BREATH SAMPLING METHODOLOGY HAVING IMPROVED RELIABILITY

• US 20120031165A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Ruocco, Michael Siem, Ronald Koppel
• Original Assignee: John Ruocco, Ronald Koppel
• Inventors: Ruocco, John T., Koppel, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,505,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/23.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2226 Sampling from a closed space, e.g. food package, head space
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2244 Exhaled gas, e.g. alcohol detecting

Abstract

An improved method of breath sampling, particularly adapted for use in connection with motor vehicle alcohol breath monitoring devices, comprises the sending of a drive signal to a piston pump to draw a breath sample into a sensing chamber, the pump being connected to the sensing chamber. The operational status of the pump is monitored by monitoring the condition of a switch associated with the pump which is adapted to change state when the pump piston is withdrawn into its pump housing as a proper reaction of the pump to its drive signal and return to its original state when the pump piston is no longer withdrawn. The state condition of the of the switch is used to confirm proper pump operation in drawing the breath sample into the chamber; if proper pump operation is confirmed, the breath sample can be accepted for further processing and analysis.

Claims

1. An improved method of breath sampling, comprising the steps of:

sending a drive signal to a piston pump to draw a breath sample into a sensing chamber, the pump having an input line connected to the sensing chamber;

monitoring the operational status of the pump by monitoring the condition of a switch adapted to change state when the pump piston is withdrawn into its pump housing as a proper reaction of the pump to its drive signal and return to its original state when the pump piston is no longer withdrawn;

utilizing the state condition of the switch to confirm proper pump operation in drawing the breath sample into the chamber; and

if proper pump operation is confirmed, accepting the breath sample for further processing and analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the state condition of the switch further controls a characteristic of an output signal on a pressure sensor output line.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the switch is an electrical switch and the monitoring is performed by determining whether contacts of the switch are open or closed.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein changes of state of the switch are dictated by the state of a mechanical contact between the pump piston and the switch.