Apparatus for measuring the density of a liquid, utilizing the law of refraction

Claim 2

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid, and E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, F. said measuring surface being enclosed by an opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element.

Claim 3

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, for measuring the acid density of a storage battery, said light-transmissive body being constructed as a rod, said light source being arranged adjacent said rod, a measuring surface being provided at one end of said rod, said rod changing at its other end to a battery closure plug, said photosensitive element being mounted in the plug.

Claim 4

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, said lamp being a gallium arsenide diode.

Claim 5

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, said photosensitive element being photoresistor.

Claim 6

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising thermometer probe provided with the portion of the apparatus that is immersed in the liquid.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a convergent lens having a main plane, which plane, together with the measuring surface, forms an acute angle.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frosted light-transmissive material comprises frosted glass.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the frosted glass is siliconized.

Claim 10

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid, E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, said measuring surface being enclosed by an Opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element, and F. a deflecting surface provided as the opaque layer arranged in the path of rays behind the said measuring surface and limiting one side of the measuring surface.

Claim 11

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid, E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, said measuring surface being enclosed by an Opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element, and F. a deflecting surface provided as the opaque layer arranged in the path of rays behind the said measuring surface and limiting one side of the measuring surface.

Claim 12

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 9, said deflecting surface being provided with a reflecting layer covered with a protective layer.

Claim 13

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 10, said reflecting layer comprising a gilded surface.

Claim 14

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid, E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, said light-transmissive body being constructed as a rod, said light source being arranged adjacent said rod; a measuring surface being provided at one end of said rod, said rod changing at its other end to a battery closure plug, said photosensitive element being mounted in the said plug; said measuring surface being enclosed by an opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element, and F. a deflecting surface provided as the opaque layer arranged in the path of rays behind the said measuring surface and limiting one side of the said measuring surface.

Claim 15

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid, E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, said light-transmissive body being constructed as a rod, said light source being arranged adjacent said rod; a measuring surface being provided at one end of said rod, said rod changing at its other end to a battery closure plug, said photosensitive element being mounted in the said plug; said measuring surface being enclosed by an opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element, and F. a deflecting surface provided as the opaque layer arranged in the path of rays behind the said measuring surface and limiting one side of the said measuring surface.

Claim 16

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of a open chamber which is filled with the liquid, E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, and F. a boundary surface for a refraction of the pencil of light rays arriving from the measuring surface, at the end of the light-transmissive body that faces the photosensitive element, said boundary surface being inclined, with respect to the measuring surface by an angle Ε, given by formula ##EQU2## in which formula n represents the largest occurring index of refraction of the liquid, n o represents the index of refraction of the medium positioned between the light-transmissive body and the photosensitive element, and N represents the index of refraction of the photoconductive body.

Claim 17

Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising: A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon, B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom, C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics, D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of a open chamber which is filled with the liquid, E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, and F. a boundary surface for a refraction of the pencil of light rays arriving from the measuring surface, at the end of the light-transmissive body that faces the photosensitive element, said boundary surface being inclined, with respect to the measuring surface by an angle Ε, given by formula ##EQU2## in which formula n represents the largest occurring index of refraction of the liquid, n o represents the index of refraction of the medium positioned between the light-transmissive body and the photosensitive element, and N represents the index of refraction of the photoconductive body.