Fall velocity indicator/viewer
US4514758A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 1982 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P3/38
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fall velocity indicator/viewer having a sampling compartment, a camera system, and an elongated tunnel for interconnecting the camera system to the sampling compartment. The camera system includes a video camera for continuously monitoring snowflakes as they naturally fall through a viewing area in the sampling compartment. The snowflakes are illuminated by a pair of strobe lights directly and in combination with reflected light from a pair of mirrors. In addition, a mirror in the tunnel provides a reflected view from the top of the snowflakes. The video camera is capable of thereby monitoring multiple views of snowflakes in a single video frame and provide sufficient data to analyze the physical characteristics of the snowflakes as well as aid in making velocity determinations and other observations of naturally falling snowflakes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.