Patents by Inventor Ian Robins

Ian Robins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10648942
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell for detecting a gas from the surrounding environment. The cell comprises an electrolyte and a sensing electrode which is in fluid communication with the electrolyte and the gas to be detected, when present. The cell further comprises a counter electrode in fluid communication with said electrolyte, and also a source of reactant gas provided in a cavity adjacent to the counter electrode, wherein reaction of the gas to be detected at the sensing electrode results in reaction of the reactant gas at the counter electrode and wherein the cavity is formed of or comprises a membrane. The cell may also have a wick extending between the sensing electrode and the counter electrode in an axial direction and a reservoir surrounding the wick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Sprue Safety Products Ltd.
    Inventors: Mario Zanon, Ian Robins
  • Publication number: 20170045472
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell for detecting a gas from the surrounding environment. The cell comprises an electrolyte and a sensing electrode which is in fluid communication with the electrolyte and the gas to be detected, when present. The cell further comprises a counter electrode in fluid communication with said electrolyte, and also a source of reactant gas provided in a cavity adjacent to the counter electrode, wherein reaction of the gas to be detected at the sensing electrode results in reaction of the reactant gas at the counter electrode and wherein the cavity is formed of or comprises a membrane. The cell may also have a wick extending between the sensing electrode and the counter electrode in an axial direction and a reservoir surrounding the wick.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Mario Zanon, Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 8231839
    Abstract: The present invention provides a colorimetric gas detector comprising a substrate bearing a material that can react with a gas in an atmosphere being monitored and wherein the reaction causes the material to change the radiation at which the material absorbs or radiates radiation (the color-change material). The material is located in at least one discrete area of the substrate. By providing the color change material in discrete areas, the amount of such material can be reduced and different types of color-change material can be included on a common substrate to detect two or more gases simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Life Safety Distribution AG
    Inventor: Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 7981364
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of operating a colorimetric gas detector system that comprises a substrate (1) bearing a material (12) that can react with a target gas to produce a change in the wavelength of radiation absorbed or transmitted by the material (“color-change material”). The method involves: a) applying onto a region (15) of the substrate that includes color-change material a chemical of predetermined concentration that reacts directly or indirectly with the color-change material to produce a change in the wavelength of the radiation absorbed or transmitted by the material; b) detecting the radiation absorbed or transmitted in said region (15) at a wavelength absorbed or transmitted by the reaction product of the color change material with the chemical, and c) generating a signal in accordance with the amount of radiation detected at the second wavelength, said signal being dependent on the amount of color-change material on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell Analytics AG
    Inventor: Ian Robins
  • Publication number: 20090301381
    Abstract: The present invention provides a colorimetric gas detector comprising a substrate bearing a material that can react with a gas in an atmosphere being monitored and wherein the reaction causes the material to change the radiation at which the material absorbs or radiates radiation (the color-change material). The material is located in at least one discrete area of the substrate. By providing the color change material in discrete areas, the amount of such material can be reduced and different types of color-change material can be included on a common substrate to detect two or more gases simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventor: Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 7504959
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for gas detection uses a sensor such as an electrochemical (EC) cell and includes a feedback control loop to control a pump to establish a first predetermined gas flow rate to the EC cell. The concentration of the gas at the first predetermined flow rate is measured. If the detected concentration exceeds a predetermined Alert value at the first flow rate an Initial Warning without remedial action is generated, and, the system then changes the gas flow rate before an Alarm is indicated. An Alarm is signaled only if the system verifies the first measurement. Preferably the first flow rate is set to optimize the measurement accuracy of the EC cell being used, and the second flow rate is lower than the first. Verification of an Alarm at the first flow rate may be conducted quickly by a quick-reaction process. The controller may periodically cycle the flow rates between the first and second rates for better accuracy and faster verification times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell Analytics AG
    Inventors: John A. Tiwet, Cary S. Stone, Richard A. Gorny, John Chapples, Ian Robins
  • Publication number: 20080138911
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of operating a calorimetric gas detector system that comprises a substrate (1) bearing a material (12) that can react with a target gas to produce a change in the wavelength of radiation absorbed or transmitted by the material (“colour-change material”). The method involves: a) applying onto a region (15) of the substrate that includes colour-change material a chemical of predetermined concentration that reacts directly or indirectly with the colour-change material to produce a change in the wavelength of the radiation absorbed or transmitted by the material; b) detecting the radiation absorbed or transmitted in said region (15) at a wavelength absorbed or transmitted by the reaction product of the colour change material with the chemical, and c) generating a signal in accordance with the amount of radiation detected at the second wavelength, said signal being dependent on the amount of colour-change material on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventor: Ian Robins
  • Publication number: 20070241917
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for gas detection uses a sensor such as an electrochemical (EC) cell and includes a feedback control loop to control a pump to establish a first predetermined gas flow rate to the EC cell. The concentration of the gas at the first predetermined flow rate is measured. If the detected concentration exceeds a predetermined Alert value at the first flow rate an Initial Warning without remedial action is generated, and, the system then changes the gas flow rate before an Alarm is indicated. An Alarm is signaled only if the system verifies the first measurement. Preferably the first flow rate is set to optimize the measurement accuracy of the EC cell being used, and the second flow rate is lower than the first. Verification of an Alarm at the first flow rate may be conducted quickly by a quick-reaction process. The controller may periodically cycle the flow rates between the first and second rates for better accuracy and faster verification times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: John Tiwet, Cary Stone, Richard Gorny, John Chapples, Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 7224285
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for gas detection uses a sensor such as an electrochemical (EC) cell and includes a feedback control loop to control a pump to establish a first predetermined gas flow rate to the EC cell. The concentration of the gas at the first predetermined flow rate is measured. If the detected concentration exceeds a predetermined Alert value at the first flow rate an Initial Warning without remedial action is generated, and, the system then changes the gas flow rate before an Alarm is indicated. An Alarm is signaled only if the system verifies the first measurement. Preferably the first flow rate is set to optimize the measurement accuracy of the EC cell being used, and the second flow rate is lower than the first. Verification of an Alarm at the first flow rate may be conducted quickly by a quick-reaction process. The controller may periodically cycle the flow rates between the first and second rates for better accuracy and faster verification times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell Analytics, Ltd.
