Background of the invention
Field of the invention
The Present invention relates to a refractive
measuring device to determine properties of liquids.
Description of the Prior Art
There already do exist refractive measuring devices
that can determine properties of liquids.
However, all of these systems use complicated optical arrays and
cavities to determine the properties, which make them expensive and quite
difficult to operate. The
prior products use a point source light, usually a LASER light source,
with one light receiver, pointed at an angle through what is being
measured. The light then
refracts and the receiving device, usually a CCD, determines the shift in
the light path. See diagram 1.
Description of Diagram 1
This system uses sophisticated components, often together with
lenses (not shown). This makes
for an expensive product.
1 Point light source, usually a LASER.
2 Light receiving device, usually a CCD
3 Liquid being measured, either flowing or stationary
4 Extension of original light beam (un-refracted) from light
source (1), to show difference in comparison to beam number 5
5 Refracted Light beam.
Summary of the Invention
Purely Scientific Principle:
The principle of this invention is based upon
Snells law: n1 sin1 = n2 sin2.
In this equation n1 is the refractive index of the surrounding
medium and n2 is the refractive index of the substance being
measured. And 1
is the angle at which the electromagnetic wave (Referenced as em or
electromagnetic wave or light through out document) touches a substance
with respect to the normal and 2 is the angle at which
it goes in to the liquid with respect to the normal.
Definitions:
Normal The line perpendicular to the surface at which the
angles are measured in reference to.
Index of Refraction determined by dividing the speed of light in the medium by the speed of
light in a
vacuum ( C0 / v )
Scientific Principle in Relation to Product
The following invention is a reliable method for
determining the purity of liquid, contaminants of liquid or type of
liquid. The liquid may be
flowing at any speed, or / and it may be stationary.
The system uses one or more light emitting devices
opposite one or more light detecting devices are used as in figure 2.
Figure 2 shows an example involving 2 emitters and 2 detectors,
although they can be arranged in other ways also, they do not have be in
equal quantities. A slit or
pillar is put in front of both light emitting devices to break the
electromagnetic wave down into two separate ones.
This is done because the light in the middle of the emitter will
fall at an angle of 180 degrees on to the curved or straight liquid holder
or directly on to the liquid, which will result in no refraction.
However the remaining light will refract and give us our reading.
In the following figure 1, this basic refraction principle, on which the product is based can be seen.
Description of Figure 1
* - Lines 3, 5 and 9 represent electromagnetic waves.
1 Angle of incidence of incoming electromagnetic wave 3 from the
surrounding medium into liquid.
2
3 Incoming electromagnetic wave
4 Center line
5 Refracted incoming electromagnetic wave, following from line 3.
6 Angle of refraction of incoming electromagnetic wave 5 from the
surrounding medium into liquid.
7 Angle of incidence of incoming electromagnetic wave (now
outgoing) from liquid to surrounding medium.
8
9 Refracted outgoing electromagnetic wave, following from line 5.
10 Angle of refraction of outgoing electromagnetic wave 9 from
the liquid to the surrounding medium.
Description of Figure 2:
1 Light detecting device receiving light from
light emitting device 4.
2 Light detecting device receiving light from
light emitting device 3
3 Light emitting device directing light to
light receiving device 2
4 Light emitting device directing light to
light receiving device 1
5 Liquid being measured.
The liquid may be flowing or contained in a container of any shape.
6 Light emitted by light emitting devices
before reaching masks (9).
7 Light emitted by light emitting devices after
passing through masks (9).
8 Light emitted by light emitting devices after
passing through masks (9).
9 Mask or pillars put in front of light
emitting devices to change the way light reaches detectors.
It can be in any shape or size.
10 Mask placed in front of light detecting
device. It can be any shape or
size.
11 Mask placed in front of light detecting
device. It can be any shape or
size.
Remember also that when a beam of light strikes a
curved piece of a non-opaque substance, the thru light will go to a common
focal point. The focal point is
determined simply by the diameter of the curvature and the index of
refraction of the substance. See
figure 3. A circle is shown for
ease of reference.
