Title of Invention	BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR
Abstract	A COMPACT ELECTROCHEMICAL GAS SENSOR FOR THE DETECTION OF BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT ALONG WITH THE METHOD OF ITS FABRICATION IS DESCRIBED. THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR BASED ON GALVANOMETRIC PRINCIPLE ESSENTIALLY CONSISTS OF TWO ELECTRODE SYSTEM WITH A THREE CUP LEAK PROOF DESIGN. THE SENSOR IS SELECTIVE TO ALCOHOL WITH NEGLIGIBLE CROSS SENSITIVITY WITH OTHER BREATH GASES; ITS SENSITIVITY IS NOT AFFECTED BY AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

Title of Invention

BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR

Abstract

A COMPACT ELECTROCHEMICAL GAS SENSOR FOR THE DETECTION OF BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT ALONG WITH THE METHOD OF ITS FABRICATION IS DESCRIBED. THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR BASED ON GALVANOMETRIC PRINCIPLE ESSENTIALLY CONSISTS OF TWO ELECTRODE SYSTEM WITH A THREE CUP LEAK PROOF DESIGN. THE SENSOR IS SELECTIVE TO ALCOHOL WITH NEGLIGIBLE CROSS SENSITIVITY WITH OTHER BREATH GASES; ITS SENSITIVITY IS NOT AFFECTED BY AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

Full Text	FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 OF 1970) COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (SEE SECTION 10) "BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR" WE , UNITED PHOSPHORUS LIMITED, A COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956 AND HAVING ITS CORPORATE OFFICE UNIPHOS HOUSE, 11TH ROAD, C. D MARG, KHAR (WEST), MUMBAI - 400 052, STATE OF MAHARASHTRA INDIAN. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE NATURE OF THIS INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED :- BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR FIELD OF INVENTION THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR. MORE PARTICULARLY, THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS COST-EFFECTIVE AND IS CAPABLE OF BEING EASILY FABRICATED WITHOUT THE NEED FOR SOPHISTICATED MACHINERY OR INSTRUMENTS AND A DETECTION INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING THE SAME. BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION: IN THE EARLY 1800'S A BRITISH SCIENTIST DISCOVERED THE FUEL CELL CONCEPT, A SPECIAL CASE OF A GALVANIC CELL. THERE WAS NO PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF FUEL CELLS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE OF HIGH COST AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. IN THE 1960S, RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA DEMONSTRATED A FUEL CELL THAT WAS SPECIFIC FOR ALCOHOL. THIS EVOLVED INTO THE PRESENT-DAY SENSOR USED IN ALL FUEL CELL-BASED BREATH ALCOHOL MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS. SINCE THE COMMERCIAL INTRODUCTION OF FUEL CELL INSTRUMENTS IN THE MID-1970S, MANUFACTURERS IMPROVED THEM CONTINUOUSLY. MANY OF THE EARLY PROBLEMS THAT LIMITED THEIR USE TO NON-EVIDENTIAL ALCOHOL BREATH TESTING HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED. BY 1980, MODEM COUNTERPARTS OF EARLY UNITS WERE CERTIFIED FOR EVIDENTIAL USE BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND BY A NUMBER OF STATE AGENCIES AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS. THE FUEL CELL BASED SENSOR HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR SPECIFICITY AND LINEARITY OF RESPONSE OVER THE COMPLETE RANGE OF ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION EXPECTED IN THE BREATH. THE CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL IN THE ALVEOLAR AIR IS RELATED TO THE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL IN THE BLOODSTREAM. THE RATIO OF BREATH ALCOHOL TO BLOOD ALCOHOL IS ABOUT 2100:1 I.E. ABOUT 2100 ML OF BREATH AIR CONTAINS THE SAME AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL AS 1 ML OF BLOOD. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEVICES KNOWN IN THE ART FOR MEASURING THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT, WHICH IS THEN CORRELATED TO THE BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON IS LEGALLY CAPABLE OF DRIVING A AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS CONVENTIONALLY KNOWN IN THE ART ARE BASED ON ONE OF THE THREE KNOWN PRINCIPLES. THE FIRST KNOWN TYPE OF BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR USES A CHEMICAL REACTION 2 3 1 MAR 2009 INVOLVING ALCOHOL, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLOR CHANGE OCCURRING IN ONE OF THE INGREDIENTS. THE DEGREE OF COLOR CHANGE IS THEN RELATED TO THE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL IN THE SAMPLED AIR. • THE OTHER TYPE OF BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL BY INFRA RED SPECTROSCOPY. A PHOTOCELL CONVERTS AN INFRA RED BEAM PASSING THROUGH A SAMPLE CHAMBER TO AN ELECTRIC PULSE. A MICROPROCESSOR INTERPRETS THE ELECTRIC PULSE AND CALCULATES THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT BY MEASURING THE LEVEL OF ABSORPTION OF INFRA RED LIGHT FINALLY, BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS ARE KNOWN WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO DETECT THE REACTION OF ALCOHOL IN A FUEL CELL. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS KNOWN IN THE ART ARE BASED ON A GALVANIC CELL AND HENCE IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO APPLY AN EXTERNAL VOLTAGE TO THE CELL IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A CURRENT FLOW IN THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. A SPECIAL CASE OF A GALVANIC SENSING DEVICE IS ONE WHICH OPERATES AS A FUEL CELL WHERE THE ALCOHOL IS OXIDIZED AT ONE ELECTRODE WHILE OXYGEN IS REDUCED AT THE OTHER ELECTRODE. THE REACTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN AN ALCOHOL SENSOR IS THE OXIDATION OF ALCOHOL AT SENSING ELECTRODE WHICH IS DIRECTLY COMING IN CONTACT WITH ALCOHOL VAPOUR. IN THIS CHEMICAL REACTION A FIXED NUMBER OF ELECTRONS AND H+ IONS ARE PRODUCED PER MOLECULE OF ALCOHOL. THE PRODUCED H+ IONS MIGRATE TO THE COUNTER ELECTRODE OF THE SENSOR, WHERE THEY COMBINE WITH ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN TO FORM WATER, CONSUMING ONE ELECTRON PER H+ ION IN THE PROCESS. THUS, THE SENSING ELECTRODE HAS AN EXCESS OF ELECTRONS, AND THE COUNTER ELECTRODE HAS A CORRESPONDING DEFICIENCY OF ELECTRONS. IF THE TWO ELECTRODES ARE CONNECTED BY AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT, CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THIS TO NEUTRALIZE THE CHARGE. THIS CURRENT IS A DIRECT INDICATION OF THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL OXIDIZED BY SENSOR. USING AN APPROPRIATE SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT A DIGITAL DISPLAY OF ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION IS POSSIBLE. THE ALCOHOL, EG. ETHYL ALCOHOL, MOLECULES REACHING THE SENSING ELECTRODE WILL BE OXIDIZED PRODUCING ACETIC ACID, H+ IONS AND ELECTRONS. THESE H+ IONS MOVE TOWARDS COUNTER ELECTRODE. AT COUNTER ELECTRODE OXYGEN GETS REDUCED TO WATER BY COMBINING WITH H+ IONS AND ELECTRONS AND THEREBY PRODUCING A DEFICIENCY OF ELECTRONS WHICH IS CONSTANTLY BEING REPLENISHED BY THE FLOW OF CURRENT IN THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. THE CURRENT OUT PUT GENERATED 3 31 MAR 2009 WHEN AIR SAMPLE REACHES THE SENSING ELECTRODE DEPENDS UP ON THE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION IN THE AIR SAMPLE. THIS CURRENT OUTPUT IS MEASURED AND CORRELATED WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE BREATH SAMPLE. THE CELL REACTION THEREFORE, CAN BE WRITTEN AS FOLLOWS: - SENSING ELECTRODE REACTION COUNTER ELECTRODE REACTION THE NET REACTION IN THE CELL IS THE CONVERSION OF C2H5OH TO CH3COOH. IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF THE SENSOR HAS TO WORK AS ALCOHOL SENSOR, THE SENSOR OUTPUT SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION. IN THIS CHEMICAL REACTION A FIXED NUMBER OF ELECTRONS ARE FREED PER MOLECULE OF ALCOHOL. THE OXIDATION OCCURS ON THE SENSING ELECTRODE AND THE FREED H+IONS MIGRATE TO THE COUNTER ELECTRODE OF THE SENSOR, WHERE THEY COMBINE WITH ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN (O2) TO FORM WATER, CONSUMING FOUR ELECTRONS PER FOUR H+ ION IN THE PROCESS. THUS, THE SENSING ELECTRODE HAS AN EXCESS OF ELECTRONS, AND THE COUNTER ELECTRODE HAS A CORRESPONDING DEFICIENCY OF ELECTRONS. MOREOVER, PORTABLE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS ARE ALSO KNOWN WHICH ARE BASED ON THE SAME PRINCIPLE AS THE FUEL CELL DEVICES. THERE EXISTS A NEED IN THE ART FOR RELIABLE PORTABLE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS THAT ARE ROBUST, LEAK-PROOF AND ARE CAPABLE OF OFFERING CONSISTENTLY ACCURATE RESULTS. THE PRESENT INVENTION MEETS THIS AND OTHER NEEDS EXISTING WITHIN THE ART. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION THUS, IT IS AN OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS PORTABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE. ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS CAPABLE OF BEING FABRICATED WITHOUT THE NEED FOR SOPHISTICATED MACHINERY OR INSTRUMENTS. 3 1 MAR 2009 YET ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS CAPABLE OF OFFERING A SPECIFIC AND LINEAR RESPONSE TO THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL OVER THE ENTIRE RANGE OF EXPECTED BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT. ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS ROBUST AND LEAK-PROOF. YET ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING THE IMPROVED BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR. THE PRESENT INVENTION DESCRIBED HEREIN ACHIEVES AT LEAST ONE OF THE ABOVE OR MORE SUCH NEEDS EXISTING WITHIN THE ART. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ACCORDINGLY, IN ONE ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING: (A) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (B) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; (I) SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE; (II) SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID 5 MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND (III) SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER. IN YET ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT COMPRISING: (A) A SAMPLING SYSTEM ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A TESTING SARNPLE; (B) A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (II) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE; SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS 6 31 MAR 2009 PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER; AND (C) A DISPLAY SYSTEM ADAPTED TO DISPLAY THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT LEVEL RECEIVED FROM SAID BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING DEVICE. IN ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A METHOD FOR FABRICATING A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING: (A) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AND IMPRINTING THE PROVIDED MEMBRANE WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON AT LEAST TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID PROVIDED MEMBRANE; (B) PROVIDING A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; (C) PLACING A PRE-DEFMED VOLUME OF AN ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID INNER CUP; (D) PROVIDING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT WITHIN SAID INNER CUP AND PLACING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ATOP THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE SUPPORT; (E) POSITIONING SAID PROVIDED MIDDLE CUP TIGHTLY SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP AND PROVIDING AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP; 7 (F) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH AT LEAST TWO PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS; (G) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE FIRST ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF; (H) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE SECOND ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; (I) INTRODUCING A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP THEREBY ENSURING THAT A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH SAID THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TRAVERSES THROUGH A PORTION OF THE ELECTROLYTE HOUSED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP; (J) POSITIONING THE PROVIDED OUTER CUP SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND PROVIDING SAID OUTER CUP WITH AT LEAST ONE GAS DISPENSING DISC, AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP AND AT LEAST ONE CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF SUCH THAT THE PROVIDED CAP SUBSTANTIALLY COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP THEREBY SEALING THE SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER; (K) PLACING THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH THE TWO PROVIDED PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP; AND (1) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION TO THE PROVIDED GAS DISPENSING DISC THEREBY ALLOWING A COLLECTED SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 ILLUSTRATES THE SIDE CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION. FIGURE 2 ILLUSTRATES A DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION : THUS, IN A FIRST ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND AT LEAST A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY. THE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODES ASSEMBLED TOGETHER. PREFERABLY, THE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A SINGLE MEMBRANE IMPRINTED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF TO FORM THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES RESPECTIVELY. PREFERABLY, THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE COMPRISES A POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) MEMBRANE WHICH IS IMPRINTED ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL. THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL MAY ALSO BE EMBEDDED ON THE SAID TWO SURFACES OF THE MEMBRANE. THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL SUITABLE ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES PLATINUM POWDER, ONE OR MORE BINDERS AND/OR ONE OR MORE SOLVENTS. ALTERNATELY, OTHER PLATINUM GROUP METALS MAY ALSO BE CONVENIENTLY USED, WHICH ARE NOT EXCLUDED. THE SENSING ELECTRODE IS THE TOP SURFACE OF THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE THAT HAS BEEN COATED OR IMPRINTED OR EMBEDDED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL WHILE THE COUNTER ELECTRODE COMPRISES THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE SAME ELECTRODE MEMBRANE WHICH IS ALSO PROVIDED WITH A COATING, IMPRINT OR EMBEDDING OF THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL. THE SENSING ELECTRODE FIRST COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE SAMPLE BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL WHILE THE COUNTER ELECTRODE, WHICH IS POSITIONED ON THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE AT AN OPPOSITE SIDE TO THE SENSING ELECTRODE, REMAINS IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE. 9 3 1 MAR 2009 THE MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISES AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP. THE EMPTY VOLUME WITHIN THE INNER CUP HOLDS THE ELECTROLYTE. THE INNER CUP FURTHER COMPRISES AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT WHICH SUPPORTS THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE PLACED OVER SAID ELECTRODE SUPPORT. THE MIDDLE CUP SURROUNDS THE INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND COMPRISES TWO ELECTRODE PINS PLACED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF. THE TWO ELECTRODE PINS ARE CONNECTED TO THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES AT ONE END THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS. PREFERABLY, THE CONDUCTING LEADS COMPRISE PLATINUM STRIPS CONNECTING THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES TO THE ELECTRODE PINS AND ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED IN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE PREFERABLY INTRODUCED WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK PROOF PERFORATIONS IN THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE CONDUCTING LEADS THUS TRAVERSE THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE MIDDLE CUP AND ARE CONNECTED TO ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE OUTER CUP SURROUNDS THE MIDDLE CUP AND HAS AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF. THESE TWO PERFORATIONS ALLOW THE ELECTRODE PINS TO PROTRUDE THROUGH THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE OUTER CUP, WHICH CAN THUS BE CONNECTED TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY BE A DEVICE CAPABLE OF MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND CORRELATING THE MEASURED ELECTRIC CURRENT WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLED BREATH. FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY COMPRISE AN I/V CONVERTER FOLLOWED BY AN ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER WHICH MAY CALCULATE THE CONCENTRATION OF THE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE SAMPLED BREATH AND DISPLAY THE CONCENTRATION IN DIGITAL FORM TO THE USER OPERATING THE DEVICE. IN ANOTHER PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, THE OUTER CUP IS PROVIDED WITH A CAP WITH AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION PROVIDED AT THE CENTER OF THE CAP. PREFERABLY, BOTTOM OF THE OUTER CUP IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDES. 10 3 1 MAR 2009 THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION WHICH ALLOWS A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE THE SENSOR WHEREIN THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLE COULD BE DETERMINED AND PREFERABLY DISPLAYED TO THE OPERATOR USING THE DETECTION INSTRUMENT . THE OUTER CUP FURTHER COMPRISES A CAP FITTING AT THE TOP PORTION WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP THEREBY SEALING THE INSIDES OF THE SENSOR TO THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER. THE FLUID SEALING ALSO ENSURES THAT THE ALCOHOL IN AIR DOES NOT REACH THE COUNTER ELECTRODE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PTFE MEMBRANE. IN ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT. THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT COMPRISES A SAMPLING SYSTEM, A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR SIGNAL PROCESSOR, AND A DISPLAY SYSTEM. THE SAMPLING SYSTEM RECEIVES A SAMPLE BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL. THE SAMPLING SYSTEM PREFERABLY RECEIVES A DIRECT BREATH SAMPLE FROM A SUBJECT TO BE TESTED OR RECEIVES A PASSIVE SAMPLE FROM A SUBJECT TO BE TESTED. THE SAMPLING SYSTEM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HEADSPACE SAMPLE FROM AN OPEN CONTAINER. THE SAMPLING SYSTEM PREFERABLY COMPRISES A MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY INTO WHICH THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED IS INSTRUCTED TO BLOW CONTINUOUSLY FOR A PERIOD OF 5 TO 6 SEC. THE MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CREATES A SMALL CAVITY/ GAP WHERE THE BREATH AIR GETS ENTRAPPED OVER THE SENSOR WHEN A SAMPLE BREATH IS BLOWN THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE. THIS BLOWING THROUGH THE MOUTH PIECE EXERTS A SLIGHT PRESSURE OVER THE TOP PORTION OF AIR GAP AND FORCIBLY REPLACES THE EXISTING AIR IN THE AIR CAVITY OVER THE SENSOR. FOR THE EXISTING AIR TO ESCAPE THERE IS A SMALL SLOT AT THE SIDE OF THE TOP DISC. THE MOST OF THE AIR BLOWN ESCAPES THROUGH ANOTHER HOLE IN THE WALL OF MOUTH PIECE. THE MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY TRAPS THE BREATH SAMPLE BLOWN INTO IT AND RETAINS IT FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS SO THAT THE GAS CONCENTRATION IS RETAINED OVER THE SENSOR TO GIVE ITS FULL RESPONSE FOR THAT CONCENTRATION. MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS (I) THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE AND (II) THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" FITTED ON THE SENSOR HOLDER. TOGETHER THEY FORM THE 'MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY". FURTHER, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE COMPRISES OF A 7 MM OD AND 4 MM ID TUBING OF 30 MM LENGTH GOING CONCENTRICALLY INSIDE ANOTHER TUBING OF 14 MM OD AND 11 MM ID. THE OUTER TUBING IS ATTACHED TO THE INNER TUBING BY SEALING IT APPROXIMATELY AT THE MID POINT OF THE INNER TUBING. THE PROTRUDING PART OF THE INNER TUBING IS USED TO BLOW THE BREATH AIR ON TO THE SENSOR. AT THE OTHER END OF THE INNER TUBE A SPUTUM TRAP IS FITTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE ARE HOLES LEFT AT THE SIDES SO THAT THE AIR BLOWN INTO IT CAN ESCAPE WHILE THE CENTRAL PORTION CAN HOLD BACK ANY SPUTUM IN THE BREATH OF THE BLOWER. THE OUTER TUBING EXTENDS FURTHER BY ABOUT 26 CM BEYOND THE SPUTUM TRAP AND GOES INTO THE TOP END OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" IS A SINGLE MOLDED CYLINDRICAL PIECE OF 39 MM LONG WITH BOTH ENDS OPEN. THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP HAS TWO DIFFERENT DIAMETERS ALONG ITS LENGTH. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE HAS A LENGTH OF 23MM AND THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE HAS A LENGTH OF 14 MM. THE TWO TUBES ARE MOLDED AS A SINGLE PIECE WITH A WIRE MESH FITTED BETWEEN THEM. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" IS FITTED OVER THE SENSOR HOLDER AND IN THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE IS INSERTED. FURTHER, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE IS MADE TO REST ON A CIRCULAR RING MOLDED INSIDE THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". IN THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" A CIRCULAR DISC WITH A CENTRAL PINHOLE AND A NARROW SLOT AT THE EDGE IS FITTED. WHEN THIS DISC IS FITTED AND THE FULL MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY IS FITTED ON THE SENSOR HOLDER IT LEAVES A SMALL GAP BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE DISC WHICH TRAPS THE AIR BLOWN BY THE SUBJECT. WHEN THE SUBJECT BLOWS THROUGH THE MOUTH PIECE THE BREATH AIR EXERTS A PRESSURE OVER THE DISC AND FORCES THE BREATH AIR TO PASS THROUGH THE PINHOLE. THE EXISTING AIR BELOW THE PINHOLE IN THE AIR GAP IS THROWN OUT THROUGH THE SIDE SLOT AND ESCAPES THROUGH A BIG HOLE AT THE SIDE OF BIGGER CYLINDRICAL TUBE OF "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". THIS BIG HOLE ON THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE ALSO WORKS TO PREVENT ANY LARGE PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE SENSOR BY PROVIDING AN ESCAPE PATH FOR MOST OF THE SAMPLE AIR BLOWN INTO THE MOUTH PIECE. THE TUBING DIMENSIONS MENTIONED HEREIN ARE MEANT TO BE EXEMPLARY AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TO THE EXEMPLARY DIMENSIONS PARTICULARLY PREFERRED HEREIN. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE MOUTHPIECE COMPRISES A FIRST END INTO WHICH THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED IS INSTRUCTED TO BLOW. THE SECOND END OF THE MOUTHPIECE FITS OVER THE SENSOR HOLDER. THUS, A SAMPLE BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL BLOWN BY A SUBJECT TO BE TESTED REACHES THE SENSOR WHERE THE ALCOHOL GETS CATALYTICALLY OXIDIZED OVER THE SENSING ELECTRODE GENERATING A CURRENT SIGNAL PROPORTIONAL TO THE ALCOHOL SENSOR. ALTERNATELY, A COMMON DRINKING STRAW OF A SUITABLE DIAMETER MAY ALSO BE USED AS A MOUTHPIECE. IN AN ASPECT, THE DISPLAY SYSTEM RECEIVES THE MEASURED CONCENTRATION OF BREATH ALCOHOL FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AND VISIBLY DISPLAYS THE RECEIVED BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION ON A DIGITAL DISPLAY. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR PRESENT IN THIS ASPECT OF THE CLAIMED SUBJECT MATTER IS MADE ACCORDING TO THE PREVIOUS ASPECT DESCRIBING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR PER SE ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION. THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRECEDING ASPECT DESCRIBING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR ARE REPRODUCED HEREIN IN ITS ENTIRETY. PREFERABLY, THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION MAY BE CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR. THE SAID COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR MAY BE CONNECTED EXTERNALLY TO THE SENSING DEVICE OR MAY BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE DEVICE ITSELF FORMING AN INTERNAL COMPONENT THEREOF. IN THIS EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM MAY BE PROVIDED ON A CONNECTED COMPUTER ATTACHED TO THE BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING SYSTEM OR MAY BE LOADED ONTO THE IN-BUILT MEMORY PROVIDED TO THE TESTING SYSTEM. IN AN EMBODIMENT, SAID CONNECTED COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR IS EQUIPPED WITH A PRE¬LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT AUTOMATICALLY DIRECTS THE TEST PROCEDURE BY PROMPTING THE USER OF THE DEVICE AT APPROPRIATE INTERVALS. PREFERABLY, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM INCLUDES A DATA STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING THE IDENTITY OF EACH TESTED SUBJECT ALONG WITH THE TEST RESULTS, DATE AND TIME FOR UPTO 10000 TEST RESULTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROVIDED DATA STORAGE MEANS IS CAPABLE OF RETRIEVING THE STOCE4_ INFORMATION WHEN PROMPTED BY THE USER. 13 3 1 MAR 2009 PREFERABLY, SAID PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM DIRECTS THE TEST PROCEDURE BY INITIATING A PRE-DETERMINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH A USER CONTROLLABLE TESTING PROTOCOL. IN AN EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-DEFINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS INCLUDES (I) PROMPTING THE USER TO ENTER INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED; (II) RECEIVING AND STORING THE INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED, OPERATOR SUPERVISING THE TESTING PROTOCOL AND THE INCIDENT WHICH TRIGGERED THE SUBJECT TO THE TESTING PROTOCOL; (III) INITIATING A BREATH SAMPLING SEQUENCE INCLUDING PROMPTING THE SUBJECT TO PROVIDE A BREATH SAMPLE THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE AND TRANSFERRING THE SAMPLED BREATH TO THE TESTING DEVICE; (IV) RECEIVING THE TEST RESULT FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSING DEVICE AND UPDATING THE DATA STORAGE MEANS IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TESTED AND THE TEST RESULT. THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION MAY ADDITIONALLY BE CAPABLE OF DOWNLOADING THE DATA STORED IN THE DATA STORAGE MEANS TO A CENTRAL DATABASE AND MAY OPTIONALLY PRINT A COPY OF THE STORED TEST RECORD IF PROMPTED BY THE USER. THE CENTRAL DATABASE MAY BE LOCATED ON A REMOTE CENTRAL SERVER, WHICH STORES THE INDIVIDUAL TEST RECORDS TRANSMITTED FROM A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL TESTING DEVICES. MOREOVER, EACH INDIVIDUAL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AND THE CENTRAL DATABASE MAY BE CONFIGURED TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH A SECURED DATA COMMUNICATION MEANS AUTHORIZED BY AN IN-BUILT LOGIN AND PASSWORD. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM ON BEING ACTIVATED MAY PROMPT THE OPERATOR TO SELECT AN OPTION FROM SEVERAL PROVIDED OPTIONS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INITIATING A TESTING SEQUENCE, PRINTING PREVIOUS TEST RESULTS, PERFORMING A CALIBRATION CHECK, VIEWING PREVIOUS TEST RESULTS AND UPLOADING THE LATEST TEST RESULTS TO A COMPUTER OR A CENTRAL DATABASE. THE DETECTION INSTRUMENT MAY FURTHER INCLUDE A TOUCH SCREEN OR A KEYBOARD OR A MAGNETIC STRIPE OR BARCODE READING CAPABILITY ENABLING THE COMPUTER PROGRAM TO RECEIVE THE USER'S INSTRUCTIONS. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION MAY ADDITIONALLY COMPRISE A PRINTER INTERFACE. THE PROVIDED PRINTER INTERFACE MAY CONNECT THE SENSING SYSTEM WITH A SERIAL PRINTER OR A PARALLEL PRINTER. THE PRESENT INVENTION THUS 14 31 MAR 2009 PROVIDES AN AUTOMATED BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION SYSTEM THAT ENABLES DETERMINING A SUBJECT'S BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT AND IS CAPABLE OF SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING THE RESULTS THEREOF AS WELL AS ELECTRONICALLY STORING AND RETRIEVING THE INFORMATION. IN ANOTHER PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM TRIGGERS A CALIBRATION ROUTINE AFTER EVERY PRE-DEFINED NUMBER OF TESTS ARE PERFORMED. IN THIS EMBODIMENT, ■ RUNNING A PRE-DEFINED CALIBRATION ROUTINE AFTER A PRE-DETERMINED NUMBER OF TESTS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT ENSURES THE RELIABILITY OF THE TESTING DEVICE IN ACCURATELY DETECTING AND QUANTIFYING THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL. IN AN EMBODIMENT, THE PREFERRED ELECTROLYTE IS IMMOBILIZED ON POROUS MEMBRANE. DURING THE ACTUAL TESTING PROCEDURE, THE SAMPLED BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL CONTACTS THE SENSING ELECTRODE, THE CATALYTIC PLATINUM PROVIDED ON THE ELECTRODE OXIDIZES THE ALCOHOL TO PRODUCE ACETIC ACID, PROTONS AND ELECTRONS. THE ELECTRONS FLOW THROUGH A WIRE FROM THE PLATINUM ELECTRODE. THE WIRE IS CONNECTED TO AN ELECTRICAL-CURRENT METER AND TO THE PLATINUM ELECTRODE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE PROTONS MOVE TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FUEL CELL (I.E COUNTER ELECTRODE ) AND COMBINE WITH OXYGEN AND ELECTRONS TO FORM WATER. THE MORE THE ALCOHOL GETS OXIDIZED, THE GREATER THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT GENERATED. A MICROPROCESSOR MEASURES THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND CALCULATES THE BAC. IN YET ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR DESCRIBED IN THE PREVIOUS ASPECTS AND EMBODIMENTS. THE METHOD ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION INCLUDES PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE IMPRINTED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON BOTH THE FACES. PREFERABLY, THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE IS A POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) MEMBRANE. THE IMPRINTED CATALYTIC MATERIAL COMPRISES POWDERED PLATINUM ALONG WITH ONE OR MORE BINDERS OPTIONALLY WITH ONE OR MORE SOLVENTS. THE PTFE MEMBRANE IS OPTIONALLY PRESSED USING A MANUAL HANDPRESS TO A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 230 PSI. 15 31 MAR 2009 THE METHOD THEREAFTER INCLUDES PROVIDING A MULTIPLE ASSEMBLY, PREFERABLY AT LEAST A THREE-CUP ASSEMBLY. THE THREE-CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISES AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP. A PRE-DEFINED VOLUME OF AN ELECTROLYTE IS THEN PLACED IN THE INNER CUP. AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT IS PROVIDED WITHIN THE INNER CUP AND THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE IS PLACED ON THE ELECTRODE SUPPORT. THE MIDDLE CUP IS THEN PLACED TIGHTLY SURROUNDING THE INNER CUP. THEREAFTER, AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODE PINS ARE PLACED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE ELECTRODE PINS ARE CONNECTED TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS, WHICH CARRY THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO THE ELECTRODE PINS. THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE PREFERABLY MADE OF PLATINUM STRIPS. THE FIRST ENDS OF THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE CONNECTED TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT ITS TWO ENDS, PREFERABLY ON THE TWO FACES. THE TWO FACES OF THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ARE THE RESPECTIVE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES. THE SECOND ENDS OF THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE THEREAFTER CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE CONDUCTING LEADS IS THEREAFTER INTRODUCED WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP THROUGH LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS SITUATED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE INTRODUCED WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT A MAJOR PORTION OF THE LEADS MAKES CONTACT ON THE TWO SURFACES OF THE ELECTRODES PLACED WITH IN THE INNER CUP. THE OUTER CUP IS THEN POSITIONED SURROUNDING THE MIDDLE CUP. THE OUTER CUP IS PROVIDED WITH A GAS DISPENSING DISC, TWO PERFORATIONS AT THE BOTTOM PORTION AND ONE CAP FITTING AT THE TOP PORTION. THE CAP FITTING COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP PREFERABLY COMPLETELY THUS SEALING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR TO THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT. 16 31 MAR 2009 THE TWO GUIDING DEPRESSIONS AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP ARE PROVIDED TO ALLOW THE ELECTRODE PINS TO BE HELD AT TOP END WHILE THE OTHER END RUNS THROUGH THE OUTER CUP AND PROTRUDE OUT FOR PLUGGING INTO THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB). IN AN EMBODIMENT, THE METHOD, FOR FABRICATING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OPTIONALLY COMPRISES CONNECTING THE ELECTRODE PINS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE OUTER CUP TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY BE A DEVICE CAPABLE OF MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND CORRELATING THE MEASURED ELECTRIC CURRENT WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLED BREATH. MORE PREFERABLY, THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY BE AN 17V CONVERTER FOLLOWED BY AN ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER AND MICROCONTROLLER, WHICH MAY CALCULATE THE NUMERICAL CONCENTRATION OF THE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE SAMPLED BREATH AND DISPLAY THE CALCULATED NUMERICAL CONCENTRATION TO THE USER. THEREAFTER, THE METHOD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES PROVIDING A PERFORATION IN THE GAS DISPENSING DISC. THE PERFORATION ALLOWS THE COLLECTED BREATH SAMPLE TO TRAVERSE INSIDE THE SENSOR WHERE IT CONTACTS THE SENSING ELECTRODE. TURNING NOW TO FIGURE-1, DESCRIBED IS A SIDE CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION. IN THE EMBODIMENT OF FIGURE 1 THE INNER CUP (1) IS PLACED TIGHTLY WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP (2) WHICH IN TURN IS PLACED WITHIN THE OUTER CUP (3).OUTER CUP HAVING A GAS DISPERSION DISC (4) AND A CAP (5) ON THE TOP, HAS HOLES IN THE BOTTOM THROUGH WHICH THE ELECTRODE PINS (6) FROM THE MIDDLE CUP PASS THROUGH. THE BOTH SIDE PLATINUM INK PRINTED PTFE MEMBRANE ELECTRODES ASSEMBLY (7) IS PLACED ON A GLASS MICROFIBRE FILTER (8) WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE ELECTRODE SUPPORTER (9) AND IS CONNECTED TO ELECTRODE PINS THROUGH PLATINUM STRIPS.(LO). THE GLASS MICROFIBRE FILTER CONNECTS THE COUNTER ELECTRODE WITH THE ELECTROLYTE WHICH IS TAKEN IN INNER CUP (1). TWO ELECTRODE ELECTROCHEMICAL GAS SENSORS IS THE SIMPLEST FORM OF ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR WORKING ON THE PRINCIPLE OF GALVANIC CELL. THE SENSOR CONSISTS OF A POROUS, CHEMICALLY INERT MEMBRANE COATED ON BOTH SIDES WITH FINELY DIVIDED PLATINUM (CALLED PLATINUM BLACK CATALYST). THIS POROUS LAYER IS IMPREGNATED WITH 5 WT% SOLUTION OF NAFION, AND PLATINUM 17 STRIPS ARE PLACED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COATED MEMBRANE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTION. THE BASIC CONFIGURATION IS ILLUSTRATED IN FIGURE 1. IN THIS SENSOR, THE PTFE MEMBRANE WAS USED AS A SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODE SUPPORT AFTER DIPPING IT IN 5 % WAV NATION SOLUTION. BOTH THE SIDES OF THIS MEMBRANE ARE PRINTED BY PLATINUM PASTE AND THEY ARE USED AS THE ELECTRODES OF THIS SENSOR THIS ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY IS SATURATED WITH 5 M H2SO4 WHICH HELPS TO CONDUCT THE PROTONS GENERATED DURING THE OXIDATION OF ALCOHOL AT SENSING ELECTRODE. THE SOLID ELECTROLYTE BASED SENSORS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET ARE SENSITIVE TO HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE OF AMBIENT AIR. BUT THE LIQUID ELECTROLYTE BASED SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS MUCH LESS DEPENDENT ON TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY OF AMBIENT AIR. IN THE PRESENT INVENTION, THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR IS DEVELOPED BASED ON THE GALVANIC CELL PRINCIPLE USING LIQUID ELECTROLYTE, WHICH CAN DETECT AND MEASURE THE CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL VAPOUR PRESENT IN THE BREATH SAMPLE. ANY SENSOR WHEN EXPOSED TO A CERTAIN GAS CONCENTRATION, IT TAKES SOME TIME TO SHOW THE FULL RESPONSE OR SIGNAL (VOLTAGE OR CURRENT). THE TIME IT TAKES TO REACH 90 PERCENTAGE OF THE PEAK SIGNAL IS KNOWN AS T90 OF. SENSOR RESPONSE. THE TIME IT TAKES TO FALL 90 PERCENTAGE OF ITS PEAK VALUE, WHEN THE SENSOR IS REMOVED FROM THE GAS EXPOSURE, IS KNOWN AS ITS T10. IT IS DESIRABLE PARTICULARLY FOR THIS TYPE OF APPLICATION TO NEED VERY LOW T90 AND T10 VALUE. THE T90 RESPONSE OF THE SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS LOWER THAN 10 SEC. A VERY LOW T90 RESPONSE IS PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR SENSOR USED IN BREATH ALCOHOL ANALYZER WHERE ONE BLOWS OVER SENSOR FOR 6 TO 7 SECONDS, BY WHICH TIME THE RESPONSE SHOULD REACH ITS T90. HOWEVER, EVEN THE BEST SENSORS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE HAVE A T90 OF AT LEAST MORE THAN 10 SECOND, HENCE MAKING IT NECESSARY TO TRAP THE BREATH SAMPLE OVER THE SENSOR FOR A PERIOD OF 10 - 15 SECONDS, WHICH IS ACHIEVED BY THE PREFERRED MOUTHPIECES ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION DESCRIBED HEREINABOVE. THE T90 OF OTHER SENSORS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET ARE GENERALLY MORE THAN 20 SECONDS. IN THE PRESENT INVENTION THE SENSING ELECTRODE AND COUNTER ELECTRODES ARE PRINTED ON THE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME PTFE MEMBRANE. THE SENSING ELECTRODE FACES TOWARDS THE TARGET 18 3 1 MAR 2009 GAS AND THE COUNTER ELECTRODE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PTFE MEMBRANE IS IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE AND THE ELECTROLYTE IS IMMOBILIZED ON A GLASS MICROFIBRE FILTER TOUCHING THE COUNTER ELECTRODE. THE CURRENT CARRYING PLATINUM STRIPS ARE PLACED ON BOTH SIDE OF THE ELECTRODE AND KEPT PRESSED BY COMPACTING IT IN SENSOR ASSEMBLY. THE T90 OF THE SENSOR IS FOUND TO BE LESS THAN 10 SEC. THE RECOVERY TIME OF THE SENSOR IS ALSO FOUND TO BE LESS THAN 20 SEC.- TURNING NOW TO FIGURE 2, ILLUSTRATED IS A MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY PREFERRED ACCORDING TO AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION. THE PREFERRED MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY 2A COMPRISES A DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE ILLUSTRATED IN FIGURE 2B AND A SAMPLE AIR TRAP 2C3 WHICH FITS ON THE SENSOR HOLDER. THE DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE 2B AND THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP 2C TOGETHER FORM THE MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY 2A IN THIS EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION. THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE 2B COMPRISES OF A 7 MM OD AND 4 MM ID TUBING (11) OF 30 MM LENGTH GOING CONCENTRICALLY INSIDE ANOTHER TUBING (12) OF 14 MM OD AND 11 MM ID. THE OUTER TUBING (12) IS ATTACHED TO THE INNER TUBING (11) BY SEALING IT APPROXIMATELY AT THE MID POINT OF THE INNER TUBING. THE PROTRUDING PART OF THE INNER TUBING IS USED TO BLOW THE BREATH AIR ON TO THE SENSOR. AT THE OTHER END OF THE INNER TUBE A SPUTUM TRAP (13) IS FITTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE ARE HOLES (14) LEFT AT THE SIDES SO THAT THE AIR BLOWN INTO IT CAN ESCAPE WHILE THE CENTRAL PORTION CAN HOLD BACK ANY SPUTUM IN THE BREATH OF THE BLOWER. THE OUTER TUBING EXTENDS FURTHER BY ABOUT 26 CM BEYOND THE SPUTUM TRAP AND GOES INTO THE TOP END OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" 2C. THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" 2C IS A SINGLE MOLDED CYLINDRICAL PIECE OF 39 MM LENGTH WITH BOTH ENDS OPEN. THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP HAS TWO DIFFERENT DIAMETERS ALONG ITS LENGTH. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE (15) HAS A LENGTH OF 23MM AND THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE (16) HAS A LENGTH OF 14 MM. THE TWO TUBES ARE MOLDED AS A SINGLE PIECE WITH A WIRE MESH (17) FITTED BETWEEN THEM. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" IS FITTED OVER THE SENSOR HOLDER AND IN THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE IS INSERTED. FURTHER, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE IS MADE TO REST ON A CIRCULAR RING MOLDED INSIDE THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". IN THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" A CIRCULAR DISC WITH A CENTRAL PINHOLE AND A NARROW SLOT AT THE EDGE IS FITTED. WHEN THIS DISC IS FITTED AND THE FULL 19 31 MAR 2009 MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY IS FITTED ON THE SENSOR HOLDER IT LEAVES A SMALL GAP BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE DISC WHICH TRAPS THE AIR BLOWN BY THE SUBJECT. ADVANTAGES OF ONE OR MORE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION: 1. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES AN ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONALLY USED SOLID STATE SENSOR. 2. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION AVOIDS THE PROBLEM OF ELECTROLYTE LEAKING DUE TO THE LEAK PROOF THREE-CUP STRUCTURE THEREBY PROVIDING A RIGHT AMOUNT AND CONCENTRATION OF THE ELECTROLYTE. 3. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT AT A SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF 1.25, THE CONDUCTIVITY OF THE ELECTROLYTE EXHIBITS A MAXIMUM AND THUS THE INTERNAL RESISTANCE IS IMPROVED AND THE SENSITIVITY OF THE SENSOR TOWARDS THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL IN A SAMPLE BREATH IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. 4. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE ELECTROLYTE FREEZING, A COMMON PROBLEM PLAGUING THE ART, ALSO DEPENDS ON THE CONCENTRATION OF THE ELECTROLYTE. THE PRESENT INVENTION AVOIDS THE FREEZING OF THE ELECTROLYTE AT THE SELECTED ELECTROLYTE CONCENTRATION. 5. THE SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION POSSESSES A PREFERABLY LOW TIO AND T90 VALUES. 20 WE CLAIM: 1. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (II) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; (A) SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE; (B) SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND (C) SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER. 21 A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODES ASSEMBLED TOGETHER. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A SINGLE MEMBRANE PROVIDED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 1-3, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE MEMBRANE COMPRISES A POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) MEMBRANE. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 3 OR CLAIM 4, WHEREIN SAID CATALYTIC MATERIAL COMPRISES PLATINUM POWDER, ONE OR MORE BINDERS AND/OR ONE OR MORE SOLVENTS. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID CONDUCTING LEADS COMPRISE PLATINUM STRIPS CONNECTING THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES TO THE ELECTRODE PINS. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE PINS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP ARE CONNECTED TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 7, WHEREIN SAID EXTERNAL CIRCUIT COMPRISES A DEVICE CAPABLE OF MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND CORRELATING THE MEASURED ELECTRIC CURRENT WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLED BREATH. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 7 OR CLAIM 8, WHEREIN SAID EXTERNAL CIRCUIT COMPRISES AN I/V CONVERTER, AN ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER AND A MICROCONTROLLER CAPABLE OF CALCULATING THE NUMERICAL CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL IN THE SAMPLED BREATH. 22 31 MAR 2009 10. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 7-9, WHEREIN SAID EXTERNAL CIRCUIT INCLUDES A DISPLAY MEANS CAPABLE OF DISPLAYING THE CALCULATED NUMERICAL ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION TO THE USER OPERATING THE DEVICE. 11. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN ANY PRECEDING CLAIM, WHEREIN THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP FITTED ON THE SENSOR, HOLDER COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION PROVIDED ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE WALL THEREOF THEREBY ALLOWING AN EXCESSIVE BREATH PRESSURE ON THE SENSING ELECTRODE TO BE DISSIPATED. 12. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN ANY PRECEDING CLAIM, WHEREIN SAID MOUTHPIECE IS CAPABLE OF RETAINING THE SAMPLED BREATH FOR AT LEAST ABOUT 10 SECONDS. 13. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT COMPRISING: (A) A SAMPLING SYSTEM ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A TESTING SAMPLE; (B) A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (II) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE; SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED 23 31 MAR 2009 AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER; AND (C) A DISPLAY SYSTEM ADAPTED TO DISPLAY THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT LEVEL RECEIVED FROM SAID BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING DEVICE. 14. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID SAMPLING SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A DIRECT BREATH SAMPLE FROM A SUBJECT. 15. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID SAMPLING SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HEADSPACE SAMPLE FROM AN OPEN CONTAINER. 16. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-15, WHEREIN SAID SAMPLING SYSTEM COMPRISES A MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY. 17. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-16, WHEREIN SAID MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY IS CAPABLE OF RETAINING THE SAMPLED BREATH FOR AT LEAST ABOUT 10 SECONDS. 18. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID DISPLAY SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING THE MEASURED BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AND VISIBLY DISPLAYING THE RECEIVED BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION. 19. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-28 CONNECTED EXTERNALLY TO A COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR. 24 31 MAR 2009 20. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 19 COMPRISING A PRE- LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM LOADED ONTO THE CONNECTED COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR. 21. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-20 COMPRISING AN IN¬BUILT COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR. 22. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 21 COMPRISING A PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM LOADED ONTO THE IN-BUILT COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR. 23. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 22, WHEREIN SAID PRE-LOADED PROGRAM IS CAPABLE OF AUTOMATICALLY DIRECTING THE TEST PROCEDURE COMPRISING PROMPTING THE USER AT REGULAR INTERVALS. 24. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 20-23, WHEREIN SAID COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR INCLUDES A DATA STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION DATA OF EACH SUBJECT TESTED ALONG WITH THE DATE AND TIME OF MEASUREMENT. 25. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 24. WHEREIN SAID DATA STORAGE MEANS IS CAPABLE OF STORING INFORMATION RELATING TO AT LEAST 10000 TESTED SUBJECTS WITH DATE AND TIME. 26. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 23, WHEREIN SAID DIRECTING THE TEST PROCEDURE COMPRISES INITIATING A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS COMPRISING (A) PROMPTING THE USER TO ENTER INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED; (B) RECEIVING AND STORING THE INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED, OPERATOR SUPERVISING THE TESTING PROTOCOL AND THE INCIDENT WHICH TRIGGERED THE TESTING PROTOCOL; (C) INITIATING A BREATH SAMPLING SEQUENCE INCLUDING PROMPTING THE SUBJECT TO PROVIDE A BREATH SAMPLE THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE AND TRANSFERRING THE SAMPLED BREATH TO THE TESTING DEVICE; AND (D) RECEIVING THE TEST RESULT FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AND UPDATING THE DATA STORAGE MEANS IDENTIFYING THE TESTED SUBJECT AND THE RESULT. 25 31 MAR 2009 27. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-26, WHEREIN SAID DATA STORAGE MEANS IS CAPABLE OF UPLOADING THE STORED DATA TO A CENTRAL DATABASE AND OPTIONALLY PRINT A COPY OF THE STORED TEST RESULT IF PROMPTED. 28. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 27, WHEREIN SAID CENTRAL DATABASE IS CAPABLE OF STORING INDIVIDUAL TEST RESULTS RECEIVED FROM A PLURALITY OF TESTING DEVICES. 29. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13-28 CONFIGURED TO COMMUNICATE WITH A CENTRAL SERVER THROUGH A SECURED DATA COMMUNICATION MEANS OPTIONALLY AUTHENTICATED BY AN IN-BUILT LOGIN AND PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION. 30. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID ELECTROLYTE IS IMMOBILIZED ON POROUS MEMBRANE. 31. A METHOD FOR FABRICATING A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING: (A) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AND PROVIDING THE PROVIDED MEMBRANE WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON BOTH FACES OF SAID PROVIDED MEMBRANE; (B) PROVIDING A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; (C) PLACING A PRE-DEFINED VOLUME OF AN ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID INNER CUP; (D) PROVIDING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT WITHIN SAID INNER CUP AND PLACING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ATOP THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE SUPPORT; (E) POSITIONING SAID PROVIDED MIDDLE CUP TIGHTLY SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP AND PROVIDING AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP; (F) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH AT LEAST TWO PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS; (G) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE FIRST ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT TWO ENDS THEREOF; 26 31 MAR 2009 (H) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE SECOND ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; (I) INTRODUCING A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP THEREBY ENSURING THAT A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH SAID THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TRAVERSES THROUGH A PORTION OF THE ELECTROLYTE HOUSED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP; (J) POSITIONING THE PROVIDED OUTER CUP SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND PROVIDING SAID OUTER CUP WITH AT LEAST ONE GAS DISPENSING DISC, AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP AND AT LEAST ONE CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF SUCH THAT THE PROVIDED CAP SUBSTANTIALLY COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP THEREBY SEALING THE SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER; (K) PLACING THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH THE TWO PROVIDED PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP; AND (1) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION TO THE PROVIDED GAS DISPENSING DISC THEREBY ALLOWING A COLLECTED SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE. 32. A METHOD AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 31, ADDITIONALLY COMPRISING PRESSING THE PROVIDED PTFE MEMBRANE BY APPLYING A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE USING A MANUAL HAND PRESS. 33. A METHOD AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 32, WHEREIN SAID PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IS ABOUT 230 PSI.

Full Text

FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10)
"BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR"

WE , UNITED PHOSPHORUS LIMITED,
A COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT,
1956 AND HAVING ITS CORPORATE OFFICE UNIPHOS HOUSE,
11TH ROAD, C. D MARG, KHAR (WEST),
MUMBAI - 400 052,
STATE OF MAHARASHTRA
INDIAN.

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE NATURE OF THIS INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED :-

BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR
FIELD OF INVENTION
THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR. MORE PARTICULARLY, THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS COST-EFFECTIVE AND IS CAPABLE OF BEING EASILY FABRICATED WITHOUT THE NEED FOR SOPHISTICATED MACHINERY OR INSTRUMENTS AND A DETECTION INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING THE SAME.
BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION:
IN THE EARLY 1800'S A BRITISH SCIENTIST DISCOVERED THE FUEL CELL CONCEPT, A SPECIAL CASE OF A GALVANIC CELL. THERE WAS NO PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF FUEL CELLS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE OF HIGH COST AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. IN THE 1960S, RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA DEMONSTRATED A FUEL CELL THAT WAS SPECIFIC FOR ALCOHOL. THIS EVOLVED INTO THE PRESENT-DAY SENSOR USED IN ALL FUEL CELL-BASED BREATH ALCOHOL MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS. SINCE THE COMMERCIAL INTRODUCTION OF FUEL CELL INSTRUMENTS IN THE MID-1970S, MANUFACTURERS IMPROVED THEM CONTINUOUSLY. MANY OF THE EARLY PROBLEMS THAT LIMITED THEIR USE TO NON-EVIDENTIAL ALCOHOL BREATH TESTING HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED. BY 1980, MODEM COUNTERPARTS OF EARLY UNITS WERE CERTIFIED FOR EVIDENTIAL USE BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND BY A NUMBER OF STATE AGENCIES AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS. THE FUEL CELL BASED SENSOR HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR SPECIFICITY AND LINEARITY OF RESPONSE OVER THE COMPLETE RANGE OF ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION EXPECTED IN THE BREATH.
THE CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL IN THE ALVEOLAR AIR IS RELATED TO THE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL IN THE BLOODSTREAM. THE RATIO OF BREATH ALCOHOL TO BLOOD ALCOHOL IS ABOUT 2100:1 I.E. ABOUT 2100 ML OF BREATH AIR CONTAINS THE SAME AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL AS 1 ML OF BLOOD. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEVICES KNOWN IN THE ART FOR MEASURING THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT, WHICH IS THEN CORRELATED TO THE BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON IS LEGALLY CAPABLE OF DRIVING A AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE.
THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS CONVENTIONALLY KNOWN IN THE ART ARE BASED ON ONE OF THE THREE KNOWN PRINCIPLES. THE FIRST KNOWN TYPE OF BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR USES A CHEMICAL REACTION
2 3 1 MAR 2009

INVOLVING ALCOHOL, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLOR CHANGE OCCURRING IN ONE OF THE INGREDIENTS. THE DEGREE OF COLOR CHANGE IS THEN RELATED TO THE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL IN THE
SAMPLED AIR.
•
THE OTHER TYPE OF BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL BY INFRA RED SPECTROSCOPY. A PHOTOCELL CONVERTS AN INFRA RED BEAM PASSING THROUGH A SAMPLE CHAMBER TO AN ELECTRIC PULSE. A MICROPROCESSOR INTERPRETS THE ELECTRIC PULSE AND CALCULATES THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT BY MEASURING THE LEVEL OF ABSORPTION OF INFRA RED LIGHT
FINALLY, BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS ARE KNOWN WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO DETECT THE REACTION OF ALCOHOL IN A FUEL CELL. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS KNOWN IN THE ART ARE BASED ON A GALVANIC CELL AND HENCE IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO APPLY AN EXTERNAL VOLTAGE TO THE CELL IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A CURRENT FLOW IN THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. A SPECIAL CASE OF A GALVANIC SENSING DEVICE IS ONE WHICH OPERATES AS A FUEL CELL WHERE THE ALCOHOL IS OXIDIZED AT ONE ELECTRODE WHILE OXYGEN IS REDUCED AT THE OTHER ELECTRODE.
THE REACTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN AN ALCOHOL SENSOR IS THE OXIDATION OF ALCOHOL AT SENSING ELECTRODE WHICH IS DIRECTLY COMING IN CONTACT WITH ALCOHOL VAPOUR. IN THIS CHEMICAL REACTION A FIXED NUMBER OF ELECTRONS AND H+ IONS ARE PRODUCED PER MOLECULE OF ALCOHOL. THE PRODUCED H+ IONS MIGRATE TO THE COUNTER ELECTRODE OF THE SENSOR, WHERE THEY COMBINE WITH ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN TO FORM WATER, CONSUMING ONE ELECTRON PER H+ ION IN THE PROCESS. THUS, THE SENSING ELECTRODE HAS AN EXCESS OF ELECTRONS, AND THE COUNTER ELECTRODE HAS A CORRESPONDING DEFICIENCY OF ELECTRONS. IF THE TWO ELECTRODES ARE CONNECTED BY AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT, CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THIS TO NEUTRALIZE THE CHARGE. THIS CURRENT IS A DIRECT INDICATION OF THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL OXIDIZED BY SENSOR. USING AN APPROPRIATE SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT A DIGITAL DISPLAY OF ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION IS POSSIBLE.
THE ALCOHOL, EG. ETHYL ALCOHOL, MOLECULES REACHING THE SENSING ELECTRODE WILL BE OXIDIZED PRODUCING ACETIC ACID, H+ IONS AND ELECTRONS. THESE H+ IONS MOVE TOWARDS COUNTER ELECTRODE. AT COUNTER ELECTRODE OXYGEN GETS REDUCED TO WATER BY COMBINING WITH H+ IONS AND ELECTRONS AND THEREBY PRODUCING A DEFICIENCY OF ELECTRONS WHICH IS CONSTANTLY BEING REPLENISHED BY THE FLOW OF CURRENT IN THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. THE CURRENT OUT PUT GENERATED
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WHEN AIR SAMPLE REACHES THE SENSING ELECTRODE DEPENDS UP ON THE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION IN THE AIR SAMPLE. THIS CURRENT OUTPUT IS MEASURED AND CORRELATED WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE BREATH SAMPLE.
THE CELL REACTION THEREFORE, CAN BE WRITTEN AS FOLLOWS: -
SENSING ELECTRODE REACTION
COUNTER ELECTRODE REACTION
THE NET REACTION IN THE CELL IS THE CONVERSION OF C2H5OH TO CH3COOH. IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF THE SENSOR HAS TO WORK AS ALCOHOL SENSOR, THE SENSOR OUTPUT SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION. IN THIS CHEMICAL REACTION A FIXED NUMBER OF ELECTRONS ARE FREED PER MOLECULE OF ALCOHOL. THE OXIDATION OCCURS ON THE SENSING ELECTRODE AND THE FREED H+IONS MIGRATE TO THE COUNTER ELECTRODE OF THE SENSOR, WHERE THEY COMBINE WITH ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN (O2) TO FORM WATER, CONSUMING FOUR ELECTRONS PER FOUR H+ ION IN THE PROCESS. THUS, THE SENSING ELECTRODE HAS AN EXCESS OF ELECTRONS, AND THE COUNTER ELECTRODE HAS A CORRESPONDING DEFICIENCY OF ELECTRONS.
MOREOVER, PORTABLE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS ARE ALSO KNOWN WHICH ARE BASED ON THE SAME PRINCIPLE AS THE FUEL CELL DEVICES. THERE EXISTS A NEED IN THE ART FOR RELIABLE PORTABLE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSORS THAT ARE ROBUST, LEAK-PROOF AND ARE CAPABLE OF OFFERING CONSISTENTLY ACCURATE RESULTS. THE PRESENT INVENTION MEETS THIS AND OTHER NEEDS EXISTING WITHIN THE ART.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
THUS, IT IS AN OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS PORTABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE.
ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS CAPABLE OF BEING FABRICATED WITHOUT THE NEED FOR SOPHISTICATED MACHINERY OR INSTRUMENTS.
3 1 MAR 2009

YET ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS CAPABLE OF OFFERING A SPECIFIC AND LINEAR RESPONSE TO THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL OVER THE ENTIRE RANGE OF EXPECTED BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT.
ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR THAT IS ROBUST AND LEAK-PROOF.
YET ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING THE IMPROVED BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR.
THE PRESENT INVENTION DESCRIBED HEREIN ACHIEVES AT LEAST ONE OF THE ABOVE OR MORE SUCH NEEDS EXISTING WITHIN THE ART.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
ACCORDINGLY, IN ONE ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR
COMPRISING:
(A) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND
(B) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP;
(I) SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE;
(II) SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID
5

MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND
(III) SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER.
IN YET ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT COMPRISING:
(A) A SAMPLING SYSTEM ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A TESTING SARNPLE;
(B) A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (II) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE; SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS
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PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER; AND (C) A DISPLAY SYSTEM ADAPTED TO DISPLAY THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT LEVEL RECEIVED FROM SAID BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING DEVICE.
IN ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A METHOD FOR FABRICATING A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING:
(A) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AND IMPRINTING THE PROVIDED MEMBRANE
WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON AT LEAST TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID PROVIDED
MEMBRANE;
(B) PROVIDING A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP
AND AN OUTER CUP;
(C) PLACING A PRE-DEFMED VOLUME OF AN ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID INNER CUP;
(D) PROVIDING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT WITHIN SAID INNER CUP AND PLACING SAID MEMBRANE
ELECTRODE ATOP THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE SUPPORT;
(E) POSITIONING SAID PROVIDED MIDDLE CUP TIGHTLY SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP AND
PROVIDING AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE
CUP;
7

(F) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH AT LEAST TWO PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS;
(G) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE FIRST ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF;
(H) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE SECOND ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP;
(I) INTRODUCING A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP THEREBY ENSURING THAT A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH SAID THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TRAVERSES THROUGH A PORTION OF THE ELECTROLYTE HOUSED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP;
(J) POSITIONING THE PROVIDED OUTER CUP SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND PROVIDING SAID OUTER CUP WITH AT LEAST ONE GAS DISPENSING DISC, AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP AND AT LEAST ONE CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF SUCH THAT THE PROVIDED CAP SUBSTANTIALLY COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP THEREBY SEALING THE SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER;
(K) PLACING THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH THE TWO PROVIDED PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP; AND
(1) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION TO THE PROVIDED GAS DISPENSING DISC THEREBY ALLOWING A COLLECTED SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 ILLUSTRATES THE SIDE CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION.
FIGURE 2 ILLUSTRATES A DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION :
THUS, IN A FIRST ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND AT LEAST A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY.
THE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODES ASSEMBLED TOGETHER. PREFERABLY, THE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A SINGLE MEMBRANE IMPRINTED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF TO FORM THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES RESPECTIVELY.
PREFERABLY, THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE COMPRISES A POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) MEMBRANE WHICH IS IMPRINTED ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL. THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL MAY ALSO BE EMBEDDED ON THE SAID TWO SURFACES OF THE MEMBRANE. THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL SUITABLE ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES PLATINUM POWDER, ONE OR MORE BINDERS AND/OR ONE OR MORE SOLVENTS. ALTERNATELY, OTHER PLATINUM GROUP METALS MAY ALSO BE CONVENIENTLY USED, WHICH ARE NOT EXCLUDED.
THE SENSING ELECTRODE IS THE TOP SURFACE OF THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE THAT HAS BEEN COATED OR IMPRINTED OR EMBEDDED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL WHILE THE COUNTER ELECTRODE COMPRISES THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE SAME ELECTRODE MEMBRANE WHICH IS ALSO PROVIDED WITH A COATING, IMPRINT OR EMBEDDING OF THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL.
THE SENSING ELECTRODE FIRST COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE SAMPLE BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL WHILE THE COUNTER ELECTRODE, WHICH IS POSITIONED ON THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE AT AN OPPOSITE SIDE TO THE SENSING ELECTRODE, REMAINS IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE.
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THE MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISES AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP. THE EMPTY VOLUME WITHIN THE INNER CUP HOLDS THE ELECTROLYTE. THE INNER CUP FURTHER COMPRISES AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT WHICH SUPPORTS THE ELECTRODE MEMBRANE PLACED OVER SAID ELECTRODE SUPPORT.
THE MIDDLE CUP SURROUNDS THE INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND COMPRISES TWO ELECTRODE PINS PLACED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF. THE TWO ELECTRODE PINS ARE CONNECTED TO THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES AT ONE END THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS. PREFERABLY, THE CONDUCTING LEADS COMPRISE PLATINUM STRIPS CONNECTING THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES TO THE ELECTRODE PINS AND ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED IN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP.
THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE PREFERABLY INTRODUCED WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK PROOF PERFORATIONS IN THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE CONDUCTING LEADS THUS TRAVERSE THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE MIDDLE CUP AND ARE CONNECTED TO ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP.
THE OUTER CUP SURROUNDS THE MIDDLE CUP AND HAS AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF. THESE TWO PERFORATIONS ALLOW THE ELECTRODE PINS TO PROTRUDE THROUGH THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE OUTER CUP, WHICH CAN THUS BE CONNECTED TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY BE A DEVICE CAPABLE OF MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND CORRELATING THE MEASURED ELECTRIC CURRENT WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLED BREATH.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY COMPRISE AN I/V CONVERTER FOLLOWED BY AN ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER WHICH MAY CALCULATE THE CONCENTRATION OF THE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE SAMPLED BREATH AND DISPLAY THE CONCENTRATION IN DIGITAL FORM TO THE USER OPERATING THE DEVICE.
IN ANOTHER PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, THE OUTER CUP IS PROVIDED WITH A CAP WITH AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION PROVIDED AT THE CENTER OF THE CAP. PREFERABLY, BOTTOM OF THE OUTER CUP IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDES.
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THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION WHICH ALLOWS A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE THE SENSOR WHEREIN THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLE COULD BE DETERMINED AND PREFERABLY DISPLAYED TO THE OPERATOR USING THE DETECTION INSTRUMENT .
THE OUTER CUP FURTHER COMPRISES A CAP FITTING AT THE TOP PORTION WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP THEREBY SEALING THE INSIDES OF THE SENSOR TO THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER. THE FLUID SEALING ALSO ENSURES THAT THE ALCOHOL IN AIR DOES NOT REACH THE COUNTER ELECTRODE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PTFE MEMBRANE.
IN ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT. THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT COMPRISES A SAMPLING SYSTEM, A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR SIGNAL PROCESSOR, AND A DISPLAY SYSTEM.
THE SAMPLING SYSTEM RECEIVES A SAMPLE BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL. THE SAMPLING SYSTEM PREFERABLY RECEIVES A DIRECT BREATH SAMPLE FROM A SUBJECT TO BE TESTED OR RECEIVES A PASSIVE SAMPLE FROM A SUBJECT TO BE TESTED. THE SAMPLING SYSTEM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HEADSPACE SAMPLE FROM AN OPEN CONTAINER.
THE SAMPLING SYSTEM PREFERABLY COMPRISES A MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY INTO WHICH THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED IS INSTRUCTED TO BLOW CONTINUOUSLY FOR A PERIOD OF 5 TO 6 SEC. THE MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CREATES A SMALL CAVITY/ GAP WHERE THE BREATH AIR GETS ENTRAPPED OVER THE SENSOR WHEN A SAMPLE BREATH IS BLOWN THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE. THIS BLOWING THROUGH THE MOUTH PIECE EXERTS A SLIGHT PRESSURE OVER THE TOP PORTION OF AIR GAP AND FORCIBLY REPLACES THE EXISTING AIR IN THE AIR CAVITY OVER THE SENSOR. FOR THE EXISTING AIR TO ESCAPE THERE IS A SMALL SLOT AT THE SIDE OF THE TOP DISC. THE MOST OF THE AIR BLOWN ESCAPES THROUGH ANOTHER HOLE IN THE WALL OF MOUTH PIECE. THE MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY TRAPS THE BREATH SAMPLE BLOWN INTO IT AND RETAINS IT FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS SO THAT THE GAS CONCENTRATION IS RETAINED OVER THE SENSOR TO GIVE ITS FULL RESPONSE FOR THAT CONCENTRATION.
MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS (I) THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE AND (II) THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" FITTED ON THE SENSOR HOLDER. TOGETHER THEY FORM THE 'MOUTH PIECE ASSEMBLY".

FURTHER, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE COMPRISES OF A 7 MM OD AND 4 MM ID TUBING OF 30 MM LENGTH GOING CONCENTRICALLY INSIDE ANOTHER TUBING OF 14 MM OD AND 11 MM ID. THE OUTER TUBING IS ATTACHED TO THE INNER TUBING BY SEALING IT APPROXIMATELY AT THE MID POINT OF THE INNER TUBING. THE PROTRUDING PART OF THE INNER TUBING IS USED TO BLOW THE BREATH AIR ON TO THE SENSOR. AT THE OTHER END OF THE INNER TUBE A SPUTUM TRAP IS FITTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE ARE HOLES LEFT AT THE SIDES SO THAT THE AIR BLOWN INTO IT CAN ESCAPE WHILE THE CENTRAL PORTION CAN HOLD BACK ANY SPUTUM IN THE BREATH OF THE BLOWER. THE OUTER TUBING EXTENDS FURTHER BY ABOUT 26 CM BEYOND THE SPUTUM TRAP AND GOES INTO THE TOP END OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP".
THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" IS A SINGLE MOLDED CYLINDRICAL PIECE OF 39 MM LONG WITH BOTH ENDS OPEN. THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP HAS TWO DIFFERENT DIAMETERS ALONG ITS LENGTH. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE HAS A LENGTH OF 23MM AND THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE HAS A LENGTH OF 14 MM. THE TWO TUBES ARE MOLDED AS A SINGLE PIECE WITH A WIRE MESH FITTED BETWEEN THEM. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" IS FITTED OVER THE SENSOR HOLDER AND IN THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE IS INSERTED. FURTHER, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE IS MADE TO REST ON A CIRCULAR RING MOLDED INSIDE THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". IN THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" A CIRCULAR DISC WITH A CENTRAL PINHOLE AND A NARROW SLOT AT THE EDGE IS FITTED. WHEN THIS DISC IS FITTED AND THE FULL MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY IS FITTED ON THE SENSOR HOLDER IT LEAVES A SMALL GAP BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE DISC WHICH TRAPS THE AIR BLOWN BY THE SUBJECT. WHEN THE SUBJECT BLOWS THROUGH THE MOUTH PIECE THE BREATH AIR EXERTS A PRESSURE OVER THE DISC AND FORCES THE BREATH AIR TO PASS THROUGH THE PINHOLE. THE EXISTING AIR BELOW THE PINHOLE IN THE AIR GAP IS THROWN OUT THROUGH THE SIDE SLOT AND ESCAPES THROUGH A BIG HOLE AT THE SIDE OF BIGGER CYLINDRICAL TUBE OF "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". THIS BIG HOLE ON THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE ALSO WORKS TO PREVENT ANY LARGE PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE SENSOR BY PROVIDING AN ESCAPE PATH FOR MOST OF THE SAMPLE AIR BLOWN INTO THE MOUTH PIECE.
THE TUBING DIMENSIONS MENTIONED HEREIN ARE MEANT TO BE EXEMPLARY AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TO THE EXEMPLARY DIMENSIONS PARTICULARLY PREFERRED HEREIN.

IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE MOUTHPIECE COMPRISES A FIRST END INTO WHICH THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED IS INSTRUCTED TO BLOW. THE SECOND END OF THE MOUTHPIECE FITS OVER THE SENSOR HOLDER. THUS, A SAMPLE BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL BLOWN BY A SUBJECT TO BE TESTED REACHES THE SENSOR WHERE THE ALCOHOL GETS CATALYTICALLY OXIDIZED OVER THE SENSING ELECTRODE GENERATING A CURRENT SIGNAL PROPORTIONAL TO THE ALCOHOL SENSOR.
ALTERNATELY, A COMMON DRINKING STRAW OF A SUITABLE DIAMETER MAY ALSO BE USED AS A MOUTHPIECE.
IN AN ASPECT, THE DISPLAY SYSTEM RECEIVES THE MEASURED CONCENTRATION OF BREATH ALCOHOL FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AND VISIBLY DISPLAYS THE RECEIVED BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION ON A DIGITAL DISPLAY.
THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR PRESENT IN THIS ASPECT OF THE CLAIMED SUBJECT MATTER IS MADE ACCORDING TO THE PREVIOUS ASPECT DESCRIBING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR PER SE ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION. THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRECEDING ASPECT DESCRIBING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR ARE REPRODUCED HEREIN IN ITS ENTIRETY.
PREFERABLY, THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION MAY BE CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR. THE SAID COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR MAY BE CONNECTED EXTERNALLY TO THE SENSING DEVICE OR MAY BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE DEVICE ITSELF FORMING AN INTERNAL COMPONENT THEREOF.
IN THIS EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM MAY BE PROVIDED ON A CONNECTED COMPUTER ATTACHED TO THE BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING SYSTEM OR MAY BE LOADED ONTO THE IN-BUILT MEMORY PROVIDED TO THE TESTING SYSTEM.
IN AN EMBODIMENT, SAID CONNECTED COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR IS EQUIPPED WITH A PRE¬LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT AUTOMATICALLY DIRECTS THE TEST PROCEDURE BY PROMPTING THE USER OF THE DEVICE AT APPROPRIATE INTERVALS. PREFERABLY, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM INCLUDES A DATA STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING THE IDENTITY OF EACH TESTED SUBJECT ALONG WITH THE TEST RESULTS, DATE AND TIME FOR UPTO 10000 TEST RESULTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROVIDED DATA STORAGE MEANS IS CAPABLE OF RETRIEVING THE STOCE4_ INFORMATION WHEN PROMPTED BY THE USER.

