Porous fluid sensor
AssigneeSolventum Intellectual Properties Company
InventorsJohn A. WHEATLEY, William B. KOLB, Audrey A. SHERMAN, Mark A. ROEHRIG, Alan R. DOMBROWSKI, Kurt J. HALVERSON, Steven P. SWANSON, Del R. LAWSON, Cory M. ARTHUR
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Abstract
An optical element includes a porous layer with a network of a plurality of interconnected voids. The porous layer is optically diffusive to at least one wavelength of light when the network of interconnected voids is substantially free of fluid. The porous layer of the optical element undergoes a detectable optical change upon fluid ingress into the network or egress from the network of interconnected voids.
Claims20
An antimicrobial closure member, comprising:
- a body that is transmissive to at least one wavelength of light over at least a portion thereof, wherein the body comprises an interior chamber;
- an antimicrobial fluid in the body;
- a fluid sensor in the interior chamber, wherein the fluid sensor comprises a layer of a porous material;
- and
- at least one evaporative pathway between the interior chamber and an exterior of the body;
- wherein the layer of the porous material is optically diffusive to at least one wavelength of light when the network is substantially free of an antimicrobial liquid, and wherein the fluid sensor undergoes a detectable optical change and becomes transmissive to the at least one wavelength of light upon ingress or egress of an antimicrobial liquid from the fluid sensor.
An antimicrobial closure member, comprising:
- a body that is transmissive to at least one wavelength of light over at least a portion thereof, wherein the body comprises an interior chamber;
- a fluid sensor in the interior chamber, wherein the fluid sensor comprises a porous polymeric film, and wherein at least a portion of the porous polymeric film is filled with an antimicrobial fluid;
- wherein the porous polymeric film is optically diffusive to at least one wavelength of light when the network is substantially free of the antimicrobial liquid, and wherein the fluid sensor undergoes a detectable optical change and becomes transmissive to the at least one wavelength of light upon egress of the antimicrobial liquid from the fluid sensor.
A closure device, comprising:
- a body comprising an interior chamber;
- a fluid in the interior chamber;
- a component in the interior chamber of the body, wherein the component comprises a fluid sensor, the fluid sensor comprising a layer of a porous material;
- wherein the fluid sensor undergoes a detectable optical change based on the presence of fluid in the interior chamber of the closure device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.