Abstract:
The apparatus comprises a receiving body (1) for receiving the reaction containers (3) carrying the samples to be analyzed, with means (4,4',4'',5,5',5'',6,6') for causing each of the reaction containers to be passed through by a luminous signal of controlled wavelength, having means for conducting it to a scanning head where the luminous signals are picked up by a single CCD sensor (12), constituting a digital processing system for evaluating the absorbency of the corresponding sample.
Abstract:
Colour changes in a target, such as a chemical sensor using a colour-changing indicator reagent to detect the presence of a poisonous gas, are continuously monitored by reflecting the target (10) on to a sensor (16) light originating from first one and then another light source (12a, 12b, etc), each having a different, known emission wavelength. In each cycle, direct light from the appropriate source is also collected by another sensor (14), connected in a closed loop (26) with circuitry in which the emission intensity is compared with a known reference value (38) and which adjusts the emission intensity so as to stabilise it at this constant reference value. Once this is stabilised, the reflected light intensity signal is passed to a data store (20), after which a divider (22) produces an output signal (36) representing the ratio of the reflected light intensities in two separate cycles originating from two different light sources (12a, 12b, etc). The conduct of each cycle is controlled by timing means (18). Where there are two light sources, the wavelength of the second (12b) is outside the response range of the target, that of the first (12a) being at or near the peak target response, so that all the divider output signals represent successive values of actual reflected light intensity. These signals can be processed to show the rate of colour change in the target and used to operate e.g. an alarm.
Abstract:
A system for on-line analysis of industrial fluid streams is capable of absorption, fluorescence and reflectance measurements at single wavelengths in the ultra-violet, visible and near infra-red spectral ranges. An optical fiber cable couples light pulses from an excitation light source (20) to a probe (12) in the fluid, couples light sensed by the probe to a photodetector (32), and couples light pulses from a reference light source (34) to the photodetector (32). The signals from the photodetector are combined to provide a response signal representative of a characteristic of the fluid in a manner independent of light source intensity, photodetector sensitivity, and temperature over a wide range.
Abstract:
The slide analysis system (10) includes a slide holding module (12) spaced from an incubator module (14). A slide transfer device (18) or pick and place mechanism withdraws slides (28) from the slide holding module (12) and inserts them into the incubator module (14). A metering device (16) deposits serum onto a slide that is held in a spotting position by the slide transfer device (18). The metering device (16) is movable to a sampling position in the slide holding module to aspirate serum from a serum source on the slide cartridge in the slide holding module (12) and is also movable to a spotting position to spot serum on the slide held by the slide transfer device (12). The slide transfer device (12) has rotational as well as transverse movement and includes jaws (257) for gripping onto the sides of slides to withdraw a single slide from a cartridge (24), transport it to the incubator (14), insert the slide in the incubator and thereafter remove it from the incubator. The metering device (16) also has rotational as well as elevational movement and includes a built-in pipette tip ejector (430) for discarding a used pipette tip (70).
Abstract:
Eine Vorrichtung zur Messung der Partikelbelastung im Rauch- oder Abgas eines Verbrennungsprozesses weist einen zwischen einem optischen Sender (41) und einem optischen Empfänger (42) ausgesendeten Lichtstrahl auf, der durch zwei einander diametral gegnüberliegende, mit lichtdurchlässigen Körpern (29,30) verschlossene Lichtdurchtrittsöffnungen (16,17) in der Wand eines Abgasrohres (15) hindurchtritt und einen in dem Abgasrohr (15) geführten Abgasstrom durchquert. Die Intensitätsschwächung des Lichtstrahls ist ein Maß für die Partikelbelastung. Bei Verwendung der Meßvorrichtung zur Messung der Rußkonzentration im Abgas von Brennkraftmaschinen von Fahrzeugen wird diese unmittelbar am Auspuffrohr (15) angebracht, und die lichtdurchlässigen Körper (29,30) werden im Bereich der vom Abgasstrom beaufschlagten Flächen auf eine über der Rußabbrandtemperatur liegende Temperatur aufgeheizt. Hierdurch wird eine Meßwertverfälschung durch Rußablagerungen in der Meßstrecke auf den lichtdurchlässigen Körpern (29,30) verhindert und ein kontinuierlicher Betrieb der Meßvorrichtung sichergestellt.
Abstract:
There is disclosed herein a reference system for a fluorometer designed to detect very low levels of materials tagged with fluorophores. There is also disclosed an optical system for use in such a system which improves the signal to noise ratio. The reference system utilizes pulsed arc light excitation which excitation pulses are directed onto a flow cell containing the fluorescent dye. Fluorescent light emitted from the dye is guided to a photomultiplier tube which converts it to electrical pulses. A portion of each excitation light pulse is guided by a light pipe onto a PIN diode light detector which converts these light signals to electrical pulses. A LED reference light source is pulsed to generate a plurality of reference light pulses one of which occurs between each excitation pulse. A portion of each of these pulses is guided to each of the two light detectors and two more series of electrical pulses are generated. A microprocessor then reads the four electrical pulses resulting from each pair of light pulses and performs a computation on the resulting numbers which indicates the relative concentration of the target concentration being assayed. The optical system masks the excitation light pulses and the emitted light pulses to minimize the amount of scattered excitation light than gets into the emitted light optical channel and to control the location and size of the image projected onto the photomultiplier tube to stabilize its output signal. The light pipe and an output lens spatially integrates the image of the excitation light mask and focusses this light on the PIN diode so that the dancing image of the arc does not wander off the face of the PIN diode and destabilize its output signal. The action of the flow cell fluid contents spatially integrates the fluorescent light thereby helping to stabilize the output of the photomultiplier tube.
Abstract:
The apparatus has a body receiving reaction containers that carries samples to be analyzed. The body is provided with a set of radially arranged seats. Each seat constitutes an entry of a scanning channel so that the reaction containers enter through an end of the channel by linear thrust. A sensor (12) picks up an image of a scanning head (11) to provide successive shots of the scanning head with a specific time interval. An independent claim is also included for a method for carrying out measurement of an optical absorbency of samples of liquids.