Vapor sensor suitable for detecting alcoholic residue at a skin site

• US 10,041,920 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Kang, Myungchan, Palazzotto, Michael C., Gryska, Stefan H., Asmus, Robert A., Wong, Melvin Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHMITT, BENJAMIN R
• Application Number:
  US14/915,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20160231299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 73 3105, 600306, 600382, 600386
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0064 for taking sweat or sebum samples measuring sweat production A61B5/4266
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0083 for taking gas samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/44 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the integumentary system, e.g. skin, hair or nails A61B5/117 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4845 Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products A61B5/4848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 for organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48714 for determining substances foreign to the organism, e.g. drugs or heavy metals drugs by chemical analysis G01N33/94
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A vapor sensor comprises a housing with an inlet opening in fluid communication with a sensor element within the housing. Standoff member(s) are positioned to maintain a gap between the inlet opening and a skin site. An operating circuit is in electrical communication with the sensor element and communicatively coupled to an output member. In use, the output member generates a sensory output indicative to an operator regarding concentration of alcoholic vapor in the ambient atmosphere proximate the skin site upon receiving communication from the operating circuit.

Claims

1. A vapor sensor for detecting alcoholic residue at a skin site, the vapor sensor comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing comprises an inlet opening extending to the interior of the housing, and an outlet opening in fluid communication inside the housing with the inlet opening;

a sensor element disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the inlet opening, wherein the sensor element comprises a first conductive member, a second conductive member, and an absorptive dielectric material sandwiched between the first conductive member and the second conductive member;

at least one standoff member disposed proximate to the housing, wherein the at least one standoff member is positioned to maintain a gap between the inlet opening and the skin site, and the at least one standoff member comprises a tube having a proximal opening, a wall, and a distal opening opposite the proximal opening, the proximal opening contacts the housing and encircles the inlet opening, and the wall has one or more openings proximate the distal opening to allow ambient atmosphere adjacent to the skin site to be drawn through the wall into the inlet opening;

an operating circuit in electrical communication with the sensor element and capable of detecting a parameter of the sensor element, wherein the parameter correlates with alcohol concentration; and

at least one output member communicatively coupled to the operating circuit, wherein the at least one output member is adapted to generate a sensory output indicative to an operator regarding concentration of alcoholic vapor in the ambient atmosphere proximate the skin site upon receiving communication from the operating circuit.

2. The vapor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive dielectric material comprises a polymer of intrinsic microporosity.

3. The vapor sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a device for moving gas from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

4. The vapor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one standoff member is removably attached to the housing by a press fit.

5. The vapor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one standoff member is integral to the housing.

6. The vapor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the one or more openings of the wall include at least one notch, at least one hole, or a combination thereof.

7. The vapor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one standoff member comprises at least three standoff members.

8. The vapor sensor of claim 1, wherein the inlet opening, the outlet opening, and the sensor element are disposed adjacent to a first end of the housing, and the housing has a portable configuration for handholding adjacent to a second end thereof opposite to the first end.

9. A method of detecting alcohol residue, the method comprising:

providing a vapor sensor for detecting alcoholic residue at a skin site, the vapor sensor comprising;

a housing, wherein the housing comprises an inlet opening extending to the interior of the housing, and an outlet opening in fluid communication inside the housing with the inlet opening;

a sensor element disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the inlet opening;

at least one standoff member disposed proximate to the housing, wherein the at least one standoff member is positioned to maintain a gap between the inlet opening and the skin site, and the at least one standoff member comprises a tube having a proximal opening, a wall, and a distal opening opposite the proximal opening, the proximal opening contacts the housing and encircles the inlet opening, and the wall has one or more openings proximate the distal opening to allow ambient atmosphere adjacent to the skin site to be drawn through the wall into the inlet opening;

an operating circuit in electrical communication with the sensor element and capable of detecting a parameter of the sensor element, wherein the parameter correlates with alcohol concentration; and

at least one output member communicatively coupled to the operating circuit, wherein the at least one output member is adapted to generate a sensory output indicative to an operator regarding concentration of alcoholic vapor in the ambient atmosphere proximate the skin site upon receiving communication from the operating circuit;

placing the vapor sensor proximate to a skin site such that the inlet opening is separated from the skin site by the at least one standoff member;

introducing the ambient atmosphere proximate the skin site through the openings of the wall into the inlet opening such that the sensor element is exposed to the ambient atmosphere;

measuring a value of the parameter of the sensor element; and

based at least in part on the value of the parameter, causing the at least one output member to generate the sensory output.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the skin site has been treated with an alcohol-based preparation shortly before the vapor sensor is placed proximate to the skin site.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sensor element comprises a first conductive member, a second conductive member, and an absorptive dielectric material sandwiched between the first conductive member and the second conductive member.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the absorptive dielectric material comprises a polymer of intrinsic microporosity.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising moving gas from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one standoff member is removably attached to the housing by a press fit.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one standoff member is integral to the housing.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the one or more openings of the wall include at least one notch, at least one hole, or a combination thereof.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one standoff member comprises at least three standoff members.