Auxiliary gas diffusion electrodes for diagnostics of electrochemical gas sensors
First Claim
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1. A gas sensor comprising:
- a housing defining an ambient gas port and a diffusion cavity, wherein the ambient gas port comprises a diffusion barrier;
a first sensing electrode configured to sense a target gas, wherein the target gas is not oxygen; and
a second sensing electrode configured to sense oxygen gas,wherein the ambient gas port is the only entrance into the housing and the diffusion cavity,wherein the diffusion cavity is located in a gaseous diffusion path between the ambient gas port and both the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode,wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are in gaseous contact with the diffusion cavity,wherein a flexible substrate carries the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode,wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are co-planar,wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are distributed symmetrically about an axis passing through the ambient gas port, andwherein a plane of the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode is perpendicular to the axis passing through the ambient gas port.
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Abstract
An electrochemical gas sensor includes additional gas diffusion electrodes incorporated to carry out one or more diagnostic functions while the sensor is responding to a target gas. Members of a plurality of sensing and diagnostic electrodes can be switched by associated control circuits to intermittently sense a target gas while others intermittently sense a different gas. The diagnostic electrodes are in direct communication with the target gas that is entering the cell.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A gas sensor comprising:
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a housing defining an ambient gas port and a diffusion cavity, wherein the ambient gas port comprises a diffusion barrier; a first sensing electrode configured to sense a target gas, wherein the target gas is not oxygen; and a second sensing electrode configured to sense oxygen gas, wherein the ambient gas port is the only entrance into the housing and the diffusion cavity, wherein the diffusion cavity is located in a gaseous diffusion path between the ambient gas port and both the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode, wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are in gaseous contact with the diffusion cavity, wherein a flexible substrate carries the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode, wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are co-planar, wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are distributed symmetrically about an axis passing through the ambient gas port, and wherein a plane of the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode is perpendicular to the axis passing through the ambient gas port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A gas sensor comprising:
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a housing that defines an ambient gas port and an internal gas diffusion region for a target gas and oxygen gas; a plurality of gas permeable sensing electrodes, carried by a flexible substrate, adjacent to the internal gas diffusion region, wherein the plurality of gas permeable sensing electrodes are in direct contact with the tar gas and the oxygen gas; and control circuits electrically coupled to the plurality of gas permeable sensing electrodes, wherein the ambient gas port is only the entrance to the internal gas diffusion region, wherein the internal gas diffusion region is located between the ambient gas port and the plurality of gas permeable sensing electrodes, and wherein the control circuits are configured to cause at least one electrode of the plurality of gas permeable sensing electrodes to intermittently sense the target gas and to cause at least one electrode of the plurality of gas permeable sensing electrodes to intermittently sense the oxygen gas. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A gas sensor comprising:
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a housing defining an ambient gas port and a diffusion cavity; a diffusion barrier disposed between the gas port and the diffusion cavity; a first sensing electrode configured to sense a target gas, wherein the target gas is not oxygen; a second sensing electrode configured to sense oxygen; and a counter electrode separated from the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode by a separator, wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are in gaseous contact with the diffusion cavity, wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are co-planar, and wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are distributed symmetrically about an axis passing through the ambient gas port. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification