Patents Examined by Bach Dinh
  • Patent number: 8268143
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical sensor having a sensing chemistry that operates substantially free of any “oxygen effect”. The electrochemical sensors are useful in determining the level of an analyte in a biological sample from a subject. The present invention also provides sensor assemblies including the electrochemical sensors as well as methods of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Zenghe Liu, Tianmei Ouyang, Hyun Cho, Yohannes Goti, Benjamin J. Feldman, Fei Mao, Adam Heller
  • Patent number: 8182664
    Abstract: A sensor control device for controlling a current application state of a gas sensor element when measuring a specific gas component concentration in a gas to be measured using the gas sensor element, which sensor control device includes: at least one cell having a solid electrolyte body and a pair of electrodes; a sensor heating unit as defined herein; an oxygen reference pole generating unit as defined herein; a damage avoidance time elapse determining unit as defined herein; and a reference generation current application permitting unit as defined herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Inoue, Satoshi Teramoto, Yukinobu Nagao
  • Patent number: 8168053
    Abstract: A gas sensing member has a unit structure and a porous protective layer disposed on the unit structure. The unit structure has a solid electrolyte body, a gas measurement electrode disposed on a surface of the body and exposed to a measured gas entering at a gas inlet, a reference gas electrode disposed on another surface of the body and exposed to a reference gas, and a heater disposed close to the body. The heater has a heater substrate and heating elements disposed in the heater substrate. The heating elements heat the body. The heater substrate has side corner areas placed on side corners of the unit structure and being adjacent to the heating elements. The protective layer is disposed on the gas inlet such that the side corner areas are not covered with the protective layer and are directly exposed to the measured gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyomi Kobayashi, Makoto Nakae, Toshikazu Hirose
  • Patent number: 8158881
    Abstract: Tandem photovoltaic cells, as well as related components, systems, and methods, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Brabec, Russell Gaudiana, Christoph Waldauf
  • Patent number: 8152979
    Abstract: An ammonia gas sensor including a reference electrode (320) is formed on the back surface of a solid electrolyte member (310), and a detection electrode (335) is formed on the front surface of the solid electrolyte member (310). A detection lead (350) is provided on the front surface of the solid electrolyte member (310) such that the detection lead (350) is connected to the detection electrode (335). An insulating layer (340), (380) is provided between the detection lead (350) and the solid electrolyte member (310), or on the detection lead (350).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Sugaya, Hiroyuki Nishiyama, Wataru Matsutani, Shiro Kakimoto
  • Patent number: 8128794
    Abstract: A water pollution sensor for detecting a heavy metal, the water pollution sensor including: a base member; a conductive layer formed at a portion of one of surfaces of the base member and consisting of a conductive material; an insulating layer formed on the conductive layer to enable a portion of the conductive layer to be exposed; and a bismuth layer formed on a portion of the exposed conductive layer and including bismuth powders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
    Inventors: Chang Kyu Rhee, Gyoung-Ja Lee, Hi Min Lee, Min Ku Lee, Sang-Hoon Lee, Sung Mo Hong, Jong Keuk Lee, Ju Myoung Kim
  • Patent number: 8097137
    Abstract: To provide a gas sensor element having a base body whose durability is unlikely to deteriorate during the use and exhibiting excellent endurance and responsiveness. [Means for Solution] A gas sensor element 2 comprising: a closed-bottomed cylindrical base body 28 made of solid electrolyte which contains zirconia as a principal component; an outer electrode 26 formed on an outer surface of the base body 28; an inner electrode 27 formed on an inner surface of the base body 28; and an adhesive layer 29 formed between the base body 28 and the outer electrode 26 and containing zirconia as a principal component, wherein a proportion of tetragonal in zirconia particles of the base body 28 falls within the range from 45% or more to 60% or less and, wherein a proportion of tetragonal in zirconia particles of the adhesive layer 29 is greater than that of tetragonal in zirconia particles of the base body 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Shiono, Kunio Imai
  • Patent number: 8093491
    Abstract: Formulations and methods of making solar cells are disclosed. In general, the invention presents a solar cell contact made from a mixture wherein the mixture comprises a solids portion and an organics portion, wherein the solids portion comprises from about 85 to about 99 wt % of a metal component, and from about 1 to about 15 wt % of a lead-free glass component. Both front contacts and back contacts are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Srinivasan Sridharan, Tung Pham, Chandrashekhar S. Khadilkar, Aziz S. Shaikh, Steve S. Kim
  • Patent number: 8075759
    Abstract: A procedure to calculate the Lambda value with a wideband Lambda sensor of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is thereby characterized, in that from the measured pumping electricity and the sensitivities of the wideband Lambda sensor as well as the gas concentration ratios, in the lean operation an oxygen concentration and in the rich operation an oxygen deficit are determined and from these respectively a conclusion is drawn about the Lambda value using the Pischinger Formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schnaibel, Erich Junginger, Johannes Kanters, Thomas Moser, Frank Kowol, Reinhard Hein
  • Patent number: 8049101
    Abstract: In the photovoltaic devices comprising a substantially intrinsic amorphous silicon layer containing hydrogen between an n-type single-crystal silicon substrate and a p-type amorphous silicon layer containing hydrogen, the photovoltaic device according to the present invention comprises a trap layer that contains less hydrogen than the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer between the p-type amorphous silicon layer and the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer. The trap layer reduces hydrogen diffusion from the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer to the p-type amorphous silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Terakawa
  • Patent number: 8021529
    Abstract: A measurement/calibration cell for potentiometrically measuring ion concentration in a fluid interposes a barrier between measuring and reference electrodes and positions the measuring electrode at a sufficiently higher gravimetric potential above the reference electrode that seepage of electrolyte from the latter to the former is effectively precluded. A controller associated with the cell displays instructions and other desired information on a scrolling display such that a substantial amount of information can be presented in a relatively small display window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Thermo Orion, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. West, Armin Kusig, Stephen Olsted, Jonathan Lowe, Xiaowen Wen
  • Patent number: 8012325
    Abstract: A plural-cell gas sensor including at least an oxygen pump cell (40) comprising a solid electrolyte ceramic layer; an internal space (210) formed between the cells; and a heater substrate (190) arranged on the side of the oxygen pump cell; the heater substrate heating the oxygen pump cell that pumps oxygen out of the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Oya, Mineji Nasu
  • Patent number: 7344626
    Abstract: Detection of abnormal signal traces in electrochemical measurements generated using an electrochemical test strip to which a potential is applied allows for an indication of an erroneous analyte determination. The current trace has an expected shape in which a peak current is observed a time tpeak after which there is a decrease in current. To detect abnormal signal traces, the time tpeak is determined experimentally and compared with an expected value, t?peak, and if the difference between the two values to over a predetermined threshold, an error message is provided to the user instead of a test result. The value of t?peak is determined as a function of a mobility term that is determined during a potentiometry phase following the amperometric measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Agamatrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Harding, Richard Williams