# US 12,216,078 B2 · Electrochemical fuel cell, process for maintaining an electrochemical fuel cell and breath alcohol measuring device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,078 B2 - Document ID: US12216078B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/616,982 - Filed: 2020-05-04 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-07 - Assignees: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA - Applicants: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA - Inventors: Stephan Haupt; Andreas Nauber; Michael Sick; Marie-Isabell Mattern-Frühwald; Susanne Kassa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216078B2 ## CPC - G01N 27/4045: {for gases other than oxygen} - G01N 27/4163: {checking the operation of, or calibrating, the measuring apparatus (G01N27/3274, G01N27/4175 and G01N33/0006 take precedence)} - A61B 5/082: {Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath (A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence)} - A61B 5/4845: {Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products (A61B5/4848 takes precedence)} - G01N 27/30: Electrodes, e.g. test electrodes; Half-cells (G01N27/414 takes precedence) - G01N 33/4972: {Determining alcohol content (for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06)} - A61B 2560/0223: of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - 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) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An electrochemical fuel cell measures ethanol in human breath and a process maintains such an electrochemical fuel cell. The electrochemical fuel cell includes a first electrode (1), a second electrode (2) and a third electrode (3). The first electrode (1) is used as a measuring electrode in a regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or as a reference electrode in a maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell. The second electrode (2) is used as a counter electrode in the regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or as a reference electrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell. The third electrode (3) is used as a counter electrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrochemical fuel cell for measuring ethanol in human breath, the electrochemical fuel cell comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a third electrode, wherein the first electrode is provided as a measuring electrode in a regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or reference electrode in a maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell, the second electrode is provided as a counterelectrode in the regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or reference electrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell, and the third electrode is provided as a counterelectrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell; and a control module operatively connected to the first electrode, to the second electrode and to the third electrode and configured to control the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode to operate the electrochemical fuel cell alternatively in the regular operating mode or in the maintenance mode, to set, in a first phase of the maintenance mode, a first potential of one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the measuring electrode relative to another one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the reference electrode, and to set, in a second phase of the maintenance mode, a second potential of the one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the measuring electrode relative to the another one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the reference electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrochemical fuel cell is operated as a two-electrode-based electrochemical fuel cell in the regular operating mode based on the first electrode as the measuring electrode and the second electrode as the counterelectrode, wherein the third electrode is provided to remain unused in the regular operating mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrochemical fuel cell is operated as a three-electrode-based electrochemical fuel cell in the regular operating mode, wherein the third electrode is provided and operated in the regular operating mode as a reference electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have a platinum surface, wherein the first potential is suitable for reducing a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer on the platinum surface of the first electrode or of the second electrode at least partially to platinum, and wherein the second potential is suitable for regenerating a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer on the platinum surface of the first electrode or of the second electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein the maintenance mode has a first time segment, which is provided for renewing a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer of the first electrode, and wherein the maintenance mode has a second time segment, which is provided for renewing a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer of the second electrode, and wherein the two time segments comprise each the first phase and the second phase. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 5, wherein the first electrode is operated as a measuring electrode in the first time segment of the maintenance mode and as a reference electrode in the second time segment of the maintenance mode, and wherein the second electrode is operated as a reference electrode in the first time segment of the maintenance mode and as a measuring electrode in the second time segment of the maintenance mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 5, wherein the first time segment takes place chronologically before the second time segment, or wherein the second time segment takes place chronologically before the first time segment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein the duration of the first phase is between 1 minute and 10 minutes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrochemical fuel cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first potential is between −400 mV and −700 mV, and/or wherein the second potential is between −100 mV and +100 mV. ### Claim 10 A breath alcohol measuring device comprising an electrochemical fuel cell, the electrochemical fuel cell comprising: a first electrode provided as a measuring electrode in a regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or reference electrode in a maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell; a second electrode provided as a counterelectrode in the regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and a measuring electrode or reference electrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell; a third electrode provided as a counterelectrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell; and a control module operatively connected to the first electrode, to the second electrode and to the third electrode and configured to control the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode to operate the electrochemical fuel cell alternatively in the regular operating mode or in the maintenance mode, to set, in a first phase of the maintenance mode, a first potential of one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the measuring electrode relative to another one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the reference electrode, and to set, in a second phase of the maintenance mode, a second potential of the one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the measuring electrode relative to the another one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the reference electrode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the electrochemical fuel cell is operated as a two-electrode-based electrochemical fuel cell in the regular operating mode based on the first electrode as the measuring electrode and the second electrode as the counterelectrode, wherein the third electrode is provided to remain unused in the regular operating mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the electrochemical fuel cell is operated as a three-electrode-based electrochemical fuel cell in the regular operating mode, wherein the third electrode is provided and operated in the regular operating mode to be used as a reference electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 10, wherein: the first electrode and the second electrode have a platinum surface, the first potential is suitable for reducing a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer on the platinum surface of the first electrode or of the second electrode at least partially to platinum, and the second potential is suitable for regenerating a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer on the platinum surface of the first electrode or of the second electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 13, wherein: the maintenance mode has a first time segment, which is provided for renewing a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer of the first electrode; and the maintenance mode has a second time segment, which is provided for renewing a platinum oxide layer and/or a platinum hydroxide layer of the second electrode, and the two time segments comprise each the first phase and the second phase. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 14, wherein: the first electrode is operated as a measuring electrode in the first time segment of the maintenance mode and as a reference electrode in the second time segment of the maintenance mode; and the second electrode is operated as a reference electrode in the first time segment of the maintenance mode and as a measuring electrode in the second time segment of the maintenance mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the duration of the first phase is between 1 minute and 10 minutes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the first potential is between −400 mV and −700 mV, and/or the second potential is between −100 mV and +100 mV. ### Claim 18 A process for maintaining an electrochemical fuel cell for measuring ethanol in human breath, wherein the electrochemical fuel cell comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a control module operatively connected to the electrodes and configured to control the electrodes, wherein the first electrode is provided to be used as a measuring electrode in a regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or as a reference electrode in a maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell, wherein the second electrode is provided to be used as a counterelectrode in the regular operating mode of the electrochemical fuel cell and as a measuring electrode or as a reference electrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell, wherein the third electrode is provided to be used as a counterelectrode in the maintenance mode of the electrochemical fuel cell, the process comprising: operating, with the control module, the electrochemical fuel cell alternatively in the regular operating mode or in the maintenance mode, setting, with the control module in a first phase of the maintenance mode, a first potential of one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the measuring electrode relative to another one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the reference electrode; and setting, with the control module in a second phase of the maintenance mode, a second potential of the one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the measuring electrode relative to the another one of the first electrode and the second electrode operating as the reference electrode.