Gas mixing device and gas analyzer making use of the same
First Claim
1. A gas mixing device for mixing a plurality of gases, comprising:
- a substrate having a plurality of grooves formed thereon by etching including a plurality of inlet grooves and at least one outlet groove, each of said inlet grooves being branched into a plurality of gas passage grooves, and each of said at least one outlet groove being connected with at least two of said inlet grooves through said gas passage grooves, and said inlet grooves and said at least one outlet groove having dimensions of cross-section greater than said gas passage grooves, and said gas passage grooves having width and depth dimensions that are smaller than 1 mm;
a plate having a flat smooth surface, a plurality of inlet ports each communicating with a respective one of said inlet grooves and through each of which a gas to be mixed is introduced from respective gas sources, and at least one outlet port which is to be communicated with a respective said at least one outlet groove and through which a gas mixture is discharged, said plate being bonded at said flat smooth surface to said substrate to define therebetween gas passages which have predetermined flow resistances and are constituted by said gas passage grooves, whereby gases to be mixed together are introduced from said inlet ports into said at least one outlet groove and are mixed together into the gas mixture; and
pressure regulating means for each of said inlet ports for maintaining the pressures of a plurality of gases to be supplied to said inlet grooves substantially at the same level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gas mixing device of a blood gas analyzer has a substrate made of a material such as silicon and a plate having a flat smooth surface, made of a material such as glass. The plate is bonded to the substrate. The substrate has a plurality of fine elongated grooves extending between inlet and outlet ports formed in the plate. Different gases are introduced through the respective inlet ports, and combined with each other in the gas mixing device. The levels of flow resistance in branch grooves are so determined that the different gases are mixed at predetermined mixing ratios for delivery to the outlet ports. Further, the analyzer includes the gas mixing device and a measuring unit equipped with a plurality of gas measuring electrodes. The mixture gas from the gas mixing device is made to bubble through a buffer solution in a reservoir for producing a standard liquid measuring unit that is delivered at predetermined time intervals to the analyzer for calibration.
29 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A gas mixing device for mixing a plurality of gases, comprising:
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a substrate having a plurality of grooves formed thereon by etching including a plurality of inlet grooves and at least one outlet groove, each of said inlet grooves being branched into a plurality of gas passage grooves, and each of said at least one outlet groove being connected with at least two of said inlet grooves through said gas passage grooves, and said inlet grooves and said at least one outlet groove having dimensions of cross-section greater than said gas passage grooves, and said gas passage grooves having width and depth dimensions that are smaller than 1 mm; a plate having a flat smooth surface, a plurality of inlet ports each communicating with a respective one of said inlet grooves and through each of which a gas to be mixed is introduced from respective gas sources, and at least one outlet port which is to be communicated with a respective said at least one outlet groove and through which a gas mixture is discharged, said plate being bonded at said flat smooth surface to said substrate to define therebetween gas passages which have predetermined flow resistances and are constituted by said gas passage grooves, whereby gases to be mixed together are introduced from said inlet ports into said at least one outlet groove and are mixed together into the gas mixture; and pressure regulating means for each of said inlet ports for maintaining the pressures of a plurality of gases to be supplied to said inlet grooves substantially at the same level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification