التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
CONCENTRATION SENSOR DEVICE AND CONCENTRATION DETECTING METHOD |
| Document Number: |
20100235107 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
September 16, 2010 |
| Appl. No: |
12/733694 |
| Application Filed: |
March 25, 2009 |
| مستخلص: |
A concentration sensor device includes a sensor unit, a substrate, and a sedimentation limit unit. The sensor unit detects a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid. The substrate has a face to which the sensor unit is arranged. The sedimentation limit unit is integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid. The sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit. The sedimentation limit unit includes a piezoelectric element to vibrate when electricity is supplied so as to promote the foreign object to be separated from the sensor unit. The substrate has a recess recessed in a thickness direction of the substrate. |
| Inventors: |
Fukumura, Kenji (Obu-city, JP); Yoshioka, Tetsuo (Okazaki-city, JP); Fujii, Tetsuo (Toyohashi-city, JP); Kawai, Takaaki (Obu-city, JP); Higuchi, Hirofumi (Okazaki-city, JP); Oda, Teruo (Gamagori-city, JP); Okuda, Yasuyuki (Aichi-gun, JP) |
| Assignees: |
Denso Corporation (Kariya-city, Aichi-pref, JP) |
| Claim: |
1. A concentration sensor device comprising: a sensor unit to detect a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid; a substrate having a face to which the sensor unit is arranged; and a sedimentation limit unit integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid, wherein the sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit, the sedimentation limit unit includes a piezoelectric element to vibrate when electricity is supplied so as to promote the foreign object to be separated from the sensor unit, and the substrate has a recess recessed in a thickness direction of the substrate. |
| Claim: |
2-7. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
8. The concentration sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is arranged on a flat face of the substrate opposite from the recess, and the piezoelectric element is arranged along an open side of the recess of the substrate. |
| Claim: |
9. The concentration sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising: an insulation film to close an open side of the recess of the substrate, wherein the sensor unit is arranged on a flat face of the substrate opposite from the recess, and the piezoelectric element is arranged on a face of the insulation film opposite from the substrate. |
| Claim: |
10. The concentration sensor device according to claim 9, further comprising: a circuit unit arranged on the same face of the substrate as the sensor unit; and a through electrode passing through the substrate so as to connect the piezoelectric element and the circuit unit. |
| Claim: |
11. The concentration sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising: an insulation film to close an open side of the recess of the substrate, wherein the sensor unit and the piezoelectric element are arranged on a face of the insulation film opposite from the recess. |
| Claim: |
12. The concentration sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising: an insulation film to close an open side of the recess of the substrate; and an insulator arranged on a face of the insulation film opposite from the substrate, wherein the piezoelectric element is arranged opposite to the recess through the insulation film, and the sensor unit is arranged at a position to oppose to the piezoelectric element through the insulator. |
| Claim: |
13. The concentration sensor device according to claim 9, wherein the recess closed by the substrate and the insulation film is sealed with gas. |
| Claim: |
14. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
15. A concentration sensor device comprising: a sensor unit to detect a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid; a substrate having a first face to which the sensor unit is arranged; a sedimentation limit unit integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid; and an electrode portion arranged on a second face of the substrate opposite from the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit has a comb-teeth shaped electrode pattern made of a piezoelectric element the electrode portion defines a potential difference between the electrode pattern and the electrode portion, the sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit, the sedimentation limit unit includes a piezoelectric element to vibrate when electricity is supplied so as to promote the foreign object to be separated from the sensor unit, and the piezoelectric element of the sedimentation limit unit is defined by the piezoelectric element of the electrode pattern of the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
16-17. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
18. A concentration sensor device comprising: a sensor unit to detect a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid; a substrate having a first face to which the sensor unit is arranged; and a sedimentation limit unit integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid, wherein the sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit, the sedimentation limit unit includes a piezoelectric element to vibrate when electricity is supplied so as to promote the foreign object to be separated from the sensor unit, the sensor unit has a first comb-teeth electrode pattern made of a piezoelectric element, the sedimentation limit unit is constructed by the first electrode pattern and a second comb-teeth electrode pattern, and the second comb-teeth electrode pattern is made of a piezoelectric element and arranged on a second face of the substrate opposite from the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
19. A concentration sensor device comprising: a sensor unit to detect a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid; a substrate having a first face to which the sensor unit is arranged; and a sedimentation limit unit integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid, wherein the sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit, the sedimentation limit unit includes a piezoelectric element to vibrate when electricity is supplied so as to promote the foreign object to be separated from the sensor unit, the sedimentation limit unit has a first comb-teeth electrode pattern and a second comb-teeth electrode pattern, the first comb-teeth electrode pattern is made of a piezoelectric element and layered on the sensor unit opposite from the substrate, and the second comb-teeth electrode pattern is made of a piezoelectric element and arranged on the substrate opposite from the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
20. A concentration sensor device comprising: a sensor unit to detect a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid; a sedimentation limit unit integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid; and a passage portion to accommodate the sensor unit and the sedimentation limit unit, wherein the passage portion defines a liquid passage through which the liquid flows, the sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit, the sedimentation limit unit has a charge part arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid in the liquid passage, and a trap part arranged between the charge part and the sensor unit in the liquid passage, the charge part applies voltage to the liquid flowing through the liquid passage to charge the liquid, and the trap part collects a foreign object charged by the charge part. |
| Claim: |
21. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, further comprising: a wall portion arranged in the liquid passage, wherein the wall portion separates a flow of the liquid passing through the charge part into the sensor unit or the trap part. |
| Claim: |
22. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, wherein the sedimentation limit unit has an eliminator arranged at a downstream side of the sensor unit in the liquid passage, and the eliminator applies voltage to the liquid flowing through the liquid passage so as to remove electricity of the liquid charged by the charge part. |
| Claim: |
23. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, wherein a voltage applied to the charge part has a positive polarity or negative polarity, a voltage applied to the trap part has a polarity different from the polarity of the voltage applied to the charge part, and the polarities are maintained without inversion. |
| Claim: |
24. The concentration sensor device according to claim 23, wherein voltage applied to the liquid from the charge part and the trap part is alternate voltage equal to or higher than 1 kHz, one of the polarities has a maximum value to be a grounded voltage, and the other of the polarities has a minimum value to be the grounded voltage. |
| Claim: |
25. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, wherein the trap part has at least one or more board-shaped electrode members extending parallel with an axis of the liquid passage, the electrode member has a width corresponding to a chord of a cross-section of the liquid passage perpendicular to the axis of the liquid passage, and the width of the electrode member is decreased from an upstream end of the electrode member to a downstream end of the electrode member. |
| Claim: |
26. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, wherein the trap part has at least one or more board-shaped electrode members extending to be inclined relative to an axis of the liquid passage, and the electrode member narrows at least a part of a width of the liquid passage from an upstream side to a downstream side in the liquid passage. |
| Claim: |
27. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, wherein the trap part has at least one or more tube and cone shaped electrode members, and the electrode member has an inner diameter decreased from an upstream side to a downstream side in the liquid passage. |
| Claim: |
28. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, wherein the trap part has at least one or more tube and cone shaped electrode members, and the electrode member has a shape in a manner that a flow of the liquid is guided toward an inner wall of the passage portion from an upstream side to a downstream side in the liquid passage. |
| Claim: |
29. The concentration sensor device according to claim 20, further comprising: a vibration providing portion to provide vibration to the passage portion. |
| Claim: |
30. A concentration sensor device comprising: a sensor unit to detect a concentration of a specific component contained in liquid; a sedimentation limit unit integrally arranged with the sensor unit or arranged at an upstream side of the sensor unit in a flowing direction of the liquid; and a protection film to cover the sensor unit, wherein the sedimentation limit unit is arranged on an end face of the protection film opposite from the sensor unit, and the sedimentation limit unit is configured to prevent sedimentation of a foreign object on the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
31. The concentration sensor device according to claim 30, wherein the protection film has a rough face located opposite from the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
32. The concentration sensor device according to claim 30, wherein the protection film has a convex face located opposite from the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
33. The concentration sensor device according to claim 30, wherein the protection film has a passage formation part to define a flow of the liquid on an end of the protection film opposite from the sensor unit. |
| Claim: |
34. The concentration sensor device according to claim 30, wherein the protection film is a porous member having plural holes to allow the liquid to pass through the porous member and to limit the foreign object from passing through the porous member. |
| Claim: |
35. The concentration sensor device according to claim 34, further comprising: a vibration providing portion to provide vibration to the porous member. |
| Claim: |
36-54. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
55. A mixture ratio calculating device comprising: a sensor portion having a pair of electrodes arranged in mixture liquid, and a circuit to detect a capacitance of a capacitor defined by the pair of electrodes; and a calculating portion to calculate a mixture ratio of the mixture liquid based on a signal output from the sensor portion, wherein the sensor portion has at least three pairs of electrodes having capacitances different from each other, the calculating portion calculates relative permittivities corresponding to at least three of the detected capacitances in the signal output from the sensor portion, the calculating portion calculates a regression line between at least three of the calculated relative permittivities and the detected capacitances corresponding to the calculated relative permittivities, or a regression line between at least three of the calculated relative permittivities and reciprocals of the detected capacitances, the calculating portion calculates a corrected relative permittivity based on the regression line, and the calculating portion calculates the mixture ratio of the mixture liquid based on the corrected relative permittivity. |
| Claim: |
56. The mixture ratio calculating device according to claim 55, further comprising: a memory to memorize vacuum capacitances of the capacitors arranged in a vacuum state, and relative permittivities of components contained in the mixture liquid. |
| Claim: |
57. The mixture ratio calculating device according to claim 56, further comprising: a temperature measuring portion to measure a temperature of the mixture liquid, wherein the memory memorizes temperature characteristics of the relative permittivities of the components. |
| Claim: |
58. The mixture ratio calculating device according to claim 55, further comprising: a protection film to cover and protect a surface of the pair of electrodes. |
| Claim: |
59. The mixture ratio calculating device according to claim 55, wherein the pair of electrodes has a comb-teeth shape. |
| Claim: |
60. A method of calculating a mixture ratio of the mixture liquid by using the mixture ratio calculating device according to claim 55, the method comprising: a first calculating step to calculate relative permittivities corresponding to at least three of the detected capacitances of the signal output from the sensor portion; a second calculating step to calculate a regression line between at least three of the calculated relative permittivities and the detected capacitances, or to calculate a regression line between at least three of the calculated relative permittivities and reciprocals of the detected capacitances; a third calculating step to calculate a corrected relative permittivity based on the regression line; and a fourth calculating step to calculate the mixture ratio of the mixture liquid based on the corrected relative permittivity. |
| Claim: |
61. The calculating method according to claim 60, further comprising: a comparing step to compare at least three of the calculated relative permittivities with each other, the comparing step being performed after the first calculating is finished; and a fifth calculating step to be performed when at least two of the calculated relative permittivities have the same value in the comparing step, the fifth calculating step calculating the mixture ratio of the mixture liquid based on the relative permittivities having the same value, wherein the second, third and fourth calculating steps are performed, when the calculated relative permittivities have values different from each other in the comparing step. |
| Claim: |
