Light pipe for spectroscopy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10690590-B2
Application number	US-201715477753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2017
Priority date	Apr 5, 2016
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A spectroscopic assembly may include a spectrometer. The spectrometer may include an illumination source to generate a light to illuminate a sample. The spectrometer may include a sensor to obtain a spectroscopic measurement based on light, reflected by the sample, from the light illuminating the sample. The spectroscopic assembly may include a light pipe to transfer the light reflected from the sample. The light pipe may include a first opening to receive the spectrometer. The light pipe may include a second opening to receive the sample, such that the sample is enclosed by the light pipe and a base surface when the sample is received at the second opening. The light pipe may be associated with aligning the illumination source and the sensor with the sample.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spectroscopic assembly, comprising:
a spectrometer,
the spectrometer including an illumination source to generate a light to illuminate a sample,
the spectrometer including a sensor to obtain a spectroscopic measurement based on light, reflected by the sample, from the light illuminating the sample; and

a light pipe to transfer the light reflected from the sample,
the light pipe including:
a first portion that includes a first opening to receive the spectrometer,
a second portion that includes a second opening to receive the sample, such that the sample is enclosed by the light pipe and a base surface when the sample is received at the second opening,
a first diameter of the first portion being different from a second diameter of the second portion,

a mounting surface disposed between the first portion and the second portion, and
a glass window contiguous to the mounting surface,
the light pipe being associated with aligning the illumination source and the sensor with the sample.

2. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the light pipe further comprises:
a cavity extending axially from the first opening to the second opening to receive the spectrometer and the sample and to align the spectrometer with the sample.

3. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the mounting surface separates the spectrometer from the sample by a particular distance when the spectrometer is received at the first opening and the sample is received at the second opening.

4. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the glass window is a protective window that permits the light to be directed between the spectrometer and the sample.

5. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the sample is enclosed in a blister pack and the base surface is a particular surface of the blister pack.

6. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the light pipe further comprises:
a reflective interior surface disposed between the first opening and the second opening to cause the light to be directed between the spectrometer and the sample,
the reflective interior surface being at least one of:
a reflectively coated hollow portion,
a reflectively coated solid portion, or
a solid portion to cause a total internal reflection effect.

7. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the light pipe further comprises:
at least one of:
an optically reflective cap to reflect light from the illumination source and toward the sensor, or
an optically diffusive cap to diffuse light from the illumination source.

8. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the second opening further comprises:
a surface to support a sample tube,
the sample tube being associated with receiving a liquid sample or a solvent sample.

9. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the sample is a liquid sample or a solvent sample; and
where the second opening further comprises:
a first portion of the second opening to receive a first portion of a sample pipe; and
a second portion of the second opening to receive a second portion of the sample pipe,
a third portion of the sample pipe being aligned by the light pipe with the spectrometer,
the third portion of the sample pipe being positioned between the first portion of the sample pipe and the second portion of the sample pipe,
the sample pipe being associated with directing the liquid sample or the solvent sample from the first portion of the sample pipe to the third portion of the sample pipe and from the third portion of the sample pipe to the second portion of the sample pipe.

10. The spectroscopic assembly of claim 1 , where the second opening includes a first window and a spacer; and
where the base surface includes a second window and a mirror.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a spectrometer including an illumination source and a sensor,
a body portion,
the body portion including:
a cavity,
the cavity including a first portion and a second portion,
 a first diameter of the first portion being different from a second diameter of the second portion,
the cavity extending axially from a first end of the first portion to a second end of the second portion,
the second end of the body portion being associated with reflecting light directed toward a sample for spectroscopy, and
the first end of the body portion being associated with receiving the spectrometer such that the spectrometer is separated from the sample to prevent the spectrometer from being in contact with the sample,

a mounting surface disposed between the first portion and the second portion, and
a glass window contiguous to the mounting surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a dip probe mounted to the body portion,
the dip probe supporting a surface to reflect light or diffuse light received from the spectrometer, and
the dip probe being associated with positioning the surface in an axial alignment to the spectrometer.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a reflective surface disposed in the cavity; and
a rotator assembly to rotate the reflective surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a reflective surface disposed in the cavity,
the reflective surface being shaped to disperse the light in a plurality of directions toward the sample.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , where the sample is a fluid; and
further comprising:
a first opening in the cavity to receive the fluid; and
a second opening in the cavity to expel the fluid.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a fiber optic structure disposed axially inside the cavity,
the fiber optic structure being associated with directing light between the spectrometer and the sample.

17. An apparatus, comprising:
a spectroscopic assembly,
the spectroscopic assembly including a spectrometer,
the spectrometer including an illumination source and a spectroscopic sensor;
the spectroscopic assembly including a light pipe,
the light pipe including:
a turned cavity,
the turned cavity including:
 a first portion that includes a first opening to receive the spectrometer, and
 a second portion that includes a second opening,
 a first diameter of the first portion being different from a second diameter of the second portion,

a mounting surface disposed between the first portion and the second portion, and
a glass window contiguous to the mounting surface,
the turned cavity being optically reflective; and

the spectroscopic assembly including a support structure,
the support structure being mounted to the light pipe,
the support structure supporting a surface a particular distance from the illumination source, and
the particular distance permitting a sample to be positioned between the glass window and the surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
a processor to determine a set of components of the sample based on a set of calibration measurements and a set of spectroscopic measurements performed by the spectrometer.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , where the glass window is a translucent sapphire glass window.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , where the surface is a reflective surface or a diffusive surface.

Assignees

• Viavi Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Hruska Curtis R
• Zou Peng
• Catching Benjamin F
• Von Gunten Marc K
• Smith Valton

Classifications

• G01N2201/0813

  Arrangement of collimator tubes, glass or empty · CPC title

• G01N2201/064

  Stray light conditioning · CPC title

• G01N2201/024

  Modular construction · CPC title

• G01N2021/8514

  with immersed mirror · CPC title

• G01N2021/0118

  Apparatus with remote processing · CPC title