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US 5,859,703 AGranted
Spectrophotometric analysis
AssigneePfizer Inc.
InventorsPaul K. Aldridge, Stephen V. Hammond, Tony G. Axon
Life of this patent
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AssigneePfizer Inc.
InventorsPaul K. Aldridge, Stephen V. Hammond, Tony G. Axon
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to an apparatus for spectrophotometric analysis of a material in a container by reflectance of a beam applied to the material through an aperture in a primary mask. A restricted beam resulting from the primary mask is applied through a port in an opaque secondary mask to the material. The restricted beam is wholly within the port and radiation reflected from the material passes through the port to detectors for analysis. The secondary mask defines by its port an area on the base of the container through which the restricted beam is applied to the material and is not subjected to spurious reflections and refractions otherwise created by the container between its base and side wall. The container may be spaced from the secondary mask and inclined relative thereto so that the secondary mask shields the top and bottom ends of the container. The present invention also relates to a conversion kit with primary and secondary masks for fitting to existing spectrophotometers and an apparatus by which an array of containers can be fed successively and automatically to overlie the port for analysis and thereafter removed.
Apparatus for spectrophotometric analysis of a material by reflectance measurements resulting from a beam of electromagnetic radiation applied to the material which comprises a station at which a container housing the material is to be located, a primary mask having an aperture through which the beam is to be directed to the station and which aperture forms a restriction to provide a beam of predetermined cross section, and a secondary mask which is substantially non-reflective to the electromagnetic radiation and is interposed between the primary mask and the station, said secondary mask having a port through which the restricted beam is to be directed to the station, the primary mask and secondary mask being arranged so that the restricted beam is accommodated substantially wholly within the port for its application to the material and wherein reflected electromagnetic radiation from the material subjected to the restricted beam is detected for analysis measurement from such reflected radiation passing through the port of the secondary mask.
A conversion kit for a spectrophotometer providing analysis of a material by reflectance measurements resulting from a beam of electromagnetic radiation applied to the material through a translucent sheet window thereof and which kit comprises a primary mask having an aperture and which is to be fitted to the spectrophotometer for said aperture to restrict the beam directed through the window to a predetermined cross section;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.