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US 12,613,186 B2Granted
Refractometer and method for measuring refractive index
AssigneeShenzhen Digitizing Fluid Technology Co., Ltd.
InventorsTi Peng, Lingjie Xu, Yongzhi Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refractometer and a method for measuring refractive index is disclosed. The refractometer comprises a light source, a reflecting module, a lens module, an array sensor, and a processor, wherein the reflecting module is configured to receive optical beams from the light source, the reflecting module comprises a detection surface configured to totally reflect at least part of the optical beams; the lens module is configured to converge optical beams from the detection surface onto a focal plane of the lens module; and the array sensor is located on the focal plane of the lens module.
Claims20
A refractometer, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- an array sensor;
- a light source configured to emit a light beam;
- a reflecting module configured to reflect a portion of the light beam from the light source, the reflecting module comprising a prism having a first surface and at least one medium disposed on the first surface, wherein a detection area configured to hold a liquid to be detected is disposed on the first surface or on one of the at least one medium;
- and
- a lens module configured to converge the reflected light beam from the reflecting module onto the array sensor, wherein the array sensor is located on the focal plane of the lens module and is configured to detect the received light beam and generate a detection image;
- wherein a portion of light incident on a first interface which locates between two adjacent media is totally internally reflected toward the lens module, and is then converged onto the array sensor, thereby forming a first strip-shaped area with a distinct brightness discontinuity in the detection image for self-calibration;
- wherein the two adjacent media are two media among the prism and the at least one medium;
- wherein when a refractive index of the liquid to be detected is less than that of the medium adjacent to the liquid, a portion of light incident on a second interface which locates between the liquid to be detected and the medium adjacent to the liquid is totally internally reflected toward the lens module, and is then converged onto the array sensor, thereby forming a second strip-shaped area with a distinct brightness discontinuity in the detection image;
- and
- wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify the first strip-shaped area and the second strip-shaped area and derive the refractive index of the liquid to be detected based on the positions of the first strip-shaped area and the second strip-shaped area.
8 more elements
A method for measuring a refractive index, comprising:
- emitting, by a light source, a light beam to a reflecting module;
- reflecting, by the reflecting module, a portion of the light beam from the light source to a lens module, the reflecting module including a prism having a first surface and at least one medium disposed on the first surface, wherein a detection area is disposed on the first surface or on one of the at least one medium, the detection area being configured to hold a liquid to be detected;
- converging, by the lens module, the reflected light beam by the reflecting module onto an array sensor located on the focal plane of the lens module,
- generating, by the array sensor, a detection image from the received light beam;
- wherein a portion of light incident on a first interface which locates between two adjacent media is totally internally reflected toward the lens module, and is then converged onto the array sensor, thereby forming a first strip-shaped area with a distinct brightness discontinuity in the detection image for self-calibration;
- wherein the two adjacent media are two media among the prism and the at least one medium;
- wherein when a refractive index of the liquid to be detected is less than that of the medium adjacent to the liquid, a portion of light incident on a second interface which locates between the liquid to be detected and the medium adjacent to the liquid is totally internally reflected toward the lens module, and is then converged onto the array sensor, thereby forming a second strip-shaped area with a distinct brightness discontinuity in the detection image;
- and
- further comprising:
- identifying, by one or more processors, the first strip-shaped area and the second strip-shaped area in the detection image,
- deriving, by the one or more processors, the refractive index of the liquid to be detected based on the positions of the first strip-shaped area and the second strip-shaped area.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.