IP Library Granted Patent US 10,788,447
Granted Patent B2
US 10,788,447 · App. 15/529,001 · Granted Sep 29, 2020

Liquid analyzer and liquid analysis system

Inventors: Akio Nakayama (Tokyo, JP); Rumiko Furuya (Tokyo, JP); Akio Ishii (Kyoto, JP); Yasuto Kaba (Kyoto, JP); Yuichi Ito (Kyoto, JP); Susumu Yamauchi (Kyoto, JP); Hiroaki Murakami (Kyoto, JP); Atsushi Senda (Kyoto, JP)
Assignees: HORIBA ADVANCED TECHNO CO., LTD.; HORIBA, LTD.; TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT
G01N27/4161G01N27/416
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,788,447
App. No.
15/529,001
Granted
Sep 29, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid analyzer is one that performs analysis in a state of being immersed in a flowing analysis target liquid, and in order to simply make a good/bad determination and increase reliability, includes: a sensor adapted to, in a state where a responsive membrane is immersed in the flowing analysis target liquid, sense a predetermined component contained in the analysis target liquid; an analysis mechanism adapted to analyze the analysis target liquid with use of voltage generated in the sensor; and a resistance measurement mechanism adapted to, in the state where the responsive membrane is immersed in the flowing analysis target liquid, apply DC voltage to the responsive membrane to measure the resistance of the responsive membrane.

Claims (28)

1. A liquid analysis apparatus comprising:

a liquid immersion-type analyzer that analyzes a flowing analysis target liquid, the liquid immersion-type analyzer comprising:

a sensor comprising a responsive membrane and adapted to, in a state where the responsive membrane made of resin containing plasticizer is immersed in the flowing analysis target liquid such that the flowing analysis target liquid surrounds the sensor, sense a predetermined component contained in the analysis target liquid;

a reference sensor adapted to measure a reference potential;

an analysis mechanism having a potentiometer connected to the sensor and the reference sensor, the analysis mechanism being adapted to analyze the analysis target liquid with use of voltage difference generated between the sensor and the reference sensor;

an electrode separately provided from the sensor and the reference sensor;

a resistance measurement mechanism connecting to the sensor and the electrode and being adapted to, in the state where the responsive membrane of the sensor and the electrode are immersed in the flowing analysis target liquid, apply DC voltage between the responsive membrane and the electrode to measure a resistance of the responsive membrane;

a processor operatively coupled to the resistance measurement mechanism and the analysis mechanism; and

a cleaning mechanism adapted to remove dirt attached to a part of the sensor, the part being immersed in the analysis target liquid.

2. The liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

after the resistance measurement mechanism has measured the resistance of the responsive membrane, a discharge period to discharge an electric charge supplied by the DC voltage applied to the responsive membrane is set.

3. The liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to control the analysis mechanism and the resistance measurement mechanism, and activates the resistance measurement mechanism in a state of stopping the analysis mechanism or keeping analysis result data indicating an analysis result of the analysis by the analysis mechanism, and when a discharge period has passed after stopping the resistance measurement mechanism, cancel the stop of the analysis mechanism or the keeping state.

4. The liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the resistance measurement mechanism measures the resistance of the responsive membrane multiple times a day.

5. The liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

multiple sensors are provided, and at least one of them is in a state where the responsive membrane is not immersed in the flowing analysis target liquid, and

the processor is further configured to determine whether the resistance of the responsive membrane is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, the resistance being measured by the resistance measurement mechanism; and

the processor is further configured to, when the processor determines that the resistance of the responsive membrane is equal to or more than the threshold value, change the sensor in the state where the responsive membrane is not immersed in the analysis target liquid into an immersed state.

6. The liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the responsive membrane has double membrane structure including an outer membrane and an inner membrane, and the outer membrane is configured to be peelable.

7. The liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a liquid analyzer support adapted to support the liquid analyzer so as to immerse a fore end part of the liquid analyzer in the analysis target liquid; and

a display adapted to display a measurement value outputted from the liquid immersion-type analyzer.

8. A liquid analysis system comprising:

the liquid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , and at a first analysis site at which the analysis target liquid flows, analyzes the analysis target liquid in the state where the responsive membrane is immersed in the analysis target liquid; and

an external device adapted to, at a second analysis site different from the first analysis site, acquire auxiliary analysis result data indicating a result of auxiliary analysis of the analysis target liquid, wherein

it is configured to connect the liquid analysis apparatus and the external device through a network, and transmit the auxiliary analysis result data to the liquid analysis apparatus.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 042481 FRAME: 0596. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 24, 2020
From: ISHII, AKIO; KABA, YASUTO; ITO, YUICHI
To: HORIBA, LTD.
Reel/Frame 053033/0483 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2017
From: NAKAYAMA, AKIO; FURUYA, RUMIKO
To: TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 042481/0210 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2017
From: ISHII, AKIO; KABA, YASUTO; ITO, YUICHI
To: HORIBA , LTD.
Reel/Frame 042481/0596 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2017
From: YAMAUCHI, SUSUMU; MURAKAMI, HIROAKI; SENDA, ATSUSHI
To: HORIBA ADVANCED TECHNO, CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 042481/0775 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-238341 · Nov 26, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170322178A1 · Nov 9, 2017