Apparatus for determining a value that represents the amount of a liquid and its use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10012626-B2
Application number	US-201514968963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for determining a value that represents an amount of liquid in a vessel, wherein the vessel is configured to be a tube or a cuvette. The vessel for the liquid is basically transparent, with at least one radiation unit, that is arranged alongside the longitudinal axis of the vessel and that radiates light into the vessel, as well as at least one light detector with at least one light receiver that is assigned to the radiation unit and that receives the light that is coming through the vessel and forwards it to the light detector. The apparatus comprises a data processing unit that determines the value that represents the amount of the liquid in the vessel from the light that was detected by the light detector. The apparatus is characterized in that the light detector detects the sum total of the light that was radiated through the vessel and was received by all light receivers. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the apparatus in an analyzer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for determining a value that represents a liquid amount in a vessel, comprising:
at least one light receiver;
at least one radiation unit disposed alongside a longitudinal axis of the vessel and configured to radiate light into the vessel, the at least one radiation unit including a reference section surrounded by sections configured not to radiate light into the vessel, wherein the at least one radiation unit is embodied as a light conductor and configured to radiate light continuously across the longitudinal axis of the vessel;
at least one light source that is assigned to the at least one radiation unit;
at least one light detector; and
a data processing unit configured to determine the value that represents the liquid amount in the vessel from light that was detected by the at least one light detector,
wherein the vessel is configured to be a tube or a cuvette, and is essentially transparent,
wherein the at least one light receiver is assigned to the at least one radiation unit, wherein the at least one light receiver is configured to receive the light that is radiated through the vessel and to forward the light to the at least one light detector, and
wherein the at least one light detector is configured to detect the sum total of the light that was radiated through the vessel and was received by all light receivers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light receiver is configured to receive light continuously across the longitudinal axis of the vessel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light detector is a photodiode.

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Conducta Ges Fuer Mess Und Regeltechnik Mbh Co Kg
• Endress Hauser Conducta Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Bernhard Ralf

Classifications

• G01N31/00 Primary

  Investigating or analysing non-biological materials by the use of the chemical methods specified in the subgroup; Apparatus specially adapted for such methods · CPC title

• G01F13/00

  Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups · CPC title

• G01F23/2924

  for several discrete levels, e.g. with more than one light-conducting sensing element (G01F23/2927 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F23/2921 Primary

  for discrete levels · CPC title

• G01F23/2927

  for several discrete levels, e.g. with more than one light-conducting sensing element · CPC title