IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,829,422
Granted Patent B2
US 9,829,422 · App. 15/368,923 · Granted Nov 28, 2017

Concentration meter and endoscope reprocessor

Inventor: Hideto Onishi (Hachioji, JP)
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
G01N15/0618A61B1/015A61B1/12A61L2/18G01N15/0656G01N27/26G01N27/333G01N27/404G01N27/416
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,829,422
App. No.
15/368,923
Granted
Nov 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A concentration meter invention includes a housing having a cavity, an electrode accommodated in the cavity, a permeation membrane that has a measurement surface that contacts a measurement target, a releasing surface that releases the measurement target that enters from the measurement surface into the cavity, and a plurality of holes that open to the measurement surface and the releasing surface, and are for the measurement target to enter, and seals the cavity, an internal liquid that is sealed in the cavity, and contacts the electrode and the permeation membrane, an adjustment section that applies a mechanical load to the permeation membrane so that opening areas of the holes in at least the measurement surface reversibly increase or decrease, and a control section that is connected to the adjustment section, and controls change of strength of the mechanical load that is applied to the permeation membrane.

Claims (21)

1. A concentration meter, comprising:

a housing having a cavity;

an electrode accommodated in the cavity;

a permeation membrane configured to have a measurement surface that contacts a measurement target, a releasing surface configured to release the measurement target that enters from the measurement surface into the cavity, and a plurality of holes configured to open to the measurement surface and the releasing surface, and are for the measurement target to enter, and seals the cavity;

an internal liquid that is sealed in the cavity, and contacts the electrode and the permeation membrane;

a main body connection section configured for electrically connecting the electrode to an endoscope reprocessor main body;

an adjustment section configured to apply a mechanical load to the permeation membrane so that opening areas of the holes in at least the measurement surface reversibly increase or decrease; and

a control section configured to be connected to the adjustment section, and controls change of strength of the mechanical load that is applied to the permeation membrane, or presence or absence of the mechanical load that is applied to the permeation membrane.

2. The concentration meter according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment section changes a tensile force that is applied to the permeation membrane.

3. The concentration meter according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment section applies the tensile force isotropically to the permeation membrane.

4. The concentration meter according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment section applies the tensile force to the permeation membrane along a single axis.

5. The concentration meter according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment section comprises:

the housing and

an outer frame configured to hold the permeation membrane, and extend the permeation membrane and cancel extension by being disposed at an outer circumference of the housing and advancing and retreating along the housing.

6. The concentration meter according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment section deforms the measurement surface having the permeation membrane into a shape of a concave surface or a shape having a convex surface.

7. The concentration meter according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment section applies a shearing stress to the permeation membrane.

8. An endoscope reprocessor, comprising:

the concentration meter according to claim 1 ;

a medicinal solution tank configured to store a medicinal solution including the measurement target;

a holding portion configured to hold the housing so that the permeation membrane is immersed in the medicinal solution in the medicinal solution tank; and

an electric contact point configured to be connected to the main body connection section.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2016
From: ONISHI, HIDETO
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040519/0561 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-114143 · Jun 4, 2015 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2016060421 · Mar 30, 2016
Related Publication 20170082529A1 · Mar 23, 2017