# US 10,309,876 B2 · Cartridge for airborne substance sensing device, and airborne substance sensing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,876 B2 - Document ID: US10309876B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/025,299 - Filed: 2013-10-03 - Published: 2016-08-04 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-03 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Kei Takenaka; Shigenori Togashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309876B2 ## CPC - G01N 1/2247: {Sampling from a flowing stream of gas} - C12Q 1/24: Methods of sampling, or inoculating or spreading a sample; Methods of physically isolating an intact microorganisms - G01N 1/2205: {with filters} - G01N 1/2208: {with impactors} - G01N 1/2273: {Atmospheric sampling} - G01N 15/0612: {Optical scan of the deposits (G01N15/0625 takes precedence)} - G01N 15/0625: {Optical scan of the deposits} - G01N 15/1433: using image recognition - G01N 21/6428: {Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" (in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53)} - G01N 33/4833: {of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures (tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735)} - G01N 33/497: of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath - G01N 33/4975: {other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours} - G01N 35/00069: {whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk} - G01N 2001/2223: {aerosol sampling devices} - G01N 2001/2244: {Exhaled gas, e.g. alcohol detecting} - G01N 2001/227: {separating gas from solid, e.g. filter} - G01N 2015/0046: {in gas, e.g. smoke} - G01N 2015/1006: {for cytology} - G01N 2015/1497: {Particle shape} - G01N 2021/6439: {with indicators, stains, dyes, tags, labels, marks} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES ## Abstract An airborne substance sensing device is capable of blocking fluorescence that is not from an airborne substance and detecting faint fluorescence of an airborne substance with a high degree of accuracy through the use of a cartridge having an introduction plate in which micropores are formed through which a gas including an airborne substance can pass. A transparent collection plate opposes the introduction plate, and the airborne substance can be made to collide on the plate and be collected through the collision of the gas having passed through the micropores. In a main body, the introduction and collection plates are disposed in parallel, and a flow path for guiding the gas including the airborne substance to the micropores is formed. An opaque mask covers the collection plate and is provided with an opening window through which light can pass at a position corresponding to a collection area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device, comprising: an introduction plate on which at least one micropore through which a gas containing an airborne substance can pass is formed; a transparent collection plate disposed so as to face the introduction plate and capable of collecting the airborne substance due to collision of the airborne substance caused by collision of the gas which has passed through the micropore; a main body in which the introduction plate and the collection plate are disposed in parallel and a flow path for guiding the gas containing the airborne substance to the micropore is formed; and an opaque mask covering the collection plate and provided with at least one opening window through which light can pass at a position corresponding to a collection area on the collection plate in which the airborne substance is collected by collision; wherein the opening window of the mask is disposed so as to overlap with the area in which the airborne substance is captured and so as to have an area the same as or larger than the area in which the airborne substance is captured; the number of the at least one opening window of the mask is equal to that of the at least one micropore; the cartridge is formed such that a gas containing an airborne substance flows along a surface of the collection plate from the center to the outer periphery; the opening window of the mask is formed so as to deviate to the outer periphery of the collection plate with respect to a position of the corresponding micropore with a predetermined amount; and the deviation amount of the opening window of the mask is not larger than the diameter of the micropore. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the opening window of the mask has a larger amount of the deviation on a side of the outer periphery than at the center of the collection plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 2, wherein the opening window of the mask is formed so as to have a gradually larger deviation amount from the center of the collection plate toward the outer periphery. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the opaque mask covers a surface of the collection plate opposite to the collection area, and the airborne substance collected on the collection area is sensed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 1, comprising: a single or a plurality of containers for holding a liquid; a flow path for coupling a space between the introduction plate and the collection plate to the containers; a waste container for storing the liquid which has flown between the introduction plate and the collection plate; and a flow path for coupling the space between the introduction plate and the collection plate to the waste container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive substance or a substance to be specifically bonded to the airborne substance is bonded or adsorbed to the surface of the collection plate on which the airborne substance is captured. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the airborne substance is formed of any microparticles of viruses, bacteria, yeast, protozoa, fungi, spores, pollen, animal skin debris, mite excrement and carcasses, house dust, exhaust gas particles, and ore particles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the introduction plate is transparent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An airborne substance sensing device using the cartridge according to claim 1, comprising: a pump for generating a flow of air in a direction from the introduction plate to the collection plate; and an optical sensor for optically sensing the airborne substance captured on the collection plate, wherein the optical sensor is disposed on the rear side of a collection surface of the collection plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The airborne substance sensing device according to claim 9, wherein a breath bag in which breath of a patient is enclosed is coupled to the airborne substance sensing device, and the airborne substance in the breath bag is thereby collected on the collection plate of the cartridge and is sensed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The airborne substance sensing device according to claim 9, wherein an air bag in which the air in an environment is enclosed is coupled to the airborne substance sensing device, and the airborne substance in the air bag is thereby collected on the collection plate of the cartridge and is sensed. ### Claim 12 A cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device, comprising: an introduction plate on which at least one micropore through which a gas containing an airborne substance can pass is formed; a transparent collection plate disposed so as to face the introduction plate and capable of collecting the airborne substance due to collision of the airborne substance caused by collision of the gas which has passed through the micropore; a main body in which the introduction plate and the collection plate are disposed in parallel and a flow path for guiding the gas containing the airborne substance to the micropore is formed; and an opaque mask covering the collection plate and provided with at least one opening window through which light can pass at a position corresponding to a collection area on the collection plate in which the airborne substance is collected by collision; wherein the opening window of the mask is disposed so as to overlap with the area in which the airborne substance is captured and so as to have an area the same as or larger than the area in which the airborne substance is captured; the number of the at least one opening window of the mask is equal to that of the at least one micropore; the cartridge is formed such that a gas containing an airborne substance flows along a surface of the collection plate from the center to the outer periphery; the opening window of the mask is formed so as to deviate to the outer periphery of the collection plate with respect to a position of the corresponding micropore with a predetermined amount; and the area of the opening window of the mask is smaller than four times the area of the micropore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An airborne substance sensing device using a cartridge according to claim 12, comprising: a pump for generating a flow of the air in a direction from the introduction plate to the collection plate; and an image acquisition device for optically sensing the airborne substance captured on the collection plate, wherein the image acquisition device is disposed on the rear side of the collection plate, and reduces a light amount in an area other than a collision area of the airborne substance collected on the collection surface using image processing. ### Claim 14 An airborne substance sensing device using a cartridge for an airborne substance sensing device, comprising: an introduction plate on which at least one micropore through which a gas containing an airborne substance can pass is formed; a transparent collection plate disposed so as to face the introduction plate and capable of collecting the airborne substance due to collision of the airborne substance caused by collision of the gas which has passed through the micropore; a main body in which the introduction plate and the collection plate are disposed in parallel and a flow path for guiding the gas containing the airborne substance to the micropore is formed; an opaque mask covering the collection plate and provided with at least one opening window through which light can pass at a position corresponding to a collection area on the collection plate in which the airborne substance is collected by collision; a single or a plurality of containers for holding a liquid; a flow path for coupling a space between the introduction plate and the collection plate to the containers; a waste container for storing the liquid which has flown between the introduction plate and the collection plate; a flow path for coupling the space between the introduction plate and the collection plate to the waste container; a pump for generating a flow of the air in a direction from the introduction plate to the collection plate; and an optical sensor for optically sensing the airborne substance captured on the collection plate; wherein the airborne substance sensing device makes the liquid in the container flow to the waste container though a space between the introduction plate and the collection plate with the pump. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The airborne substance sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the opening window of the mask is disposed so as to overlap with the collection area in which the airborne substance is collected and so as to have an area the same as or larger than the collection area in which the airborne substance is collected. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The airborne substance sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the number of the at least one opening window of the mask is equal to that of the at least one micropore. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The airborne substance sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the liquid contains a fluorescence dye to be specifically bonded to the airborne substance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The airborne substance sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the liquid is a liquid containing a fluorescence dye to be specifically bonded to the airborne substance or a liquid for cleaning off the fluorescence dye attached to the collection plate from the collection plate.