US4160646A — Method of analyzing liquid samples and system for…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 111 words

A method of analyzing a liquid sample comprising the steps of applying the sample to a composite test medium formed of a strip having thereon a reflectivity reference piece and at least one color reaction test piece feeding the test medium to spectral reflectivity measuring means, irradiating each of the pieces with energy of a plurality of predetermined different wavelengths, and obtaining corrected reflectivities of each of the test pieces as the relative values with respect to the reflectivity of said reflectivity reference piece from the amounts of reflected energy at at least some of the different wavelengths to measure the concentration of an abnormal substance contained in the test sample.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 111 words

A method of analyzing a liquid sample comprising the steps of applying the sample to a composite test medium formed of a strip having thereon a reflectivity reference piece and at least one color reaction test piece feeding the test medium to spectral reflectivity measuring means, irradiating each of the pieces with energy of a plurality of predetermined different wavelengths, and obtaining corrected reflectivities of each of the test pieces as the relative values with respect to the reflectivity of said reflectivity reference piece from the amounts of reflected energy at at least some of the different wavelengths to measure the concentration of an abnormal substance contained in the test sample.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 67 words

A method of analyzing a liquid sample as in claim 1 wherein the corrected reflectivities are obtained as the relative values of the reflectivities of a test piece at the different wavelengths based on the reflectivities, calculated as 100%, of the reference piece at the corresponding wavelengths, and the concentration of the abnormal substance is measured by the corrected reflectivities at selected wavelengths of the different wavelengths.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 90 words

A method of analyzing a liquid sample as in claim 1 wherein among the relative values of the reflectivities of a test piece at the different wavelengths based on the reflectivities, calculated as 100%, of the reference piece at the corresponding wavelengths, the relative value at one of the wavelengths giving a large variation in the amount of reflected energy is divided by the relative value at another wavelength giving a small variation in the amount of reflected energy, the corrected reflectivity being expressed in terms of the resulting quotient.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 138 words

A system for continuously automatically analyzing liquid samples comprising a sample holder for successively receiving sheets of composite test media in a first position, means for intermittently moving said sample holder, reflectivity measuring means, wavelength selector means disposed adjacent the sample holder for directing energy of several predetermined and different wavelengths through said reflectivity measuring means to irradiate the test media with the energy of selected wavelengths, scanning means disposed adjacent the sample holder and operative while the holder is stopped for moving a test media relative to said selector means, detector means for receiving the output of said reflectivity measuring means, energy transmitted through said test media and energy produced by said wavelength selector means, and a data processing means operative in response to signals from said detector means for determining the reflectivity of the test media.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 138 words

A system for continuously automatically analyzing liquid samples comprising a sample holder for successively receiving sheets of composite test media in a first position, means for intermittently moving said sample holder, reflectivity measuring means, wavelength selector means disposed adjacent the sample holder for directing energy of several predetermined and different wavelengths through said reflectivity measuring means to irradiate the test media with the energy of selected wavelengths, scanning means disposed adjacent the sample holder and operative while the holder is stopped for moving a test media relative to said selector means, detector means for receiving the output of said reflectivity measuring means, energy transmitted through said test media and energy produced by said wavelength selector means, and a data processing means operative in response to signals from said detector means for determining the reflectivity of the test media.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

A system for continuously automatically analyzing liquid samples as in claim 4 wherein the wavelength selector means comprises a light source, filter folder means, means for rotating said filter holder means at a constant speed, and a plurality of filters held by said filter holder means and equidistantly spaced apart for passing light rays of predetermined wavelengths, the filters being positionable concentrically with the optical axis of the light, and wavelength identifying signal generator means for such wavelength selector means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 71 words

A system for continuously automatically analyzing a liquid sample as in claim 5 wherein the wavelength identifying signal generator means comprises apertures formed in the filter holder means and positioned outward of the filters fitted in the holder means, said light source means and light detectors positionable respectively above and below the apertures when the center of the filters is in alignment with the optical axis of the light source means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

A system for continuously automatically analyzing a liquid sample as in claim 4 wherein the reflectivity measuring means comprises an integrating sphere and the light detector means therefore is mounted on the integrating sphere.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 2 wherein the concentration of the abnormal substance is measured by the corrected reflectivities of all of the different wavelengths.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 59 words

A method of analyzing a liquid sample comprising the steps of: applying the sample to at least one color reaction test piece, irradiating the test piece with sample applied thereto to a plurality of predetermined different wavelengths of energy, and measuring the spectral reflectance of the energy reflected from the test piece at each of said predetermined different wavelengths.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 59 words

A method of analyzing a liquid sample comprising the steps of: applying the sample to at least one color reaction test piece, irradiating the test piece with sample applied thereto to a plurality of predetermined different wavelengths of energy, and measuring the spectral reflectance of the energy reflected from the test piece at each of said predetermined different wavelengths.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 69 words

A method as in claim 9 further comprising the steps of: providing a reflective reference piece, irradiating said reflective reference piece with said plurality of different wavelengths of energy and measuring the spectral reflectance therefrom at each of said predetermined different wavelengths, and obtaining a corrected spectral reflectance for the test piece from the measurements of the spectral reflectance of both the test piece and the reflective reference piece.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 9 wherein the irradiation step is carried out by sequentially irradiating the test piece with the different wavelengths of energy.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as in claim 10 wherein the irradiation step is carried out by sequentially irradiating the test piece and the reflective reference piece with the different wavelengths of energy.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 73 words

A system for analyzing for different substances in a liquid sample which has been applied to a test piece comprising: means for irradiating the test piece with light energy of a plurality of different, predetermined wavelengths, means for measuring the reflectance of the light from the test piece of at least a selected plurality of the different wavelengths, and means responsive to the measured values of reflected light for analyzing for the substance.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 73 words

A system for analyzing for different substances in a liquid sample which has been applied to a test piece comprising: means for irradiating the test piece with light energy of a plurality of different, predetermined wavelengths, means for measuring the reflectance of the light from the test piece of at least a selected plurality of the different wavelengths, and means responsive to the measured values of reflected light for analyzing for the substance.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 84 words

A system as in claim 13 wherein said test piece is located on a carrier, said carrier further including a reference piece of a given reflectivity, said irradiating means irradiating both said test piece and said reference piece with light energy of a plurality of different predetermined wavelengths, said measuring means being responsive to the light reflected from both said test piece and said reference piece for producing corrected relative values of the amount of light reflected at a plurality of the selected wavelengths.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 36 words

A system as in claim 14 wherein said carrier for the pieces comprises a strip and said irradiating means comprises a fixed position light source, and means for moving the strip relative to the light source.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 37 words

A system as in claim 15 wherein said irradiating means also includes a plurality of filter means each defining one of said plurality of wavelengths, and means for moving said filter means relative to said light source.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1982-07-09	1983-01-08	1983-07-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1986-07-09	1987-01-08	1987-07-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1990-07-09	1991-01-08	1991-07-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of analyzing liquid samples and system for continuously automatically analyzing same

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