Protective Element Is A Layer Patents (Class 204/429)
  • Patent number: 12111283
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body having oxygen ion conductivity, a measurement electrode provided on one surface of the solid electrolyte body and exposed to a measurement gas, and a reference electrode provided on the other surface of the solid electrolyte body and exposed to a reference gas. Both the measurement electrode and the reference electrode include noble metal particles, solid electrolyte particles having oxygen ion conductivity, and pores. The measurement electrode comprises a surface measurement electrode layer comprising a surface serving as a contact surface with the measurement gas and an intermediate measurement electrode layer disposed in contact with a surface at solid electrolyte body side of the surface measurement electrode layer. The surface measurement electrode layer has a higher porosity than the intermediate measurement electrode layer has. The gas sensor comprises the gas sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ikeda, Shota Hagino, Chika Namekata
  • Patent number: 11995617
    Abstract: A maintenance method for a zirconia-type oxygen analyzer that uses a zirconia sensor to measure oxygen concentration of a gas to be measured includes storing in a memory, by the zirconia-type oxygen analyzer, an internal resistance of the zirconia sensor and/or a calibration coefficient for correcting, based on a measured value of a physical quantity measured by the zirconia sensor for a standard gas having a known oxygen concentration, a formula for converting a measured value of a physical quantity measured by the zirconia sensor into the oxygen concentration of the gas to be measured, determining, by an information processing apparatus, the timing for performing maintenance on the zirconia sensor based on a change over time in the internal resistance and/or calibration coefficient stored in the memory, and presenting, by the information processing apparatus, the timing for performing maintenance on the zirconia sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11852607
    Abstract: A sensor element includes a first pump cell including a first pump electrode and a first reference electrode, a first pump circuit including the first pump cell and a first reference electrode lead, a second pump cell including a second pump electrode and a second reference electrode and a second pump circuit including the second pump cell and a second pump electrode. A resistance value R2 of the second pump circuit is higher than a resistance value R1 of the first pump circuit, and a porosity P2 of the second reference electrode lead is higher than a porosity P1 of the first reference electrode lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Shotaro Niizuma
  • Patent number: 11835439
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a housing that has a sensor element inserted therein and holds the sensor element such that a detection unit is positioned at the tip end thereof in the axial direction, and an element cover disposed coaxially with the tip end. A tip surface of the outer cover has a plurality of outer tip surface holes provided outward from positions opposing the outer periphery of an inner tip surface hole. The tip surface of the outer cover includes a central portion which protrudes towards the inner tip surface hole, an outer peripheral portion in which the outer tip surface holes are formed and which is positioned farther toward the tip end than is the central portion, and an inclined surface connects the central portion to the outer tip surface holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuto Tamei, Koichi Yoshida, Takehito Kimata
  • Patent number: 11808730
    Abstract: A gas sensor element in which oxidation of electrodes and a heater occurring with continued use is suppressed is provided. The gas sensor element includes a plurality of solid electrolyte layers stacked one over another, and includes an electrochemical cell including a pair of electrodes and a portion of the plurality of solid electrolyte layers existing between the pair of electrodes; a heater part capable of heating the gas sensor element; and a gettering layer located between the plurality of solid electrolyte layers and between the plurality of solid electrolyte layers and each of the pair of electrodes, and gettering impurities in a metal component of the electrodes and the heater part during driving of the gas sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Sekiya, Shota Kageyama, Yusuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11740251
    Abstract: A method of operating a sensor system including at least one sensor to detect a first gas analyte and a control system includes electronically interrogating the sensor to determine the operational status thereof and, based upon the results of the electronic interrogation, the control system initiating an automated maintenance procedure for the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: MSA Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Towner Bennett Scheffler, Michael Alvin Brown, Andrew E. Nalepa, Brian Keith Davis
  • Patent number: 11709357
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for detecting and removing vapor for an imaging acquisition device. A device for detecting and removing vapor may include a first light guide. The first light guide may include a first end to receive a light beam, and a second end to output the light beam at a predetermined angle with respect to a reference plane, so that when the light beam enters a target light transmission media from the first light guide, the light beam substantially perfectly reflects between a first surface and a second surface of the target light transmission media. The first surface and second surface may substantially parallel to the reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG DAHUA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fei Qin, Zhiqiang Yang, Lihe Jin, Yanpeng Wang, Yiwei Li, Xuanxuan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11597647
    Abstract: In an embodiment A package includes a casing having an opening and enclosing a cavity, a die accommodated in the cavity and a membrane attached to the casing, the membrane being air-permeable, covering and sealing the opening, wherein the membrane is configured to allow only a lateral gas flow, and wherein a blocking member is configured to block a vertical gas flow through the membrane into the cavity, the blocking member tightly covering a surface of the membrane at least in an area comprising the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andreas Barbul, Matthias Schmidt, Matthias König
  • Patent number: 11592419
    Abstract: A sensor element for a gas sensor includes: an element base being a ceramic structure including a sensing part to sense a gas component to be measured; and a leading-end protective layer being a porous layer to surround a predetermined range from a leading end portion on a side of the sensing part of the element base. The leading-end protective layer protrudes at a first end portion thereof opposite to a portion surrounding the element base in a longitudinal direction of the element base. A/B?1.1 where A is maximum thickness of the leading-end protective layer, and B is thickness of the leading-end protective layer in a base portion that does not protrude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Hino, Ryo Hayase
  • Patent number: 11346554
    Abstract: A combustion analyzer configured to simultaneously detect the concentrations of oxygen, carbon monoxide and methane in a combustion process is provided. The combustion analyzer includes an oxygen sensor configured to detect the oxygen in the combustion process and generate a sensor signal indicative of the concentration of oxygen in the combustion process. The combustion analyzer further includes a dual carbon monoxide-methane sensor configured to operate at approximately 400° C. and provide a second sensor signal indicative of methane concentration and at approximately 300° C. to selectively provide a third sensor signal indicative of carbon monoxide concentration. The combustion analyzer finally includes a controller configured to receive the sensor signals, determine the concentration of oxygen, and generate a carbon monoxide concentration output and methane concentration output based on the dual carbon monoxide-methane sensor signals and the concentration of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Rosemount Inc.
    Inventors: Pavel Shuk, Chad M. McGuire, Philip Ostby
  • Patent number: 10996193
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes: an element main body including an oxygen concentration detection cell and an oxygen pump cell; and a protective layer that covers the element main body. The element main body includes a heater section. The heater section is a heating element that heats the oxygen concentration detection cell and the oxygen pump cell. The protective layer includes: a first protective layer including a carrier composed mainly of a white ceramic and a noble metal catalyst supported on the carrier; and a second protective layer that is a layer composed mainly of a white ceramic and supporting no noble metal catalyst. The second protective layer externally covers the first protective layer, and a surface of the second protective layer serves as the outermost surface of the protective layer. The thickness of the second protective layer is smaller than the thickness of the first protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Nakatsukasa, Masaki Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10883938
    Abstract: The discrimination ability of a chemical sensing cross-reactive arrays is enhanced by constructing sensing elements in two dimensions, first in the x-y plane of the substrate, second in the z dimension so that the sensors are vertically stacked on top of one another. Stacking sensing elements on top of one another adds to the discrimination ability by enabling the characteristic measurement of how fast target chemicals are passing through the stack of sensors. The new invention also allows the ability to discriminate components in a sample mixture by separating them using their innate difference in diffusional rates. Multi-sensor response patterns at each z level of sensors and time delay information from the sample passing from one level to the next are used to generate the response vector. The response vector is used to identify individual component samples and components in a mixture sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
    Inventor: Vincent P. Schnee
  • Patent number: 10883960
    Abstract: A gas sensor has a structure in which a sensor body is secured to a sensor-mounting member using an attachment screw. The gas sensor is capable of ensuring the stability of installation of a protective cover. The gas sensor includes the sensor body in which a sensor device is disposed and the cylindrical attachment screw disposed on an outer circumference of the sensor body to be rotatable. The gas sensor is secured to the sensor-mounting member which has an internal thread engaging the attachment screw and a bearing surface disposed on a front end side of the internal thread. The sensor body has a flange which protrudes outwardly on the front end side of the attachment screw. The flange held between the bearing surface of the sensor-mounting member and the attachment screw in the axial direction. A protective cover is secured to the attachment screw closer to the base end side than an external thread engaging the internal thread is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Moriwaki, Satoshi Hino, Hirokazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 10816501
    Abstract: A gas sensor with excellent detection sensitivity is provided. A sensing electrode, which is provided in a mixed-potential gas sensor for measuring a concentration of a predetermined gas component of a measurement gas to sense the predetermined gas component, is formed of a cermet of a noble metal and an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte. The noble metal includes Pt and Au. A range of at least 1.5 nm from a surface of a noble metal particle included in the sensing electrode is a Au enriched region having a Au concentration of 10% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Nakayama, Noriko Hirata, Taku Okamoto, Osamu Nakasone
  • Patent number: 10801989
    Abstract: An A/F sensor includes a solid electrolyte body and a heater. The A/F sensor is disposed downstream of a purification device in a flow of exhaust gas g. The purification device purifies the exhaust gas g. The solid electrolyte body is in a cup shape. The solid electrolyte body has an outer surface provided with a measurement electrode 4 contacting the exhaust gas g, and an inner surface provided with a reference electrode contacting reference gas. The solid electrolyte body is made of zirconia. The solid electrolyte body includes a detection part sandwiched between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode and conducted with oxygen ions. The detection part has a cubic phase ratio of 88 mol % or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuki Ujiyama, Yasufumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10790515
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a supported catalyst material for a fuel cell. This comprises an electrically conductive, carbon-based carrier material and catalytic structures deposited or grown on the carrier material with a multilayer structure. The core layer comprises an electrically conductive bulk material, with the bulk material in direct contact with the carbon-based carrier material. The thin surface layer has a catalytically active noble metal or an alloy thereof. The preparation is carried out directly onto the carrier material with the deposition of the corresponding starting materials from the gas phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schladt, Tanja Graf
  • Patent number: 10768133
    Abstract: Miniature resistive gas detectors incorporate thin films that can selectively identify specific gases when heated to certain characteristic temperatures. A solid state gas sensor module is disclosed that includes a gas sensor, a heater, and a temperature sensor, stacked over an insulating recess. The insulating recess is partially filled with a support material that provides structural integrity. The solid state gas sensor module can be integrated on top of an ASIC on a common substrate. With sufficient thermal insulation, such a gas detector can be provided as a low-power component of mobile electronic devices such as smart phones. A method of operating a multi-sensor array allows detection of relative concentrations of different gas species by either using dedicated sensors, or by thermally tuning the sensors to monitor different gas species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Ravi Shankar, Olivier Le Neel, Tien-Choy Loh, Shian-Yeu Kam
  • Patent number: 10526942
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine, which includes a collection device that is arranged in an exhaust pipe through which an exhaust gas emitted from a cylinder passes and collects PM contained in the exhaust gas and an NOx sensor that is arranged on an upstream side of the collection device and detects an NOx content in the exhaust gas, includes: an estimating device which estimates a PM content in the exhaust gas at the upstream side of the collection device from a detection value of the NOx sensor, based on a trade-off relation between an NOx emission amount and a PM emission amount from the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Shigeru Higashiyama
  • Patent number: 10466197
    Abstract: A packaging technology for MECS components, which allows the realization of extremely robust components which are resistant to high temperatures and media. Such a component includes at least one micro-electrochemical sensor (MECS) component having a diaphragm, which is developed in a layer construction on the substrate of the component and spans an opening in the substrate rear side, and a carrier for the mounting and electrical contacting of the MECS component on an application circuit board. The MECS component is bonded to the carrier in flip chip technology, so that a hermetically tight mechanical connection between the top surface of the MECS component and the carrier surface exists at least in one connection region, and an electric connection between the MECS component and the carrier exists in at least one contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Guenschel, Harald Guenschel, Lothar Diehl, Gerhard Schneider
  • Patent number: 10378472
