Analyte recognition system
First Claim
1. In an array of chemical sensors, through different ones of which fluids under test flow in opposite directions through a coupling to an outlet, the improvement comprising a one-way valve in said coupling between said sensor downstream in the flow path in one of said opposite directions for enabling the flow in said one direction to said outlet and inhibiting the flow in the other of said opposite directions into said sensor in the downstream flow path thereby preventing flow through at least one of said different sensors in said upward direction into said one sensor and precluding contamination of said one sensor and which does not diminish the accuracy of the measurement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An analyte recognition system uses an array (16) of ion-selective electrode (ISE) sensors, each sensitive to a different ion in a downstream flow path (32) therethrough to a coupling (30) which provides a ground or bias electrode. Another flow path (34) is upstream through an ISE sensor (26) which provides a reference electrode and the coupling. The coupling has a flow path, provided by a sidearm, to an outlet (40) going to a drain (35) for both the upstream and downstream flow paths. The upstream flow path reference electrode is a conduit for a reference fluid, and measurements from the other electrodes are made with respect to the reference electrode. Contamination and permanent poisoning of certain of the electrodes in the downstream path may occur if reversal of the flow were to take place, or if the reference fluid flowing in the upstream path were to flow into the downstream path. Reversal of flow is prevented by inclusion of a one-way valve, desirably a duckbill valve (75) in the coupling in the downstream path to the sidearm. Poisoning of the ISE sensors is prevented because the duckbill valve reduces the likelihood of a reversal of the normal downstream flow and reduces flow of the reference fluid in the upstream direction through the array of ion-selective electrodes.
11 Citations
13 Claims
- 1. In an array of chemical sensors, through different ones of which fluids under test flow in opposite directions through a coupling to an outlet, the improvement comprising a one-way valve in said coupling between said sensor downstream in the flow path in one of said opposite directions for enabling the flow in said one direction to said outlet and inhibiting the flow in the other of said opposite directions into said sensor in the downstream flow path thereby preventing flow through at least one of said different sensors in said upward direction into said one sensor and precluding contamination of said one sensor and which does not diminish the accuracy of the measurement.
- 6. The invention according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of said ion-selective electrode modules are selective to different ions and are sequentially connected in said array to said coupling, and said other sensor is a reference electrode.
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8. A system comprising:
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an array of ion-selective electrodes coupled to a tubing for receiving a sample fluid;
a reference ion-selective electrode; and
a ground electrode having two ports, a drain coupled to each of said ports, a one-way valve in a first of said ports for preventing back flow through said tubing, which is coupled to said first of said ports, and a second of said ports provides receiving of a reference fluid. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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- 10. A coupling comprising a block having a conduit providing a fluid path forming a T between sides of said block and a junction inside said block, and a one-way valve in said conduit between said junction and one of said sides of said block.
Specification