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US 10,241,106 B2Granted
Atmospheric pressure ion detector for outside air measurement
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorMinoru Sakairi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is no small ion detecting apparatus that quickly and easily performs mass spectrometry under atmospheric pressure. Therefore, in order to solve the problem, an electrode arrangement and an electrode holding form for enabling water clusters in outside air to be detected with high sensitivity are provided. By using such solving means, it is possible to detect ions in a place having spatial constraints.
Claims15
An outside air detecting apparatus comprising:
- a housing under an atmospheric pressure having an introducing port for introducing outside air into the housing;
- a voltage applied-electrode disposed in the housing;
- a detection electrode disposed in the housing,
- wherein the outside air introduced into the housing through the introducing port passes between the voltage applied-electrode and the detection electrode;
- an outlet for discharging the outside air that passes between the voltage applied-electrode and the detection electrode from the housing to outside;
- an alcohol sensor disposed in the housing;
- a power supply configured to apply a voltage to the voltage applied-electrode;
- a measurement control unit having a memory and a processor which are configured to control the voltage applied from the power supply to the voltage applied-electrode and to measure a signal from a current detected by the detection electrode;
- and
- an output unit configured to output a measurement based on the signal,
- wherein the detection electrode and the voltage-applied electrode face each other,
- wherein the detection electrode detects current generated by the outside air that passes between the voltage applied electrode and the detection electrode by the application of an alternating-current voltage to the voltage-applied electrode,
- wherein the measurement control unit measures the signal from the current detected by the detection electrode for a predetermined period of time after an intensity of the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold stored in the memory, and the output unit outputs the measurement based on the signal, and
- wherein the measurement control unit measures an alcohol signal from the alcohol sensor and the signal from the current detected by the detection electrode.
11 more elements
An outside air detecting apparatus, comprising:
- a housing under an atmospheric pressure having an introducing port for introducing outside air into the housing;
- a voltage applied-electrode disposed in the housing;
- a detection electrode disposed in the housing,
- wherein the outside air introduced into the housing through the introducing port passes between the voltage applied-electrode and the detection electrode;
- an outlet for discharging the outside air that passes between the voltage applied-electrode and the detection electrode from the housing to outside;
- a power supply configured to apply a voltage to the voltage applied-electrode,
- a measurement control unit having a memory and a processor which are configured to control the voltage applied from the power supply to the voltage applied-electrode and to measure a signal from a current detected by the detection electrode,
- an output unit configured to output a measurement based on the signal,
- wherein the detection electrode and the voltage-applied electrode face each other,
- wherein the detection electrode detects current generated by the outside air that passes between the voltage applied electrode and the detection electrode by the application of an alternating-current voltage to the voltage-applied electrode, and
- wherein the measurement control unit measures the signal from the current detected by the detection electrode for a predetermined period of time after an intensity of the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold stored in the memory, and the output unit outputs the measurement based on the signal;
- and
- a semiconductor sensor, at least a detection surface of which is disposed in the housing such that at least the detection surface is exposed to the introduced outside air,
- wherein a hole section is formed in a part of the detection electrode and the detection surface of the semiconductor sensor is arranged in the hole section to expose the detection surface.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.