Abstract: Provided is an exhalation sensor that utilizes heat effectively and can operate with low power consumption. The exhalation sensor has a surface layer on its surface that faces a sensor main body, and the performance of the surface layer to reflect radiant heat is higher than that of a housing. Specifically the radiant heat reflectivity of the surface layer is higher than that of the housing. Therefore, the surface layer can reflect radiant heat emitted from the sensor main body more efficiently than the housing. The radiant heat emitted from the sensor main body is less likely to escape to the outside of the housing, so that the heat generated by a heater of the sensor main body can be efficiently stored within the housing. This can reduce the power consumed by the heater to heat a conversion section and a sensing section to their operating temperatures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gas sensor including: a wiring board; a sensor element mounted on the wiring board and electrically connected to the wiring board by conductive members; a casing installing the sensor element and formed with inlet and outlet ports; and a pretreatment unit configured to perform pretreatment on a measurement gas and feed the measurement gas to the inlet port. The inlet and outlet ports are located outward and upward of the sensor element. A protrusion is provided protruding toward the inside of the casing so as to narrow a flow path from the inlet port to the outlet port. A height from the sensor element to a distal end of the protrusion is lower than heights from the sensor element to the inlet and outlet ports. The protrusion is disposed more inside than respective top portions of the conductive members without being in contact with the conductive members.

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 gas sensor including an adjustment unit having a conversion element for converting a gas component contained in exhaled breath introduced into a first chamber to a particular component, a sensor unit having a second chamber and including a detection element, a ceramic wiring board electrically connected to the detection element, and a single heater for heating the conversion element and the detection element. The ceramic wiring board has an opening, and a ceramic thin plate is stacked on the ceramic wiring board to cover the opening. The ceramic thin plate partially constitutes the adjustment unit and the sensor unit and separates the first chamber and the second chamber from each other. The adjustment unit, the sensor unit, and the heater are integrated in such a manner that the adjustment unit and the sensor unit are thermally coupled through the ceramic thin plate.

Abstract: A breath sensor including a main body into which breath can be introduced, a conversion section for converting a gas component contained in the breath to a specific component, and a sensing section for detecting the specific component. The sensing section constitutes a first unit including an integrated detection element and a first heater. The conversion section constitutes a second unit including an integrated catalyst and a second heater. The first unit and the second unit are disposed inside the main body so as to be separated from each other with a gap therebetween, or are in contact with each other via a heat insulating member. The first unit and second unit are in communication with each other through a pipe that allows the breath to pass therethrough, and the pipe is partially bent.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a resistor element that makes it possible to adjust the resistance value of a precursor easily in producing a resistance element having a target resistance value from the precursor, as well as to the precursor and a related resistance value adjusting method. A precursor 70 has a meandering resistance pattern formed on a front surface 11 of a substrate 10 as well as at least three trimming lines. The precursor 70 is configured so as to be defined by a geometric sequence that satisfies Inequality 0.5?k<?k+1<?k, where ?k is the general term of the sequence that is obtained by arranging, in descending order, resistance value increases of the precursor at the time of cutting of the respective trimming lines and normalizing the thus-arranged resistance value increases by an initial resistance value of the precursor in a state that none of the trimming lines are cut.

Abstract: A platinum temperature sensor incorporating an evaporation-suppressing layer containing platinum in the vicinity of the platinum thin-film resistor of the sensor. The evaporation-suppressing layer is preferably positioned between the platinum resistor and a porous layer that is formed close to the platinum resistor and in contact with the evaporation-suppressing layer.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a resistor element that makes it possible to adjust the resistance value of a precursor easily in producing a resistance element having a target resistance value from the precursor, as well as to the precursor and a related resistance value adjusting method. A precursor 70 has a meandering resistance pattern formed on a front surface 11 of a substrate 10 as well as at least three trimming lines. The precursor 70 is configured so as to be defined by a geometric sequence that satisfies Inequality 0.5?k<?k+1<?k, where ?k is the general term of the sequence that is obtained by arranging, in descending order, resistance value increases of the precursor at the time of cutting of the respective trimming lines and normalizing the thus-arranged resistance value increases by an initial resistance value of the precursor in a state that none of the trimming lines are cut.

Abstract: A platinum temperature sensor incorporating an evaporation-suppressing layer containing platinum in the vicinity of the platinum thin-film resistor of the sensor. The evaporation-suppressing layer is preferably positioned between the platinum resistor and a porous layer that is formed close to the platinum resistor and in contact with the evaporation-suppressing layer.

Abstract: A mass flow sensor includes a semiconductor substrate 1, an insulating thin film 2, heaters 311 and 312, temperature measurement resistors 321 and 322, and a protective layer 4. The heaters 311 and 312 are formed on the surface of the insulating thin film 2, and are provided adjacently such that the heater 311 is provided upstream the heater 312 and the heater 312 is provided downstream the heater 311. A cavity 5 is formed below the heaters 311 and 312, and the heaters are thermally insulated from the remaining portion of the semiconductor substrate. The temperature measurement resistors 321 and 322 are formed on the top surface of the insulating thin film 2, and are provided at opposite sides of the heaters 311 and 312, such that the resistors are aligned with respect to the flow passage of a fluid. In the mass flow sensor and the mass flowmeter including the sensor, the flow rate and flow direction of a fluid can be detected by means of merely the heaters 311 and 312, which are active elements.

Abstract: A mass flow sensor includes a semiconductor substrate 1, an insulating thin film 2, heaters 311 and 312, temperature measurement resistors 321 and 322, and a protective layer 4. The heaters 311 and 312 are formed on the surface of the insulating thin film 2, and are provided adjacently such that the heater 311 is provided upstream the heater 312 and the heater 312 is provided downstream the heater 311. A cavity 5 is formed below the heaters 311 and 312, and the heaters are thermally insulated from the remaining portion of the semiconductor substrate. The temperature measurement resistors 321 and 322 are formed on the top surface of the insulating thin film 2, and are provided at opposite sides of the heaters 311 and 312, such that the resistors are aligned with respect to the flow passage of a fluid. In the mass flow sensor and the mass flowmeter including the sensor, the flow rate and flow direction of a fluid can be detected by means of merely the heaters 311 and 312, which are active elements.