METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING CONSTITUENT CHANGES IN AN ENVIRONMENT

• US 20080238700A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morphix Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Morphix Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Locke, Edward P., Clifford, Thomas, Parker, Julian E., Jeffers, Robert B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/632
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4541 for portable use, e.g. gas masks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0256 Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/036 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

An air monitoring apparatus includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a housing having at least one fluid passage to permit a fluid to enter the housing, and a constituent detection device positioned in the housing. The detection device includes at least one electrode, a power supply electrically coupled to the at least on electrode, and a logic circuit electrically coupled to the power supply. The logic circuit is configured to detect a change in at least one of impedance magnitude and a phase shift angle magnitude over a range of frequencies when the detection device contacts at least one fluid constituent contained in the fluid flowing into the cartridge through the at least one fluid passage, or when the detection device contacts at least one constituent in a solid whose chemical and/or material properties change as a function of fluid flowing into the housing through the at least one fluid passage.

Claims

1. An air monitoring apparatus comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising at least one fluid passage to permit a fluid to enter said housing; and

a constituent detection device positioned in said housing, said detection device comprising;

at least one electrode;

a power supply electrically coupled to said at least on electrode; and

a logic circuit electrically coupled to said power supply, said logic circuit configured to detect a change in at least one of impedance magnitude and a phase shift angle magnitude as a function of applied frequency when said detection device contacts at least one fluid constituent contained in the fluid flowing into said housing through said at least one fluid passage or when said detection device contacts at least one constituent in a solid wherein at least one of chemical and material properties of the solid change as a function of fluid flowing into said housing through said at least one fluid passage.

2. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an alarm mechanism coupled to said logic circuit.

3. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said alarm mechanism comprises at least one of a light device, an audible device, a vibratory device, an alphanumeric display device, a symbolic display device, and a wireless transmitter.

4. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said logic circuit comprises an operational amplifier configured to detect changes in a current signal as a function of a change in impedance magnitude.

5. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detection device further comprising a base, said at least one electrode coupled to said base.

6. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said base comprises a non-conductive material.

7. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one electrode comprises a plurality of interdigitated electrodes.

8. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one coating is applied onto said at least one electrode.

9. An air monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detection device identifies and quantifies changes in constituents.

10. A detection device for detecting constituents or constituent changes in a fluid or a solid material, said detection device comprising:

at least one electrode;

a power supply electrically coupled to said at least on electrode; and

a logic circuit electrically coupled to said power supply, said logic circuit configured to detect a change in at least one of impedance magnitude and a phase shift angle magnitude when said detection device contacts at least one fluid constituent contained in a fluid or in a solid.

11. A detection device in accordance with claim 10 further comprising an alarm mechanism coupled to said logic circuit.

12. A detection device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said alarm mechanism comprises at least one of a light device, an audible device, vibratory device, an alphanumeric display device, a symbolic display device, and a wireless transmitter.

13. A detection device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said logic circuit comprises an operational amplifier configured to detect changes in a current signal as a function of a change in impedance magnitude.

14. A detection device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said detection device further comprising a base, said at least one electrode coupled to said base.

15. A detection device in accordance with claim 14 wherein said base comprises a non-conductive material.

16. A detection device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said at least one electrode comprises a plurality of interdigitated electrodes.

17. A detection device in accordance with claim 10 wherein at least one coating is applied onto said at least one electrode.

18. A detection device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said detection device identifies and quantifies changes in constituents.

19. A method of detecting constituents in a fluid or a solid, said method comprising:

providing a constituent detection device, the detection device comprising;

at least one electrode;

a power supply electrically coupled to the at least on electrode; and

a logic circuit electrically coupled to said power supply, said logic circuit configured to detect a change in at least one of impedance magnitude and a phase shift angle magnitude when said detection device contacts at least one fluid constituent contained in the fluid or solid;

generating an AC signal having a predetermined frequency, a phase shift angle magnitude, a voltage magnitude, and an electric current magnitude;

transmitting the AC signal through the at least one electrode and measuring an impedance and a phase shift angle of the AC signal;

positioning the at least one electrode in flow communications with a fluid source or in contact with a solid; and

measuring any change in at least one of the impedance and the phase shift angle of the AC signal to determine if a constituent is present in the fluid or solid.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the detection device further comprises a base, the at least one electrode coupled to the base.

21. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of interdigitated electrodes.

22. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein at least one coating is applied onto the at least one electrode.

23. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the detection device identifies the constituent and quantifies the amount of the constituent.