Assessing odors
AssigneeNUtech Ventures
InventorChristopher G. Henry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some aspects, olfactory devices include a housing having a first inlet and a second inlet, an ambient air inlet cartridge defining a channel in fluid communication with the first inlet, and a position sensor. The ambient air inlet cartridge includes a first member defining a first orifice, and a second member moveable relative to the first member, the second member defining a second orifice, where a degree of overlap between the first orifice and the second orifice controls a flow capacity of the channel. The position sensor signals the degree of overlap between the first orifice and the second orifice.
Claims20
An olfactory device comprising:
- a housing having a first inlet and a second inlet;
- an ambient air inlet cartridge defining a channel in fluid communication with the first inlet, the ambient air inlet cartridge comprising:
- a first member defining a first orifice;
- and
- a second member moveable relative to the first member, the second member defining a second orifice wherein a degree of overlap between the first orifice and the second orifice controls a flow capacity of the channel;
- and
- a position sensor signaling the degree of overlap between the first orifice and the second orifice.
An olfactory device comprising:
- a housing having a first inlet and a second inlet;
- and
- an ambient air inlet cartridge defining a channel in fluid communication with the first inlet, the ambient air inlet cartridge comprising:
- a first member defining a first orifice;
- and
- a second member moveable relative to the first member, the second member defining a second orifice wherein a degree of overlap between the first orifice and the second orifice controls a flow capacity of the channel,
- the second member being movable relative to the first member between a first terminal end position, wherein the first and second orifices are offset from one another, and a second end position, wherein the first and second orifices are completely aligned;
- and
- as the second member moves between the first terminal end position and the second terminal end position, the degree of overlap between the first orifice and the second orifice increases over a continuous range.
A method of assessing odor, the method comprising:
- withdrawing an amount of filtered air into a housing;
- withdrawing an amount of ambient air into the housing to form a mixture, the amount of ambient air being less than the amount of filtered air;
- determining the presence of an odor in the mixture;
- in response to determining that no odor is present, increasing the amount of ambient air withdrawn into the housing, the amount of ambient air being increased through a continuous range;
- and
- when an odor is detected, determining a ratio of the amount of filtered air to the amount of ambient air being withdrawn into the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.