Abstract:
A compact low-cost fire detector responds quickly by detecting an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ambient air. The detector also calculates the rate of build-up of carbon dioxide. The detector avoids the use of moving parts by employing a differential temperature black body source of infrared radiation in conjunction with a dual pass band filter. One of the pass bands is located at the 4.26 micron absorption band of carbon dioxide gas and the other pass band is located at 2.20 microns at which none of the atmospheric gases has an absorption band. The latter channel serves as a reference and renders the detector immune to false alarms caused by dust or smoke particles in the air or due to deterioration of certain components. The fire detector makes use of a sample chamber that consists of a serpentine passage in a block of material, the walls of the serpentine passsage being highly reflective so as to act as a light pipe.
Abstract:
The concentration of optically active substances is determined by measuring the polarization of light passed through the substance using a light source, a polarizer and a modulator operated at a predetermined modulation frequency f.sub.F, as well as a measuring cell, an analyzer and a detector. The output signal from the detector 16 is alternately integrated during each half period of the modulation frequency to form voltage values U.sub.I+ and U.sub.I-. These voltage values are stored and the quotient Q of these stored voltage values is formed. Subsequently, an adjustable constant voltage is subtracted from the quotient. The measuring arrangement can have a miniature design for implantation. No mechanically moving parts and only a single detector are used. The measurement is accomplished by a simple, miniature linear ray path having high resolution.
Abstract:
A multi-component non-dispersive gas analyzer of a type typically used to measure the concentrations of gases present in automotive emissions and in breath analyzers has no moving parts and employs electrically operated means for effectively inserting and removing a reference cell from the optical path and for selecting a particular filter to determine momentarily the wavelengths of radiation being examined. The means for accomplishing these ends include a substrate on which a layer of vanadium dioxide is deposited. The layer is a good reflector at temperatures greater than 67.degree. C. and reflects only slightly at lower temperatures. The layer is alternately heated by an electrical current and is then allowed to cool to provide the desired optical switching action. This electrically-controlled selectively reflective layer is then used in conjunction with the reference cell and with an array of filters to implement the necessary switching and selection of the components.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a chemical luminescence-detecting apparatus that is provided with a plurality of optical detectors different in sensitivity in the vicinity of a photometric cell. A ratio of outputs from the optical detectors based on intensity of luminescence is previously determined and stored. Signal processing can multiply an output of a low sensitivity optical detector by a factor determined by the stored ratio to measure the intensity of luminescence so that a conversion value corresponding to an equivalent output from a high sensitivity optical detector may be obtained when the output from the high sensitivity optical detector has become saturated.
Abstract:
The condition of the roadway with respect to dryness, wetness, or icing is determined, contact-free by way of reflection measurements of light in the infrared range. The reflected light is measured selectively and simultaneously by a receiver in at least two wavelength regions with the wavelength ranges to be determined being in spectral dependence from the surface condition. Formation of a quotient of the detected signals makes possible an unequivocal statement regarding the respective condition of the roadway surface.
Abstract:
A process for spectroscopically measuring the content of a component in a liquid mixture involves passing a single optical beam through the mixture without the use of a reference beam and measuring the intensities of transmitted light in two different wavelength bands by means of two adjacent detectors responsive to light in the two wavelength bands respectively. The component being measured absorbs light within one of the wavelength bands. The ratio of the detector outputs can then be related to the component concentration. The principal use of the invention is for in-situ measurement of methanol in gasoline for motor vehicles.
Abstract:
A noninvasive device for photoelectrically measuring a property of arterial blood is provided. Light that contacts living tissue with arterial blood is converted into a pair of electrical signals. The electrical signals are processed to provide information of the amplitude of the measured signals and are further processed to produce a final output signal that is substantially a square function of a ratio between the electrical signals representative of the amplitudes.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a print head includes a first step of finding first light quantity related data showing a light quantity in a light spot formed by lighting up each of light-emitting units by a driving unit by using a first threshold, a second step of finding first magnitude related data showing a magnitude in the light spot formed by lighting up the light-emitting unit by the driving unit by using a second threshold, a third step of finding first ratio data showing a ratio between the first light quantity related data and the first magnitude related data, a fourth step of finding light quantity correction data to the light-emitting unit forming the light spot as a target by using the first ratio data, and a fifth step of retaining the found light quantity correction data to the print head.
Abstract:
A system for detecting fires uses at least two carbon dioxide sensors positioned at spaced locations in a room. Each sensor produces an electrical output signal representative of the carbon dioxide concentration in its vicinity. A computer calculates the ratio of the concentration sensed by each sensor to the concentration sensed by each of the other sensors, and any imbalance in the distribution of carbon dioxide will be reflected in these ratios. Random variations prevent the ratios from being equal, and the magnitude of the random variations is quantized by calculating the standard deviation of the ratios. The ratios are then normalized and compared to a threshold level that corresponds to a chosen false alarm rate.
Abstract:
A sample chamber for use in measuring the absorption of radiation as it passes through a gas within the chamber includes a block having an extended serpentine passage through it. The walls of the extended passage are coated with a highly reflective material so that the extended passage acts as a light pipe for transmitting the radiation. A number of smaller passages permit gases in the space surrounding the sample chamber to diffuse into the extended passage through which the radiation is conducted. The sampling chamber is made by joining two halves, each of which has a planar face in which an elongated groove is produced. The halves are molded of plastic and in quantity the chamber is quite inexpensive.