The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 01, 2000
Robert A. McLean, Brea, CA (US);
James A. Wurzbach, San Diego, CA (US);
Harold C. Gilbert, North Kingston, RI (US);
Lawrence A. Schatzmann, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
Gregory E. Smith, Fullerton, CA (US);
Thomas B. Stanford, Port Hueneme, CA (US);
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring volatile organic compounds in a gas includes a sensor chamber having a housing with a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gas flow path from the gas inlet to the gas outlet, a set of baffles within the housing and positioned in the gas flow path, and a set of sensors within the housing and positioned in the gas flow path. Each sensor has an electrically conductive polymer whose electrical properties are dependent upon the presence of specific volatile organic compounds in the gas flow. Desirably, the set of baffles and the set of sensors are cooperatively positioned such that the time for gas to flow from the gas inlet to each of the sensors is substantially the same. The apparatus further includes a pump that removes the gas from the gas outlet of the housing, and an electronic circuit that measures the electrical properties of each of the sensors.