US4547281A — Gas analysis apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 116 words

A gas sensor comprising: (a) a sensor body of switch electrolyte material which ionically conducts when the concentration of said gas is different between first and second surfaces of the sensor body; (b) a thin film on each said first and second surface of a composition comprising an element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W and wherein Bi is the predominent element in the composition (c) an electrically conductive material formed over the thin film on the first surface of the sensor body; and (d) an electrically conductive material formed over the thin film on the second surface of the sensor body.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 116 words

A gas sensor comprising: (a) a sensor body of switch electrolyte material which ionically conducts when the concentration of said gas is different between first and second surfaces of the sensor body; (b) a thin film on each said first and second surface of a composition comprising an element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W and wherein Bi is the predominent element in the composition (c) an electrically conductive material formed over the thin film on the first surface of the sensor body; and (d) an electrically conductive material formed over the thin film on the second surface of the sensor body.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

The sensor of claim 1 in which the gas is oxygen and the material of the sensor body comprises material selected from the group consisting of: ZrO 2 , CeO 2 and ThO 2 .

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

The sensor of claim 2 in which the sensor body material includes a material from the group consisting of Y 2 O 3 , Gd 2 O 3 , CaO, SnO, MnO, La 2 O 3 , MgO, and Sc 2 O 3 .

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

The sensor of claim 1 in which the electrically conductive material comprise porous LaCrO 3 and the sensor body comprises material selected from the group consisting of: ZrO 2 , CeO 2 and ThO 2 .

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 89 words

An oxygen gas sensor comprising: (a) a sensor body of solid electrolyte material which exhibits ionic conduction in the presence of oxygen gas; (b) first and second electrodes permeable to oxygen gas formed over opposite first and second surfaces of said body; and (c) said electrodes each comprising a layer of Bi and in a predominant amount an element selected from the group consisting of a rare earth element, an alkaline earth metal, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo, and W, and a layer of porous LaCrO 3 .

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 89 words

An oxygen gas sensor comprising: (a) a sensor body of solid electrolyte material which exhibits ionic conduction in the presence of oxygen gas; (b) first and second electrodes permeable to oxygen gas formed over opposite first and second surfaces of said body; and (c) said electrodes each comprising a layer of Bi and in a predominant amount an element selected from the group consisting of a rare earth element, an alkaline earth metal, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo, and W, and a layer of porous LaCrO 3 .

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

The sensor of claim 5 wherein the layer of porous LaCrO 3 is made porous by incorporating particles of carbon of lower combustion temperature into the electrodes as formed and heating the layer to a temperature which combusts the carbon particles having pores in the electrodes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The sensor of claim 6 in which the particles in the first electrode are smaller than the particles in the second electrode.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 107 words

The method of forming a gas sensor comprising the steps of: (a) forming a sensor body of solid electrolyte material ionically conductive in response to the concentration of said gas, said body having first and second opposing external surfaces; (b) forming a slurry comprising Bi and a rare earth metal on said first and second surfaces of said sensor body to obtain a first and a second film respectively; (c) forming a first electrically conductive material on said first film over said first surface of said sensor body; (d) forming a second electrically conductive material on said second film over said second surface of said sensor body.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 107 words

The method of forming a gas sensor comprising the steps of: (a) forming a sensor body of solid electrolyte material ionically conductive in response to the concentration of said gas, said body having first and second opposing external surfaces; (b) forming a slurry comprising Bi and a rare earth metal on said first and second surfaces of said sensor body to obtain a first and a second film respectively; (c) forming a first electrically conductive material on said first film over said first surface of said sensor body; (d) forming a second electrically conductive material on said second film over said second surface of said sensor body.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 12 words

A gas sensor made in accordance with the method of claim 8.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 99 words

Apparatus comprising: a. a body of solid electrolyte material which ionically conducts in the presence of a gas; b. a film on a first surface of said body; said film being of a composition comprising an element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W wherein Bi is the predominant element in the composition; c. an electrically conductive electrode formed over the film on the first surface of the sensor body; and d. an electrically conductive electrode formed over an opposing second surface of the sensor body.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 99 words

Apparatus comprising: a. a body of solid electrolyte material which ionically conducts in the presence of a gas; b. a film on a first surface of said body; said film being of a composition comprising an element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W wherein Bi is the predominant element in the composition; c. an electrically conductive electrode formed over the film on the first surface of the sensor body; and d. an electrically conductive electrode formed over an opposing second surface of the sensor body.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 10 in which the gas is oxygen and the material of the body comprises material selected from the group consisting of: ZrO 2 , CeO 2 or ThO 2 .

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 10 in which the electrodes are formed of porous LaCrO 3 and the body comprises material selected from the group consisting of: ZrO 2 , CeO 2 , or ThO 2 .

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 81 words

Apparatus comprising: (a) a body of solid electrolyte material which exhibits ionic conduction in the presence of a gas; (b) first and second electrodes permeable to said gas formed over opposite first and second surfaces of said body; and (c) one of said electrodes comprising a composition of Bi in a predominant amount and an element selected from the group consisting of a rare element, an alkaline earth metal, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W, and a conductive element.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 81 words

Apparatus comprising: (a) a body of solid electrolyte material which exhibits ionic conduction in the presence of a gas; (b) first and second electrodes permeable to said gas formed over opposite first and second surfaces of said body; and (c) one of said electrodes comprising a composition of Bi in a predominant amount and an element selected from the group consisting of a rare element, an alkaline earth metal, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W, and a conductive element.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the conductive element is Pt, Ag or Au.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the conductive element is LaCrO 3 .

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 174 words

Apparatus comprising: (a) a first body of solid electrolyte material capable of ionic conduction between two major surfaces of the body in the presence of a gas concentration differential between said surfaces and capable of pumping gas from one such surface to the other upon application of a voltage across said surfaces; (b) electrodes formed over said two surfaces; (c) one of said electrodes including film means for improving the conductivity of the electrode/body interface formed between said one electrode and one of said surfaces; said film means being a composition comprising Bi in a predominant amount and an element selected from the group consisting of a rare earth element, an alkaline earth metal, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W; (d) an apertured body disposed in spaced apart adjacent relation to said first body and having a thermal coefficient of expansion similar to said first body; and (e) bonding means for bonding said apertured body to said first body leaving a small enclosed volume which is hermetically sealed except for said aperture.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 174 words

Apparatus comprising: (a) a first body of solid electrolyte material capable of ionic conduction between two major surfaces of the body in the presence of a gas concentration differential between said surfaces and capable of pumping gas from one such surface to the other upon application of a voltage across said surfaces; (b) electrodes formed over said two surfaces; (c) one of said electrodes including film means for improving the conductivity of the electrode/body interface formed between said one electrode and one of said surfaces; said film means being a composition comprising Bi in a predominant amount and an element selected from the group consisting of a rare earth element, an alkaline earth metal, Ga, Pb, In, Sn, Ti, Mo and W; (d) an apertured body disposed in spaced apart adjacent relation to said first body and having a thermal coefficient of expansion similar to said first body; and (e) bonding means for bonding said apertured body to said first body leaving a small enclosed volume which is hermetically sealed except for said aperture.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the bonding means comprises glass frit.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein gas is pumped into said volume by applying a voltage across said electrodes.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-10-14	1989-04-15	1989-10-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-10-14	1993-04-15	1993-10-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-10-14	1997-04-15	1997-10-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Gas analysis apparatus

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