US6029500A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Piezoelectric quartz crystal hydrogen sensor, and hydrogen sensing method utilizing same
Assignee: Life Safety Germany GmbH
•
Filing: 1998-05-19
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Granted: 2000-02-29
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Expires: 2018-05-19
Abstract
Abstract A hydrogen sensor including a piezoelectric device with a hydrogen-interactive metal film that reversibly interacts with hydrogen to provide a correspondingly altered frequency response characteristic, relative to the frequency response in the absence of hydrogen. The piezoelectric device may be for example a quartz microbalance or a surface acoustic wave device, having a thin film (e.g., 10-100,000 Angstroms thickness) coating thereon of a hydrogen-interactive metal such as palladium, platinum, nickel or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Glenn M. Tom
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:54
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/02; G01N29/036; G01N33/00; G01N33/0004; G01N33/0009; G01N33/0027; G01N33/0036; G01N33/005; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/02; G01N2291/025; G01N2291/0256
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device that is arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment to detect the presence of hydrogen therein and that is electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device that is arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment to detect the presence of hydrogen therein and that is electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises one or more metal species selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, platinum, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, iron, ruthenium and osmium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises a metal species selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, nickel, alloys of two or more of the foregoing metals, and alloys containing one or more of the foregoing metals with other metal species.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises palladium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric device comprises a quartz microbalance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric device comprises a surface acoustic wave device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the metal layer is from about 10 to about 100,000 Å.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the metal layer is from about 20 to about 2000 Å.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device comprising a quartz microbalance having a palladium electrode coating thereon, said piezoelectric device being arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment to detect the presence of hydrogen therein and being electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device comprising a quartz microbalance having a palladium electrode coating thereon, said piezoelectric device being arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment to detect the presence of hydrogen therein and being electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a second piezoelectric device of corresponding type but lacking a hydrogen-interactive metal layer, and constructed and arranged to provide a frequency response output that in comparison to the frequency response of the first piezoelectric device is indicative for the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric devices are quartz microbalances, including a first quartz microbalance having a palladium electrode coating thereon, and a second quartz microbalance having a gold electrode coating thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, which is sensitive to hydrogen at a concentration of from 0% to 100% by volume hydrogen in fluid contacted with said metal layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, which is sensitive for hydrogen in air and in inert atmospheres.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein said means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas comprises an electronics module coupled to the piezoelectric device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein said means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas comprises an alarm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A hydrogen gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein said means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas comprises a visual display.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
48 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a piezoelectric device including a hydrogen-interactive metal which in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
48 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a piezoelectric device including a hydrogen-interactive metal which in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring the frequency response characteristic of the piezoelectric device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 18, further comprising generating an output indicative of the presence of hydrogen in the environment from the monitored frequency response characteristic of the piezoelectric device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein said environment is an inert gas environment.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein said environment comprises air.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the hydrogen-interactive metal comprises one or more metal species selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, platinum, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, iron, ruthenium, and osmium, alloys of two or more of the foregoing metal species, and alloys containing one or more of the foregoing metal species with other metal species.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the hydrogen-interactive metal comprises one or more metal species selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, nickel, alloys of two or more of the foregoing metals, and alloys containing one or more of the foregoing metals with other metal species.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the hydrogen-interactive metal comprises palladium.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the piezoelectric device comprises a surface acoustic wave device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the thickness of the hydrogen-interactive metal is from about 10 to about 100,000 Å.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein the thickness of the hydrogen-interactive metal is from about 20 to about 2000 Å.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a quartz microbalance having a palladium electrode coating which is hydrogen-interactive and in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a quartz microbalance having a palladium electrode coating which is hydrogen-interactive and in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 17, further comprising a second piezoelectric device of corresponding type but lacking the hydrogen-interactive metal, and constructed and arranged to provide a frequency response output that in comparison to frequency response output of the first piezoelectric device is indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein the piezoelectric devices comprise quartz microbalances, including a first quartz microbalance having a palladium electrode coating thereon, and a second quartz microbalance having a gold electrode coating thereon.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
94 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device that is arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment to detect the presence of hydrogen therein and that is electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas, wherein the piezoelectric device comprises a quartz microbalance including an electrode coating comprising said metal layer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
94 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device that is arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment to detect the presence of hydrogen therein and that is electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas, wherein the piezoelectric device comprises a quartz microbalance including an electrode coating comprising said metal layer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
66 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device that is electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer about 50 to 500 Å thick on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
66 words
A hydrogen gas sensor, comprising: a piezoelectric device that is electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response; a metal layer about 50 to 500 Å thick on a surface of the piezoelectric device that in exposure to hydrogen gas reversibly interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device; and means for outputting the frequency response change indicative of the presence of hydrogen gas.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a quartz microbalance including an electrode formed from the hydrogen-interactive metal which in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a quartz microbalance including an electrode formed from the hydrogen-interactive metal which in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a piezoelectric device including a hydrogen-interactive metal from about 50 to about 500 Å thick, which in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of determining the presence of hydrogen gas in an environment, comprising contacting gas from the environment with a piezoelectric device including a hydrogen-interactive metal from about 50 to about 500 Å thick, which in exposure to hydrogen gas provides an altered frequency response relative to corresponding operation when the environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
86 words
A hydrogen gas sensing apparatus, comprising a piezoelectric device arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment, said piezoelectric device being electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response and having a metal layer on a surface of said piezoelectric device which, upon exposure to hydrogen gas, reversibly selectively interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device without hysteresis effects, and said piezoelectric device providing an altered frequency response relative to reference conditions corresponding to operation when the monitored environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
86 words
A hydrogen gas sensing apparatus, comprising a piezoelectric device arranged for contacting gas from a monitored environment, said piezoelectric device being electrically excitable to exhibit a frequency response and having a metal layer on a surface of said piezoelectric device which, upon exposure to hydrogen gas, reversibly selectively interacts therewith to change the frequency response of the piezoelectric device without hysteresis effects, and said piezoelectric device providing an altered frequency response relative to reference conditions corresponding to operation when the monitored environment contains no hydrogen gas.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of sensing hydrogen gas in a monitored environment, comprising providing a piezoelectric device according to claim 35, and monitoring the frequency response of said piezoelectric device to determine the presence of hydrogen gas in said monitored environment.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-28 | 2003-08-30 | 2004-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-28 | 2007-08-30 | 2008-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-28 | 2011-08-30 | 2012-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |