Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to a gas measuring device and a gas measuring system.

<CIT> discloses an odor measuring device. The odor measuring device includes two types of sensors different in sensitive characteristics to odors. A first sensor is a sensor for a heavy molecule detecting an odor molecule having a relatively large molecular weight, and a second sensor is a sensor for a light molecule detecting an odor molecule having a relatively small molecular weight. The odor measuring device measures an odor based on a vector. The vector is obtained by using a measurement value of a detection signal of the sensor for a heavy molecule as an element of an X-axis and a measurement value of a detection signal of the sensor for a light molecule as an element of a Y-axis. A magnitude of the vector indicates strength of the odor, and an inclination of the vector indicates quality of the odor.

In the odor measuring device disclosed in <CIT>, it is necessary to prepare a sensor corresponding to a molecular weight of gas to be detected. Therefore, in a case where the gas to be detected contains a plurality of components, odor sensors corresponding to the respective components are necessary, which may complicate the configuration of the device. The present disclosure provides a gas measuring device and a gas measuring system that can measure components of gas with a simpler configuration.

A gas measuring device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is described in claim <NUM>.

In the gas measuring device, the traveling directions and the traveling speeds of the gas molecules are controlled by the gas rectification unit, based on the molecular weights of the gas molecules. The gas molecules controlled in the traveling directions and the traveling speeds reach different positions of the gas sensor based on the molecular weights, and are absorbed to the gas sensor. The absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules are detected by the gas sensor. The absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules depend on the molecular weights of the gas molecules. Therefore, the gas measuring device specifies the gas molecules based on, for example, the absorption positions and the absorption amounts. As described above, the gas measuring device can measure the components of the gas with a simpler configuration as compared with a gas measuring device including a plurality of odor sensors.

In one embodiment, the gas rectification unit may be a filter including a plurality of slits parallel to one another. In this case, the filter can rectify the gas when the gas passes through the slits.

In one embodiment, the filter may be made of silicon or aluminum. Silicon or aluminum does not show specific reaction to a specific gas molecule. Therefore, it is possible to avoid influence on rectification performance of the gas rectification unit.

In one embodiment, the gas sensor may include a sensitive film configured to absorb the gas molecules, and an output unit configured to output absorption positions and absorption amounts of the gas molecules absorbed to the sensitive film. In this case, for example, the gas measuring device can map the absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules output from the output unit.

A gas measuring system according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes: a chamber configured to allow gas to flow therethrough; and a gas measuring device according to claim <NUM> disposed inside the chamber and configured to measure the gas flowing inside the chamber. The gas measuring system can measure the components of the gas with a simpler configuration as compared with a gas measuring system including a plurality of odor sensors.

In one embodiment, the gas rectification unit may be a plate-like filter including, on a principal surface, a plurality of slits parallel to one another. The filter is disposed inside the chamber. In the filter, the principal surface is parallel to a flow direction of the gas, and an extending direction of each of the plurality of slits is orthogonal to the flow direction of the gas. In this case, the slits to which the gas molecules enter are different depending on the molecular weights. Therefore, the gas rectification unit can appropriately rectify the flowing gas based on the molecular weights.

In one embodiment, an ionization apparatus configured to ionize the gas molecules may be provided on an upstream of the chamber. In this case, the gas measuring system enables the gas sensor to easily detect the gas.

According to the gas measuring device and the gas measuring system of the present disclosure, it is possible to measure gas components with a simpler configuration.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is described below with reference to drawings. In the following description, the same or equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is not repeated. Dimensional ratios of the drawings are not necessarily coincident with described dimensional ratios. Terms of "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "rear", and the like are based on an illustrated state, are merely used for convenience, and do not limit the present disclosure.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a gas measuring system according to the embodiment. A gas measuring system <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is a system measuring gas components. As illustrated in <FIG>, the gas measuring system <NUM> includes a chamber <NUM> and a gas measuring device <NUM>. The chamber <NUM> internally defines a space where the gas measuring device <NUM> is housed, and gas can flow through the chamber <NUM>. The chamber <NUM> includes a gas introduction port and a gas exhaust port. The gas measuring device <NUM> is a device measuring gas components, and is disposed inside the chamber <NUM>. The gas exhaust port of the chamber <NUM> is provided with a pump <NUM> sucking gas in the chamber <NUM>. The gas introduction port of the chamber <NUM> may be provided with an ionization apparatus <NUM>. The ionization apparatus <NUM> ionizes gas molecules to be introduced into the chamber <NUM> by applying energy such as laser, light, and electrons into a gas pipe on an upstream of the chamber <NUM>. This enables the gas measuring device <NUM> to easily detect the gas molecules.

<FIG> is a perspective view of the gas measuring device used in the gas measuring system in <FIG>. The gas measuring device <NUM> includes a case <NUM>, a filter <NUM> (an example of gas rectification unit), and a gas sensor <NUM>. The case <NUM> is a box-shaped member having a released upper portion, and is made of a material not allowing the gas to pass therethrough. The case <NUM> internally defines a space where the gas sensor <NUM> is housed. The filter <NUM> is a substantially plate-like member, and is made of a material that does not show specific reaction to a specific gas component, such as silicon and aluminum. The filter <NUM> includes, on its principal surface 31a, a plurality of slits 31b parallel to one another. The filter <NUM> is disposed inside the chamber <NUM> such that the principal surface 31a is parallel to a flow direction of the gas and an extending direction of each of the plurality of slits 31b is orthogonal to the flow direction of the gas. An edge part of the filter <NUM> is air-tightly joined with an upper end of the case <NUM>. The gas sensor <NUM> is provided on a bottom surface inside the case <NUM>. The gas sensor <NUM> detects gas molecules having passed through the plurality of slits 31b of the filter <NUM>.

<FIG> is a plan view illustrating an example of the gas sensor in the gas measuring device in <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the gas sensor <NUM> includes a sensor circuit group including a plurality of sensor pixels <NUM>, a sensitive film <NUM> provided on the sensor circuit group, and an output unit <NUM> connected to the sensor circuit group.

In the sensor circuit group, the plurality of sensor pixels <NUM> two-dimensionally arranged are provided on a semiconductor substrate. The sensor circuit group is a CMOS sensor as an example. The plurality of sensor pixels <NUM> are two-dimensionally arranged in M rows × N columns, thereby configuring a pixel array, where M and N are integers of two or more. A power supply voltage V is applied to each of the plurality of sensor pixels <NUM>. A ground electrode of each of the plurality of sensor pixels <NUM> is grounded. Each of the plurality of sensor pixels <NUM> detects gas molecules absorbed to a corresponding area of the sensitive film <NUM>.

The sensitive film <NUM> is disposed (film-formed) to stride over the plurality of sensor pixels <NUM> on the entire surface of the gas sensor <NUM>. The sensitive film <NUM> is a thin film changed in state in response to absorption of the gas molecules. For example, electric characteristics such as impedance of the sensitive film <NUM> are changed based on chemical substances contained in the gas. The sensitive film <NUM> holds the absorbed gas molecules for a short time period, and then releases the absorbed gas molecules. Chemical constitutions or properties of the released gas molecules are not changed before and after absorption. The sensitive film <NUM> absorbs new gas molecules after releasing the gas molecules.

The output unit <NUM> is electrically connected to the sensor circuit group, and receives an electric signal from each of the plurality of sensor pixels <NUM>. The electric signal represents that electric characteristics of an area of the sensitive film <NUM> corresponding to each sensor pixel <NUM> are changed. The output unit <NUM> calculates absorption positions and absorption amounts of the gas molecules absorbed to the sensitive film <NUM> based on the received electric signals, and outputs the absorption positions and the absorption amounts. The components of the gas are specified based on the absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules output from the output unit <NUM>, and previously-measured absorption positions and absorption amounts for each component of the gas.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram to explain a rectification principle of the gas measuring system in <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the gas molecules pass through the filter <NUM> of the gas measuring device <NUM>, and are detected by the gas sensor <NUM>. The gas molecules include a gas molecule A having a small molecular weight and a gas molecule B having a large molecular weight.

The gas molecules are introduced into the chamber <NUM> by being sucked by the pump <NUM>. As the gas molecules having introduced into the chamber <NUM> advance by suction force of the pump <NUM>, a part of them is moved down by the gravity. The gas molecule A and the gas molecule B pass through the filter <NUM> and reach the gas sensor <NUM>. The gas molecule A and the gas molecule B are absorbed respectively to the sensitive film <NUM>, held for a short time period, and then released. During a period from absorption to release, the gas sensor <NUM> detects the components of the gas. Thereafter, the released gas molecule A and the released gas molecule B are discharged from the chamber <NUM> through the gas exhaust port of the chamber <NUM> by the suction force of the pump <NUM>.

