Patent US3858851A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3858851A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for providing a statistical count of particulate material in a fluid
Assignee: Spectrex Corp
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Filing: 1973-07-05
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Granted: 1975-01-07
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Expires: 1993-07-05
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus is provided for counting the average number and size of particulate material contained within a sample volume of a fluid within a transparent bottle without disturbing or breaking the seal, if any, on the bottle. To take a statistical count, a bottle to be inspected is gently shaken to suspend any particulate material therein. Following this operation, the particulate material continues to drift and move about within the bottle for a considerable period of time. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention makes use of this situation to scan a predetermined volume of fluid within the bottle with a well-defined beam of light by scanning a beam of light over and over a path within a confined area within the fluid for a selected interval of time, i.e., since the particulate material moves and drifts about, scanning over and over the same path is equivalent to scanning different elemental volumes of the fluid. Bursts of scattered light from particulate material illuminated by the beam within a defined region of the fluid along the beam of light are then optically collected, electronically detected, analyzed and counted when certain criteria are met during the selected interval of time. To provide a better statistical average, a larger volume may be scanned by scanning the beam over the path for a longer period of time and averaging the count to provide the count per unit volume.
Inventors
- 👤 Hugh Malcolm Ogle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:08
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/90; G01N21/9018; G01N21/9027; G01N21/17; G01N21/47; G01N21/49; G01N21/51; H; H03; H03K; H03K21/00; H03K21/02; G01N15/00; G01N15/02; G01N15/0205; G01N15/06; G01N15/075; G01N2015/0042; G01N2015/0053
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a measure of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means for scanning said beam of light over no less than one path located entirely within a confined area transverse to the direction of said beam of light, thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid traversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered therefrom; d. means for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of said beam within said container thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and e. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a measure of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a measure of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means for scanning said beam of light over no less than one path located entirely within a confined area transverse to the direction of said beam of light, thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid traversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered therefrom; d. means for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of said beam within said container thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and e. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a measure of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
204 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a measure of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means for shifting said beam to successive collimated paths to scan no less than one path located entirely within a confined area transverse to the direction of said beam of light thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid traversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered therefrom; d. means disposed within said confined area for intercepting said beam of light after traversing said container; e. means extending outwards from said means disposed within said confined area on the side thereof farthest from said container for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container, thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and f. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a measure of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
204 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a measure of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means for shifting said beam to successive collimated paths to scan no less than one path located entirely within a confined area transverse to the direction of said beam of light thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid traversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered therefrom; d. means disposed within said confined area for intercepting said beam of light after traversing said container; e. means extending outwards from said means disposed within said confined area on the side thereof farthest from said container for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container, thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and f. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a measure of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
121 words
In the liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means extending outwards from said means disposed within said confined area on the side thereof farthest from said container for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container includes a convex lens of an area greater than said confined area and of a focal length f disposed a distance 2f from a point within said selected portion of the path of said beam along an extension of said collimated path thereof, and a photo diode disposed a distance 2f from said lens along the axis of rotation thereof on the side thereof farthest from said container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
200 words
In the liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means extending outwards from said means disposed within said confined area on the side thereof farthest from said container for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container includes a first convex lens of an area greater than said confined area and of a focal length f, disposed a distance f1 from a point within said selected portion of the path of said beam along an extension of said collimated path thereof, a second convex lens of said area greater than said confined area and of a focal length f2 disposed concentrically about and along the axis of rotation of said first lens, thereby to produce an image at a distance f2 therefrom, a photo diode disposed along said axis of rotation of said first lens, and third and fourth convex lenses of focal length f3 and f4, respectively, disposed intermediate said second convex lens and said photo diode, said second and third lenses being spaced a distance f2 and f3 apart and said fourth lens being spaced a distance f4 from said photo diode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
171 words
In the liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means extending outwards from said means disposed within said confined area on the side thereof farthest from said container for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container includes a first convex lens of an area greater than said confined area and of a focal length f, disposed a distance f1 from a point within said selected portion of the path of said beam along an extension of said collimated path thereof, a second convex lens of said area greater than said confined area and of a focal length f2 disposed concentrically about and along the axis of rotation of said first lens, thereby to produce an image at a distance f2 therefrom, a photo diode disposed along said axis of rotation of said first lens, and means disposed intermediate said second convex lens and said photo diode for focussing said image of said photo diode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
191 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a count of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended and drifting about in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means disposed on the near side of said container for off-setting the direction of said beam; d. means for rotating said off-set to cause said beam to be directed along successive collimated paths which scan over a circle thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid traversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered primarily outwards and at an acute angle from the direction of said beam; e. means for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and f. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
191 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a count of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended and drifting about in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means disposed on the near side of said container for off-setting the direction of said beam; d. means for rotating said off-set to cause said beam to be directed along successive collimated paths which scan over a circle thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid traversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered primarily outwards and at an acute angle from the direction of said beam; e. means for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and f. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume includes filter means for eliminating erroneous signals generated background light and electrical signals generated by partial hits of said beam of light on particulate material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
The liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume includes voltage comparison means for eliminating electrical signals less than a predetermined threshold potential thereby to count only particulate material no less than a size corresponding to said threshold potential.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
The liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume includes timing apparatus for rejecting electrical signals longer than a predetermined interval of time thereby restricting said electrical signals to those corresponding to bursts of light emanating from said selected portion of the path of said beam within said container.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
89 words
The liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume wherein said selected interval of time is n times that necessary for said beam of light to scan said sample volume where n is a positive integer thereby providing a larger count of particulate material, and means for dividing said larger count by n thereby to provide an average count for said sample volume.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
89 words
The liquid inspection apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume wherein said means for rotating said off-set to cause said beam to be directed along successive collimated paths which scan over a circle constitutes an optical flat disposed at an angle through the path of said beam, and means for rotating said optical flat about an axis parallel to the path of said beam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
213 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a count of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means disposed along the path of said beam prior to the entry of said beam with said container for successively off-setting said beam first and second times by the distances greater than zero; d. means for rotating said frist and second off-set at unequal angular velocities to cause said beam to be directed along successive collimated paths which scan over a circular area thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid transversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered primarily outwards and at an acute angle from the direction of said beam; e. means for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and f. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
213 words
A liquid inspection apparatus adapted to provide a count of particulate material in a sample volume, said particulate material being suspended in a liquid contained within a sealed transparent container, said liquid inspection apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a well-defined beam of light; b. means for directing said well-defined beam of light through said container; c. means disposed along the path of said beam prior to the entry of said beam with said container for successively off-setting said beam first and second times by the distances greater than zero; d. means for rotating said frist and second off-set at unequal angular velocities to cause said beam to be directed along successive collimated paths which scan over a circular area thereby to sequentially illuminate particulate material in the portion of said liquid transversed by said beam whereby bursts of light are scattered primarily outwards and at an acute angle from the direction of said beam; e. means for detecting bursts of light scattered from particulate material along a selected portion of the path of said beam within said container thereby to produce a sequence of electrical signals; and f. means responsive to said electrical signals occurring within a selected interval of time for providing a count of particulate material within said sample volume.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The means for rotating said first and second off-set at unequal angular velocities as defined in claim 12 wherein the angular rotation of said first off-set is substantially equal to the angular rotation of said second off-set thereby to cause said beam to scan over a spiral path within said circular area.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
The means for rotating said first and second off-set at unequal angular velocities as defined in claim 12 wherein the angular rotation of said firSt off-set is substantially faster than the angular rotation of said second off-set thereby to cause said beam to scan over a flat helical path within said circular area.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-06 | 1978-07-08 | 1979-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-06 | 1982-07-08 | 1983-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-06 | 1986-07-08 | 1987-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |