US5331845A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Probe and method for detecting alcohol
Assignee: Hach Lange SARL
•
Filing: 1993-01-19
•
Granted: 1994-07-26
•
Expires: 2013-01-19
Abstract
Abstract A probe for measuring the concentration of an alcohol, such as ethanol, in a liquid, such as water. The probe according to the invention has a membrane that is permeable for vapors of the alcohol but substantially impermeable for the liquid; a measuring chamber having an open end closed against the liquid by the membrane is provided and has an inlet and an outlet; a pump or other pressure means serves to feed a purge gas, such as air, via the inlet into and out of the measuring chamber; a valve is provided near the inlet for controlled passage of the purge gas through the chamber; a suitably dimensioned detector including a pellistor or a gas-sensitive resistor is arranged in the measuring chamber for quantitative detection of the alcohol and for generating an electrical signal in proportion with the detection.
Inventors
- 👤 Ion Bals
- 👤 John M. Hale
- 👤 Eugen Weber
- 👤 Antoine Gagnebin
- 👤 Gerard R. Stehle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:13
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/02; G01N33/14; G01N33/146; G01N33/0004; G01N33/0009; G01N33/0011; G01N33/0027; G01N33/0029; G01N33/0036; G01N33/0047
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A probe for measuring a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a liquid comprising: (A) a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid; (B) a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet and an outlet; (C) a pressure means for feeding a purge gas via said inlet into said measuring chamber and out of said chamber by means of said outlet, and at least one valve for controlling passage of said purge gas through said measuring chamber; and (D) a detector arranged within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in proportion with said detection.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A probe for measuring a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a liquid comprising: (A) a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid; (B) a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet and an outlet; (C) a pressure means for feeding a purge gas via said inlet into said measuring chamber and out of said chamber by means of said outlet, and at least one valve for controlling passage of said purge gas through said measuring chamber; and (D) a detector arranged within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in proportion with said detection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein said detector includes a pellistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein said detector includes a gas-sensitive resistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein said detector includes a quartz crystal microbalance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein said detector includes an optoacoustic spectrometer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A probe as in claim 1, wherein said membrane has a free surface for direct exposure to the liquid.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of measuring a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a liquid comprising: (E) contacting said liquid with a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid; (F) providing a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet port and an outlet port; (G) providing a detector within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in relation with said quantitative detection; (H) providing an indicator capable of converting said signal into an indication of said concentration of said alcohol in said liquid; and (I) intermittently purging said measuring chamber with a controlled stream of a purge gas fed into said inlet port of said measuring chamber.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of measuring a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a liquid comprising: (E) contacting said liquid with a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid; (F) providing a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet port and an outlet port; (G) providing a detector within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in relation with said quantitative detection; (H) providing an indicator capable of converting said signal into an indication of said concentration of said alcohol in said liquid; and (I) intermittently purging said measuring chamber with a controlled stream of a purge gas fed into said inlet port of said measuring chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said detector includes a pellistor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said detector includes a gas-sensitive resistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said probe contains a catalytic means capable of oxidizing said alcohol in the presence of oxygen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said detector includes a quartz crystal microbalance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said detector includes an optoacoustic spectrometer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said probe contains a means capable of selectively adsorbing said alcohol.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said purge gas contains a component capable of oxidizing alcohol in an exothermic reaction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said purge gas includes carbon tetrachloride in the form of air saturated therewith.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein said membrane has a free surface for direct exposure to the liquid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
152 words
A probe for in-line measurement of a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a process stream of liquid comprising: (A) a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane disposed in the vicinity of said liquid process stream; (B) a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet and an outlet; (C) a pressure means for feeding a purge gas via said inlet into said measuring chamber and out of said chamber by means of said outlet, and at least one valve for intermittently controlling passage of said purge gas through said measuring chamber, said valve adapted for cyclical purging of said measuring chamber; and (D) a detector arranged within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in proportion with said detection.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