Since the gas molecule A and the gas molecule B are different in molecular weight from each other, a route from introduction to exhaust of the gas molecule A and a route from introduction to exhaust of the gas molecule B are different from each other. The gas molecule B is greater in molecular weight than the gas molecule A. Therefore, after being introduced into the chamber <NUM>, the gas molecule B flows downward faster than the gas molecule A. Accordingly, the gas molecule B tends to reach an area near the gas introduction port of the chamber <NUM> in the gas sensor <NUM> as compared with the gas molecule A. In contrast, the gas molecule A is less in molecular weight than the gas molecule B. After being introduced into the chamber <NUM>, the gas molecule A flows downward over time as compared with the gas molecule B. Accordingly, the gas molecule A tends to reach an area near the gas exhaust port of the chamber <NUM> in the gas sensor <NUM> as compared with the gas molecule B.

The filter <NUM> includes the plurality of slits 31b parallel to one another. In a case where the gas molecule A and the gas molecule B flow downward, the gas molecule B having the large molecular weight reaches the gas sensor <NUM> through the slits near the gas introduction port of the chamber <NUM> among the plurality of slits 31b. The gas molecule A having the small molecular weight reaches the gas sensor <NUM> through the slits separated from the gas introduction port of the chamber <NUM> as compared with the gas molecule B. A direction and a speed of the flow of the gas are adjusted by the gas passing through the slits. Further, each of the gas molecules passes through the slit at the position corresponding to the molecular weight. As a result, flows of gas molecules based on the molecular weights are formed, and those flows are hardly mixed. As described above, presence of the filter <NUM> causes each of the gas molecules to be absorbed to the position corresponding to the molecular weight in the sensitive film <NUM>.

In the gas measuring device <NUM> of the gas measuring system <NUM>, traveling directions and traveling speeds of the gas molecules are controlled by the filter <NUM> based on the molecular weights of the gas molecules. The gas molecules controlled in the traveling directions and the traveling speeds reach different positions of the gas sensor <NUM> based on the molecular weights, and are absorbed to the gas sensor <NUM>. The absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules are detected by the gas sensor <NUM>. The absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules depend on the molecular weights of the gas molecules. Therefore, the gas measuring device <NUM> specifies the gas molecules based on the absorption positions and the absorption amounts. As described above, the gas measuring device <NUM> can measure the components of the gas with a simpler configuration as compared with a gas measuring device including a plurality of odor sensors.

Since the filter <NUM> includes the plurality of slits parallel to one another, the filter <NUM> can rectify the gas when the gas passes through the slits. The filter <NUM> is made of silicon or aluminum that is an inexpensive material easily obtainable and processible. Further, silicon or aluminum does not show specific reaction to a specific gas component. Therefore, it is possible to avoid influence on rectification performance of the gas rectification unit.

The gas sensor <NUM> includes the sensitive film <NUM> absorbing the gas molecules, and the output unit <NUM> outputting the absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules absorbed to the sensitive film <NUM>. Therefore, the gas measuring device <NUM> can map the absorption positions and the absorption amounts of the gas molecules output from the output unit <NUM>.

Although various exemplary embodiments are described above, various omission, replacement, and change may be made without being limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the filter <NUM>, each of members forming the plurality of slits 31b has a strip-like cross-sectional shape; however, the cross-sectional shape of each of the members is not limited thereto. The cross-sectional shape of each of the members may be a parallelogram or a triangle, and can be appropriately changed.

According to the invention, a material having affinity for a predetermined gas molecule is adopted for the filter <NUM> in order to specifically change an orbit of the predetermined gas molecule. Further, to specifically change the orbit of the predetermined gas molecule, widths of the slits 31b or intervals between adjacent two of the slits 31b may be made equal, or changed to optional sizes.

Claim 1:
A gas measuring device (<NUM>) comprising:
a gas rectification unit (<NUM>) configured to rectify gas to control traveling directions and traveling speeds of gas molecules based on molecular weights of the gas molecules; and
a gas sensor (<NUM>) configured to absorb the gas molecules of the gas rectified by the gas rectification unit (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the gas sensor (<NUM>) is configured to detect absorption positions and absorption amounts of the gas molecules, and
the gas rectification unit (<NUM>) is configured to rectify gas to be measured containing a predetermined gas molecule, and is made of a material having affinity to the predetermined gas molecule.