Electrochemical electrode structure

Claim 2

An electrochemical electrode system including a sensing electrode system that includes a first chamber adapted to contain a sample to be analyzed and a sensing electrode in communication with said first chamber, a reference electrode system that includes a second chamber adapted to contain an electrolyte and a reference electrode in communication with said second chamber, and an ionic junction structure including first passage structure connected to said first chamber, said first passage structure having an opening therein, second passage structure connected to said second chamber, said second passage structure having an opening therein, said openings being in juxtaposed relation, and a porous member having a section disposed between said openings to permit restricted flow between said openings, said member being movable to remove said one section from between said openings and concurrently to place another section between said openings.

Claim 3

The system as claimed in claim 1 and further including means for resiliently biasing one of said passage structures against said member, and means for reducing the biasing force to facilitate movement of said member.

Claim 4

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member is an elongated strip and said system includes supply structure and take up structure for advancing said strip past said juxtaposed openings.

Claim 5

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the member has a multiplicity of parallel pores therethrough, the diameter of each pore being less than one-half micron such that a multiplicity of ionic junctions are adapted to be provided.

Claim 6

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member is a thin membrane having a multiplicity of parallel pores that are substantially equal in length, the density of said pores in said membrane being at least about 108 per square centimeter, and wherein the pore dimensions of said membrane are such that the flow rate of electrolyte through said pores is less than 0.1 microliter per minute per square millimeter of membrane area per centimeter head of electrolyte.

Claim 7

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first passage structure includes inlet and outlet portions, said inlet and outlet portions being disposed at an angle to one another and said opening in said first structure being adjacent the junction of said inlet and outlet portions.

Claim 8

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member is an elongated strip arranged to be advanced past said juxtaposed openings.

Claim 9

The system as claimed in claim 7 and further including means for resiliently biasing one of said passage structures against said member, and means for reducing the biasing force to facilitate movement of said member.

Claim 10

The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first structure includes inlet and outlet portions, said inlet and outlet portions being disposed at an angle to one another and said opening in said first passage structure being adjacent the junction of said inlet and outlet portions.

Claim 11

The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said member is a thin membrane having a multiplicity of parallel pores that are substantially equal in length, the density of said pores in said membrane being at least about 108 per square centimeter, and wherein the pore dimensions of said membrane are such that the flow rate of electrolyte through said pores is less than 0.1 microliter per minute per square millimeter of membrane area per centimeter head of electrolyte.

Claim 12

An electrochemical electrode system including a sensing electrode system that includes a first chamber adapted to contain a sample to be analyzed and a sensing electrode in communication with said first chamber, a reference electrode system that includes a second chamber adapted to contain an electrolyte and a reference electrode in communication with said second chamber, and an ionic junction structure including first structure connected to said first chamber, said first structure having an opening therein, second structure connected to said second chamber, said second structure having an opening therein, said openings being in juxtaposed relation, a movable porous flow control member having a section disposed between said openings, means for moving said member so that said section is removed and concurrently replaced by another section, guide structure for establishing straight line motion of one opening-defining structure toward the other opening-defining structure and alignment of the two openings with said flow control member disposed between said openings for providing a controlled liquid flow path for establishing an ionic junction between the electrolyte and the sample material to be measured by the electrode system, and structure for maintaining surfaces of said opening-defining structures in juxtaposed clamping relation on the said section of the flow control member interposed between said openings.

Claim 13

An electrochemical electrode system including a sensing electrode system that includes a first chamber adapted to contain a sample to be analyzed and a sensing electrode in communication with said first chamber, a reference electrode system that includes a second chamber adapted to contain an electrolyte and a reference electrode in communication with said second chamber, and an ionic junction structure including first structure connected to said first chamber, said first structure having an opening therein, second structure connected to said second chamber, said second structure having an opening therein, said openings being in juxtaposed relation, a movable porous flow control member having a section disposed between said openings, means for moving said member so that said section is removed and concurrently replaced by another section, guide structure for establishing straight line motion of one opening-defining structure toward the other opening-defining structure and alignment of the two openings with said flow control member disposed between said openings for providing a controlled liquid flow path for establishing an ionic junction between the electrolyte and the sample material to be measured by the electrode system, and structure for maintaining surfaces of said opening-defining structures in juxtaposed clamping relation on the said section of the flow control member interposed between said openings.

Claim 14

The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the last-mentioned structure includes means for resiliently biasing one of said structures against said member.

Claim 15

The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said member is an elongated strip, and said means for moving said member further includes supply structure and take up structure for advancing said strip past said juxtaposed openings.