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US 4,910,402 AGranted
Apparatus and method for measuring a property of a liquid
OwnerNorman McMillaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for measuring a property of a liquid comprises at least one guide for electromagnetic radiation, means for directing electromagnetic radiation into the guide, means for providing at least one drop of liquid in contact with the guide at a position where radiation from the guide can enter the drop, and means for deriving a signal which is a function of the interaction of the radiation with the liquid of the drop.
Claims13
An apparatus for measuring a property of a liquid, comprising:
- at least one elongated electromagnetic radiation guide having an upwardly-facing end and a downwardly-facing free end,
- means for directing electromagnetic radiation into the upwardly-facing end of said at least one guide for guidance to the free end thereof,
- means for supplying liquid to be measured including means for causing the liquid to flow by gravity down a surface and to form at least one drop of said liquid at the free end of said at least one guide at a position where radiation from the at least one guide can enter said at least one drop, and
- means for detecting the amplitude of radiation reflected internally of said at least one drop for deriving a signal which is a function of the interaction of the radiation with the liquid of the at least one drop.
1 more element
A method for measuring a property of a liquid comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one elongated electromagnetic radiation guide having a downwardly-facing free end and an upwardly-facing end,
- forming at least one drop of a liquid to be measured at the free end of said at least one guide at a position where radiation transmitted by the at least one guide can enter the at least one drop,
- directing electromagnetic radiation into the upwardly-facing end of said at least one guide for transmission therealong to the at least one drop of liquid formed at the free end thereof, and
- detecting the amplitude of radiation reflected internally of said at least one drop of liquid for deriving a signal which is a function of the interaction of the radiation with the liquid of the at least one drop.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.