Programmable apparatus using molecular resonances for measuring particles suspended in air

• US 20040003649A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Beckwith
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Beckwith
• Inventors: Beckwith, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,877,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/24.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02408 Solids in gases, e.g. particle suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02845 Humidity, wetness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/032 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/036 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves

Abstract

A programmable device for analyzing mixtures of suspended vapors and air by pinging particles making up the vapors at their mechanical resonant frequencies and detecting the resultant rings.

Claims

1. A device for measuring amounts of selected vapors mixed with air comprising in combination:

a) A multilayered printed circuit board means having a void along an inner layer for air with vapors to pass through,

b) fan means for pulling said air with vapors through said void,

c) a first conductive layer means along one side of said void forming a common return for signals at particle resonant frequencies of one or more said particles,

d) one or more second layer segment means located along the other side of said void for sending and receiving signals at particle resonant frequencies of one or more of said particles,

e) Means for pinging each said segment at said resonant frequency of a particle of one of said vapors with a voltage signal,

f) means of receiving a return ring signal from particles which were pinged,

g) means for measuring the amplitude of said return signal,

h) means for entering and storing tables of said amplitudes for mixes of interest of said vapors and air, and

i) means for comparing said measured amplitudes of rings with said tables of amplitudes and outputting the probable amount present in the air sample of each said vapor of interest.

2. A method of detecting vapors mixed with air, said method consisting of the steps of:

a) providing a multilayered printed circuit board with a void between layers forming a path for passing a thin layer of vapors mixed with air,

b) fastening a fan to said board so as to draw vapors mixed with air through said void,

c) providing a foil layer along a first side of said void as a return path for voltage waves oscillating at molecular resonant frequencies of particles making up said vapors,

d) providing one or more electrically separated foil segments along the opposing second side of said void corresponding to one or more particles to be detected,

e) pinging each said foil segment with a voltage signal at the mechanical resonant frequency of a particle to be detected,

f) measuring the voltage ring produced by the particle immediately following said ping, and

g) determining the number of particles contained in a given volume of air passing each said segment in a given length of time.

3. A device for measuring amounts of a single selected vapors mixed with air comprising in combination:

a) A multilayered printed circuit board means having a void along an inner layer for air with vapors to pass through,

b) fan means for pulling said air with vapors through said void,

c) a first conductive layer means along one side of said void forming a common return for signals at particle resonant frequencies of one said particle,

d) one second layer segment means located along the other side of said void for sending and receiving signals at particle resonant frequencies of one of said particles,

e) Means for pinging the said segment at said resonant frequency of the selected particle of one vapor with a voltage signal,

f) means of receiving a return ring signal from the particles which were pinged,

g) means for measuring the amplitude of said return signal,

h) means for entering and storing tables of said amplitudes for said vapor and air, and

i) means for comparing said measured amplitudes of rings with said tables of amplitudes and outputting the probable amount present in the air sample of the said vapor of interest.

4. A method of detecting one vapor of interest mixed with air, said method consisting of the steps of:

a) providing a multilayered printed circuit board with a void between layers forming a path for passing a thin layer of vapors mixed with air,

b) fastening a fan to said board so as to draw vapors mixed with air through said void,

c) providing a foil layer along a first side of said void as a return path for voltage waves oscillating at molecular resonant frequencies of particles making up said vapors,

d) providing one electrically separated foil segments along the opposing second side of said void corresponding to one or more particles to be detected,

e) pinging said foil segment with a voltage signal at the mechanical resonant frequency of the particle to be detected,

f) measuring the voltage ring produced by the particle immediately following said ping, and

g) determining the number of particles contained in a given volume of air passing each said segment in a given length of time.

5. A method as in claim 4 further including the steps of:

a) varying the air flow speed to find a speed of maximum efficiency,

b) varying the length of the ping to find the length of maximum efficiency,

c) varying the frequency of the ping to find the frequency of maximum efficiency, and

d) repeating steps a) b) and c) in random orders to find overall conditions of maximum efficiency.