Sensor device
AssigneeThe New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Resea
InventorsGirish Chandra Upreti, Yanming Wang, Alona Swee Kueh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a sensor device for detecting CO2 wherein the said device has (a) a support base, (b) an acid-base indicator composition that stably changes colour upon exposure to CO2; and (c) a viewer cover, and wherein least (a) and (c) is CO2 permeable and wherein (b) includes at least one acid-base indicator that has a pKln of or above 9.5 and (b) is disposed between (a) and (c) such that the colour change of (b) can be observed through (c). The sensor device of the present invention may be utilized to monitor the ripening process of fresh produces such as fruits, the fermentation or spoilage of food, and/or activity of micro-organisms such as soil and root nodule bacteria in soil.
Claims19
A device for detecting CO2 comprising:
- (a) a support base;
- (b) an acid-base indicator composition of pH about 11.5 to about 13.5 that stably changes colour upon exposure to CO2;
- and
- (c) a viewing cover;
- wherein at least one of (a) and (c) is CO2 permeable and wherein (b) includes at least one acid-base indicator that has a pKln of or above about 10.6 to about 12 and (b) is disposed between (a) and (c) such that the colour change of (b) can be observed through (c).
-14. (canceled)
A method for detecting CO2 from a CO2 emitting source comprising:
- (1) placing on or near the CO2 emitting source, a device for detecting CO2, wherein the device comprises
- (a) a support base;
- (b) an acid-base indicator composition of pH about 11.5 to about 13.5 that stably changes colour upon exposure to CO2;
- and
- (c) a viewing cover;
- wherein at least one of (a) and (c) is CO2 permeable and wherein (b) includes at least one acid-base indicator that has a pKln of about 10.6 to about 12 and (b) is disposed between (a) and (c) such that the colour change of (b) can be observed through (c);
- and
- (2) detecting a colour change in (b).
A method for indicating fruit ripeness comprising
- (1) placing on or near the fruit, a device for detecting CO2, wherein the device comprises
- (a) a support base;
- (b) an acid-base indicator composition of pH about 11.5 to about 13.5 that stably changes colour upon exposure to CO2;
- and
- (c) a viewing cover;
- wherein at least one of (a) and (c) is CO2 permeable and wherein (b) includes at least one acid-base indicator that has a pKln, of about 10.6 to about 12 and (b) is disposed between (a) and (c) such that the colour change of (b) can be observed through (c);
- and
- (2) detecting a colour change in (b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.