Patent · US Expired

Device for detecting a conduit and for determining at least one characteristic of its content

US5644402A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
8References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 1, 1995
Grant dateJul 1, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 1, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M2205/3313
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A device for detecting a conduit and for determining at least one characteristic of its content includes a seat for housing at least a portion of the conduit. The seat has first and second zones which are opposite each other with respect to a recess intended to receive the conduit. A light emitter is arranged in the first zone, and has a preferential emission direction oriented towards the recess. A receptor sensitive to the light emitted by the emitter also has a preferential reception direction oriented towards the recess. A first deflector deflects light in the direction of the first zone when a conduit containing a substantially transparent liquid is engaged in the seat. A second deflector deflects in the direction of the second zone at least part of the light deflected by the first deflector so that, when a conduit containing a substantially transparent liquid is engaged in the seat, at least part of the light emitted by the emitter reaches the receptor after having passed through the conduit at least twice obliquely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the recess. The components are arranged so that in the absence of a conduit in the seat, at least part of light from the em…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.