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US 10,295,473 B2Granted
System for visual and electronic reading of colorimetric tubes
AssigneeNextteq LLC
InventorsBryan I. Truex, Gueorgui M. Mihaylov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Gas detector tubes may be used to determine a concentration of target gases in air. The gas detector tubes described may be read either by and optical reader or visually by the user. A gas detector tube reader having an optical reader capable of reading a length of stain, a color change and color density of a reagent in a gas detector tube. The gas detector tube may further comprise sensors for measuring the environmental conditions during sampling.
Claims23
A gas detector tube reader system, comprising:
- a gas detector tube comprising at least one elongated extension and a chemical reagent with the gas detector tube;
- a gas detector tube reader, comprising:
- a holder for securing the gas detector tube comprising the at least one elongated extension in the gas detector tube reader, wherein the at least one elongated extension comprises electronically or optically readable tube information describing characteristics of the chemical reagent in the gas detector tube;
- an information reader configured for reading the electronically or optically readable tube information describing characteristics of the chemical reagent in the gas detector tube, wherein the tube information comprises a calibration curve relating a length of stain to a corresponding gas concentration for the chemical reagent;
- an optical reader configured for determining the length of stain in the gas detector tube, wherein the optical reader comprises a linear light source that illuminates the surface of the chemical reagent and a main light sensor situated along the length of the chemical reagent to read a color density of light from the linear light source that is reflected off the chemical reagent in the gas detector tube;
- and
- a central processing unit in communication with the information reader and the optical reader, wherein the central processing unit estimates a concentration of target gases based upon output from the information reader and integrating measured color changes of the chemical reagent indicated by the optical reader over the illuminated length of the chemical reagent.
4 more elements
A gas detector tube reader system, comprising:
- a gas detector tube;
- a gas detector tube reader, comprising:
- a holder for securing the gas detector tube, wherein the gas detector tube comprises a chemical reagent and electronically or optically coded information, wherein the coded information comprises an initial color of the chemical reagent and a calibration curve relating a length of stain to a corresponding gas concentration for the chemical reagent;
- a linear light source;
- a light sensor situated to read the color of the chemical reagent prior to sampling in an area close to the inlet plug of gas detector tube and a main light sensor that reads a change in color density of light reflected from the chemical reagent in the gas detector tube from the linear light source that illuminates the surface of the chemical reagent;
- and
- a central processing unit in communication with light sensor, wherein the central processing unit is programmed to compare the color density of the chemical reagent after exposure to a target compound to the initial color of the chemical reagent to determine a length of stain and to calculate a gas concentration based upon the calibration curve and the length of stain.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.