Abstract: A gas sensor includes an adjustment unit having a concentration adjuster which changes the concentration of a particular gas component contained in measured gas introduced into a first chamber, a sensor unit having a second chamber for receiving the measured gas which has passed through the adjustment unit and a detector whose electrical characteristic changes with the concentration of the particular gas component, a single heater for heating the concentration adjuster and the detector, and a gas flow tube having the form of a pipe, at least partially running externally of the adjustment unit and of the sensor unit, and adapted to establish communication between the first chamber and the second chamber. The adjustment unit, the sensor unit, and the heater are united together in such a manner as to establish thermal coupling between the adjustment unit and the heater and thermal coupling between the sensor unit and the heater.

Abstract: A breath sensor (1) includes a heat exchange portion (41) that allows heat exchange between breath discharged from a second chamber C2 and breath introduced into a first chamber C1. Therefore, breath introduced into the first chamber C1 can be heated by breath discharged from the second chamber C2, to increase the temperature of the introduced breath. Since the temperature of the breath is increased, an effect of reducing power consumption of a heater (29c) in heating a conversion portion (21) and a detection portion (29a) is realized. The heater (29c) heats both the conversion portion (21) and the detection portion (29a) to a temperature in an operation or activation temperature range. Further, power consumption for heating to an operation temperature can be reduced by preheating the introduced breath as described above.

Abstract: A monitoring system is disclosed that includes features for detecting the presence of biomarkers from a gas sample, such as exhaled breath. An assembly may also includes a plurality of sensors to detect biomarkers present in exhaled breath that are associated with respiratory illness. The biomarkers include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide.

Abstract: A respiratory monitor is disclosed that includes features for conducting multiple pulmonary function tests in a single device and for detecting the presence of nitric oxide in exhaled breath. The respiratory monitor includes one or more reactor and sensor assemblies. Also described is a mouthpiece that allows for separate inhalation and exhalation pathways and for filtering inhaled and exhaled breath for predetermined species prior to exhalation into the respiratory monitor. The monitor further allows for wired, wireless and network connectivity and for cloud-based systems for communicating and correlating pulmonary data as well as relevant environmental data and displaying the data for use by patients and health care professionals.

Abstract: [Means for Solution] A solid oxide fuel cell apparatus including a fuel cell having a plate-shaped first solid electrolyte, an anode provided on one side of the first solid electrolyte and coming in contact with fuel gas, and a cathode provided on the other side of the first solid electrolyte and coming in contact with oxidizer gas. The solid oxide fuel cell apparatus further includes a cell-follow-up deformation member located on at least one of opposite sides of the fuel cell with respect to a first stacking direction along which the anode, the first solid electrolyte, and the cathode are stacked together. The cell-follow-up deformation member deforms according to a deformation of the fuel cell on the basis of at least one of physical quantities including differential thermal expansion coefficient and differential pressure.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell comprises a solid electrolyte body having a fuel electrode contacting a fuel gas and an air electrode contacting air. A plurality of the solid electrolyte fuel cells are stacked to form a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, in which the stacked body of the solid electrolyte fuel cells is pressed in the stacked direction and fixed by a fixing member inserted into a through-hole passing through the stacked body in the stacked direction. Inside the through-hole, there is equipped an inner gas channel for supplying the gas to the solid electrolyte fuel cell side or evacuating the gas from the solid electrolyte fuel cell side.

Abstract: [Means for Solution] A solid oxide fuel cell apparatus including a fuel cell having a plate-shaped first solid electrolyte, an anode provided on one side of the first solid electrolyte and coming in contact with fuel gas, and a cathode provided on the other side of the first solid electrolyte and coming in contact with oxidizer gas. The solid oxide fuel cell apparatus further includes a cell-follow-up deformation member located on at least one of opposite sides of the fuel cell with respect to a first stacking direction along which the anode, the first solid electrolyte, and the cathode are stacked together. The cell-follow-up deformation member deforms according to a deformation of the fuel cell on the basis of at least one of physical quantities including differential thermal expansion coefficient and differential pressure.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell comprises a solid electrolyte body having a fuel electrode contacting a fuel gas and an air electrode contacting air. A plurality of the solid electrolyte fuel cells are stacked to form a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, in which the stacked body of the solid electrolyte fuel cells is pressed in the stacked direction and fixed by a fixing member inserted into a through-hole passing through the stacked body in the stacked direction. Inside the through-hole, there is equipped an inner gas channel for supplying the gas to the solid electrolyte fuel cell side or evacuating the gas from the solid electrolyte fuel cell side.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a first base member having a first substrate provided with a light-transmitting property, a light-transmitting conductive layer formed on a surface of the first substrate and a semiconductor electrode formed on a surface of the light-transmitting conductive layer and containing a sensitizing dye; a second base member having a second substrate and a catalyst layer formed on a surface of the second substrate in such a manner that the catalyst layer faces the semiconductor electrode; an electrolyte layer formed between the semiconductor electrode and the catalyst layer; and either a collector electrode containing tungsten or a pair of collector electrodes, at least one of which contains tungsten, to collect charge from the semiconductor electrode.

