Case Western Reserve University

Duke University

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Grupo Ch-werfen, S.a.

Michael R Neuman

Vasile V Cosofret

Richard P Buck

Timothy G McIntyre

Richard A Lucic

Chung-Chuin Liu

Richard M Bucchianeri

Carolyn Bergkuist

John P Moriarty

Sensor cartridges include a fluid constituent-selective sensor membrane in direct sealing contact with a face of a flow-through sample cell in surrounding relationship to a sensor port. The sensor membrane has sufficiently large surface area so as to entirely cover the sensor port and establish an annular region in surrounding relationship thereto. It is this annular region which is in direct contact with a corresponding region of the sample cell face so as to provide self-sealing capabilities. The sensor cartridge most preferably includes a flow-through sample cell having a zig-zag or serpentine flow channel so as to provide a series of sensor ports on both of the opposed cell faces. The faces of the sample cell are most preferably provided with recessed regions which define a series of land surfaces each of which surrounds a respective one of the sensor ports. A pair of sensor arrays having a corresponding series of sensors are thus juxtaposed with a respective land surface of the sample cell face so as to sandwich the sample cell therebetween. A two-part 'clamshell' housing houses the sensor arrays and the sample cell sandwiched therebetween.

Sensor cartridges

A plurality of flow sensors are fabricated using thin film deposition techniques on a single substrate. The deposition is performed to provide the proper physical relationship of the individual sensors. In the preferred embodiment, the sensors are thermoresistive elements, which change resistance in response to the flow of air across the individual elements. The change in temperature of the air flow in relation to the ambient provides an indication of the flow and may be used to determine the extent of the flow. The resulting multiple sensor structure may be effectively used as a respiration detector by positioning a different sensor element at each of the airflow orifices (i.e. two nostrils and mouth) of a patient. The individual sensor elements may be electrically coupled in series.

Multiple thin film sensor system

A strain gauge primarily designed for dynamic measurements and requiring very little force to produce a change in length. The strain gauge is alternately concave and convex in shape, such as a sinusoidal curve with nodes of low resistance on the convex portions and strain gauges of high resistance on the concave portions. The gauge is unbonded and can be stretched with very little force. The strain gauge is utilized in an instrument to monitor infant respiration and detect episodes of apnea.

Strain gauge and method of making and using the same

Growing community of inventors

Cleveland, OH, United States of America

Michael R Neuman