Systems for electrochemical sorting of metals and alloys

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245773-A1
Application number	US-201514626332-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is an electrochemical probe system and an electrical excitation method, configured in a handheld sorting system, and used to identify the composition of metals and alloys.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A handheld electrochemical metal and/or alloy test system, comprising:
a cleaning arrangement configured to interact with a surface of the metal and/or alloy to be cleaned; an electrochemical test system including an electrically conductive system electrode positioned and configured to form an operable connection between the system electrode and a portion of the surface of the metal and/or alloy to be tested, at least one electrically conductive test probe electrode configured and positioned to form an operable connection between the at least one test probe electrode and a portion of the surface of the metal and/or alloy, an electrically non-conductive membrane, electrolyte, and a signal generating component in electrical connection with the system electrode and the at least one test probe electrode; a user interface configured to input data to the electrochemical test system and to receive data from the electrochemical test system; an onboard computing system for interacting with at least one of the cleaning component, electrochemical test system and the user interface; a power supply for providing power to the cleaning arrangement, the electrochemical test system, the user interface, and the onboard computing system; and a handle area for holding the handheld electrochemical metal and/or alloy test system.

2 . The handheld test system of claim 1 wherein the cleaning arrangement includes a rotary chuck to hold and spin an abrasive disk.

3 . The handheld test system of claim 2 further including a holder of compressed fluid (CO2 or N2) and a nozzle to pass the compressed fluid to the surface of the metal and/or alloy.

4 . The handheld test system of claim 1 wherein the power supply is a rechargeable battery integrated into the handheld system.

5 . The handheld test system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes an electronic display screen.

6 . The handheld test system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte, the electrically conductive test probe electrode and membrane are formed as a test probe cartridge including a tube having an interior in which is carried the electrolyte, a portion of the test probe electrode, and a portion of the membrane, the tube having first and second openings, the first opening sized to allow passage of the test probe electrode into the interior of the tube resulting in a fluidic sealing of the first opening, the second opening of the tube sized to permit insertion of at least a portion of the membrane providing a selective fluidic path for the electrolyte through the membrane.

7 . The handheld test system of claim 6 wherein the test probe cartridge further includes a valve arrangement, to allow measured amounts of the electrolyte to move from the interior of the tube into and through the membrane.

8 . The handheld test system of claim 6 further including a plurality of test probe cartridges and the system electrode are incorporated in a single body structure.

9 . The handheld test system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of test probe cartridges and the system electrode incorporated in the single body structure are spring loaded for movement to operably engage with the metal and/or alloy being tested.

10 . The handheld test system of claim 8 wherein the single body structure includes a flat bottom face with openings to allow passage of the test probe cartridges and the system electrode, and sealing gaskets to allow a sealing contact to a surface of the metal and/or alloy.

11 . The handheld test system of claim 6 wherein the test probe cartridge includes onboard communication components to communicate informational data related to the test probe cartridge.

12 . The handheld test system of claim 11 further including computing and communication components to receive the informational data from the test probe cartridge, and to provide the informational data to a user.

13 . The handheld test system of claim 11 further including computing and communication components to input informational data to the test probe cartridge and to receive informational data from the test probe cartridge.

14 . The handheld test system of claim 1 wherein the signal generating component is configured to generate asymmetric excitations.

15 . A handheld method of performing electrochemical testing of metal and/or alloy, comprising:
cleaning, by a cleaning arrangement configured to interact with a surface of the metal and/or alloy to be cleaned; performing electrochemical testing, by an electrochemical test system including an electrically conductive system electrode positioned and configured to form an operable connection between the system electrode and a portion of the surface of the metal and/or alloy to be tested, at least one electrically conductive test probe electrode configured and positioned to form an operable connection between the at least one test probe electrode and a portion of the surface of the metal and/or alloy, an electrically non-conductive membrane, electrolyte, and a signal generating component in electrical connection with the system electrode and the at least one test probe electrode; inputting data, by a user interface, to the electrochemical test system; receiving data to the user interface from the electrochemical test system; interacting, by an onboard computing system with at least one of the cleaning component, the electrochemical test system and the user interface; powering, by a power supply the cleaning arrangement, the electrochemical test system, the user interface, and the onboard computing system; and holding, by a handle area, the handheld electrochemical metal and/or alloy test system.

16 . The handheld test method of claim 15 wherein the electrolyte, the electrically conductive test probe electrode and membrane are formed as a test probe cartridge including a tube having an interior in which is carried the electrolyte, a portion of the test probe electrode, and a portion of the membrane, the tube having first and second openings, the first opening sized to allow passage of the test probe electrode into the interior of the tube resulting in a fluidic sealing of the first opening, the second opening of the tube sized to permit insertion of at least a portion of the membrane providing a selective fluidic path for the electrolyte through the membrane.

17 . The handheld test method of claim 16 wherein the test probe cartridge further includes a valve arrangement, to allow measured amounts of the electrolyte to move from the interior of the tube into and through the membrane.

18 . The handheld test method of claim 16 further including incorporating a plurality of test probe cartridges and the system electrode in a single body structure.

19 . The handheld test method of claim 16 wherein the test probe cartridge includes onboard communication components to communicate informational data related to the test probe cartridge.

20 . The handheld test method of claim 15 wherein the signal generating component generates asymmetric excitations.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Eldershaw Craig
• Sahu Saroj
• Garner Sean
• Rao Ranjeet
• Kole Ashutosh
• Vedharathinam Vedasri
• Desai Divyaraj
• Rivest Jessica Louis Baker
• Steele Richard
• Sheridan Martin J

Classifications

• G01N27/38

  Cleaning of electrodes · CPC title

• G01N27/413

  Concentration cells using liquid electrolytes {measuring currents or voltages in voltaic cells} · CPC title

• G01N27/416

  Systems (G01N27/27 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/31 Primary

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

• G01N33/2028 Primary

  Metallic constituents · CPC title