Method of determining the softening- or dropping point
US9222903B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 28, 2012 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 23, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01K11/06
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
At least one of the softening point and the dropping point of a substance is determined with a measuring instrument that comprises a sample chamber (4), a temperature sensor (16), a heater device (11), a means for providing temperature/time target values, an image-recording means (5) and a controller unit (17) with a processor unit. The heater device heats the sample chamber, the temperature sensor measures the temperature in the sample chamber, and the image-recording means captures a visual image of the interior of the sample chamber. A method using the measuring instrument has at least the steps of determining the change over time of the sample as a function of temperature based on the recorded image/time data and actual temperature/time data, and of determining the dropping- or softening point of the sample based on the observed change over time as a function of temperature.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.