Sensor for the measurement of the refractive index of a fluid and/or phase boundary between two fluids by means of visible or invisible light
Assignee501 Nederlandse Centrale Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Enschappelijk Onderzoek
InventorsPieter M. Houpt, Ralph T. Wielandt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor for the measurement of the refractive index of a fluid and/or phase boundary between two fluids comprises a light guide in the form of a rod; one end of the rod is connected to both a light source and a detection element and the other end of the rod is reflective. If the sensor is used in a refractive index gauge the measurement should be independent of the liquid level; if the sensor is used in a level gauge, a digital measurement should be possible. The coating is provided with one or more cut-outs consisting of windows which are in direct contact with the surrounding fluid.
Claims17
A rechargeable battery comprising a rechargeable fluid-containing cell and a sensor for obtaining measurements of at least one fluid associated with said cell, the sensor comprising
- a light guide having a refractive index greater than that of the fluid, the light guide being a fork-shaped rod having a portion at one end thereof adapted for immersion in the fluid, the opposite end of the rod being adapted for connection thereto a light source for directing visible or invisible light into the light guide and means for detecting reflected light,
- a cladding bonded to the peripheral surface of the rod, the cladding comprising a coating of reflective material, and
- one or more window cut outs in the reflective coating bonded to the portion of the rod adapted for immersion in the fluid, whereby when the rod is immersed, the windows are in direct contact with the fluid.
A rechargeable battery comprising a rechargeable fluid-combining cell and a sensor for obtaining measurements of at least one fluid associated with said cell, the sensor comprising
- a light guide having a refractive index greater than that of the fluid, the light guide being a fork-shaped rod having a portion thereof adapted for immersion in the fluid,
- a cladding bonded to the peripheral surface of the rod, the cladding comprising a coating of reflective material,
- a light source for directing visible or invisible light into the light guide connected to an end of the rod not adapted for immersion in the fluid,
- means for detecting reflected light also connected to the end of the rod not adapted for immersion in the fluid, and
- one or more window cut-outs in the reflective coating bonded to the portion of the rod adapted for immersion in the fluid, whereby when the rod is immersed the windows are in direct contact with the fluid.
A sensor for obtaining measurements of at least one fluid in a chamber, the sensor comprising
- a light guide having a refractive index greater than that of the fluid, the light guide being a fork-shaped rod having a portion thereof adapted for immersion in the fluid,
- a cladding bonded to the peripheral surface of the rod, the cladding comprising a coating of reflective material,
- a light source for directing visible or invisible light into the light guide connected to an end of the rod not adapted for immersion in the fluid,
- means for detecting reflected light also connected to the end of the rod not adapted for immersion in the fluid, and
- one or more windows cut-outs in the reflective coating bonded to the portion of the rod adapted for immersion in the fluid, whereby when the rod immersed, the windows are in direct contact with the fluid.
A sensor for simultaneously measuring both the refractive index and the level of a fluid in a chamber, the sensor comprising
- a light guide having a refractive index greater than that of the fluid, the light guide being a fork-shaped rod having a portion thereof adapted for immersion in the fluid,
- a cladding bonded to the peripheral surface of the rod, the cladding comprising a coating of reflective material,
- a light source for directing visible or invisible light into the light guide connected to an end of the rod not adapted for immersion in the fluid,
- means for detecting reflected light also connected to the end of the rod not adapted for immersion in the fluid, and
- one or more window cut outs in the reflective coating bonded to the portion of the rod adapted for immersion in the fluid, the windows being mutually distant from one another in the axial direction of the rod, and the windows in an upper part of the rod portion being in the form of thin rings while the windows in the lower part of the rod portion extend over large distances in the rod, whereby when the rod is immersed the windows are in direct contact with the fluid.
A sensor for obtaining measurements of at least one fluid in a chamber the sensor comprising
- a light guide having a refractive index greater than that of the fluid, the light guide being a fork-shaped rod having two upper arms and a lower portion adapted for immersion into the fluid,
- a cladding bonded to the peripheral surface of the rod, the cladding comprising a coating of reflective material,
- a light source for directing visible or invisible light into the light guide connected to one of the upper arms of the rod,
- means for detecting reflected light connected to the second upper arm of the rod, and
- one or more window cut outs in the reflective coating in the lower portion of the rod, whereby when the rod is immersed the windows are in direct contact with the fluid.
A sensor for obtaining measurements of at least one fluid in a chamber, the sensor comprising
- a light guide having a refractive index greater than that of the fluid, the light guide being a fork-shaped rod having a portion at one end thereof adapted for immersion in the fluid, the opposite end of the rod being adapted for connection thereto a light source for directing visible or invisible light into the light guide and means for detecting reflected light,
- a cladding bonded to the peripheral surface of the rod, the cladding comprising a coating of reflective material, and
- one or more window cut outs in the reflective coating bonded to the portion of the rod adapted for immersion in the fluid, whereby when the rod is immersed, the windows are in direct contact with the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.