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PREFERABLY, SAID PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM DIRECTS THE TEST PROCEDURE BY INITIATING A PRE-DETERMINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH A USER CONTROLLABLE TESTING PROTOCOL. IN AN EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-DEFINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS INCLUDES (I) PROMPTING THE USER TO ENTER INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED; (II) RECEIVING AND STORING THE INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED, OPERATOR SUPERVISING THE TESTING PROTOCOL AND THE INCIDENT WHICH TRIGGERED THE SUBJECT TO THE TESTING PROTOCOL; (III) INITIATING A BREATH SAMPLING SEQUENCE INCLUDING PROMPTING THE SUBJECT TO PROVIDE A BREATH SAMPLE THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE AND TRANSFERRING THE SAMPLED BREATH TO THE TESTING DEVICE; (IV) RECEIVING THE TEST RESULT FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSING DEVICE AND UPDATING THE DATA STORAGE MEANS IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TESTED AND THE TEST RESULT.
THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION MAY ADDITIONALLY BE CAPABLE OF DOWNLOADING THE DATA STORED IN THE DATA STORAGE MEANS TO A CENTRAL DATABASE AND MAY OPTIONALLY PRINT A COPY OF THE STORED TEST RECORD IF PROMPTED BY THE USER. THE CENTRAL DATABASE MAY BE LOCATED ON A REMOTE CENTRAL SERVER, WHICH STORES THE INDIVIDUAL TEST RECORDS TRANSMITTED FROM A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL TESTING DEVICES. MOREOVER, EACH INDIVIDUAL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AND THE CENTRAL DATABASE MAY BE CONFIGURED TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH A SECURED DATA COMMUNICATION MEANS AUTHORIZED BY AN IN-BUILT LOGIN AND PASSWORD.
IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM ON BEING ACTIVATED MAY PROMPT THE OPERATOR TO SELECT AN OPTION FROM SEVERAL PROVIDED OPTIONS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INITIATING A TESTING SEQUENCE, PRINTING PREVIOUS TEST RESULTS, PERFORMING A CALIBRATION CHECK, VIEWING PREVIOUS TEST RESULTS AND UPLOADING THE LATEST TEST RESULTS TO A COMPUTER OR A CENTRAL DATABASE. THE DETECTION INSTRUMENT MAY FURTHER INCLUDE A TOUCH SCREEN OR A KEYBOARD OR A MAGNETIC STRIPE OR BARCODE READING CAPABILITY ENABLING THE COMPUTER PROGRAM TO RECEIVE THE USER'S INSTRUCTIONS.
IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION MAY ADDITIONALLY COMPRISE A PRINTER INTERFACE. THE PROVIDED PRINTER INTERFACE MAY CONNECT THE SENSING SYSTEM WITH A SERIAL PRINTER OR A PARALLEL PRINTER. THE PRESENT INVENTION THUS
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PROVIDES AN AUTOMATED BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION SYSTEM THAT ENABLES DETERMINING A SUBJECT'S BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT AND IS CAPABLE OF SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING THE RESULTS THEREOF AS WELL AS ELECTRONICALLY STORING AND RETRIEVING THE INFORMATION.
IN ANOTHER PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, THE PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM TRIGGERS A CALIBRATION ROUTINE AFTER EVERY PRE-DEFINED NUMBER OF TESTS ARE PERFORMED. IN THIS EMBODIMENT, ■ RUNNING A PRE-DEFINED CALIBRATION ROUTINE AFTER A PRE-DETERMINED NUMBER OF TESTS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT ENSURES THE RELIABILITY OF THE TESTING DEVICE IN ACCURATELY DETECTING AND QUANTIFYING THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL.
IN AN EMBODIMENT, THE PREFERRED ELECTROLYTE IS IMMOBILIZED ON POROUS MEMBRANE. DURING THE ACTUAL TESTING PROCEDURE, THE SAMPLED BREATH CONTAINING ALCOHOL CONTACTS THE SENSING ELECTRODE, THE CATALYTIC PLATINUM PROVIDED ON THE ELECTRODE OXIDIZES THE ALCOHOL TO PRODUCE ACETIC ACID, PROTONS AND ELECTRONS.
THE ELECTRONS FLOW THROUGH A WIRE FROM THE PLATINUM ELECTRODE. THE WIRE IS CONNECTED TO AN ELECTRICAL-CURRENT METER AND TO THE PLATINUM ELECTRODE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE PROTONS MOVE TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FUEL CELL (I.E COUNTER ELECTRODE ) AND COMBINE WITH OXYGEN AND ELECTRONS TO FORM WATER. THE MORE THE ALCOHOL GETS OXIDIZED, THE GREATER THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT GENERATED. A MICROPROCESSOR MEASURES THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND CALCULATES THE BAC.
IN YET ANOTHER ASPECT, THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR DESCRIBED IN THE PREVIOUS ASPECTS AND EMBODIMENTS.
THE METHOD ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION INCLUDES PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE IMPRINTED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON BOTH THE FACES. PREFERABLY, THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE IS A POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) MEMBRANE. THE IMPRINTED CATALYTIC MATERIAL COMPRISES POWDERED PLATINUM ALONG WITH ONE OR MORE BINDERS OPTIONALLY WITH ONE OR MORE SOLVENTS.
THE PTFE MEMBRANE IS OPTIONALLY PRESSED USING A MANUAL HANDPRESS TO A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 230 PSI.
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THE METHOD THEREAFTER INCLUDES PROVIDING A MULTIPLE ASSEMBLY, PREFERABLY AT LEAST A THREE-CUP ASSEMBLY. THE THREE-CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISES AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP. A PRE-DEFINED VOLUME OF AN ELECTROLYTE IS THEN PLACED IN THE INNER CUP. AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT IS PROVIDED WITHIN THE INNER CUP AND THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE IS PLACED ON THE ELECTRODE SUPPORT.
THE MIDDLE CUP IS THEN PLACED TIGHTLY SURROUNDING THE INNER CUP. THEREAFTER, AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODE PINS ARE PLACED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MIDDLE CUP.
THE ELECTRODE PINS ARE CONNECTED TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS, WHICH CARRY THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO THE ELECTRODE PINS. THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE PREFERABLY MADE OF PLATINUM STRIPS.
THE FIRST ENDS OF THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE CONNECTED TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT ITS TWO ENDS, PREFERABLY ON THE TWO FACES. THE TWO FACES OF THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ARE THE RESPECTIVE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES.
THE SECOND ENDS OF THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE THEREAFTER CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE CONDUCTING LEADS IS THEREAFTER INTRODUCED WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP THROUGH LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS SITUATED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP. THE CONDUCTING LEADS ARE INTRODUCED WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT A MAJOR PORTION OF THE LEADS MAKES CONTACT ON THE TWO SURFACES OF THE ELECTRODES PLACED WITH IN THE INNER CUP.
THE OUTER CUP IS THEN POSITIONED SURROUNDING THE MIDDLE CUP. THE OUTER CUP IS PROVIDED WITH A GAS DISPENSING DISC, TWO PERFORATIONS AT THE BOTTOM PORTION AND ONE CAP FITTING AT THE TOP PORTION.
THE CAP FITTING COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP PREFERABLY COMPLETELY THUS SEALING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR TO THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT.
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THE TWO GUIDING DEPRESSIONS AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP ARE PROVIDED TO ALLOW THE ELECTRODE PINS TO BE HELD AT TOP END WHILE THE OTHER END RUNS THROUGH THE OUTER CUP AND PROTRUDE OUT FOR PLUGGING INTO THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB).
IN AN EMBODIMENT, THE METHOD, FOR FABRICATING THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OPTIONALLY COMPRISES CONNECTING THE ELECTRODE PINS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE OUTER CUP TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT. THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY BE A DEVICE CAPABLE OF MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND CORRELATING THE MEASURED ELECTRIC CURRENT WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLED BREATH.
MORE PREFERABLY, THE EXTERNAL CIRCUIT MAY BE AN 17V CONVERTER FOLLOWED BY AN ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER AND MICROCONTROLLER, WHICH MAY CALCULATE THE NUMERICAL CONCENTRATION OF THE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE SAMPLED BREATH AND DISPLAY THE CALCULATED NUMERICAL CONCENTRATION TO THE USER.
THEREAFTER, THE METHOD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES PROVIDING A PERFORATION IN THE GAS DISPENSING DISC. THE PERFORATION ALLOWS THE COLLECTED BREATH SAMPLE TO TRAVERSE INSIDE THE SENSOR WHERE IT CONTACTS THE SENSING ELECTRODE.
TURNING NOW TO FIGURE-1, DESCRIBED IS A SIDE CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION. IN THE EMBODIMENT OF FIGURE 1 THE INNER CUP (1) IS PLACED TIGHTLY WITHIN THE MIDDLE CUP (2) WHICH IN TURN IS PLACED WITHIN THE OUTER CUP (3).OUTER CUP HAVING A GAS DISPERSION DISC (4) AND A CAP (5) ON THE TOP, HAS HOLES IN THE BOTTOM THROUGH WHICH THE ELECTRODE PINS (6) FROM THE MIDDLE CUP PASS THROUGH. THE BOTH SIDE PLATINUM INK PRINTED PTFE MEMBRANE ELECTRODES ASSEMBLY (7) IS PLACED ON A GLASS MICROFIBRE FILTER (8) WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE ELECTRODE SUPPORTER (9) AND IS CONNECTED TO ELECTRODE PINS THROUGH PLATINUM STRIPS.(LO). THE GLASS MICROFIBRE FILTER CONNECTS THE COUNTER ELECTRODE WITH THE ELECTROLYTE WHICH IS TAKEN IN INNER CUP (1).
TWO ELECTRODE ELECTROCHEMICAL GAS SENSORS IS THE SIMPLEST FORM OF ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR WORKING ON THE PRINCIPLE OF GALVANIC CELL. THE SENSOR CONSISTS OF A POROUS, CHEMICALLY INERT MEMBRANE COATED ON BOTH SIDES WITH FINELY DIVIDED PLATINUM (CALLED PLATINUM BLACK CATALYST). THIS POROUS LAYER IS IMPREGNATED WITH 5 WT% SOLUTION OF NAFION, AND PLATINUM
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STRIPS ARE PLACED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COATED MEMBRANE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTION. THE BASIC CONFIGURATION IS ILLUSTRATED IN FIGURE 1.
IN THIS SENSOR, THE PTFE MEMBRANE WAS USED AS A SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODE SUPPORT AFTER DIPPING IT IN 5 % WAV NATION SOLUTION. BOTH THE SIDES OF THIS MEMBRANE ARE PRINTED BY PLATINUM PASTE AND THEY ARE USED AS THE ELECTRODES OF THIS SENSOR THIS ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY IS SATURATED WITH 5 M H2SO4 WHICH HELPS TO CONDUCT THE PROTONS GENERATED DURING THE OXIDATION OF ALCOHOL AT SENSING ELECTRODE.
THE SOLID ELECTROLYTE BASED SENSORS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET ARE SENSITIVE TO HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE OF AMBIENT AIR. BUT THE LIQUID ELECTROLYTE BASED SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS MUCH LESS DEPENDENT ON TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY OF AMBIENT AIR.
IN THE PRESENT INVENTION, THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR IS DEVELOPED BASED ON THE GALVANIC CELL PRINCIPLE USING LIQUID ELECTROLYTE, WHICH CAN DETECT AND MEASURE THE CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL VAPOUR PRESENT IN THE BREATH SAMPLE.
ANY SENSOR WHEN EXPOSED TO A CERTAIN GAS CONCENTRATION, IT TAKES SOME TIME TO SHOW THE FULL RESPONSE OR SIGNAL (VOLTAGE OR CURRENT). THE TIME IT TAKES TO REACH 90 PERCENTAGE OF THE PEAK SIGNAL IS KNOWN AS T90 OF. SENSOR RESPONSE. THE TIME IT TAKES TO FALL 90 PERCENTAGE OF ITS PEAK VALUE, WHEN THE SENSOR IS REMOVED FROM THE GAS EXPOSURE, IS KNOWN AS ITS T10. IT IS DESIRABLE PARTICULARLY FOR THIS TYPE OF APPLICATION TO NEED VERY LOW T90 AND T10 VALUE. THE T90 RESPONSE OF THE SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS LOWER THAN 10 SEC. A VERY LOW T90 RESPONSE IS PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR SENSOR USED IN BREATH ALCOHOL ANALYZER WHERE ONE BLOWS OVER SENSOR FOR 6 TO 7 SECONDS, BY WHICH TIME THE RESPONSE SHOULD REACH ITS T90. HOWEVER, EVEN THE BEST SENSORS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE HAVE A T90 OF AT LEAST MORE THAN 10 SECOND, HENCE MAKING IT NECESSARY TO TRAP THE BREATH SAMPLE OVER THE SENSOR FOR A PERIOD OF 10 - 15 SECONDS, WHICH IS ACHIEVED BY THE PREFERRED MOUTHPIECES ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION DESCRIBED HEREINABOVE. THE T90 OF OTHER SENSORS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET ARE GENERALLY MORE THAN 20 SECONDS.
IN THE PRESENT INVENTION THE SENSING ELECTRODE AND COUNTER ELECTRODES ARE PRINTED ON THE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME PTFE MEMBRANE. THE SENSING ELECTRODE FACES TOWARDS THE TARGET
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GAS AND THE COUNTER ELECTRODE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PTFE MEMBRANE IS IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE AND THE ELECTROLYTE IS IMMOBILIZED ON A GLASS MICROFIBRE FILTER TOUCHING THE COUNTER ELECTRODE. THE CURRENT CARRYING PLATINUM STRIPS ARE PLACED ON BOTH SIDE OF THE ELECTRODE AND KEPT PRESSED BY COMPACTING IT IN SENSOR ASSEMBLY. THE T90 OF THE SENSOR IS FOUND TO BE LESS THAN 10 SEC. THE RECOVERY TIME OF THE SENSOR IS ALSO FOUND TO BE LESS THAN 20 SEC.-
TURNING NOW TO FIGURE 2, ILLUSTRATED IS A MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY PREFERRED ACCORDING TO AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION. THE PREFERRED MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY 2A COMPRISES A DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE ILLUSTRATED IN FIGURE 2B AND A SAMPLE AIR TRAP 2C3 WHICH FITS ON THE SENSOR HOLDER. THE DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE 2B AND THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP 2C TOGETHER FORM THE MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY 2A IN THIS EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION.
THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE 2B COMPRISES OF A 7 MM OD AND 4 MM ID TUBING (11) OF 30 MM LENGTH GOING CONCENTRICALLY INSIDE ANOTHER TUBING (12) OF 14 MM OD AND 11 MM ID. THE OUTER TUBING (12) IS ATTACHED TO THE INNER TUBING (11) BY SEALING IT APPROXIMATELY AT THE MID POINT OF THE INNER TUBING. THE PROTRUDING PART OF THE INNER TUBING IS USED TO BLOW THE BREATH AIR ON TO THE SENSOR. AT THE OTHER END OF THE INNER TUBE A SPUTUM TRAP (13) IS FITTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE ARE HOLES (14) LEFT AT THE SIDES SO THAT THE AIR BLOWN INTO IT CAN ESCAPE WHILE THE CENTRAL PORTION CAN HOLD BACK ANY SPUTUM IN THE BREATH OF THE BLOWER. THE OUTER TUBING EXTENDS FURTHER BY ABOUT 26 CM BEYOND THE SPUTUM TRAP AND GOES INTO THE TOP END OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" 2C.
THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" 2C IS A SINGLE MOLDED CYLINDRICAL PIECE OF 39 MM LENGTH WITH BOTH ENDS OPEN. THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP HAS TWO DIFFERENT DIAMETERS ALONG ITS LENGTH. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE (15) HAS A LENGTH OF 23MM AND THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE (16) HAS A LENGTH OF 14 MM. THE TWO TUBES ARE MOLDED AS A SINGLE PIECE WITH A WIRE MESH (17) FITTED BETWEEN THEM. THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" IS FITTED OVER THE SENSOR HOLDER AND IN THE SMALLER DIAMETER TUBE, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTH PIECE IS INSERTED. FURTHER, THE DISPOSABLE MOUTHPIECE IS MADE TO REST ON A CIRCULAR RING MOLDED INSIDE THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP". IN THE BIGGER DIAMETER TUBE OF THE "SAMPLE AIR TRAP" A CIRCULAR DISC WITH A CENTRAL PINHOLE AND A NARROW SLOT AT THE EDGE IS FITTED. WHEN THIS DISC IS FITTED AND THE FULL

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MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY IS FITTED ON THE SENSOR HOLDER IT LEAVES A SMALL GAP BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE DISC WHICH TRAPS THE AIR BLOWN BY THE SUBJECT.
ADVANTAGES OF ONE OR MORE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION:
1. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES AN ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONALLY USED SOLID STATE SENSOR.
2. THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION AVOIDS THE PROBLEM OF ELECTROLYTE LEAKING DUE TO THE LEAK PROOF THREE-CUP STRUCTURE THEREBY PROVIDING A RIGHT AMOUNT AND CONCENTRATION OF THE ELECTROLYTE.
3. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT AT A SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF 1.25, THE CONDUCTIVITY OF THE ELECTROLYTE EXHIBITS A MAXIMUM AND THUS THE INTERNAL RESISTANCE IS IMPROVED AND THE SENSITIVITY OF THE SENSOR TOWARDS THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL IN A SAMPLE BREATH IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED.
4. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE ELECTROLYTE FREEZING, A COMMON PROBLEM PLAGUING THE ART, ALSO DEPENDS ON THE CONCENTRATION OF THE ELECTROLYTE. THE PRESENT INVENTION AVOIDS THE FREEZING OF THE ELECTROLYTE AT THE SELECTED ELECTROLYTE CONCENTRATION.
5. THE SENSOR OF THE PRESENT INVENTION POSSESSES A PREFERABLY LOW TIO AND T90 VALUES.

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WE CLAIM:
1. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (II) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP;
(A) SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE;
(B) SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND
(C) SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER.
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A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODES ASSEMBLED TOGETHER.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A SINGLE MEMBRANE PROVIDED WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES THEREOF.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 1-3, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE MEMBRANE COMPRISES A POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) MEMBRANE.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 3 OR CLAIM 4, WHEREIN SAID CATALYTIC MATERIAL COMPRISES PLATINUM POWDER, ONE OR MORE BINDERS AND/OR ONE OR MORE SOLVENTS.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID CONDUCTING LEADS COMPRISE PLATINUM STRIPS CONNECTING THE SENSING AND COUNTER ELECTRODES TO THE ELECTRODE PINS.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, WHEREIN SAID ELECTRODE PINS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP ARE CONNECTED TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 7, WHEREIN SAID EXTERNAL CIRCUIT COMPRISES A DEVICE CAPABLE OF MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CIRCUIT AND CORRELATING THE MEASURED ELECTRIC CURRENT WITH THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE SAMPLED BREATH.
A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 7 OR CLAIM 8, WHEREIN SAID EXTERNAL CIRCUIT COMPRISES AN I/V CONVERTER, AN ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER AND A MICROCONTROLLER CAPABLE OF CALCULATING THE NUMERICAL CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL IN THE SAMPLED BREATH.
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10. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 7-9, WHEREIN SAID EXTERNAL CIRCUIT INCLUDES A DISPLAY MEANS CAPABLE OF DISPLAYING THE CALCULATED NUMERICAL ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION TO THE USER OPERATING THE DEVICE.
11. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN ANY PRECEDING CLAIM, WHEREIN THE SAMPLE AIR TRAP FITTED ON THE SENSOR, HOLDER COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION PROVIDED ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE WALL THEREOF THEREBY ALLOWING AN EXCESSIVE BREATH PRESSURE ON THE SENSING ELECTRODE TO BE DISSIPATED.
12. A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AS CLAIMED IN ANY PRECEDING CLAIM, WHEREIN SAID MOUTHPIECE IS CAPABLE OF RETAINING THE SAMPLED BREATH FOR AT LEAST ABOUT 10 SECONDS.
13. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT COMPRISING:

(A) A SAMPLING SYSTEM ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A TESTING SAMPLE;
(B) A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST A TWO ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE HAVING CATALYTIC MATERIAL PROVIDED ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF; AND (II) A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP; SAID INNER CUP ADAPTED TO HOLD THE ELECTROLYTE AND HAVING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT PROVIDED THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE; SAID MIDDLE CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP TIGHTLY AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODE PINS BEING CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH TWO CONDUCTING LEADS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES TO SAID ELECTRODE PINS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODES AT ONE END AND BEING INTRODUCED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP SUCH THAT SAID CONDUCTING LEADS THEREBY TRAVERSE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP PRIOR TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP; AND SAID OUTER CUP POSITIONED SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND HAVING TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED

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AT THE BOTTOM PORTION, A GAS DISPENSING DISC AND A CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, SAID TWO PERFORATIONS BEING PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP ENABLING THE ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP TO RUN THROUGH, SAID GAS DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PERFORATION PROVIDED THEREIN SO TO ALLOW A SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND SAID CAP FITTING SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP SO AS TO SEAL SAID SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER; AND (C) A DISPLAY SYSTEM ADAPTED TO DISPLAY THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT LEVEL RECEIVED FROM SAID BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING DEVICE.
14. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID SAMPLING SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A DIRECT BREATH SAMPLE FROM A SUBJECT.
15. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID SAMPLING SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HEADSPACE SAMPLE FROM AN OPEN CONTAINER.
16. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-15, WHEREIN SAID SAMPLING SYSTEM COMPRISES A MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY.
17. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-16, WHEREIN SAID MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLY IS CAPABLE OF RETAINING THE SAMPLED BREATH FOR AT LEAST ABOUT 10 SECONDS.
18. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID DISPLAY SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING THE MEASURED BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AND VISIBLY DISPLAYING THE RECEIVED BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION.
19. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-28 CONNECTED EXTERNALLY TO A COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR.

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20. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 19 COMPRISING A PRE-
LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM LOADED ONTO THE CONNECTED COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR.
21. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-20 COMPRISING AN IN¬BUILT COMPUTER OR A MICROPROCESSOR.
22. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 21 COMPRISING A PRE-LOADED COMPUTER PROGRAM LOADED ONTO THE IN-BUILT COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR.
23. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 22, WHEREIN SAID PRE-LOADED PROGRAM IS CAPABLE OF AUTOMATICALLY DIRECTING THE TEST PROCEDURE COMPRISING PROMPTING THE USER AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
24. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 20-23, WHEREIN SAID COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSOR INCLUDES A DATA STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING THE BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION DATA OF EACH SUBJECT TESTED ALONG WITH THE DATE AND TIME OF MEASUREMENT.
25. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 24. WHEREIN SAID DATA STORAGE MEANS IS CAPABLE OF STORING INFORMATION RELATING TO AT LEAST 10000 TESTED SUBJECTS WITH DATE AND TIME.
26. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 23, WHEREIN SAID DIRECTING THE TEST PROCEDURE COMPRISES INITIATING A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS COMPRISING (A) PROMPTING THE USER TO ENTER INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED; (B) RECEIVING AND STORING THE INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT TO BE TESTED, OPERATOR SUPERVISING THE TESTING PROTOCOL AND THE INCIDENT WHICH TRIGGERED THE TESTING PROTOCOL; (C) INITIATING A BREATH SAMPLING SEQUENCE INCLUDING PROMPTING THE SUBJECT TO PROVIDE A BREATH SAMPLE THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE AND TRANSFERRING THE SAMPLED BREATH TO THE TESTING DEVICE; AND (D) RECEIVING THE TEST RESULT FROM THE BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR AND UPDATING THE DATA STORAGE MEANS IDENTIFYING THE TESTED SUBJECT AND THE RESULT.
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27. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIMS 13-26, WHEREIN SAID DATA STORAGE MEANS IS CAPABLE OF UPLOADING THE STORED DATA TO A CENTRAL DATABASE AND OPTIONALLY PRINT A COPY OF THE STORED TEST RESULT IF PROMPTED.
28. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 27, WHEREIN SAID CENTRAL DATABASE IS CAPABLE OF STORING INDIVIDUAL TEST RESULTS RECEIVED FROM A PLURALITY OF TESTING DEVICES.
29. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13-28 CONFIGURED TO COMMUNICATE WITH A CENTRAL SERVER THROUGH A SECURED DATA COMMUNICATION MEANS OPTIONALLY AUTHENTICATED BY AN IN-BUILT LOGIN AND PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION.
30. A BREATH ALCOHOL DETECTION INSTRUMENT AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 13, WHEREIN SAID ELECTROLYTE IS IMMOBILIZED ON POROUS MEMBRANE.
31. A METHOD FOR FABRICATING A BREATH ALCOHOL SENSOR COMPRISING:

(A) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AND PROVIDING THE PROVIDED MEMBRANE WITH A CATALYTIC MATERIAL ON BOTH FACES OF SAID PROVIDED MEMBRANE;
(B) PROVIDING A MULTIPLE CUP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST AN INNER CUP, A MIDDLE CUP AND AN OUTER CUP;
(C) PLACING A PRE-DEFINED VOLUME OF AN ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID INNER CUP;
(D) PROVIDING AN ELECTRODE SUPPORT WITHIN SAID INNER CUP AND PLACING SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ATOP THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE SUPPORT;
(E) POSITIONING SAID PROVIDED MIDDLE CUP TIGHTLY SURROUNDING SAID INNER CUP AND PROVIDING AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODE PINS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP;
(F) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS TO SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE THROUGH AT LEAST TWO PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS, SAID CONDUCTING LEADS BEING CAPABLE OF CARRYING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE TO THE PROVIDED ELECTRODE PINS;
(G) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE FIRST ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TO THE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE AT TWO ENDS THEREOF;
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(H) CONDUCTIVELY CONNECTING THE SECOND ENDS OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS
TO THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP;
(I) INTRODUCING A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS WITHIN
SAID MIDDLE CUP THROUGH TWO LEAK-PROOF PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE MIDDLE PORTION OF SAID MIDDLE CUP THEREBY ENSURING THAT A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH SAID THE PROVIDED CONDUCTING LEADS TRAVERSES THROUGH A PORTION OF THE ELECTROLYTE HOUSED WITHIN SAID MIDDLE CUP;
(J) POSITIONING THE PROVIDED OUTER CUP SURROUNDING SAID MIDDLE CUP AND
PROVIDING SAID OUTER CUP WITH AT LEAST ONE GAS DISPENSING DISC, AT LEAST TWO PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID OUTER CUP AND AT LEAST ONE CAP FITTING PROVIDED AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF SUCH THAT THE PROVIDED CAP SUBSTANTIALLY COVERS THE TOP PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP THEREBY SEALING THE SENSING DEVICE IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER;
(K) PLACING THE ELECTRODE PINS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE CUP
TO RUN THROUGH THE TWO PROVIDED PERFORATIONS PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE OUTER CUP; AND
(1) PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION TO THE PROVIDED GAS DISPENSING DISC
THEREBY ALLOWING A COLLECTED SAMPLE BREATH TO TRAVERSE INSIDE SAID SENSING DEVICE AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MEMBRANE ELECTRODE.
32. A METHOD AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 31, ADDITIONALLY COMPRISING PRESSING THE PROVIDED PTFE MEMBRANE BY APPLYING A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE USING A MANUAL HAND PRESS.
33. A METHOD AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 32, WHEREIN SAID PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IS ABOUT 230
PSI.

Documents:

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Patent Number

269320

Indian Patent Application Number

859/MUM/2009

PG Journal Number

42/2015

Publication Date

16-Oct-2015

Grant Date

15-Oct-2015

Date of Filing

31-Mar-2009

Name of Patentee

UNITED PHOSPHORUS LIMITED

Applicant Address

CORPORATE OFFICE, UNIPHOS HOUSE, 11TH ROAD, C.D MARG, KHAR (WEST), MUMBAI.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	SHROFF, RAJNIKANT DEVIDAS	UNIPHOS HOUSE, 11TH ROAD, C.D MARG, KHAR (WEST), MUMBAI-400 052, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA.
2	NAIK, RAMAKRISHNA CHIKAYYA	P.O.NAHULI, TAL. UMBERGAON, VAPI 396108, DIST, VALSAD.

PCT International Classification Number

G01N33/497

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA