Patents Examined by T. Tung
  • Patent number: 6398933
    Abstract: System, method and apparatus for two dimensional gel electrophoresis performed in a unified manner which includes the performance of two fragment separations in a single gel without intermediate physical manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: C.B.S. Scientific Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Charles B. Scott
  • Patent number: 6395159
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor is constituted by a ceramic separator being placed so that the rear thereof enters the inside of a filter holding part and the front enters the inside of a casing and formed with a plurality of lead insertion holes axially penetrating the ceramic separator and an elastic seal member being fitted elastically into a rear opening of the filter holding part and having seal lead insertion holes for inserting leads for sealing the gap between the outer faces of the leads and the inner face of the filter holding part. The rear end face of the ceramic separator is positioned on the rear side behind a gas introduction hole in the axial direction and a predetermined gap is formed between the elastic seal member and the ceramic separator at least at the lead insertion position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Matsuo, Satoshi Ishikawa, Shoji Akatsuka, Shoichi Ohtsuki, Takashi Mizukusa, Hiromichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6395160
    Abstract: A sensor for determining gas components and/or gas concentrations in gag mixtures, in particular, in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, includes an inner pump electrode, an inner pump electrode supply conductor, a measuring electrode and a measuring electrode supply conductor. The inner electrode and the measuring electrode are in contact with the measuring area. In addition, separation is maintained between the measuring electrode supply conductor and the inner pump electrode supply conductor at least in the hot area of the sensor. At least in the hot area at least one of the electrode supply conductors is in contact with at least one oxygen reservoir, there being an at least largely gas-tight barrier between this and the measuring area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Jach, Lothar Diehl
  • Patent number: 6395158
    Abstract: A sensor for measuring pH of a solution includes a housing with an exterior surface for exposure to the solution. A measuring glass electrode within a tubular circuit ground electrode extends through the exterior surface. A reference glass electrode is received in a neutral pH solution in the housing and is coupled by a salt bridge to the exterior surface. An electric circuit within the housing has a first preamplifier connected by a first conductor to the measuring glass electrode and has a second preamplifier connected by a second conductor to the reference glass electrode. The first and second conductors have substantially equal lengths so that ambient electrical noise equally affects signals from the electrodes. The electrical cable that carries output signals from the electric circuit passes through a ferrite sleeve which inhibits high frequency electric noise that is induced in the cable from reaching the electric circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: GLI International
    Inventors: Karl L. King, Joseph A. Millhouse
  • Patent number: 6391174
    Abstract: An ion exchange membrane for use in sensors which measure dissolved gases. Disclosed is a method for using ion exchangers in gas permeable membranes to maintain optimal conditions in the electrolyte contained within the sensor. This can greatly extend the lifetime and improve the stability relative to sensors of similar size and electrolyte volume that have been constructed using prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: RhoCraft Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert D. Rowe, Thomas M. Fyles, George D. Robertson
  • Patent number: 6387235
    Abstract: An apparatus for the separation and fractionation of differentially expressed gene fragments includes a separating means including a capillary filled with a separation medium to separate DNA fragments by electrophoresis, a sampling means including sampling vessels to fractionate and sample the separated DNA fragments, according to their size, a transferring means to transfer buffer solution containing the separated DNA fragments to the sampling means, and a control means to control the sampling means based on a signal gained by detecting means, wherein a voltage for the electrophoresis and a length of the capillary are adjusted such that a spread in time of the separated DNA fragments caused by the transferring means during the transfer of the separated DNA fragments to the sampling vessels is smaller than a difference in separation time of the DNA fragments in the separating means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Irie, Hideki Hasegawa, Hideki Kambara, Ken Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 6383355
    Abstract: A gas sensor having improved heat resistance and oil resistance. A portion of a cylindrical cover attached to a metallic shell 29 is formed of a bendable resin tube 50. When the sensor is installed in a location susceptible to oil splashes, a rubber member 54 having intercommunicating holes 58 formed therein can be moved to a position where the rubber member 54 is less susceptible to oil splashes, through appropriate bending of the resin tube 50. Thus, entry of oil into the interior of the sensor is avoided. Also, since the resin tube 50 is bendable, the length of the resin tube 50 can be increased so long as an ambient space around the installed sensor permits, thereby decreasing heat transmitted from the metallic shell 29 to the rubber member 54.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Miyata
