---

Alcohol breath analyzer

Alcohol is a contributing factor to many accidents. As individuals drink, their blood alcohol content rises. The increase in their blood alcohol content impairs their ability to control themselves and their surroundings. Many devices have heretofore been proposed for analysis of the breath, especially the deep lung or alveolar air, of persons suspected of drunk driving. Several methods exist for directly or indirectly testing blood alcohol concentrations in individuals. Among the indirect methods, the most frequently used is breath alcohol testing Breath alcohol testing involves measuring the alcohol vapor level or concentration in a contained sample of expelled breath, that concentration being proportionally related to the individual's blood alcohol level. Breath alcohol testing systems operate according to the well known principle that the gas present in the alveoli of the lungs has an alcohol content directly proportional to that of the blood stream. The blood alcohol content (B.A.C.) of a subject can thus be accurately determined by obtaining a deep lung breath sample of the subject in a breath delivery apparatus for analysis by the testing system. This system tests the alcohol content of a subject's breath by utilizing a breath analyzing sensor in a breath sampling system that includes a disposable tube. A subject exhales into the tube and an operator of the handheld instrument pushes a button releasing a spring loaded pump which draws a deep lung breath sample into the device. The breath sample is then analyzed by a sensor and the subsequent reading is interpreted by the operator. In testing breath alcohol to determine blood alcohol (ethanol) concentrations, pure deep lung breath or alveolar breath is the part of a breath sample which best reflects the actual blood alcohol concentration of the subject at the time of testing.

---