Measuring and testing – Gas content of a liquid or a solid
Patent
1998-08-20
2000-02-22
Williams, Hezron
Measuring and testing
Gas content of a liquid or a solid
73 233, 422 84, 436132, 436900, 340576, 180272, B60K 2708, G01N 122, G08B 2300, A61B 5097
Patent
active
060266740
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method for determining the concentration of alcohol present in a gaseous mixture wherein an electronic device employing a fuel cell determines the concentration of alcohol present in the gaseous mixture is disclosed. In particular, the device may be used to determine a person's sobriety by determining the alcohol concentration in a breath sample. To determine the alcohol concentration, the device must be able to accurately determine the volume of breath in the breath sample. The device controls the volume of the breath sample by measuring the pressure of the breath flow through the device and, in response to the pressure, electronically controlling a valve diverting a portion of the breath flow into the fuel cell thereby indicating and ensuring that a predefined requisite amount of breath flow has passed thru the fuel cell. One application of the invention is a sobriety interlock for a machine where the machine remains disabled unless the operator is first determined to have an alcohol concentration below a predetermined level.
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Smart Start Inc.
Wiggins J. David
Williams Hezron
Wynne, Jr. Richard L.
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