Potentiometric probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11585780-B2
Application number	US-202016901411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2020
Priority date	Jun 14, 2019
Publication date	Feb 21, 2023
Grant date	Feb 21, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a potentiometric probe for measuring a measured variable that represents an ion concentration in a measuring medium, including a probe base including a sensor circuit, and two electrochemical half-cells arranged such that one of the half-cells surrounds at least one portion of the other half-cell, wherein at least one of the half-cells is configured as a module which is connected to the probe base via a mechanical and electrical interface. In another embodiment, one of the half-cells is a measuring half-cell including an ion-selective membrane and a terminal lead which electrically contacts the ion-selective membrane. The other half-cell is a reference half-cell, wherein the measuring half-cell and/or the reference half-cell are each configured as a module which is connected to the probe base via a mechanical and electrical interface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A potentiometric probe for measuring a measured variable representing an ion concentration in a measuring medium, the probe comprising:
a probe base including a sensor circuit;
a measuring half-cell comprising:
an ion-selective membrane;
an electrically conductive terminal lead electrically contacting the ion-selective membrane;
a base body configured to enclose a cavity in which a temperature sensor connectable to the sensor circuit is disposed, the base body comprising a metal or a metal alloy,
wherein the ion-selective membrane covers at least one surface region of the base body as an ion-selective layer and is electrically contacted on its rear side facing the base body by the terminal lead; and

a reference half-cell, wherein at least one of the measuring half-cell and the reference half-cell is connected to the probe base via a mechanical-electrical interface, and wherein the measuring half-cell and the reference half-cell are each configured such that:
the reference half-cell surrounds at least a portion of the measuring half-cell; or
the measuring half-cell surrounds at least a portion of the reference half-cell.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reference half-cell is arranged in relation to the measuring half-cell such that the reference half-cell surrounds at least a portion of the measuring half-cell.

3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein:
the base body of the measuring half-cell is generally rod-shaped; and
the reference half-cell surrounds the measuring half-cell at least in a longitudinal portion of the measuring half-cell.

4. The probe of claim 3 , wherein the reference half-cell comprises a housing that encloses an annular interior volume containing a reference element, the housing including an inner tubular wall and an outer tubular wall, wherein at least the longitudinal portion of the measuring half-cell is surrounded by the inner tubular wall.

5. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the measuring half-cell is arranged in relation to the reference half-cell such that the measuring half-cell surrounds at least one portion of the reference half-cell.

6. The probe of claim 5 , wherein the reference half-cell comprises a cylindrical housing that encloses an interior volume containing a reference element, and wherein the measuring half-cell surrounds the housing of the reference half-cell at least in a longitudinal portion of the reference half-cell.

7. The probe of claim 6 , wherein the base body of the measuring half-cell is a hollow cylindrical base body, which surrounds the reference half-cell at least in portions.

8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the ion-selective membrane is an ion-selective enamel layer.

9. The probe of claim 1 , wherein:
the measuring half-cell is configured as a measuring half-cell module and the reference half-cell as a reference half-cell module;
the reference half-cell module is connected to the probe base via a first mechanical-electrical interface;
the measuring half-cell module is connected to the reference half-cell module via a second mechanical-electrical interface; and
the reference half-cell module connects the measuring half-cell module electrically to the probe base.

10. The probe of claim 1 , wherein an auxiliary electrode is disposed in a region enclosed between the measuring half-cell and the reference half-cell, and wherein the sensor circuit is configured to measure an impedance between the auxiliary electrode and the measuring half-cell and/or an impedance between the auxiliary electrode and the reference half-cell.

11. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the measuring half-cell and/or the reference half-cell have an identification mark.

12. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the measuring half-cell and/or the reference half-cell comprise a data memory.

13. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the base body of the measuring half-cell is detachable from the probe base independently of the temperature sensor.

14. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the measuring half-cell comprises a preamplifier that can be connected to the sensor circuit.

15. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reference half-cell includes a shield layer.

16. The probe of claim 1 , wherein both the measuring half-cell and the reference half-cell are connected to the probe base via the mechanical-electrical interface.

17. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the measuring half-cell is connected to the probe base via a first mechanical-electrical interface, and wherein the reference half-cell is connected to the probe base via a second mechanical-electrical interface.

18. A potentiometric probe for measuring a measured variable representing an ion concentration in a measuring medium, the probe comprising:
a probe base including a sensor circuit;
a measuring half-cell comprising:
an ion-selective membrane; and
a base body configured to enclose a cavity in which a temperature sensor connectable to the sensor circuit is disposed, the base body comprising a metal or an electrically conductive metal alloy,
wherein the ion-selective membrane covers at least one surface region of the base body as an ion-selective layer and is electrically contacted on its rear side facing the base body by the base body, which is configured as a terminal lead; and

a reference half-cell, wherein at least one of the measuring half-cell and the reference half-cell is connected to the probe base via a mechanical-electrical interface, and wherein the measuring half-cell and the reference half-cell are each configured such that:
the reference half-cell surrounds at least a portion of the measuring half-cell; or
the measuring half-cell surrounds at least a portion of the reference half-cell.

19. The probe of claim 1 , wherein:
the measuring half-cell is configured as a measuring half-cell module and the reference half-cell as a reference half-cell module;
the measuring half-cell module is connected to the probe base via a second mechanical-electrical interface;
the reference half-cell module is connected to the measuring half-cell module via a first mechanical-electrical interface; and
the measuring half-cell module connects the reference half-cell module electrically to the probe base.

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Conducta Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Hanko Michael
• Wilhelm Thomas
• Speck Matthäus
• Wittmer Detlev
• Jagiella Manfred

Classifications

• G01N27/327

  Biochemical electrodes {, e.g. electrical or mechanical details for in vitro measurements} · CPC title

• G01N27/40

  Semi-permeable membranes or partitions · CPC title

• G01N27/4035 Primary

  Combination of a single ion-sensing electrode and a single reference electrode (G01N27/406 and G01N27/413 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/31

  Half-cells with permeable membranes, e.g. semi-porous or perm-selective membranes · CPC title

• G01N27/36

  Glass electrodes · CPC title