Industrial Scientific Corporation

David D Wagner

Annie Q Wang

James Skourlis

Kent D McElhattan

A docking station for use with an environmental monitoring instrument to provide predictive diagnostic information. The docking station is connected, typically via the Internet, to a remote service center, and exposure data, calibration data and diagnostic data are communicated from the instrument to the docking station and from the docking station to the service center. Mathematical analysis of the collected data from all available sources is performed at the service center and predictive warnings are generated to alert the users of potential instrument faults, thus allowing preemptive maintenance. The analysis methods include principle component analysis and other statistical methods, fuzzy logic and neural networks. This docking station can be used with monitoring instruments for water quality, pollution control, indoor air quality and breathing air quality.

Docking station for environmental monitoring instruments

Portable gas sensing devices practicing the present invention include a fault protective battery cap to interrupt flow of battery current exceeding a preselected-threshold level. In normal operation, the battery cap is engaged with a compartment of the gas sensing device which maintains the battery used to power gas sensing circuitry therein. When installed in the gas sensing device in this manner, the battery cap defines a current path from at least one terminal of the battery to internal gas sensing circuitry. As with prior art battery caps, the battery cap of the invention is removable to facilitate replacement of the battery. Unlike prior art battery caps, however, battery caps constructed in accordance with the invention include a fuse electrically connected interposing the current path. The fuse functions to interrupt current flow from the battery if the current exceeds a preselected threshold level. In presently preferred embodiments, the battery cap is constructed of a generally nonconductive polymeric material which encapsulates a subminiature resistive fuse such that gas from the surrounding atmosphere is incapable of contacting the fuse.

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Library, PA, United States of America

David D Wagner