Patent ID: 9726579
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: G01N

Claim:
1. A sensor assembly for sensing low concentrations of particulate matter comprising: a housing having a front and rear portions wherein the rear portion includes an air channel configured to direct a sampled particle aerosol from the rear portion through to the front portion; a particle sensor device having a front and rear surface and a flow channel therethrough that spans from the rear surface to the front surface, the rear surface of the particle sensor device disposed over the housing air channel such that at least a portion of the sampled particle aerosol flows into the flow channel of the particle sensor device; a microblower member interposed between the air channel of the housing and the rear surface of the particle sensor device, the microblower periodically pushing air through the flow channel of the particle sensor device to clean and zero calibrate the particle sensor before a subsequent reading; and a filter element is disposed adjacent the microblower and the air channel of the housing, the filter element configured to filter the particulates from the air flow temporarily generated by the microblower.