Patents Examined by T. Tung
  • Patent number: 6623611
    Abstract: An electrochemical corrosion potential sensor electrode is formed with a zircalloy electrode tip having a closed end and an open end, the open end secured to a ceramic insulator, with a conductor wire extending through the insulator into the electrode tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Jett, Lucas Clarke
  • Patent number: 6623612
    Abstract: An improved structure of a mechanical seal for keeping a gas chamber and a reference gas chamber airtight in a sensor body. A packing seal is disposed between a shoulder formed on an inner wall of a housing of the sensor body and a tapered surface of an insulation porcelain installed in the housing to define the gas chamber and the reference gas chamber hermetically. The packing ring is formed by a metal plate which has a thickness of 0.1 mm or more and a Vickers hardness of 200 or less and which is made of at least one of a nickel, a nickel alloy, a titanium, and a stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Shirai
  • Patent number: 6620310
    Abstract: Methods and devices for electrochemically detecting a change in the viscosity of a fluid are provided. In the subject methods, a fluid sample is introduced into an electrochemical cell having oppositely spaced apart working and reference electrodes. An electric potential is applied to the cell to first achieve a steady state cell current. A decrease in the steady state cell current is then detected and related to a change in viscosity of the sample. In many embodiments, the sample is blood and the change in viscosity is related to the onset of coagulation in the blood sample, and often the PT of the blood sample. Also provided are test strips, kits thereof and meters for use in practicing the subject methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Lifescan, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Ohara, Maria Teodorczyk, Robert Justice Shartle
  • Patent number: 6620302
    Abstract: In a planar sensor element having a gas-containing layer situated between impermeable covering layers, the gas-containing layer is enclosed by a sealing frame over its entire periphery in a plane running between the covering layers, and at least one of the covering layers has a through hole for the exchange of air (reference gas) between the gas-containing layer and the ambient environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Olaf Jach
  • Patent number: 6620309
    Abstract: A measuring method is provided for monitoring of aluminum electrolysis cells, together with a corresponding measurement arrangement that includes an immersion sensor. In order to obtain reproducible measurements, the bath electrode of the immersion sensor is arranged on a carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Paul Verstreken
  • Patent number: 6616822
    Abstract: A silver/silver halide electrode composed of a non-electroconductive support sheet, a silver metal layer and a silver halide layer in order, is improved in its sensitivity by making the silver halide layer almost free from heavy metal element, for instance, by oxidizing the silver metal layer on its surface side with an oxidizing compound containing no heavy metal element or a chelated ferric oxidizing compound in the presence of a halide containing no heavy metal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Terashima, Toshihisa Ito, Osamu Seshimoto
  • Patent number: 6616821
    Abstract: A flowing junction reference electrode exhibiting heretofore unattainable potentiometric characteristics is described, comprising a microfluidic liquid junction member that is situated between a reference electrolyte solution and a sample solution. This microfluidic liquid junction member has an array of nanochannels spanning the member and physically connecting the reference electrolyte solution and a sample solution, but while the electrolyte solution flows through the array of nanochannels and into the sample solution at a linear velocity, the sample solution does not substantially enter the array of nanochannels via the mechanisms of diffusion, migration, convection or other known mechanisms. The number of nanochannels in the array is preferably between approximately 108 and approximately 10. Also preferably, the nanochannels are substantially straight and are substantially parallel to one another; such an array of nanochannels is herein described as anisotropic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Broadley Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Broadley, Steven Ragsdale, Herbert Silverman
  • Patent number: 6613207
    Abstract: An electrochemical sensor for ascertaining gas concentrations in gases, particularly in exhaust gases of combustion engines, includes an oxygen-ion-conductive solid electrolyte which is provided with electrode layers arranged at a distance from one another and with at least one resistance heating element that is separated from the solid electrolyte by an electrical insulating layer, a foil binder layer being provided between the electrical insulating layer and the solid electrolyte. At least one electron-conductive intermediate layer is provided between the electrode-side electrical insulating layer and the adjacent solid electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Claudio De La Prieta, Jens Stefan Schneider, Carsten Springhorn, Thomas Schulte, Olaf Jach, Ulrich Eisele, Carmen Schmiedel, Lothar Diehl
  • Patent number: 6613208
    Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor is provided and formed by attaching the sensor's upper shield and shell. The attachment is attained by bending a protruding segment or lip over a terminal end portion of the lower shield. This produces a single sealing surface and eliminates the requirement of a conventional crimp which places high compressive forces on the sensing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Vargo, Robert Gregory Kechner, Charles Scott Nelson
  • Patent number: 6613206
    Abstract: A gas sensor, in particular a lambda probe, for ascertaining the pollutant and/or oxygen content in emission gases of internal combustion engines, having a housing accommodating at least one sensor element, the sensor element having a section on the terminal side and a section on the measuring-gas side, and having a connecting element that connects the sensor element, which has a plurality of electrically conductive contact areas, at its terminal-side section to a plurality of electrically conductive supply leads. The gas sensor has the feature of a connecting element which is formed from a spring element produced in one piece from ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Weyl, Hans-Martin Wiedenmann, Theodor Graser, Karl-Heinz Effenberger, Clemens Simon, Anton Hans
  • Patent number: 6610185
    Abstract: A sensor for measuring electrochemical corrosion potential, and a method for manufacturing a sensor, the sensor comprising a tubular ceramic probe having a closed tip at one end, the probe at least partially filled with a powder comprising metal and metal oxide; a metal support tube having one end receiving an opposite end of the probe, and joined thereto by a braze joint therewith; an electrical conductor extending through the support tube and into the probe, and having an end buried in the powder for electrical contact therewith; and a protective band bridging the probe and tube at the joint for sealing thereof, the protective band consisting essentially of a metallic coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Young-Jin Kim, Reed Roeder Corderman, Peter Louis Andresen, Scott Andrew Weaver, Paul Joseph Martiniano
  • Patent number: 6607642
    Abstract: An electrochemical gas sensor (1) is disclosed with a plurality of electrodes (2, 3, 4). The sensor has substantially reduced cross sensitivity with respect to interfering gases. At least the measuring electrode (2) is provided as a thin layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC, diamond-like carbon) on the gas-permeable membrane (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Drägerwerk Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Herbert Kiesele, Frank Mett, Peter Tschuncky
  • Patent number: 6607643
    Abstract: A NOx gas detecting apparatus including an oxygen pumping cell for removing oxygen from a measurement gas, and a NOx detecting cell positioned downstream from the oxygen pumping cell to detect concentration of NOx in the measurement gas, the NOx detecting cell being configured to measure current which flows when oxygen generated from reducing NOx is pumped, wherein the NOx detecting cell has a NOx detecting cathode made of an electrode material including at least one alloy selected from the group consisting of a Pt-Pd alloy, a Pt-Au-Pd alloy, and a Pt-Pd-Rh alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Takahashi, Keiichi Saji, Jiro Sakata, Tadashi Inaba, Tadashi Nakamura, Yumi Masuoka, Toshitaka Saito, Akio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6605202
    Abstract: A mixed potential electrochemical sensor for the detection of gases has a ceria-based electrolyte with a surface for exposing to the gases to be detected, and with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode extending through the surface and fixed within the electrolyte as the electrolyte is compressed and sintered. The electrochemical sensor is formed by placing a wire reference electrode and a wire sensing electrode in a die, where each electrode has a first compressed planar section and a second section depending from the first section with the second section of each electrode extending axially within the die. The die is filled with an oxide-electrolyte powder and the powder is pressed within the die with the wire electrodes. The wire-electrodes and the pressed oxide-electrolyte powder are sintered to form a ceramic electrolyte base with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode depending therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Rangachary Mukundan, Eric L. Brosha, Fernando Garzon
  • Patent number: 6602401
    Abstract: A dissolved oxygen sensor having a cathode and anode immersed in an electrolyte is designed to provide a low background current in the sensor when a potential is applied to the cathode. The background current is maintained at a desired level by selecting the area and length of a channel or path of diffusion of residual oxygen in the electrolyte to the cathode. The area (A) of the diffusion channel in relation to its length (L) is selected to be at or below a selected ratio, A/L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Rosemount Analytical Inc.
    Inventor: Chang-Dong Feng
  • Patent number: 6599754
    Abstract: A reaction vessel and method of identifying a ligand having affinity for a target molecule are disclosed. The reaction vessel includes a first member defining a first chamber, the first chamber including an organic solvent and a plurality of reactants which form a combinatorial library of products; a second member defining a second chamber, the second chamber including a target molecule and an aqueous solvent immiscible in the organic solvent; and a semipermeable membrane separating the contents of the first chamber from the contents of the second chamber, wherein said semipermeable membrane is permeable to one or more products of the combinatorial library of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Miller, Bryan Klekota
  • Patent number: 6599408
    Abstract: The invention is directed to polymer thick film conductor compositions comprising conductive metal particles selected from the group consisting of finely divided powders of platinum group metals and mixtures thereof or metallized graphite particles; in combination with a thermoplastic polymer and optionally, graphite conductive filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Man-Sheung Chan, Donald W. Kuty
  • Patent number: 6599409
    Abstract: A flowing junction reference electrode exhibiting heretofore unattainable potentiometric characteristics is described, comprising a microfluidic liquid junction member that is situated between a reference electrolyte solution and a sample solution. This microfluidic liquid junction member has an array of nanochannels spanning the member and physically connecting the reference electrolyte solution and a sample solution, but while the electrolyte solution flows through the array of nanochannels and into the sample solution at a linear velocity, the sample solution does not substantially enter the array of nanochannels via the mechanisms of diffusion, migration, convection or other known mechanisms. The number of nanochannels in the array is preferably between approximately 108 and approximately 100. Also preferably, the nanochannels are substantially straight and are substantially parallel to one another; such an array of nanochannels is herein described as anisotropic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Broadley Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Scott T. Broadley, Steven R. Ragsdale, Herbert P. Silverman
  • Patent number: 6592731
    Abstract: A low cost amperometric oxygen sensor which utilizes a plurality of oxygen ion conductor layers interposed between a plurality of oxygen-porous electrode layers is provided. Oxygen from a sample gas enters the sensor at porous cathode electrodes, is pumped through the ion conductor layers, and exits through the anode electrodes. The amperometric current generated is representative of the partial pressure of oxygen in the sample gas. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an amperometric oxygen sensor is provided for determining the oxygen partial pressure of a gas. The sensor comprises a sensor body defined by a plurality of oxygen-porous electrode layers and at least one oxygen ion conductor layer. The plurality of oxygen-porous electrode layers include at least one cathode layer and at least one anode layer. Each of the cathode layers define first and second major cathode surfaces and each of the anode layers defining first and second major anode surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: CeramPhysics, Inc.
    Inventor: William N. Lawless
  • Patent number: 6592732
    Abstract: In a maltilayer exhaust gas component sensor for measuring NOX (nitrogen oxide) and HC (hydrocarbon), the reliability and the productivity are improved without degrading the detecting sensitivity. A gas sensing portion is formed by laminating porous solid electrolyte layers having gas permeability together with an electrode protecting film, porous electrodes having catalytic activity, a porous electric insulating layer and a closely-compacted (dense) solid electrolyte layer, and by placing a heater as a temperature control means in contact with or near the laminated layer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Komachiya, Seikou Suzuki