EP0021798A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a device for determining ionic activity
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
•
Filing: 1980-06-19
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2000-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A device (30) for determining ionic activity in liquid solutions includes electrodes (38, 40) over which there is a cover sheet (42) in which is embedded a capillary bridge (44) for promoting ionic migration between the electrodes. The bridge (44) is formed of porous material and the material in which it is embedded is nonporous. Preferably, the cover sheet (42) is punched at each electrode (38,40) to provide fluid access holes (46, 48) for receiving drops of liquid solutions. Methods of making the device, including methods of embedding the porous bridge in the non-porous material, are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 William Franklin Gottermeier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/26; G01N27/28; G01N27/30; G01N27/307
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A device for determining ionic activity, including an electrically insulative frame, a pair of solid electrodes mounted on a surface of the frame in spaced apart relationship, and a porous bridge between the two electrodes, characterized by a unitary cover sheet extending over both electrodes and substantially the entire surface of the frame upon which the electrodes are mounted, the cover sheet being formed of a non-porous material and being bonded to the frame to secure the electrodes between the frame and the cover sheet, the cover sheet including two fluid access holes aligned one with each electrode, the holes extending through the cover sheet for receiving solution, and in that the porous bridge is formed of a ribbon of porous material embedded in the cover sheet and extending at least between the access holes for providing ionic flow between solution samples in each fluid access hole.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A device for determining ionic activity, including an electrically insulative frame, a pair of solid electrodes mounted on a surface of the frame in spaced apart relationship, and a porous bridge between the two electrodes, characterized by a unitary cover sheet extending over both electrodes and substantially the entire surface of the frame upon which the electrodes are mounted, the cover sheet being formed of a non-porous material and being bonded to the frame to secure the electrodes between the frame and the cover sheet, the cover sheet including two fluid access holes aligned one with each electrode, the holes extending through the cover sheet for receiving solution, and in that the porous bridge is formed of a ribbon of porous material embedded in the cover sheet and extending at least between the access holes for providing ionic flow between solution samples in each fluid access hole.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the non-porous material forming the cover sheet is a homogeneous plastics material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the non-porous material forming the cover sheet includes a layer of polystyrene, the ribbon of porous material being impressed into a a surface of the polystyrene layer with a face of the ribbon being exposed to a layer of polyethylene which at least covers said exposed face of the ribbon of porous material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the ribbon of porous material extends to opposed edges of the cover sheet.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
47 words
A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a layer of adhesive between the cover sheet and the electrodes for creating a seal around the fluid access holes to prevent solution spreading outwardly from the holes between the cover sheet and the electrodes.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
54 words
A device according to any one of the preceding claims,characterized in that the frame is formed of a continuous base layer and an apertured spacer layer bonded to the base layer, the electrodes being mounted on the base layer and extending through the spacer layer, the cover sheet being bonded to the spacer layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the spacer layer is thinner than the electrodes so that the electrodes extend beyond the surface of the spacer layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
40 words
A device according to any one of the preceding claims,characterized by two electrical access holes extending through the cover sheet, the electrical access holes being aligned one with each of the electrodes and being spaced from the fluid access holes.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
41 words
A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one vent opening in the cover sheet between the fluid access holes, the vent opening allowing air displaced from the porous bridge by advancing solution to escape.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of making a device for determining ionic activity, characterized by embedding an elongate ribbon of porous material within an elongate web of non-porous material to form an elongate web of cover sheet, forming a series of holes in the cover sheet through the porous material, applying electrodes to the cover sheet web in an orientation such that each of said holes aligns with a different electrode, joining to said web a frame of electrically nonconductive material with the electrodes sandwiched between the cover sheet web and the frame to form a composite strip, and severing the composite strip into individual devices each having two of said holes and two of said electrodes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of making a device for determining ionic activity, characterized by embedding an elongate ribbon of porous material within an elongate web of non-porous material to form an elongate web of cover sheet, forming a series of holes in the cover sheet through the porous material, applying electrodes to the cover sheet web in an orientation such that each of said holes aligns with a different electrode, joining to said web a frame of electrically nonconductive material with the electrodes sandwiched between the cover sheet web and the frame to form a composite strip, and severing the composite strip into individual devices each having two of said holes and two of said electrodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
A method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the step of embedding the elongate ribbon of porous material is effected by extruding the non-porous material to form a film, calendering the film and the elongate ribbon of porous material between a pair of rollers to form a composite web with the ribbon impressed in one surface thereof, and drawing the composite web under an extrusion die with said one surface in contact with another film of non-porous material from the extrusion die, whereby said one surface is overcoated with a layer of non-porous material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
129 words
A method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the step of embedding the elongate ribbon of porous material is effected by drawing a web of the porous material under an extrusion die in contact with a first film of non-porous material discharged from the extrusion die, whereby said porous material is coated on one side by said first film, slitting the coated web of porous material into a plurality of ribbons, extruding a second film of non- porous material wider than each ribbon of porous material, and calendering the coated ribbon of porous material and the second film between a pair of rollers with the coating facing away from the second film to form a composite web with the ribbon of porous material embedded between the non-porous films.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to Claim 12, characterized in that the first film is formed of polyethylene and the second film is formed of polystyrene.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.