High detection rate particle identifier
US6972424B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2003 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2015/1438
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improvement is described for use in a system that identifies particles in a fluid such as water by passing the fluid through a passage in a transparent carrier and detecting light from a laser beam that is scattered by particles, followed by comparing the scatter pattern to those of known particles, which increases the rate at which particles are detected. A plurality of transparent carriers with through passages are provided, and a narrow beam is directed through each carrier to scatter light from particles at a detect zone in each carrier passage. In one arrangement (60), the carriers (62, 64, 66) are connected in series, so a limited amount of water passes through detect zones (24A, 24B. 24C) to generate a high rate of particle detection. In another arrangement (130), the carrier passages are connected in parallel, so when a larger sample of water is available different parts of the water sample pass through different carrier passages, to again increase the rate of particle detection.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.