Breath alcohol measuring device with improved mouthpiece

Abstract

A breath alcohol measuring device ( 7 ) is provided with features for superior handling especially of the replaceable mouthpiece ( 1 ). A direct physical contact between the test subject being tested and the measuring device is practically ruled out by the combination. The mouthpiece ( 1 ) of the breath alcohol measuring device ( 7 ) has a trapezoidal cross section, which is complementary to a corresponding negative shape in a holder ( 6 ) of the breath alcohol measuring device ( 7 ) for the flush mounting of the mouthpiece ( 1 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A breath alcohol measuring device, comprising: 
 a holder; and    a mouthpiece designed as a pressure tube with a hole for sampling breathing gas for an alcohol sensor, the mouthpiece having a trapezoidal cross section, which is complementary to a corresponding negative shape in said holder for a flush mounting of said mouthpiece.    
     
     
         2 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the trapezoidal cross section of the mouthpiece is equilateral, and said hole for taking a breath sample is located in a shorter of two parallel sides of the cross section of the mouthpiece.  
     
     
         3 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol measuring device has a parallelepipedic form and said mouthpiece is received in said holder extending in parallel to one of two shorter end faces of the parallelepipedic breath alcohol measuring device.  
     
     
         4 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said mouthpiece has a stop extending outside in a circumferential direction of the trapezoidal cross section over at least some sections of said trapezoidal cross section, said stop setting a position of said mouthpiece in the longitudinal direction in relation to said holder for alignment of an extending suction channel for sampling breathing gas to said hole.  
     
     
         5 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said mouthpiece has a positioning pin, which is arranged outside said holder when the mouthpiece is mounted in said holder.  
     
     
         6 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the alcohol sensor includes an electrochemical alcohol sensor in flow connection with said suction channel and a pump, wherein the breathing gas is sampled by means of a sampling stroke of said pump, said pump being arranged downstream of said electrochemical alcohol sensor with the breathing gas being drawn through said electrochemical alcohol sensor.  
     
     
         7 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said holder and said mouthpiece are symmetrical in relation to the breath alcohol measuring device whereby said mouthpiece can be mounted in said holder without a preferred direction in two different positions forming an angle of 180° with each other.  
     
     
         8 . A breath alcohol measuring device, comprising: 
 a sensor housing with a suction channel;    a holder connected to said sensor housing, said holder having a receiving portion; and    a mouthpiece with a breathing gas passage with a hole for sampling breathing gas, the mouthpiece including a portion with surfaces defining a trapezoidal cross section, said receiving portion of said holder being complementary to some of said surfaces defining the trapezoidal cross section for a flush mounting of said mouthpiece to said holder.    
     
     
         9 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the trapezoidal cross section of the mouthpiece is equilateral, and said hole for taking a breath sample is located in a shorter of two parallel sides of the cross section of the mouthpiece.  
     
     
         10 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said sensor housing has a parallelepipedic form and said mouthpiece is received in said holder extending in parallel to one of two shorter end faces of the parallelepipedic sensor housing.  
     
     
         11 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said mouthpiece has a stop extending radially outwardly of the trapezoidal cross section over at least some sections of said trapezoidal cross section, said stop setting a position of said mouthpiece in a longitudinal direction in relation to said holder for alignment of an extending suction channel for sampling breathing gas to said hole.  
     
     
         12 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said mouthpiece has a positioning pin, which is arranged outside said holder when the mouthpiece is mounted in said holder.  
     
     
         13 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the alcohol sensor includes an electrochemical alcohol sensor in said sensor housing and in flow connection with said suction channel and includes a pump in said sensor housing, wherein the breathing gas is sampled by means of a sampling stroke of said pump, said pump being arranged downstream of said electrochemical alcohol sensor with the breathing gas being drawn through said electrochemical alcohol sensor.  
     
     
         14 . A breath alcohol measuring device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said holder and said mouthpiece are symmetrical in relation to said sensor housing whereby said mouthpiece can be mounted in said holder without a preferred direction in two different positions forming an angle of 180° with each other.