    Inventors: John A. Tiwet, Cary S. Stone, Richard A. Gorny, John Chapples, Ian Robins
  • Publication number: 20050183491
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for gas detection uses a sensor such as an electrochemical (EC) cell and includes a feedback control loop to control a pump to establish a first predetermined gas flow rate to the EC cell. The concentration of the gas at the first predetermined flow rate is measured. If the detected concentration exceeds a predetermined Alert value at the first flow rate an Initial Warning without remedial action is generated, and, the system then changes the gas flow rate before an Alarm is indicated. An Alarm is signaled only if the system verifies the first measurement. Preferably the first flow rate is set to optimize the measurement accuracy of the EC cell being used, and the second flow rate is lower than the first. Verification of an Alarm at the first flow rate may be conducted quickly by a quick-reaction process. The controller may periodically cycle the flow rates between the first and second rates for better accuracy and faster verification times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: ZELLWEGER ANALYTICS, AG
    Inventors: John Tiwet, Cary Stone, Richard Gorny, John Chapples, Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 6642211
    Abstract: Methods for treating cancer are provided that involve administration of a combination of the chemotherapeutic drug, temozolamide, and thymidine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: H. Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 6558519
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a housing containing at least a sensing electrode, a counter electrode, a test electrode, and electrolyte means in contact with such electrodes. The housing permits gas from the environment to flow to the sensing electrode. The gas sensor is operable either in a normal mode of operation in which potentials are applied to the electrodes for detecting when a gas to be sensed is present at the sensing electrode, or in a test mode of operation in which potentials are applied to the electrodes so that the test electrode generates a gas which flows to the sensing electrode to enable an indication whether the sensor is operating correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Central Research Laboratories Limited
    Inventors: John Robert Dodgson, Malcolm Trayton Austen, Ian Robins
  • Publication number: 20020198183
    Abstract: Methods for treating cancer are provided that involve administration of a combination of the chemotherapeutic drug, temozolamide, and thymidine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: H. Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 5713941
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved whole body hyperthermia apparatus for raising the body temperature of a patient, said apparatus emitting radiant heat from a surface heated by a fluid. The present invention also provides an improved method for treating a cancer patient, said method comprising administering an anti-neoplastic agent to the cancer patient undergoing whole body hyperthermia under less stressful and more effective conditions with the improved whole body hyperthermia apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Cancer Research Institute
    Inventors: H. Ian Robins, Justin D. Cohen
  • Patent number: 5560098
    Abstract: A method of making an electrical connection of a conductor (1) to a thick film track (2) mounted on a substrate (3) includes the steps of heating the conductor (1) to a temperature at which it may melt the glass constituent of the track (2), and inserting it into the track (2) such that it sinks in and contacts the metallic constituent of the track. The glass sets, fixing the conductor in place. Thus the need for a second firing operation is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Central Research Laboratories Limited
    Inventor: Ian Robins
  • Patent number: 5474660
    Abstract: An ammonia gas sensor 16 is housed within a container 14 partially immersed in a solution 2 containing ammonium ions. An electrochemical generator 6, 8, 10 generates hydroxyl ions in a region of the solution 2 adjacent the container 14. This converts ammonium ions to ammonia gas which is sensed by the sensor 16 having passed through a gas-permeable member 12. This sensing provides an indication of the concentration of ammonium ions in the solution 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Central Research Laboratories Limited
    Inventors: Ian Robins, John E. A. Shaw
  • Patent number: 5230883
    Abstract: Improved methods of selectively localizing, imaging and/or treating tumors, which have a net negative charge, employ novel compositions containing non-immunogenic complexes having a net positive charge in a sterile solution. The complexes contain polylysine, a linking agent bound to less than all of the lysyl groups of the polylysine, and an imaging agent or a chemotherapeutic agent which is also bound to the linking agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Steven Kornguth, Patrick Turski, H. Ian Robins, Robert J. Nickles
  • Patent number: 4931851
    Abstract: A gas sensitive device, for example a gas sensitive MISFET (FIGS. 1 to 3) has a gas-sensitive electrode (15) comprising a catalytically active metal (e.g. Pt or Pd) and a non-metallic material (e.g. SiO.sub.2) mixed with, or deposited at an exposed surface of, the metal to modify the catalytic activity of the metal. The electrode has an enhanced sensitivity to, and selectivity of, certain gases. The composite material is applicable to other gas-sensitive devices, e.g. an optical fibre gas sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Thorn EMI plc
    Inventors: Alastair Sibbald, Brian C. Webb, Ian Robins, John F. Ross, Edward C. Bell
  • Patent number: 4650561
    Abstract: An ammonia gas sensor comprises a dual gate field effect transistor (FET) in which the two gate electrodes are of platinum deposited respectively by sputtering and evaporation. The gate regions of the two FETs are connected together differentially and the net drain source voltage represents the concentration of ammonia gas to which the sensor is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: EMI Limited
    Inventors: Ian Robins, John F. Ross, Brian C. Webb