combustion process gone awry. If the incident is accompanied by ions or particles that would be smoke from a fire. The signal from the CO determined by numerically compensating for humidity changes. Any one or two parameters could cause an increase the sensitivity of the other in a fire detector such as combination CO, relative humidity, temperature and smoke detector. Another application for rapid CO detection is in a vehicle to protect the occupants from a catastrophic CO event.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for determining the presence and/or concentration gases using an optical response. These sensors may be very small, fast and low-cost. The preferred embodiment of the invention is accomplished by means of photon monitoring one or more sensors that respond to the target gas. For example by 1) passing the photons through the sensor, 2) multi-passes of a photon beam through the sensor, 3) by evanescent field absorption (EFA) and 4) by using index of refraction changes to switch the photon from one path to another. Rapid detection of gases such as CO can be made by multiple passes of photons through a sensor that is absorbing photons of that wavelength range. The photon beam is passed back and forth through the sensor by some means such as using highly reflective optical surfaces or cavity. In essences the multiple internal reflections in a waveguide are similar to the multi-pass photon method except chat the evanescent method only penetrates about 200 nm.

Abstract: A device for welding together optical fiber, constructed and put into practice, according to the principles of this invention, comprises a photon source capable of transmitting photons to at a desired waveband to a desired target, e.g., a solid state part, a fiber optic cable, or a optical waveguide. The desired target, e.g., the end of an optical fiber, comprises a photon absorber material that is designed to absorb the photons emitted by the photon source. Through exposure of the photons emitted from the photon source, the absorber is caused to melt within a very short period of time for a defined period of time, during which time the desired target parts are joined and welded together. Ideally, the photon absorber material is matched to absorb photons in the same waveband as that emitted by the photon source. The device is configured to efficiently produce, focus, and deliver photons to the target area for welding.

Abstract: A combustion device comprises a porous distributive layer, a combustion chamber disposed downstream of the porous distributive layer, and an emissive matrix in an active flame zone in the combustion chamber of the device downstream from the porous distributive layer. The emissive matrix comprises a three dimensional matrix structure made of heat absorbing, heat radiating, and heat conducting bodies. The device includes a blower for delivering a fuel/oxidizer mixture at sufficiently elevated pressure to an upstream face of the porous distributive layer to distribute the active flame zone substantially throughout the emissive matrix.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for determining the concentration and/or hazard from a target gas by means of optically monitoring one or more sensors that responds to the target gas by means of an optical change. The apparatus comprises a photon source optically coupled to the sensor and the photon intensity passing through the sensor is quantified by more than one photodiode in a system, so that the photon flux is a function of at least one sensor's response to the target gas, e.g., transmits light through the sensor to the photodiode. The photocurrent from the photodiode is converted to a digital sensor reading value proportional to the optical characteristics of the sensors and is loaded into a microprocessor or other logic circuit. In the microprocessor, the sensor readings are essentially differentiated to determine the rate of change of the sensor readings.

Abstract: A method for making very strong gas mantles and other ceramic structures, and the resulting products, are provided. According to the method, an organic or composite structure is first pyrolyzed in the absence of oxygen to remove hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, leaving a porous carbon or composite structure, which is then impregnated with a metal compound-containing solution or slurry which is later fired in the presence of an oxidizing atmosphere to produce a refractory metal oxide which has about the same shape as the precursor carbon or composite structure. Due to minimal shrinkage of the mostly carbon or composite precursor, the resulting mantles and other ceramic structures have few defects in the fibers and great strength.