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US 4,640,616 AGranted
Automatic refractometer
AssigneeCambridge Instrument Company, Inc.
InventorJohn K. Michalik
Life of this patent
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AssigneeCambridge Instrument Company, Inc.
InventorJohn K. Michalik
Estimating the term…
An automatic refractometer comprising a photosensitive device having a relatively narrow dynamic range in the form of a linear scanned array including a plurality of photoelectric elements each providing an output pulse during a scan and the amplitude of each pulse being determined by the amount of illumination of the corresponding element by incident light, an optical system for directing light onto the array in a manner such that the particular photoelectric elements of the array which are illuminated by the light are determined by the index of refraction of a light transmitting substance placed in operative association with the optical system, a circuit for converting signals from the array into digital signals containing information as to the amplitudes of the signals from the array, a digital processing circuit for storing respective signals from reference and sample substances placed in operative association with the optical system and for computing the index of refraction of the sample substance by means of a comparison of the stored reference and sample information, and apparatus for providing a read out of the computed result. The digital processing circuit also calculates the percent solids in the sample substance, and the circuit also includes a plurality of channels for containing information to provide different interpretation of the index of refraction computed thereby. The circuit for converting array signals into digital signals comprises a peak detector circuit for detecting peak amplitudes of signals obtained from scanning the array and an analog-to-digital converter for providing digital signals containing information as to peak amplitudes of the array signals. There is also provided arrangements for measuring the temperatures of the sample substance and comparing to a reference for applying a temperature correction to the computed index of refraction, monitoring and regulating the temperature of the component of the optical system to which the sample substance is exposed, and monitoring and regulating the intensity of light incident on the array.
An automatic refractometer comprising:
An automatic refractometer comprising:
An automatic refractometer comprising:
In a refractometer having linear scanned array of photoelectric elements and an optical system including a prism for directing light onto said array at a location influenced by the index of refraction of a substance to which said prism is exposed, the improvement comprising:
In a refractometer having a linear scanned array of photoelectric elements for providing output signals as a function of the amount and location of light incident thereon and optical means including a light source of controllable intensity for directing light onto said array, the amount and location of light incident on said array being determined by the index of refraction of a light transmitting substance placed in operative association with said optical means, the improvement comprising:
In a refractometer including photoelectric means having a narrow dyanmic range for providing output signals having a characteristic determined by the manner in which light is incident thereon and optical means including a light source and a prism for receiving light along an optical path from said source and having a surface to receive substances being examined for directed light onto said photoelectric means in a manner determined by the index of refraction of a light transmitting substance in operative contact with said prism surface, the improvement comprising:
A method for determining the refractive index of a substance comprising the steps of:
In a refractometer including a housing having a formation thereon externally accessible for receiving substances to be examined, photoelectric means for providing output signals having a characteristic determined by the manner in which light is incident thereon, and optical means including a prism having a surface operatively associated with said housing formation to receive substances being examined for directing light onto said photoelectric means in the manner determined by the index of refraction of a light transmitting substance in operative contact with said prism surface and optical elements for directing light from a source to said prism and for directing light from said prism to said photoelectric means, the improvement comprising:
In a refractometer including a housing having a surface and a formation thereon externally accessible for receiving substances to be examined, photoelectric means for providing output signals having a characteristic determined by the manner in which light is incident thereon and optical means including a prism having a surface operatively associated with said housing formation to receive substances being examined for directing light onto said photoelectric means in a manner determined by the index of refraction of a light transmitting substance in operative contact with said prism surface, the improvement comprising:
In a refractometer including photoelectric means having a narrow dynamic range for providing output signals having a characteristic determined by the manner in which light is incident thereon and optical means including a light source and a prism for receiving light along an optical path from said source and having a surface to receive substances being examined for directing light onto said photoelectric means in a manner determined by the index of refraction of a light transmitting substance in operative contact with said prism surface, the improvement comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.