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon sensor diagnosis system includes a computer programmed to collect data from a hydrocarbon sensor while an exhaust gas recirculation system is in an open state. The hydrocarbon sensor is mounted along an engine air intake between an exhaust port of the exhaust gas recirculation system and an intake port of a cylinder head. The computer is further programmed to determine whether a hydrocarbon sensor fault exists based at least on the collected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Douglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 10222331
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensor cap for an optochemical sensor for determining or monitoring at least one analyte present in a medium having a substantially cylindrical plug-in component and a sleeve-shaped outer component. The plug-in component has an optical component with a convex-shaped surface region for optimal flow, and the optical component at least partially consists of a material transparent to measuring radiation. On the surface region of the optical component is an analyte-sensitive matrix having at least one functional layer. The plug-in component and the sleeve-shaped component are designed such that the connecting region coming into contact with the medium is between the plug-in component and the sleeve-shaped outer component in the edge region of the optical component or is at a radial distance from the edge region of the optical component, and is sealed, without a gap, facing the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Höhne, Christian Fanselow, Andreas Löbbert
  • Patent number: 10180409
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sensor element is provided for detecting at least one property of a measuring gas in a measuring gas chamber, in particular for detecting a proportion of a gas component in the measuring gas or a temperature of the measuring gas. The method includes the following steps: providing at least one solid electrolyte which includes at least one functional element; applying, at least in sections, at least one first layer made of a ceramic material to the solid electrolyte, the first layer having a first porosity after the application; and applying, at least in sections, at least one second layer made of a ceramic material, the second layer having a second porosity after the application, and the first layer differing from the second layer with respect to at least one material property. Moreover, a sensor element which is manufacturable according to this method is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Peters, Thomas Moser, Tobias Kuehnlein, Lothar Diehl, Harald Guenschel
  • Patent number: 10161900
    Abstract: A gas sensor element (3) includes: a solid electrolyte body (3s) having a bottomed tubular shape and a closed front end, and extending in the direction of an axial line O; an inside electrode (50) which is provided on an inner surface of the solid electrolyte body; an outside electrode (51) which is provided on an outer surface of the solid electrolyte body; and a porous protective layer (80) which covers the outside electrode, the porous protective layer has an inside region (81) which covers the outside electrode and an outside region (82) which covers the inside region and has a lower porosity than the inside region, and the outside region is formed of a sintered body of ceramic and glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Ishikawa, Naoki Yamada, Koji Shiono
  • Patent number: 10132769
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to doped, metal oxide-based sensors, wherein the doped-metal oxide is a monolayer, and platforms and integrated chemical sensors incorporating the same, methods of making the same, and methods of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: VAON, LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Dobrokhotov, Alexander Larin
  • Patent number: 10054543
    Abstract: The discrimination ability of a chemical sensing cross-reactive arrays is enhanced by constructing sensing elements in two dimensions, first in the x-y plane of the substrate, second in the z dimension so that the sensors are vertically stacked on top of one another. Stacking sensing elements on top of one another adds to the discrimination ability by enabling the characteristic measurement of how fast target chemicals are passing through the stack of sensors. The new invention also allows the ability to discriminate components in a sample mixture by separating them using their innate difference in diffusional rates. Multi-sensor response patterns at each z level of sensors and time delay information from the sample passing from one level to the next are used to generate the response vector. The response vector is used to identify individual component samples and components in a mixture sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
    Inventor: Vincent P. Schnee
  • Patent number: 9810653
    Abstract: Miniature resistive gas detectors incorporate thin films that can selectively identify specific gases when heated to certain characteristic temperatures. A solid state gas sensor module is disclosed that includes a gas sensor, a heater, and a temperature sensor, stacked over an insulating recess. The insulating recess is partially filled with a support material that provides structural integrity. The solid state gas sensor module can be integrated on top of an ASIC on a common substrate. With sufficient thermal insulation, such a gas detector can be provided as a low-power component of mobile electronic devices such as smart phones. A method of operating a multi-sensor array allows detection of relative concentrations of different gas species by either using dedicated sensors, or by thermally tuning the sensors to monitor different gas species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS PTE LTD
    Inventors: Ravi Shankar, Olivier Le Neel, Tien-Choy Loh, Shian-Yeu Kam
  • Patent number: 9645110
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor element having electrode take-out portions; a tubular separator having a flange portion, surrounding the electrode take-out portions, and spaced from a metallic shell; a tubular outer sleeve covering the separator, connected to the metallic shell, and having an inward convex portion that contacts the rearward-facing surface of the separator and restricts rearward movement of the separator; a seal member disposed on the rear of the separator and accommodated in a rear portion of the outer sleeve such that it is spaced from the separator; and an annular retainer fixed to the outer sleeve and in contact with a contact surface which forms at least a portion of the forward-facing surface of the flange portion. The separator has a rotation restriction surface for restricting its rotation in the circumferential direction, and the retainer has an engagement surface which contacts the rotation restriction surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Oba, Yuichi Yamada, Shingo Ito, Makoto Kume
  • Patent number: 9551260
    Abstract: A deterioration diagnosis device for an oxidation catalyst includes: a multi-gas sensor disposed in an exhaust passage downstream of an oxidation catalyst, the multi-gas sensor including a NO2 sensor unit and a NOX sensor unit, the NO2 sensor unit directly detecting a NO2 concentration in exhaust gas after passing through the oxidation catalyst, and the NOX sensor unit directly detecting a NOX concentration in the exhaust gas; an NO concentration calculation unit configured to calculate an NO concentration in the exhaust gas after passing through the oxidation catalyst based on the NO2 concentration and the NOX concentration; and a deterioration judgment unit configured to determine a deterioration degree of the oxidation catalyst from an evaluation value based on the NO concentration calculated by the NO concentration calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shiro Kakimoto
  • Patent number: 9453815
    Abstract: In a gas sensor element of a gas sensor, reference oxygen chamber (113) assumes the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. A reference electrode (111) is disposed on a surface of a third solid electrolyte body (73) which is exposed to the reference oxygen chamber (113). A second outer electrode (117) is disposed opposite the reference electrode, on a surface of a second solid electrolyte body (77) which is exposed to the reference oxygen chamber. Further, a porous, insulative protection layer (165) is formed so as to cover the entire surface of the second outer electrode. A gap (167) is present between the reference electrode and the insulative protection layer. The thickness of the gap is greater than that of the insulative protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Nakagawa, Koji Shiotani, Tomohiro Wakazono
  • Patent number: 9304102
    Abstract: An amperometric electrochemical sensor configured to be operable in an oxidizing atmosphere and under an applied bias to exhibit enhanced reduction of oxygen molecules at the sensing electrode in the presence of one or more target gas species and a resulting measurable increase in oxygen ion flux through the cell. The sensor has an electrolyte membrane, a sensing electrode on the electrolyte membrane, and a counter electrode on the electrolyte membrane, wherein the sensing electrode includes at least one molybdate or tungstate compound. An electrochemical sensor system is also provided, along with a method of detecting the concentration of one or more of NOx and NH3 in a gas sample or stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: NexTech Materials, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael J. Day, Scott L. Swartz, Lora B. Thrun, Buddy E. McCormick
  • Patent number: 9230709
    Abstract: A paste composition for an electrode of a solar cell according to the present invention comprises a conductive powder, an organic vehicle, and a glass frit, and the glass frit includes a first glass frit having a first glass transition temperature and a second glass frit having a second glass frit temperature lower than the first glass transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Gyeong Park, Soon Gil Kim, Sun Mi Lee, Sang Gon Kim, Kyoung Hoon Chai, In Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 9065360
    Abstract: A polymer actuator device system includes: a polymer actuator which includes an electrolyte layer, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer provided to oppose each other with the electrolyte layer interposed therebetween in a thickness direction of the electrolyte layer, and deforms in response to a voltage between the first and second electrode layers; and a sealing member which coats an entirety of the polymer actuator to be enclosed therein. The sealing member has two layers of a resin layer and an inorganic layer, a thickness of the sealing member is 1 to 5 microns, and an outer side of the sealing member in the thickness direction has a wear preventing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Mitsumori
  • Patent number: 9012232
    Abstract: An auto-calibration system for diagnostic test strips is described for presenting data individually carried on each test strip readable by a diagnostic meter. The carried data may include an embedded code relating to data particular to that individual strip. The data is presented so at to be read by a meter associated with the diagnostic test strip in order to avoid manually inputting the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Nipro Diagnostics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary T. Neel, Brent E. Modzelewski, Allan Javier Caban, Adam Mark Will, Carlos Oti
  • Patent number: 8992752
    Abstract: There is provided a gas sensor element for detecting the concentration of a specific gas component in gas under measurement, which includes a plate-shaped element body and a porous protection layer. The element body has, at one end portion thereof, a gas sensing portion formed with a solid electrolyte substrate and a pair of electrodes. The porous protection layer has a porous structure formed of ceramic particles and surrounds at least the circumference of the one end portion of the element body. In the present invention, the porous protection layer has an inner region, an intermediate region and an outer region laminated together in order of mention from the element body toward the outside. The intermediate region has a porosity lower than those of the inner and outer regions. There is also provided a gas sensor with such a gas sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Onkawa, Shigehiro Otsuka, Seiji Oya, Satoshi Teramoto, Kuniharu Tanaka, Takeshi Mitsuoka
  • Patent number: 8945343
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for selectively etching an encapsulant forming a package of resinous material around an electronic device includes an electronic device package mountable on the etch head; a conductive electrode in electrical contact with package leads of the electronic device package to apply a first voltage to the package leads of the electronic device; a first pump configured to pump a first quantity of the etchant solution from the source into the etch head where the etchant solution is electrically biased to a second voltage different from the first voltage. An etch cavity is formed on an exterior surface of the electronic device package. When the etchant solution has etched through an exterior surface of the electronic device package, the conductive bond wires of the electronic device is prevented from being etched by the applied first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nisene Technology Group
    Inventor: Alan M. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8906214
    Abstract: A sensor element that may include a contamination-resistant coating on at least a portion thereof. The coating may include gamma alumina and a high temperature binder such as magnesium titanate. A sensor element that may include a contamination-resistant coating on at least a portion thereof. The coating may include gamma alumina, a high temperature binder such as magnesium titanate, and boehmite alumina. A method of making a contamination-resistant sensor element that may include mixing gamma alumina and a high temperature binder such as magnesium titanate to form a mixture, applying the mixture to at least a portion of a sensor element, and temperature treating the mixture to form a contamination-resistant coating on the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Stefan Schneider, James Richard Waldrop, Velma Viane Massey, Donald Stanley Frost, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8834693
    Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, a gas sensor element including a solid electrolytic substance having a bottomed cylindrical shape and oxygen ion conductivity, a reference electrode arranged on an inner side surface of the solid electrolytic substance, a measuring electrode arranged on an outer side surface of the solid electrolytic substance, and a protective layer which covers the outer side surface of the solid electrolytic substance together with the measuring electrode and which allows gas to be measured to pass through the protective layer, wherein an end side of the gas sensor element is formed of a leg portion whose profile line is straight on an axial cross section and a bottom portion whose profile line is curved, and the film thickness of the protective layer of the bottom portion is larger than the film thickness of the protective layer of the leg portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenzhou Su, Kiyomi Kobayashi, Motoaki Satou
  • Patent number: 8795492
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body having oxygen ion conductivity, a pair of measurement and reference electrodes respectively provided on an opposite pair of first and second surfaces of the solid electrolyte body, a porous diffusion-resistant layer through which a measurement gas is introduced to the measurement electrode, and a protective layer. The protective layer is provided to cover, at least, an outer surface of the porous diffusion-resistant layer through which the measurement gas flows into the diffusion-resistant layer. The protective layer is hydrophilic at room temperature and water-repellent at high temperatures at which the solid electrolyte body can be activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ito, Fuminori Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8771488
