Patents Examined by Caitlyn Mingyun Sun
  • Patent number: 10753903
    Abstract: A technique for electrical detection of a molecule is provided. A fluidic bridge is formed between a nanopipette and a fluid cell, where the molecule is in the nanopipette. A voltage difference is applied between the nanopipette and the fluid cell, where the fluid cell contains an electrolyte solution. Entry of the molecule into the fluidic bridge is determined by detecting a fore pulse. The fluidic bridge between the nanopipette and the fluid cell is broken to form a nanogap. In response to waiting a time interval, the fluidic bridge is reformed between the nanopipette and the fluid cell to close the nanogap. The molecule is determined to exit the nanopipette by detecting an after pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Venkat K. Balagurusamy, Stanislav Polonsky
  • Patent number: 10739296
    Abstract: Disclosed is a biological analyte monitoring device including a strip inserter in which a test strip is to be inserted, and a processor configured to read a code sequence based on an element detected from an index region, a first code region, and a second code region of the test strip in response to the test strip being inserted in the strip inserter, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a target interval in which an index element formed in the index region is detected while the test strip is being inserted in the strip inserter, detect a first code element formed in the first code region in the target interval and detect a second code element formed in the second code region in the target interval, and identify the code sequence based on a result of detecting the first code element and the second code element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: PHILOSYS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: In Hwan Choi
  • Patent number: 10732142
    Abstract: A gas sensor (100) includes a sensor element (120), a metallic shell (110), a powder filler member (133), a first ceramic holder (135) in contact with the rear end of the powder filler member and from which the sensor element protrudes, and a second ceramic holder (131) in contact with the forward end of the powder filler member and from which the sensor element protrudes. The powder filler member has a higher thermal expansion coefficient than that of the first and second ceramic holders. The first ceramic holder, powder filler member, and second ceramic holder are pressed by force application means (118). A relation 0.40<(L?M)/L<0.58 holds, where L is the axial distance between the rearward-facing surface of the first ceramic holder and the forward end of the second ceramic holder, and M is the axial length of the powder filler member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tahira, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 10732141
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell for sensing gas has added mechanical support for the working electrode to prevent flexure of the working electrode due to pressure differentials. The added mechanical support includes: 1) affixing a larger area of the working electrode to the body of the cell; 2) a gas vent to a cavity of the body to equalize pressures; 3) a rigid electrolyte layer abutting a back surface of the working electrode; 4) infusing an adhesive deep into sides of the porous working electrode to enhance rigidity; 5) supporting opposing surfaces of the working electrode with the rigid package body; and 6) other techniques to make the working electrode more rigid. A bias circuit is also described that uses a controllable current source, an integrator of the varying current, and a feedback circuit for supplying a voltage to the counter electrode and a bias voltage to the reference electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: InSyte Systems
    Inventors: Jim Chih-Min Cheng, Eric Paul Lee, Jerome Chandra Bhat
  • Patent number: 10710079
    Abstract: A scanning micro-fluid device for an exchange of species with a surface and with an intermediate immersion liquid is disclosed. The device comprises a first and a second micro-channel comprising a fluid. The first micro-channel comprises a first aperture and the second micro-channel comprises a second aperture. They have a distance to each other in an apex area in proximity of the surface of a substrate. The surface, the apex area is immersed with the intermediate immersion liquid. The device also comprises a first electrode reaching into the fluid on the first micro-channel and a second electrode reaching into the fluid on the second micro-channel, and an apex electrode. Different voltage levels are applicable to the first, the second and the apex electrode such that species are interacting at surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Technion Research and Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventors: Govind Kaigala, Nadya Ostromohov, Moran Bercovici
  • Patent number: 10712309
    Abstract: The present application relates to an electrochemical reference half-cell, in particular, for an electrochemical sensor for measuring a measurand of a medium surrounding the sensor, including a housing with a chamber that is filled with a reference electrolyte and compressed air, wherein the reference electrolyte is in electrolytic contact with a medium surrounding the chamber across a junction in particular, a diaphragm arranged in a wall of the chamber, and a pickup electrode in particular, comprising an electric conductor immersed in the reference electrolyte, wherein the reference half-cell has a measuring device capable of generating an electrical signal that can be traced back to the pressure in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Paul, Jörg Uhle, Michael Hanko, Frederick J. Kohlmann, Aaron Osland
  • Patent number: 10690621
    Abstract: A sensor element for detecting at least one property of a measuring gas in a measuring gas chamber, in particular for detecting a proportion of a gas component in the measuring gas or a temperature of the measuring gas, includes a ceramic layer construction that includes at least one electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell having at least one first electrode, a second electrode, and at least one solid electrolyte connecting the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode is situated in the layer construction facing an electrode cavity that is in the layer construction. The second electrode has at least one outer diameter that is greater than a corresponding outer diameter of the electrode cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Diehl, Gaetan Deromelaere, Michael Piwonski, Peter Raffelstetter, Thilo Lehre, Thorsten Sahm
  • Patent number: 10690647
    Abstract: A chemical sensor for heavy metal detection is provided. The chemical sensor includes an inlet, a chamber in fluid communication with the inlet, and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. A working electrode is provided in the chamber. The working electrode includes a plurality of protrusions extending into a fluid flow path in the chamber beyond a boundary layer of the fluid flow path. The chemical sensor also includes a reference electrode, a counter electrode, and a plurality of contact pads electrically connected to respective ones of the working electrode, the reference electrode and the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignees: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Nan Wang, Jianmin Miao, Michael S. Triantafyllou
  • Patent number: 10684248
    Abstract: An NOx sensor includes a gas sensor element, a body member made of metal, and a protector made of metal. The body member is formed into a tubular shape extending in an axial direction and accommodates a gas sensor element internally of the same. The NOx sensor is formed into a tubular shape extending in the axial direction and includes an attachment member disposed such that a space extending in the axial direction is formed between the attachment member and the body member. The gas sensor element includes an oxygen concentration detection cell having an oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layer and a detection electrode and a reference electrode formed on the solid electrolyte layer and forming a pair, and a heater for heating the oxygen concentration detection cell to a predetermined temperature. The oxygen concentration detection cell is disposed in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Furuta, Masaki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10677750
    Abstract: A gas detection device includes a temperature control part configured to detect an element impedance by applying a high frequency voltage to an element part, and to control an electric power to be supplied to a heating part based on the detected element impedance. The temperature control part is configured, when the applied voltage control for SOx detection is being performed and at least a voltage decrease sweep is being performed, to perform a second element temperature control to stop detecting the element impedance to set the electric power to be supplied to the heating part to a predetermined electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 10677749
    Abstract: A gas detection device includes a temperature control part configured to control an amount of energization to a heater so that an impedance of an element part matches a target impedance, to thereby control a temperature of the heater. The temperature control part is configured to set a first target impedance as the target impedance while performing application voltage control for air-fuel ratio detection, and set a second target impedance as the target impedance while performing application voltage control for SOx detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 10605763
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor element made of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte, at least one electrode provided to the sensor element so as to contact a measurement gas, and a controller configured to control the gas sensor. The sensor element is heated, by a heater provided to the sensor element, at a temperature higher than an operating temperature set in advance for a predetermined time period at start of the gas sensor, and then the temperature of the sensor element is decreased to the operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taku Okamoto, Noriko Hirata, Yuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10605765
    Abstract: A gas detection device includes a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage across a first electrode and a second electrode of an electrochemical cell and a measurement control unit configured to perform a first application voltage sweep and a second application voltage sweep which have different sweeping voltage ranges, to acquire a first parameter based on the output current of the first application voltage sweep, to acquire a second parameter based on the output current of the second application voltage sweep, to calculate a SOx detection parameter which is a difference or a ratio between the first parameter and the second parameter, and to perform determination of whether sulfur oxides with a predetermined concentration or higher are contained in an exhaust gas or detection of a concentration of sulfur oxides in the exhaust gas based on the SOx detection parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Kazuhiro Wakao, Kazuhisa Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10578580
    Abstract: The invention provides a capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF) system based on a sandwich injection method for automated chemical mobilization. This system was coupled with an electrokinetically pumped nanoelectrospray interface to a mass spectrometer. The nanoelectrospray emitter employed an acidic sheath electrolyte. To realize automated focusing and mobilization, a plug of ammonium hydroxide was first injected into the capillary, followed by a section of mixed sample and ampholyte. As focusing progressed, the NH3H2O section was titrated to lower pH buffer by the acidic sheath buffer. Chemical mobilization started automatically once the ammonium hydroxide was consumed by the acidic sheath flow electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: University of Notre Dame du Lac
    Inventors: Norman Dovichi, Guijie Zhu, Liangliang Sun
  • Patent number: 10545116
    Abstract: A bipolar junction transistor is provided; the transistor has an emitter, a base, and a collector. The base is coupled to a sensing electrode. The sensing electrode is immersed in a fluid to be analyzed. The bipolar junction transistor is biased into the active region. An AC excitation of one of the emitter and the base is caused. A measurement is carried out on a collector current resulting from the AC excitation, to analyze the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Minhua Lu, Sufi Zafar
  • Patent number: 10532356
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a pH control device. The device comprises a substrate, on which is defined a flow path adapted to receive a liquid. The device further comprises a set of electrodes, which includes a pH sensing electrode and pH generation electrodes. The electrodes are arranged along the flow path. The pH sensing electrode is arranged so as to be subjected to a change in pH of a portion of the liquid on the flow path, as caused by the pH generation electrodes. In addition, the device includes a controller, which is configured to apply a voltage across the pH generation electrodes, based on a signal obtained via the pH sensing electrode and a reference electrode. This enables local control a pH of the liquid portion. The device may further be embodied as a sensor, additionally comprising a detection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Ebejer, Patrick Ruch
  • Patent number: 10490833
    Abstract: A fuel quality analyzer for detecting contaminants in a fuel supply includes an anode flow field plate defining a first fuel flow field channel and a fuel inlet port, a cathode flow field plate defining a second fuel flow field channel and a fuel outlet port, a polymer electrolyte membrane between the anode and cathode flow field plates, a first electrode between the anode flow field plate and the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a second electrode between the cathode flow field plate and the polymer electrolyte membrane. The second electrode has a higher platinum loading than the first electrode. A reservoir volume is defined by the anode and cathode flow field plates. At least a portion of the polymer electrolyte membrane extends into the reservoir volume. The reservoir volume is configured to retain water to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TRIAD NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Eric L. Brosha, Tommy Rockward, Christopher J. Romero, Mahlon S. Wilson, Cortney R. Kreller, Rangachary Mukundan
  • Patent number: 10468700
    Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for water electrolysis including a proton-exchange membrane, a first catalyst layer, a second catalyst layer, a first gas diffusion layer, a second gas diffusion layer and a first sensor chip. The proton-exchange membrane is disposed between an inner side of the first catalyst layer and an inner side of the second catalyst layer. The first gas diffusion layer is disposed on an outer side of the first catalyst layer. The second gas diffusion layer is disposed on an outer side of the second catalyst layer. The first sensor chip is sandwiched between the first catalyst layer and the first gas diffusion layer to sense an environmental change where water electrolysis takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: YUAN ZE UNIVERSITY, HOMYTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Yuan Lee, Chia-Hung Chen, Guo-Bin Jung, Yu-Chun Chiang, Chin-Lung Hsieh, Yun-Min Liu