Abstract: A battery comprised of a generally rectangular electrochemical cell that has two battery leads attached to current collectors extending from one side thereof. A package formed from a sheet laminate has a cavity formed therein that defines an opening for receiving the cell and portions of the leads. A flange extends around the opening. A cover overlays the cavity and the flange. The cover is joined to the flange and forms a seal that hermetically seals the electrochemical cell within the cavity. The package has two, non-rectangular corners. The cover and the flange in the vicinity of the corners are shaped to allow the flange to be bent along the at least three sides in a manner wherein the flange is positioned adjacent the three sides, but the flange is not tucked or overlapped onto itself at the two, non-rectangular corners.

Abstract: A battery comprised of a generally rectangular electrochemical cell that has two battery leads attached to current collectors extending from one side thereof. A package formed from a sheet laminate has a cavity formed therein that defines an opening for receiving the cell and portions of the leads. A flange extends around the opening. A cover overlays the cavity and the flange. The cover is joined to the flange and forms a seal that hermetically seals the electrochemical cell within the cavity. The package has two, non-rectangular corners. The cover and the flange in the vicinity of the corners are shaped to allow the flange to be bent along the at least three sides in a manner wherein the flange is positioned adjacent the three sides, but the flange is not tucked or overlapped onto itself at the two, non-rectangular corners.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor includes a tubular metal shell, a tubular housing having an end attached to the metal shell and another end sealed by a seal member. A solid electrolyte tube is attached to the metal shell and has on inner and outer surfaces thereof electrode layers and lead layers connected to the electrode layers, respectively. A pair of lead wires extend through the seal member between inside and outside of a housing assembly constituted by the metal shell and housing while being sealingly held by the seal member. A pair of metallic leads are disposed inside of the housing assembly for connection between the lead layers and the lead wires, the metallic leads having at one end thereof electrode connecting portions having a spring property, the electrode connecting portions being attached to the inner and outer surfaces of the solid electrolyte tube and held in contact with the lead layers under spring pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a gas sensor element having a porous film formed by a thick-film technique on a ceramic substrate surface so as to cover selected portions of electrode films precedingly formed on the substrate surface. The electrode material is a noble metal such as platinum. Both the electrode films and the gas sensitive porous thick-film are formed by known methods. To improve the contact between the gas sensitive porous thick-film and the electrode films both mechanically and electrically and stabilize the internal resistance of the sensor element by depositing a noble metal such as platinum at the interface between the porous thick-film and each electrode film, the porous thick-film is impregnated with a solution of a noble metal compound such as chloroplatinic acid and thereafter maintained in a reducing gas atmosphere having a controlled humidity in the range from 5 to 90% (relative humidity) at a temperature in the range from 10.degree. C. to 135.degree. C.

Abstract: A gas sensing element, such as may be used to sense the presence of oxygen contained in the exhaust from a burner or internal combustion engine, whereby, by preventing the re-sintering of functional layers of the sensing element, a deterioration of the performance of the element under high-temperature operating conditions is prevented. The inventive sensing element includes a ceramic susbtrate, an electrode layer formed on the ceramic substrate, a first functional layer overlying the ceramic susbtrate and the electrode layer and which contains a transition metal oxide as a main component, and a second functional layer that cover the first functional layer and which contains 1 to 30 wt % of an anti-sintering agent and has a transition metal oxide as a main component.

Abstract: A gas sensor has a ceramic substrate carrying a pair of electrodes embedded therein, which substrate has an opening bored at a surface portion thereof so as to expose tip portions of the electrodes. A thick gas-sensitive film is provided at the opening in such a manner that a gap between the electrode tip portions is filled by the gas-sensitive film while the metallic material of the electrodes is caused to precipitate on the boundary between the electrodes and the gas-sensitive film, so that the performance characteristics of the sensor is stabilized and its durability is improved.

Abstract: A laminar gas-sensitive thick film consisting of ceramic semiconductor and metallic catalyzer is formed across a pair of electrodes carried by a ceramic substrate, and the nature of metallic catalyzer on an outer surface layer of the thick film is different from that of metallic catalyzer in that portion of the thick film which is in the proximity of the electrodes.

Abstract: A gas sensor has a 100-400 .mu.m thick gas-sensitive layer containing 5-30 mole % of a platinum group metal or an alloy thereof.

Abstract: A laminar gas-sensitive thick film consisting of ceramic semiconductor and metallic catalyzer is formed across a pair of electrodes carried by a ceramic substrate, and the nature of metallic catalyzer on an outer surface layer of the thick film is different from that of metallic catalyzer in that portion of the thick film which is in the proximity of the electrodes.