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US 9,945,805 B2Granted
Fuel cell for use in an alcohol breath tester
AssigneeAlcotek, Inc.
InventorsJoe Fodor, Karl R. Wolf, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved alcohol fuel cell sensor and alcohol breath tester assembly where wires for connection to the electrodes are bent to have a generally planar base portion which may be positioned toward the center of the electrodes and an upright that then extends to the outside of the case. The uprights are generally perpendicular to the base allowing the wires to exit the housing toward the center, as opposed to toward an edge.
Claims14
A fuel cell sensor comprising:
- a wafer having:
- two electrodes disposed on opposing sides thereon, each of said two electrodes extending to an outer periphery;
- and
- a hole therethrough;
- a first wire comprising:
- a base end bent to a non-linear configuration and arranged to have a perimeter smaller than said outer periphery, said base end disposed parallel to and in contact with a first of said two electrodes;
- an opposing upright;
- a second wire comprising:
- a base end bent to a non-linear configuration and arranged to have a perimeter smaller than said outer periphery, said base end disposed parallel to and in contact with a second of said two electrodes;
- an opposing upright;
- wherein said upright of said first wire is generally parallel to said upright of said second wire;
- wherein said base end of said first wire is generally planar;
- wherein said upright end of said first wire is generally orthogonal to the plane of said base end of said first wire;
- and
- wherein said upright end of said first wire extends through said hole.
12 more elements
A fuel cell sensor comprising:
- a wafer having:
- two electrodes disposed on opposing sides thereon, each of said two electrodes extending to an outer periphery;
- and
- a hole therethrough;
- a first wire comprising:
- a base end bent to a non-linear configuration and arranged to have a perimeter smaller than said outer periphery, said base end disposed parallel to and in contact with a first of said two electrodes;
- an opposing upright;
- a second wire comprising:
- a base end bent to a non-linear configuration and arranged to have a perimeter smaller than said outer periphery, said base end disposed parallel to and in contact with a second of said two electrodes;
- an opposing upright;
- wherein said upright of said first wire is generally parallel to said upright of said second wire;
- wherein said hole passes through the center of said electrodes;
- and
- wherein said fuel cell is enclosed in a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion including a central hole, and both said upright of said first wire and said upright of said second wire extend through said hole in said upper portion.
11 more elements
A method for testing the alcohol content of a gas comprising:
- providing a fuel cell comprising:
- a wafer having two electrodes disposed on opposing sides thereof, each of said two electrodes extending to an outer periphery of said wafer;
- a hole through said wafer;
- a first wire comprising a first upright extending from said wafer generally perpendicularly to the major plane of said wafer and an opposing first base portion arranged to have a perimeter smaller than said outer periphery, said first base portion disposed parallel to and in contact with a first of said two electrodes;
- a second wire comprising a second upright extending through said hole and from said wafer generally perpendicularly to the major plane of said wafer and parallel to said first upright, and an opposing second base portion arranged to have a perimeter smaller than said outer periphery, said second base portion disposed parallel to and in contact with a first of said two electrodes;
- wherein said first wire and second wire are electrically connected to an external circuit;
- exposing a first electrode of said two electrodes to a gas having at least some alcohol molecules;
- said exposing creating an amount of electric current on said first wire and said second wire;
- said external circuit receiving said amount of electric current;
- and
- determining, based on said received amount of electric current, the number of said alcohol molecules to which said first electrode was exposed in said exposing step.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.