The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 1989
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1988
Frederick M Shofner, Knoxville, TN (US);
Arthur C Miller, Jr, Knoxville, TN (US);
Gerhard Kreikebaum, Knoxville, TN (US);
Shofner Engineering Associates, Inc., Knoxville, TN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting particles in a clean environment provides for forming a beam of electromagnetic radiation into an instantaneous scattering volume and scanning the scattering volume in space defined by a flow cell. Particles are transported by fluid means into the space occupied by the scattering volume and individual particles are multiply scanned while passing through the scanning scattering volume. A fluid conduit is provided to transport the fluid and the particles and windows are provided to transmit the radiation beam into the space defined by the flow cell and to transmit scattered radiation from the particles out of the space. The radiation from the particles is collected and detected to provide an output signal. In the preferred embodiment, the output signal is analyzed to determine the concentration of the particles in the fluid and to determine the size and velocity of each individual particle.