US5165292A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Channel Device and tube connection and their fabrication procedures
Assignee: OttoSensors Corp
•
Filing: 1991-07-02
•
Granted: 1992-11-24
•
Expires: 2011-07-02
Abstract
Abstract A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid is provided. The device comprises a measuring channel which is designed for conducting fluid flow therethrough and which is defined by a wall and a substrate. An inlet orifice and an outlet orifice are provided for conducting fluid into and out of the measuring channel and at least one sensor is located adjacent the measuring channel for measuring the characteristic of the fluid. The wall has outer portions, which are sealing adhered to the substrate, and upwardly bent portions, which partially define the measuring channel. The outer portions and the upwardly bent portions are of substantially the same thickness. The wall is preferably made of a synthetic resin, glass, ceramic, silicon nitride, silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, or combination of these materials.
Inventors
- 👤 Otto J. Prohaska
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:03
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/02; G01N27/22; G01N27/221; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/68; G01F1/684; G01F1/6847; G01N11/00; G01N11/02; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N25/00; G01N25/18; G01N21/41; G01N21/84; G01N21/85; G01N2201/00; G01N2201/06; G01N2201/062; G01N2201/0622; G01N30/00; G01N30/02; G01N30/60; G01N30/6052; G01N30/6095; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49007; Y10T29/4981; Y10T29/49812
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid, said device comprising: means defining a measuring channel of predetermined shape for conducting fluid flow therethrough; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for conducting the fluid into and out of said measuring channel; at least one sensor located adjacent said measuring channel for measuring the one characteristic of the fluid; said means defining said measuring channel including a substrate and a wall having opposite end portions sealingly adhered to said substrate, said wall including upwardly bent portions extending away from said substrate to define said measuring channel of a predetermined shape; said device further comprising one tube attached to said substrate and defining said inlet orifice, and a second tube attached to said substrate defining the outlet orifice; said wall tightly adhering to at least part of both of said tubes defining said inlet and outlet orifices upon being attached to said substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
155 words
A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid, said device comprising: means defining a measuring channel of predetermined shape for conducting fluid flow therethrough; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for conducting the fluid into and out of said measuring channel; at least one sensor located adjacent said measuring channel for measuring the one characteristic of the fluid; said means defining said measuring channel including a substrate and a wall having opposite end portions sealingly adhered to said substrate, said wall including upwardly bent portions extending away from said substrate to define said measuring channel of a predetermined shape; said device further comprising one tube attached to said substrate and defining said inlet orifice, and a second tube attached to said substrate defining the outlet orifice; said wall tightly adhering to at least part of both of said tubes defining said inlet and outlet orifices upon being attached to said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wall is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a synthetic resin, glass, ceramic, silicon nitride, silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, or combination of these materials.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an actuator for acting on the fluid during measuring the characteristic thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said actuator includes at least one heating element for heating the fluid and said one sensor is a temperature sensor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said temperature sensor is located between said one heating element and said outlet orifice.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said temperature sensor is located between said heating element and said inlet orifice.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one tube defining said inlet orifice forms a nozzle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an additional layer at least partially covering said wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said substrate has an indentation for receiving at least one of said tubes therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the cross-section of said indentation corresponds substantially to the cross-section of said one tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising more than two tubes communicating with said measuring channel, said measuring channel having a plurality of channel portions associated with respective tubes and having different cross-sections.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the height of said measuring channel is from 0.01 um to 50 um and the width of said measuring channel is equal to or greater than its height.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a cover layer for protecting said one sensor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one sensor is positioned on the outside of said wall and is protected with a cover layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a reference channel for comparison measurement of a reference sample.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thickness of said wall is equal to the height of said measuring channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cross-section of said measuring channel of a shape selected from a group consisting of a rectangle and a trapezoid.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
118 words
A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid, said device comprising: means defining a measuring channel of predetermined shape for conducting fluid flow therethrough; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for conducting the fluid into and out of said measuring channel; at least one sensor located adjacent said measuring channel for measuring the one characteristic of the fluid; said means defining said measuring channel including a substrate and a wall having opposite end portions sealingly adhered to said substrate, said wall also including upwardly bent portion extending away from said substrate to define said measuring channel of a predetermined shape; wherein said inlet and outlet orifices are formed by holes extending through said substrate.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
118 words
A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid, said device comprising: means defining a measuring channel of predetermined shape for conducting fluid flow therethrough; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for conducting the fluid into and out of said measuring channel; at least one sensor located adjacent said measuring channel for measuring the one characteristic of the fluid; said means defining said measuring channel including a substrate and a wall having opposite end portions sealingly adhered to said substrate, said wall also including upwardly bent portion extending away from said substrate to define said measuring channel of a predetermined shape; wherein said inlet and outlet orifices are formed by holes extending through said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said wall is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a synthetic resin, glass, ceramic, silicon nitride, silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, or combination of these materials.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as set forth in claim 18 further comprising an actuator for acting on the fluid during measuring the characteristic thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said actuator includes at least one heating element for heating the fluid and said one sensor is a temperature sensor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as set forth in claim 21 wherein said temperature sensor is located between said one heating element and said outlet orifice.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as set forth in claim 18 wherein the height of the measuring channel is from 0.01 μm to 50 μm and the width of said measuring channel is equal to or greater than its height.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
203 words
A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid, said device comprising: means defining a measuring channel of a predetermined shape for conducting fluid flow therethrough; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for conducting fluid into and out of said measuring channel; at least one sensor located adjacent said measuring channel for measuring the one characteristic of the fluid; said means defining said measuring channel including a substrate and a wall having opposite end portions sealingly adhered to said substrate, said wall also including upwardly bent portions extending away form said substrate to define said measuring channel of a predetermined shape, said measuring channel being formed by depositing said wall by one of evaporation, spin on, drop on, sputtering, reaction deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition onto a portion of said substrate and onto at least a portion of a dissolvable body of material previously deposited on said substrate and having the predetermined shape of said measuring channel, the dissolvable body of material being subsequently dissolved and removed to form said measuring channel between said wall and said substrate, said wall remaining adhered to said substrate during and after dissolving of the dissolvable body of material.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
203 words
A device for measuring at least one characteristic of a fluid, said device comprising: means defining a measuring channel of a predetermined shape for conducting fluid flow therethrough; an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for conducting fluid into and out of said measuring channel; at least one sensor located adjacent said measuring channel for measuring the one characteristic of the fluid; said means defining said measuring channel including a substrate and a wall having opposite end portions sealingly adhered to said substrate, said wall also including upwardly bent portions extending away form said substrate to define said measuring channel of a predetermined shape, said measuring channel being formed by depositing said wall by one of evaporation, spin on, drop on, sputtering, reaction deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition onto a portion of said substrate and onto at least a portion of a dissolvable body of material previously deposited on said substrate and having the predetermined shape of said measuring channel, the dissolvable body of material being subsequently dissolved and removed to form said measuring channel between said wall and said substrate, said wall remaining adhered to said substrate during and after dissolving of the dissolvable body of material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE1113319B
Cited
FR1364777A
Cited
US3503116A
Cited
US3538744A
Cited
DE2049877A1
Cited
US3696479A
Cited
US4064753A
Cited
GB2037066A
Cited
JPS5618751A
Cited
GB2090768A
Cited
US4498229A
Cited
US4616505A
Cited
US4542650A
Cited
US4685331A
Cited
JPS62103569A
Cited
US5027499A
Cited
US4729189A
Cited
US4818361A
Cited
US4902138A
Cited
US5116495A
Cited
US4863491A
Cited
US4893108A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-11-24 | 1996-05-25 | 1996-11-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-11-24 | 2000-05-25 | 2000-11-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-11-24 | 2004-05-25 | 2004-11-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |