MULTIFUNCTIONAL BREATH ANALYZER

• US 20130231871A1
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SenseAir AB (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hok Instrument AB (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Hok, Bertil, Tenerz, Lars, Smith, Leif, Kaisdotter Andersson, Annika
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4845 Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products A61B5/4848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/031 Multipass arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A multifunctional breath analyzer includes a receptor unit for receiving a breath sample from a test subject, a sensing unit providing a signal corresponding to the concentration of at least one volatile substance within the sample, elements for providing a signal indicative of the dilution of the breath sample, and an analyzing unit/processing unit for the identification and quantification of the volatile substance of the breath sample. The signal processing unit is configured to perform at least two different calculations for the quantification, and the signal processing unit is also configured to automatically display the result of a selected calculation, the selection being based on the signal indicating dilution.

Claims

1. Multifunctional breath analyzer including

a receptor unit (4) for receiving a breath sample from a test subject,

a sensing unit (2) providing a signal corresponding to the concentration of at least one volatile substance within said sample,

a signal processing unit (3) for the identification and quantification of said volatile substance in said breath sample,

characterized by

said sensing unit (2) including means (8, 12, 16) for providing a signal indicative of the dilution of said sample,

said signal processing unit (3) being configured to perform at least two different calculations for the quantification, and by

said analyzing/processing unit (3) being configured to automatically display the result of a selected calculation, the selection being based on the result of said signal indicating dilution.

2. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said calculation including degree of dilution estimated by simultaneous determination of the concentration of tracer substance, e.g. carbon dioxide or water vapor, within said sample.

3. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said substance being ethanol or methanol, acetone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitric oxides, and tracer substance, e.g. carbon dioxide or water vapor, as marker to distinguish between said breath and ambient air.

4. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said means (8, 12, 16) including a sensor (8) responsive of tracer substance, e.g. carbon dioxide or water vapor, or means (12, 16) indicative of the tightness of connection between the respiratory organs of said subject and said sensing unit (2), said means (12, 16) including well defined flow resistance (12) and differential pressure sensor (16) having openings (16′

, 16″

) up- and downstream of said resistance (12), said openings being directed perpendicular to main flow direction of said sample.

5. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said receptor (4a, 4b) having the shape of a funnel (4a), scoop, cup or mug or tubular (4b) by tightening towards the mouth or nose opening of said test subject.

6. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said sensing unit (2) including geometrically well defined measuring volume, the inlet (5) of which including connection to said receptor unit (4a, 4b), and particle filter (12) for separation of liquid droplets and solid particles within said sample, the outlet of which is connected to ambient air, said measuring volume being smaller than 100 ml, said sensing unit (2) having small but distinctive resistance to air flow, said flow being controllable by means of pump, fan or valve (10, 11).

7. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said sensing unit (2) generating repetitive signal at a repetition frequency of 5 Hz or more, said signal corresponding to concentration of said substance within geometrically defined measuring volume.

8. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said sensing and signal processing units (2, 3) being based on catalytic measuring principle or based on transmission measurement of multiply reflected electromagnetic radiation against surface with high reflectance within a defined measuring volume, whereby said analysis includes absorption within a defined wavelength interval, e.g. 9-10 μ

m for the determination of said substance, e.g. ethyl alcohol, and 4.2-4.3 μ

m for the determination of tracer substance, e.g. carbon dioxide.

9. Breath analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by said analyzer being contained within enclosure (1) resistant to environmental stress, and including said sensing and analyzing units, battery (13 for power source, display (14) for indication of analysis results, memory unit for storage of data, switches for data input, and means for data communication (15) to external equipment, said enclosure comprising autonomous unit for sampling and immediate analysis.