Focal Length = n D / [4 (n-1)]
Description of Figure 3:
1 Diameter of curved non-opaque surface
2 Incoming light
3 Focal Length
The curved piece of material in this invention is
the tube through which the liquid flows.
Therefore the focal length will remain constant unless liquid flows
through. This change of focal
length is what the circuit requires.
As with the light emitting devices, the light
receiving devices also have masks or posts in front.
As can be seen in figure 2, the photo-transistors can be placed in
different locations, one is further back than the other with respect to
their incident LEDs. This
means that each photo-transistor will receive different amounts of light
depending on the liquid or purity of the liquid being measured.
In reference to figure 2: When pure liquid a
is being analyzed, 100% of the incident light from the light emitting device
3 goes to light receiving device 2, and 50% of the incident light from the
light emitting device 4 goes to light receiving device 1.
Then, when impurities are in the liquid, the index of refraction
changes slightly, this then changes the focal points of the incident beams
on the light receiving devices. This
results in more or less light reaching the light receiving devices.
And when there is X% difference in the readings of the light
receiving devices, the circuit switches, which causes an exterior signal or
other warning device to turn on., thus warning the customer of the problem.
This X% is determined by the customer, and
represents the threshold of the liquid from acceptable to unacceptable.
The circuit is calibrated to the desired liquid the customer wants
with the tolerances of purity he desires, or other specs altogether.
This may seem tedious at first, but for an OEM customer, this will
only have to be done once, since in the circuit, the light emitting devices
and light receiving devices can be moved along rails and then glued into
place for ease of testing and setting up.
This principle may be accomplished in several ways.
A, B, C and D in figure 4.
Description of Figure 4:
A The light source and receiver are exactly
opposite each other on different sides of the liquid or liquid holder.
(Picture 1)
A1 Light emitting source (in straight line with
light receiving device).
A2 Light receiving device (in straight line
with light emitting device).
A3 Direction of liquid flow, any direction or
speed
A4 Liquid, or liquid in a holder.
B The light source and receiver are opposite
each other, with a vertical angle (6) in between them.
B1 Light emitting source
(at a vertical angle with respect to light receiving device).
B2 Light receiving device
(at a vertical angle with respect to light emitting source).
B3 Direction of liquid
flow, any direction or speed.
B4 Liquid, or liquid in a
holder.
B6 Angle in between
emitter and receiver.
C The device which
measures the liquid (4) has a thread on both sides (Picture 1) for a system
of flowing or stationary liquid to be attached.
At the top of the device is a non-opaque extrusion (5), and below
this is a system to whirl the liquid up to the extrusion so it can be
measured in the same fashion as A and B.
C1 Light emitting source (in straight line with
light receiving device)
C2 Light receiving device (in straight line
with light emitting device)
C3 Direction of liquid flow, any direction or
speed
C4 Liquid, or liquid in a
holder.
C5 Extrusion for liquid to
go into for it to be measured.
D The device which
measures the liquid (4) has a thread on both sides (Picture 2) for a system
of flowing or stationary liquid to be attached.
At the top of the device is a non-opaque extrusion (5), and below
this is a system to whirl the liquid up to the extrusion so it can be
measured in the same fashion as A and B.
D1 Light emitting source (at a vertical angle
with respect to light receiving device).
D2 Light receiving device (at a vertical angle
with respect to light emitting source).
D3 Direction of liquid flow, any direction or
speed
D4 Liquid, or liquid in a
holder.
D5 Extrusion for liquid to
go into for it to be measured.
D6 Angle in between emitter and receiver.
Claims:
1 A liquid property measuring device which uses
2 or more light sources to obtain a complementary reading over a preferably
round flow of liquid.
2 A mask is placed in front of each light
source, creating the desired light shape, preferably eliminating the
light in the middle, for it will not refract.
3 The light receiving devices are placed in
different positions with respect to their incident light emitters.
One is further back than the other.
This allows for different amounts of light to reach each light
receiver depending on the liquid being measured.
4 By creating 4 or more light beams, the device
allows for maximum deviation, while using minimum power.
Also it allows the use of low power consumption which in turn allows
the device to be certified for use in hazardous areas.
5 The design allows the creation of a portable
liquid detector. This device can
be slid over a non-opaque pipe with liquid in it.