152 words
A probe for in-line measurement of a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a process stream of liquid comprising: (A) a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane disposed in the vicinity of said liquid process stream; (B) a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet and an outlet; (C) a pressure means for feeding a purge gas via said inlet into said measuring chamber and out of said chamber by means of said outlet, and at least one valve for intermittently controlling passage of said purge gas through said measuring chamber, said valve adapted for cyclical purging of said measuring chamber; and (D) a detector arranged within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in proportion with said detection.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of in-line measurement of a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a process stream of liquid comprising: (E) contacting said liquid with a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane disposed in the vicinity of said liquid process stream; (F) providing a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet port and an outlet port; (G) providing a detector within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in relation with said quantitative detection; (H) providing an indicator capable of converting said signal into an indication of said concentration of said alcohol in said liquid; and (I) intermittently and cyclically purging said measuring chamber with a controlled stream of a purge gas fed into said inlet port of said measuring chamber.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of in-line measurement of a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a process stream of liquid comprising: (E) contacting said liquid with a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane disposed in the vicinity of said liquid process stream; (F) providing a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet port and an outlet port; (G) providing a detector within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in relation with said quantitative detection; (H) providing an indicator capable of converting said signal into an indication of said concentration of said alcohol in said liquid; and (I) intermittently and cyclically purging said measuring chamber with a controlled stream of a purge gas fed into said inlet port of said measuring chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
138 words
A probe for in-line measurement of a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a flowing liquid comprising: (A) a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane mounted in a flow chamber; (B) a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and have an inlet and an outlet; (C) a pressure means for feeding a purge gas via said inlet into said measure chamber and out of said chamber by means of said outlet, and at least one valve for intermittently and cyclically controlling passage of said purge gas through said measuring chamber; and (D) a detector arranged within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in proportion with said detection.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
138 words
A probe for in-line measurement of a concentration of a normally volatile alcohol in a flowing liquid comprising: (A) a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane mounted in a flow chamber; (B) a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and have an inlet and an outlet; (C) a pressure means for feeding a purge gas via said inlet into said measure chamber and out of said chamber by means of said outlet, and at least one valve for intermittently and cyclically controlling passage of said purge gas through said measuring chamber; and (D) a detector arranged within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in proportion with said detection.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of in-line measurement of a normally volatile alcohol in a flowing liquid comprising: (E) contacting said flowing liquid with a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane mounted in a floor chamber; (F) providing a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet port and an outlet port; (G) providing a detector within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in relation with said quantitative detection; (H) providing an indicator capable of converting said signal into an indication of said concentration of said alcohol in said liquid; and (I) intermittently and cyclically purging said measuring chamber with a controlled stream of a purge gas fed into said inlet port of said measuring chamber.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of in-line measurement of a normally volatile alcohol in a flowing liquid comprising: (E) contacting said flowing liquid with a membrane that is permeable to vapors of said alcohol but substantially impermeable to said liquid, said membrane mounted in a floor chamber; (F) providing a measuring chamber having an open end closed against said liquid by said membrane and having an inlet port and an outlet port; (G) providing a detector within said measuring chamber capable of an essentially quantitative detection of said alcohol and of generating an electrical signal in relation with said quantitative detection; (H) providing an indicator capable of converting said signal into an indication of said concentration of said alcohol in said liquid; and (I) intermittently and cyclically purging said measuring chamber with a controlled stream of a purge gas fed into said inlet port of said measuring chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE258284C
Cited
US3438241A
Cited
US3673853A
Cited
US3731523A
Cited
US3871228A
Cited
US3866460A
Cited
US4201550A
Cited
US4365505A
Cited
US4402211A
Cited
US4461165A
Cited
US4316382A
Cited
US4463593A
Cited
US4516580A
Cited
US4550590A
Cited
US4563249A
Cited
US4517135A
Cited
US5144831A
Cited
US5121627A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-07-25 | 1998-01-24 | 1998-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-07-25 | 2002-01-24 | 2002-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-07-25 | 2006-01-24 | 2006-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |