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:
Oct. 19, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 24, 1998
Michael V Waller, Fernandina Beach, FL (US);
Kenneth Arsenault, Ware, MA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A compact, lightweight, and inexpensive spectral analyzer (10) that creates a highly concentrated and collimated beam of light and that has a long optical path length that improves the analyzer's signal-to-noise ratio is disclosed. The spectral analyzer includes an optical collector assembly (12), a specimen holder (14), and an optical detector (16). The collector assembly includes a collector housing (18) having a plurality of spaced, internally reflective walls (22,24) and an exit aperture (26) through one of the walls, and a light source (20) positioned between the reflective walls. The light rays emitted from the light source are collected and collimated by the reflective walls into a highly concentrated beam of parallel light rays that is directed out of the exit aperture. The specimen holder is positioned adjacent the exit aperture of the collector for receiving the collimated beam. The collector assembly and specimen holder are positioned relative to one another so that the collimated beam is directed into the specimen holder at a pre-selected fixed angle. The specimen holder is polygonal in cross section and includes a plurality of internally reflective surfaces for reflecting the collimated beam at the pre-selected fixed angle along an optical path that is substantially longer than the specimen holder. The optical detector is positioned in or adjacent to the specimen holder for detecting the collimated beam after it has been reflected by the internally reflective surfaces of the specimen holder.