    Abstract: A gas sensor (100) includes an oxygen pump cell (135) and an oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) laminated together with a spacer (145) interposed therebetween. The spacer (145) has a gas detection chamber (145c) which faces electrodes (137, 152) of the cells (135, 150). The oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) produces an output voltage corresponding to the concentration of oxygen in the gas detection chamber (145c). The oxygen pump cell (135) pumps oxygen into and out of the measurement chamber (145c) such that the output voltage of the oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) becomes equal to a predetermined target voltage. A leakage portion mainly formed of zirconia is disposed between which electrically connects the oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) and the oxygen pump cell (135).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ito, Satoshi Teramoto, Kentaro Mori
  • Patent number: 8747635
    Abstract: A gas sensor is provided with a multilayer body of solid electrolyte layers, a measurement electrode, a reference electrode, a reference gas introduction layer, a detection unit and a heater. The reference electrode and the measurement electrode are formed directly on the same first solid electrolyte layer. Thus, heat from the heater is transferred from a third substrate layer to the first solid electrolyte layer, and also to the reference electrode and the measurement electrode through the same first solid electrolyte layer. The reference electrode is covered with a reference gas introduction layer, formed of a porous body. The transference of heat from the heater to the reference electrode through the reference gas introduction layer is smaller than the transference of heat from the heater to the reference electrode through the first solid electrolyte layer on which the reference electrode is formed directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mika Murakami, Naoya Saito, Tomoya Seimori
  • Patent number: 8721856
    Abstract: A gas sensor control system for a gas sensor having a first, a second, and a third cell. The second cell produces a second cell electric current indicating the concentration of oxygen in gas in which the amount of oxygen has already been controlled by the first cell. The third cell produces a third cell electric current indicating the concentration of a preselected component of the gas in which the amount of oxygen has already been controlled by the first cell. A second cell circuit converts the second cell electric current into a voltage as a second cell current-measured value. A current adjuster produces a flow of an adjustment current as a function of the second cell current-measured value so that a third cell circuit converts the third cell electric current minus the adjustment current into a voltage as representing the concentration of the preselected component of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hada, Takayuki Ishikawa, Katsuhide Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8721857
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a main body and a protective layer. The main body has four plane portions and four corner portions each of which is formed between one adjacent pair of the plane portions. The four corner portions include a pair of first corner portions that are formed on a porous diffusion-resistant layer side in a lamination direction of the main body and a pair of second corner portions that are formed on a heater layer side in the lamination direction. The protective layer is comprised of an inner protective layer that covers at least the first corner portions of the main body and an outer protective layer that covers the entire outer periphery of the main body and the inner protective layer. The protective layer has a larger average thickness at the first corner portions than at the plane portions of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Murai, Hiroyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8715474
    Abstract: A gas sensor element has a first cell, a second cell, and a solid electrolyte layer having proton conductivity commonly used by the first cell and the second cell. The first cell has a first cathode and a first anode exposed to the target detection gas containing hydrogen atoms. The second cell has a second anode, a second cathode, and a shield layer with which the second anode is covered. A voltage is supplied to the first and second cells. A gas concentration of the target detection gas is calculated on the basis of a difference between a current of the first cell and a current of the second cell because the current in the first cell is a sum of proton conductivity current and an electron conductivity current. The current in the second cell is an electron conductive current only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Mizutani, Takehiro Watarai, Norikazu Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 8679312
    Abstract: A gas sensor system including a gas sensor; a current control unit; a constant control unit; and a temperature acquisition unit. The gas sensor includes a measurement chamber, a pump cell and an electromotive force cell. The current control unit performs feedback control on current flowing through the pump cell in response to the voltage of the electromotive force cell and in accordance with a control constant which characterizes the feedback control. Further, the constant control unit changes the control constant of the feedback control in accordance with a value (for example, a resistance value of the electromotive force cell) corresponding to the temperature of the gas sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Inoue, Norikazu Ieda
  • Patent number: 8673128
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes an insulating ceramic base, a solid electrolyte body, and a heating element. The solid electrolyte body is disposed in an opening of the insulating ceramic base and has a measuring electrode affixed to one of major surfaces thereof and a reference electrode affixed to the other major surface. The measuring electrode is exposed to gas to be measured. The reference electrode is exposed to a reference gas. The heating element works to activate the solid electrolyte body and is mounted on one of opposed surfaces of the insulating ceramic base on the same side as the major surface of the solid electrolyte body on which the reference electrode is disposed. Specifically, the insulating ceramic base is located between the solid electrolyte body and the heating element, thereby ensuring a desired degree of electric insulation between the heating element and the reference electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Saitou, Namitsugu Fujii, Norikazu Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 8636886
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a base member comprising a plurality of laminated solid electrolyte layers, and having a space that communicates with the outside of the gas sensor element and allows introduction of the gas to be measured into the gas sensor element, and a porous measurement electrode that is formed on a surface of the space inside the base member, and is covered with a porous measurement electrode protective layer, wherein an average pore size A of the measurement electrode and an average pore size B of the measurement electrode protective layer satisfy the relationship “0.05?B/A?0.9”, the measurement electrode has an average pore size of 0.5 to 15 ?m, and the measurement electrode protective layer has an average pore size of 0.05 to 9 ?m, a porosity of 5 to 50%, and a thickness of 10 to 200 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8623188
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a plate-shaped laminate disposed in a housing and fixed thereto via an element passage member and formed by laminating a gas sensor element and a heating element. The gas sensor element includes a plate-shaped solid electrolyte member, and a pair of detection electrodes formed on front and back surfaces thereof and constituting, in cooperation with the solid electrolyte member, a detection section for detecting the concentration of a specific gas. Insulating substrates mainly composed of alumina are provided on opposite sides of the laminate in the laminating direction. Coating layers mainly composed of a first material higher in toughness than alumina are formed on at least portions of outer surfaces of the insulating substrates in the laminating direction, the portions facing the element passage member. The coating layers are not formed on surfaces of the laminate parallel to the laminating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ai Igarashi, Noboru Furuta
  • Patent number: 8623187
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a sensor element constituted by an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte as a main component and detecting a predetermined gas component in a measurement gas includes: an external communication part having an opening opened to the outside, and introducing the measurement gas from the outside under a predetermined diffusion resistance; an internal space communicating with the external communication part; a first electrode formed on a surface of the internal space; a second electrode formed in a space different from the internal space; and a pumping cell operable to pump out oxygen existing in the internal space when a predetermined voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode. The thickness of the external communication part is 50% or more and 100% or less of the thickness of the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sumiko Horisaka, Hiroki Fujita, Mika Murakami, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8597481
    Abstract: A gas sensor element with a bottom part is composed of at least a solid electrolyte body of oxygen ion conductivity, a reference electrode, a detection electrode, an electrode protection layer which supports noble metal catalyst, and a heater. The electrode protection layer is composed of a covering layer, a catalyst layer and a poisoning layer. A quantity of the noble metal catalyst supported in the electrode protection layer at the bottom part of the gas sensor element is larger than that in the electrode protection layer at a leg part of the gas sensor. The bottom part of the gas sensor element has a high temperature rising speed more than the leg part when the heater generates heat energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenzhou Su, Kiyomi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20130306475
    Abstract: In a gas sensor, a gas sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body that has a bottomed tubular shape and a pair of reference and measurement electrodes that are respectively provided on the inner and outer surfaces of the solid electrolyte body. A cover is arranged to cover a distal end portion of the gas sensor element. The cover has at least one through-hole that is positioned on a distal side of the distal end portion of the gas sensor element in a longitudinal direction the gas sensor. The measurement electrode is positioned, on the outer surface of the solid electrolyte body, outside of an overlapping area that overlaps with the at least one through-hole of the cover in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasufumi Suzuki, Tooru Katafuchi