Organic vapor sorbent protective device with thin-film indicator
First Claim
1. A protective device that comprises an enclosure including a gas inlet, gas outlet and a thin-film multilayer indicator, wherein:
- A) the enclosure contains sorbent media that can sorb a vapor of interest flowing from the inlet towards the outlet;
B) the thin-film multilayer indicator comprises;
i) a porous detection layer whose optical thickness changes in the presence of the vapor, located betweenii) a semireflective layer viewable from outside the enclosure andiii) a reflective layer that contains metal particles and that is permeable to the vapor; and
C) the reflective layer is in sufficient proximity to the media such that with equilibration at the applied vapor concentration between at least a portion of the media and the vapor, the vapor can pass from the media through the reflective layer and into the detection layer and change the detection layer optical thickness sufficiently to cause a visibly discernible change in the indicator appearance as viewed through the semireflective layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sorbent media protective device includes an enclosure having a gas inlet, gas outlet and a thin-film multilayer indicator. The thin-film multilayer indicator is proximate sorbent media that can sorb a vapor of interest flowing from the gas inlet towards the gas outlet. The indicator includes a porous detection layer whose optical thickness changes in the presence of the vapor, located between a semireflective layer and a reflective layer permeable to the vapor. With equilibration at the applied vapor concentration between at least a portion of the media and the vapor, the vapor can pass through the reflective layer into the detection layer and change the detection layer optical thickness sufficiently to cause a visibly discernible change in the indicator appearance if viewed through the semireflective layer.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A protective device that comprises an enclosure including a gas inlet, gas outlet and a thin-film multilayer indicator, wherein:
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A) the enclosure contains sorbent media that can sorb a vapor of interest flowing from the inlet towards the outlet; B) the thin-film multilayer indicator comprises; i) a porous detection layer whose optical thickness changes in the presence of the vapor, located between ii) a semireflective layer viewable from outside the enclosure and iii) a reflective layer that contains metal particles and that is permeable to the vapor; and C) the reflective layer is in sufficient proximity to the media such that with equilibration at the applied vapor concentration between at least a portion of the media and the vapor, the vapor can pass from the media through the reflective layer and into the detection layer and change the detection layer optical thickness sufficiently to cause a visibly discernible change in the indicator appearance as viewed through the semireflective layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A process for making a protective device, which process comprises:
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A) providing an enclosure including; i) a space for containing sorbent media that will sorb a vapor of interest flowing through the enclosure; and ii) a thin-film multilayer indicator comprising; a) a porous detection layer whose optical thickness will change in the presence of the vapor, located between b) a semireflective layer viewable from outside the enclosure and c) a reflective layer that contains metal particles and that is permeable to the vapor; B) placing the media in the enclosure in sufficient proximity to the reflective layer such that upon saturation of at least a portion of the media by the vapor, vapor can pass through the reflective layer into the detection layer and change the detection layer optical thickness sufficiently to cause a visibly discernible change in the indicator appearance as viewed through the semireflective layer; and C) sealing the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of making a filter cartridge, which method comprises:
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A) providing an enclosure including; i) a space for containing sorbent media that will sorb a vapor of interest flowing through the enclosure; and ii) a thin-film multilayer indicator comprising; a) a porous detection layer whose optical thickness will change in the presence of the vapor, located between b) a semireflective layer viewable from outside the enclosure and c) a reflective layer that contains metal nanoparticles and that is permeable to the vapor; B) placing the media in the enclosure in sufficient proximity to the reflective layer such that upon saturation of at least a portion of the media by the vapor, vapor can pass through the reflective layer into the detection layer and change the detection layer optical thickness sufficiently to cause a visibly discernible change in the indicator appearance as viewed through the semireflective layer; and C) sealing the enclosure.
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Specification