  • Patent number: 6383353
    Abstract: A sensor structure which reduces the resistance of insertion in the course of insertion of a metallic terminal member into the hollow portion of an oxygen detection element so as to enable smooth assembly and such that portions of the metallic terminal member become less susceptible to plastic deformation. An attachment portion 23c of a metallic terminal member 23 is in contact with the inner wall surface of a hollow portion 2a of an oxygen detection element 2, directly or indirectly via another member, at opposite sides thereof located along the direction of contact. Also, a gap is formed between an attachment portion 23c and the inner wall surface at opposite sides of the attachment portion 23c located along the direction of gap formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Akatsuka, Satoshi Ishikawa, Masahiro Asai
  • Patent number: 6379514
    Abstract: A structural arrangement for NOx sensors including a first selectively oxygen ion-conductive layer and a second gas-permeable, nonconductive layer, the latter having a porous spinel structure or porous platinum. The oxygen ion-conductive layer made from a mixed-conductive ceramic can have an additional layer of a material which is catalytically inactive to NOx.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schulte, Thomas Wahl, Bernd Schumann, Reiner Schuetz, Rainer Waser
  • Patent number: 6375816
    Abstract: A sensor element for limiting-current sensors for determining the lambda value of gas mixtures, in particular of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. The sensor element has inner and outer pump electrodes arranged on a solid electrolyte foil. The inner pump electrode is arranged in a diffusion channel that is bordered by a diffusion barrier, the pump electrode lying in the diffusion direction of the gas mixture downstream of the diffusion barrier. The gas entry hole, essentially perpendicular to the surface of the solid electrolyte foil, is led through the solid electrolyte foil into the diffusion channel. The diffusion barrier is arranged so as to be set back in the diffusion channel from the interior wall of the gas entry hole. For manufacturing the sensor element, a chamber created upstream of the diffusion barrier is filled with a cavity-creating material, which evaporates in the sintering of the sensor element and thus forms a cavity in the diffusion channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Jach, Harald Neumann, Lothar Diehl
  • Patent number: 6372120
    Abstract: A NOx concentration of a gas is measured with a NOx measuring sensor which has two measuring cells. An oxygen concentration is respectively corrected by a oxygen-ion pumping current. A controller is used for correcting a transitional resistance through which the first oxygen-ion pumping current flows at the first measuring cell, the controller correcting at least partially a correction value for the transitional resistance by using the second oxygen-ion pumping current at the second measuring cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jürgen Rössler, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 6372105
    Abstract: A method of producing a silver halide photographic emulsion in which a silver ion concentration in precipitation of a silver halide emulsion in a precipitation bath is controlled, wherein a precipitation bath in which stirring is conducted rapidly and uniformly, and crystal formation and crystal growth are uniformly performed is used, the method comprises the steps of: in a start period of precipitation, quantitavely adding a silver nitrate solution and a halogen salt solution at a constant ratio flow rate; when an EAg value reaches a designated EAg value region in the vicinity of a preset target EAg value, starting a control of an adding rate of the halogen salt solution by using a controller which has an operation period equal to or shorter than 1 sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Saito, Sugihiko Tada
  • Patent number: 6368872
    Abstract: The invention disclosed provides a method and apparatus for mounting pre-cut capillary sized pipette tubes to aspiration tubes in a chemical processor. According to a first embodiment, the pipette tubes are dispensed from a magazine hopper into channels in a series of blocks that are connected to one another as a conveyor. The conveyor reorients the pipette tubes from horizontal to vertical to be engaged by the vertical aspiration tubes. According to a second preferred embodiment, the blocks are in the form of one or more trays that reciprocate between the hopper and the aspiration tubes. In both embodiments, the apparatus includes a clamp having a pair of closeable jaws adapted to grasp and remove the pipette tubes from the aspiration tubes after use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: TECAN Trading AG
    Inventor: David L. Juranas
  • Patent number: 6368478
    Abstract: An electrochemical measuring device comprises an essentially planar sensor substrate with at least one electrochemical sensor, and a cover part in which a tunnel-shaped measuring channel is formed. At least one guiding groove is provided in parallel with the measuring channel. A sealing element which is positioned between the sensor substrate and the cover part to seal the measuring channel is provided with guiding bodies along its length, at least one of which guiding bodies projects into the guiding groove of the cover part. The sealing element is provided with narrow sealing lips bounding the measuring channel. Each short side of the sealing element has a guiding body projecting into recesses in the sensor substrate. The guiding bodies are disposed on that side of a sealing plane defined by the sealing lips, which faces away from the cover part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: F. Hoffmann La Roche AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Huber, Wolf-Dietrich Steinböck, Günther Pucher, Bernhard Schaffar, Christoph Ritter
  • Patent number: 6365022
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprising an electrolytic cell having detecting and reference electrodes connected by a solid electrolyte. In a first embodiment, both electrodes comprise Ag2CO3 and Ag4RbI5, and the electrolyte is Ag4RbI5, the reference electrode being in contact with a reference gas. In a second embodiment, the reference electrode is a silver electrode and no reference gas is needed. The sensor is operable at room temperature to measure CO2 concentrations, and is relatively unaffected by water vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Alphasense Limited
    Inventors: Michael L. Hitchman, Migeun Park
  • Patent number: 6365033
    Abstract: A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using an electroanalytical technique is set forth in which the electroplating solution includes one or more constituents whose by-products skew an initial electrical response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique. The method comprises a first step in which an electroanalytical measurement cycle of the target constituent is initiated by providing an energy input to a pair of electrodes disposed in the electroplating solution. The energy input to the pair of electrodes is provided for at least a predetermined time period corresponding to a time period in which the electroanalytical measurement cycle reaches a steady-state condition. In a subsequent step, an electroanalytical measurement of the energy output of the electroanalytical technique is taken after the electroanalytical measurement cycle has reached the steady-state condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Semitoof, Inc.
    Inventors: Lyndon W. Graham, Thomas C. Taylor, Thomas L. Ritzdorf, Fredrick A. Lindberg, Bradley C. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 6365034
    Abstract: A high throughput electrochemical test method for determining the resistance to corrosion of a metal article coated with a resinous coating which comprises: (a) making, as the working electrode in an electrochemical cell which also comprises a reference electrode, a counter-electrode and an electrolytic solution, one or more metal articles comprising a plurality of coated areas thereon, with the proviso that a portion of the coating does not exist on the metal thereby allowing for the ultimate passage of electrical current to the metal without the coating being a barrier to such passage; (b) impressing a series of direct current electrical potentials upon each of the respective coated areas in sequence and upon the respective associated working electrode to enable current to flow between the metal article in the electrochemical cell and the counter-electrode; and (c) measuring the current flow as the direct current potential is varied relative to the reference electrode to generate a potentiodynamic scan o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Polymer Alloys LLC
    Inventor: Peter J. Spellane
  • Patent number: 6365021
    Abstract: A detecting element is configured such that a second electrode is disposed on one side of a plate-like first electrode with a first solid electrolyte layer positioned therebetween and a third electrode is disposed on the other side of the first electrode with a second solid electrolyte layer positioned therebetween, thereby detecting migration of oxygen ions between the first electrode and the second electrode and migration of oxygen ions between the first electrode and the third electrode. Since the second electrode is disposed on one side of the plate-like first electrode with the first solid electrolyte layer positioned therebetween and the third electrode is disposed on the other side of the first electrode with the second solid electrolyte layer positioned therebetween, both planes of the detecting element functions as detecting planes and, to thus extend the directivity of detection in two directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Kano, Koichi Shimamura, Mitsuo Kusa
  • Patent number: 6365035
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the properties of a stack (15) that viscous molten salt forms on the bottom of a soda recovery unit (14) while black liquor is burned therein, and for measuring the corrosion of the materials of construction of the unit (14) during the operation thereof. In the method, at least one sensor means (11) is brought into contact with said stack (15), this sensor means (11) being electrically insulated from the soda recovery unit (14). In the method, at least some electrochemical properties and the temperature of said stack (15) are measured with this sensor means (11). The data measured with this sensor means (11) are fed to a measuring and data acquisition unit (12), and said measuring and data acquisition unit (12) is controlled by a control unit (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Savcor Consulting Oy
    Inventors: Martti Pulliainen, Timo Laurila, Arttu Laitinen, Antero Heinävaara
  • Patent number: 6361670
    Abstract: A device for the coulometric determination of water by a Karl Fischer reaction comprising a membrane-free measuring cell that contains a liquid reagent, an iodine indicating means, an anode, a cathode and a casing around the cathode to define a cathode space. The casing has an opening through which the cathode space communicates with the liquid reagent. A maneuverable drainage device including a plunger is provided to drain-off liquid reagent in the cathode space through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: AB Stockholms Patentyra
    Inventor: Anders Cedergren