Gas sensitive apparatus

• US 8,236,246 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Betsill, Harry Edwards
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, In Suk
• Assistant Examiner(s): EOM, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US11/241,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20060108220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,504 Days
• Field of Search: 204/600, 738/610.8, 250/370.01, 422/94
• US Class Current: 422/94
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/125 Composition of the body, e.g. the composition of its sensitive layer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/128 Microapparatus

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a gas sensitive apparatus that is useful in view of its applicability to the detection or quantitative determination of individual gases present in a gas mixture, and is advantageous in view of its compact size, and its low power consumption.

Claims

1. A gas-sensitive apparatus comprising

(a) first, second, third and fourth groups of sensor elements wherein no member of one group of sensor elements is a member of any other group of sensor elements;

(b) a first electrode that contacts each member of the first group of sensor elements;

(c) a second electrode that contacts one member of each of the four groups of sensor elements;

(d) a third electrode that contacts each member of the second group of sensor elements;

(e) a fourth electrode that contacts a member of the second group of sensor elements that is different from the member contacted by the second electrode, and a member of the third group of sensor elements that is different from the member contacted by the second electrode;

(f) a fifth electrode that contacts each member of the third group of sensor elements;

(g) a sixth electrode that contacts each member of the fourth group of sensor elements;

(h) a seventh electrode that contacts a member of the first group of sensor elements that is different from the member contacted by the second electrode;

(i) an eighth electrode that contacts a member of the second group of sensor elements that is different from the member contacted by the second electrode;

(j) a ninth electrode that contacts a member of the third group of sensor elements that is different from the member contacted by the second electrode; and

(k) a tenth electrode that contacts a member of the fourth group of sensor elements that is different from the member contacted by the second electrode.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 that comprises at least 8 sensor elements.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 that is a unitary body.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 that is a multi-layer laminate.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 that has a plurality of surfaces, and wherein sensor elements are located on more than one of the surfaces.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein at least four sensor elements are located on each of two surfaces.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 that has a plurality of surfaces, and wherein electrodes are located on at least one surface.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensor elements are located on one or more surfaces of a substrate that has a plurality of surfaces, wherein electrodes are located in interior layers of the substrate.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 that may be passed through a circle having a diameter of no more than about 50 mm.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 that may be passed through a circle having a diameter of no more than about 18 mm.