62. A method of detecting concentrations of components of mixture fluid containing N (integer≧3) kinds known components, the method comprising: measuring permittivities of the mixture fluid at different temperatures of (N−1) points; and calculating the concentrations of the components based on known permittivities of the components at the different temperatures of (N−1) points and the measured permittivities of the mixture fluid at the different temperatures of (N−1) points, wherein the measuring of the permittivities of the mixture fluid at the different temperatures includes: driving two capacitance detecting elements connected in series with each other by carrier waves having predetermined voltages opposite from each other; inputting a signal output from a point connecting the two capacitance detecting elements into a C/V converter having a feedback capacitance; and measuring the permittivities of the mixture fluid at the different temperatures based on a voltage output from the C/V converter. |
| Claim: |
63. The detecting method according to claim 62, wherein the N is equal to 3, the concentrations of the components are defined by a1, a2, a3, the different temperatures of 2 points are defined by T1, T2, the permittivities of the components at the temperature of T1 are defined by εa1, εb1, εc1, the permittivities of the components at the temperature of T2 are defined by εa2, εb2, εc2, the permittivities of the mixture fluid at the temperatures of T1 and T2 are defined by ε1, ε2, and the concentrations of the components are calculated based on a1+a2+a3=1 (Formula A) ε1=εa1·a1+εb1·a2+εc1·a3 (Formula B) ε2=εa2·a1+εb2·a2+εc2·a3 (Formula C) |
| Claim: |
64-66. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
67. A concentration detecting device to detect concentrations of components of mixture fluid containing N (integer≧3) kinds known components, the device comprising: a temperature measuring portion to measure temperatures of the mixture fluid at different temperatures of (N−1) points; a permittivity measuring portion to measure permittivities of the mixture fluid at the different temperatures of (N−1) points; a concentration calculating portion to calculate the concentrations of the components based on known permittivities of the components at the different temperatures of (N−1) points stored in a memory and the measured permittivities of the mixture fluid at the different temperatures of (N−1) points; and a heater to form the different temperatures of (N−1) points of the mixture fluid, wherein the permittivity measuring portion includes two capacitance detecting elements connected in series with each other, and a C/V converter having a feedback capacitance, the two capacitance detecting elements are driven by carrier waves having predetermined voltages opposite from each other, the C/V converter obtains a signal from a point connecting the two capacitance detecting elements, and the permittivities of the mixture fluid at the different temperatures are measured based on a voltage output from the C/V converter. |
| Claim: |
68. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
69. The concentration detecting device according to claim 67, wherein a temperature detecting element of the temperature measuring portion, and a capacitance detecting element of the permittivity measuring portion are formed into a single chip. |
| Claim: |
70. The concentration detecting device according to claim 67, wherein a temperature detecting element of the temperature measuring portion, a capacitance detecting element of the permittivity measuring portion, and a heater element of the heater are formed into a single chip. |
| Claim: |
71. The concentration detecting device according to claim 70, wherein the chip has a groove to thermally separate the heater element from the temperature detecting element and the capacitance detecting element. |
| Claim: |
72. The concentration detecting device according to claim 69, wherein the capacitance detecting element is made of a pair of comb-teeth shape electrodes. |
| Claim: |
73. The concentration detecting device according to claim 67, further comprising: an agitating portion to agitate the mixture fluid, wherein the agitating portion is arranged between a heater element of the heater and a set of a temperature detecting element of the temperature measuring portion and a capacitance detecting element of the permittivity measuring portion, the heater element being located at an upstream side of the mixture fluid, the temperature detecting element and the capacitance detecting element being located at a downstream side of the mixture fluid. |
| Claim: |
74. The concentration detecting device according to claim 67, wherein the permittivity measuring portion includes a capacitance detecting element made of a pair of electrodes, and one of the electrodes further operates as a temperature detecting element of the temperature measuring portion. |
| Claim: |
75. (canceled) |
| Claim: |
76. The concentration detecting device according to claim 67, wherein the N is equal to 3, the concentrations of the components are defined by a1, a2, a3, the different temperatures of 2 points are defined by T1, T2, the permittivities of the components at the temperature of T1 are defined by εa1, εb1, εc1, the permittivities of the components at the temperature of T2 are defined by εa2, εb2, εc2, the permittivities of the mixture fluid at the temperatures of T1 and T2 are defined by ε1 ε2, and the concentrations of the components are calculated based on a1+a2+a3=1 (Formula A) ε1=εa1·a1+εb1·a2+εc1·a3 (Formula B) ε2=εa2·a1+εb2·a2+εc2·a3 (Formula C) |
| Claim: |
77-78. (canceled) |
| Current U.S. Class: |
702/24 |
| Current International Class: |
01; 01 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20100235107 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |
