US3873267A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Oxygen or carbon monoxide detector
Assignee: SWARTZ ALLEN IRVING
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Filing: 1972-08-07
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1992-08-07
Abstract
Abstract An oxygen sensitive resistor for the detection of oxygen levels. The resistor includes an oxygen permeable membrane enclosing a reversible acting oxygen binding material. The oxygen binder absorbs oxygen diffusing across the membrane in a reversible process to vary the number of charge carriers between resistor electrodes and correspondingly change the resistance of the binding material as a function of bound oxygen. When used in vivo, the binding of oxygen in the resistor reaches an equilibrium representative of oxygen content of the tissues or blood external of the membrane so that accurate oxygen level measurements are not dependent on rates of oxygen diffusion through the membrane which are difficult to control. A similar gas binding effect is employed to provide a carbon monoxide detector.
Inventors
- 👤 Mitchell R Swartz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:23
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/145; A61B5/14542; A61B5/1468; G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/02; G01N27/04; G01N27/06; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/20; Y10T436/204998; Y10T436/205831; Y10T436/207497; Y10T436/209163
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A DETECTOR FOR PROVIDING AN INDICATION OF THE RELATIVE CONCENTRATION OF OXYGEN IN AN ENVIRONMENT COMPRISING: A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HEMOGLOBIN, COBALT DIHISTIDINE, HEMERYTHIN, ERYTHROCRUORIN, CHLOROCRUORIN, HEMOCYANINM AND MYOGLOBIN HAVING THE PROPERTY OF REVERSIBLY BINDING OXYGEN, THE BINDING OF OXYGEN BY SAID MATERIAL RESULTING IN THE RELEASE OF CHARGE CARRIERS IN SAID MATERIAL, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCENTRATION OF CHARGE CARRIERS RELEASED FROM SAID MATERIAL TO PROVIDE A REPRESENTATION OF THE CONDUCTIVITY OF SAID MATERIAL, AND
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
A DETECTOR FOR PROVIDING AN INDICATION OF THE RELATIVE CONCENTRATION OF OXYGEN IN AN ENVIRONMENT COMPRISING: A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HEMOGLOBIN, COBALT DIHISTIDINE, HEMERYTHIN, ERYTHROCRUORIN, CHLOROCRUORIN, HEMOCYANINM AND MYOGLOBIN HAVING THE PROPERTY OF REVERSIBLY BINDING OXYGEN, THE BINDING OF OXYGEN BY SAID MATERIAL RESULTING IN THE RELEASE OF CHARGE CARRIERS IN SAID MATERIAL, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCENTRATION OF CHARGE CARRIERS RELEASED FROM SAID MATERIAL TO PROVIDE A REPRESENTATION OF THE CONDUCTIVITY OF SAID MATERIAL, AND
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The detector of claim 1 further including: a solution of the material which binds oxygen and a base in said solution in a concentration which increases the availability of said charge carriers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The detector of claim 2 further including a biasing agent selected from the group consisting of 2, 3 diphosphoglyceric acid, ATP, inositol hexaphosphate, K4(Fe(CN)6) and K3(Co(CN)6) in a concentration which provides a generally linear variation of material conductivity with sensed oxygen concentration at a predetermined oxygen concentration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The detector of claim 1 wherein said means for providing a representation of said material conductivity includes: a signal source; means for applying the signal from said source to said material; and means for detecting the response to said signal of said material to generate said representation of the conductivity of said material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
A carbon monoxide detector comprising: a material including haemoglobin having a carbon monoxide affinity which produces a reversible binding of carbon monoxide in response to the exposure of said material to carbon monoxide; the reversible binding of carbon monoxide by said material affecting the conductivity of said material; membrane means for exposing said material to an environment to permit binding of carbon monoxide from said environment by said material to a degree representative of the concentration of carbon monoxide in said environment; means for determining the conductivity of said material in response to the binding of carbon monoxide thereby to provide a representation of the concentration of carbon monoxide in said environment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
112 words
A carbon monoxide detector comprising: a material including haemoglobin having a carbon monoxide affinity which produces a reversible binding of carbon monoxide in response to the exposure of said material to carbon monoxide; the reversible binding of carbon monoxide by said material affecting the conductivity of said material; membrane means for exposing said material to an environment to permit binding of carbon monoxide from said environment by said material to a degree representative of the concentration of carbon monoxide in said environment; means for determining the conductivity of said material in response to the binding of carbon monoxide thereby to provide a representation of the concentration of carbon monoxide in said environment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
A gas sensitive resistor for measuring the concentration of oxygen including: first and second electrodes; a material selected from the group consisting of haemoglobin, cobalt dihistidine, hemerythin, erythrocruorin, chlorocruorin, hemocyanin, and myoglobin having the properties of reversibly binding oxygen with a resultant change in conductivity; a gas permeable membrane enclosing said oxygen binding material for containing said material and permitting the diffusion of oxygen therethrough; said first and second electrodes penetrating said membrane to provide electrical contacts to said material whereby the conductivity of said material may be determined.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
A gas sensitive resistor for measuring the concentration of oxygen including: first and second electrodes; a material selected from the group consisting of haemoglobin, cobalt dihistidine, hemerythin, erythrocruorin, chlorocruorin, hemocyanin, and myoglobin having the properties of reversibly binding oxygen with a resultant change in conductivity; a gas permeable membrane enclosing said oxygen binding material for containing said material and permitting the diffusion of oxygen therethrough; said first and second electrodes penetrating said membrane to provide electrical contacts to said material whereby the conductivity of said material may be determined.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The gas sensitive resistor of claim 6 further including: biasing material selected from the group consisting of 2, 3 diphosphoglyceric acid, ATP, inositol hexaphosphate, K4(Fe(CN)6) and K3(Co(CN)6) in combinatiOn with the oxygen binding material to adjust the property of said oxygen binding material to vary the concentration of charge carriers in response to the binding of oxygen to a predetermined condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The gas sensitive resistor of claim 6 further including a base that raises the pH of said material a predetermined amount.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
THE GAS SENSITIVE RESISTOR OF CLAIM 6 FURTHER INCLUDING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID ELECTRODES TO PROVIDE AN OUTPUT INDICATION OF THE CONDUCTIVITY OF SAID BINDING MATERIAL.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
An oxygen sensitive resistor comprising: first and second electrodes; a thin membrane of a highly oxygen permeable material; a solution containing haemoglobin; said membrane enclosing said solution to provide an oxygen penetrable barrier between said solution and its environment; means for connecting said electrodes from said solution to said environment; means for exciting said electrodes with an electrical potential insufficient for oxygen reduction to form water; and means for detecting the flow of current from said exciting means through said electrodes and said solution.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
An oxygen sensitive resistor comprising: first and second electrodes; a thin membrane of a highly oxygen permeable material; a solution containing haemoglobin; said membrane enclosing said solution to provide an oxygen penetrable barrier between said solution and its environment; means for connecting said electrodes from said solution to said environment; means for exciting said electrodes with an electrical potential insufficient for oxygen reduction to form water; and means for detecting the flow of current from said exciting means through said electrodes and said solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The oxygen sensitive resistor of claim 10 including a first further material in combination with said solution to adjust the pH of said solution in the range of between 6 and 7.5.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The oxygen sensitive resistor of claim 11 wherein said first further material is a base.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
The oxygen sensitive resistor of claim 11 further including a biasing agent selected from the group consisting of 2, 3 diphosphoglyceric acid, ATP, inositol hexaphosphate, K4(Fe(CN)6) and K3(Co(CN)6) in combination with said solution to alter the variation in conductivity of said solution as a function of bound oxygen to provide a generally linear variation in conductivity at a predetermined oxygen concentration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The oxygen sensitive resistor of claim 10 wherein said membrane is a silicone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The oxygen sensitive resistor of claim 10 wherein said first and second electrodes include platinized platinum surfaces in the region contacting said solution.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
80 words
A gas sensitive resistor for measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide including: first and second electrodes; a material including haemoglobin having the properties of reversibly binding carbon monoxide with a resultant change in conductivity; a gas permeable membrane enclosing said carbon monoxide binding material for containing said material and permitting the diffusion of carbon monoxide therethrough; said first and second electrodes penetrating said membrane to provide electrical contacts to said material whereby the conductivity of said material may be determined.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
80 words
A gas sensitive resistor for measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide including: first and second electrodes; a material including haemoglobin having the properties of reversibly binding carbon monoxide with a resultant change in conductivity; a gas permeable membrane enclosing said carbon monoxide binding material for containing said material and permitting the diffusion of carbon monoxide therethrough; said first and second electrodes penetrating said membrane to provide electrical contacts to said material whereby the conductivity of said material may be determined.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3558279A
Cited
US3689222A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |