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:
Mar. 28, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 06, 1998
Donald P Ames, St. Louis, MO (US);
Daniel L Rode, St. Louis, MO (US);
Other;
Abstract
A fluid monitor determines the quality, intensity and/or level of a fluid by transmitting a beam of light through the fluid and evaluating any changes to the shape of the beam as a result of being transmitted through the fluid. The monitor includes a light source and a lens which generate an incident beam of light having a predefined cross sectional shape. The beam is transmitted through a volume of the fluid, which modifies the shape of the beam as a function of the fluid quality, intensity and/or level. The beam can be polarized before being transmitted through the fluid or after beam transmission. The polarized beam is directed to a detector which evaluates the horizontal and vertical components of the beam and provides a shape signal to a detection circuit. The detection circuit processes the shape signal received from the detector to determine the quality, intensity and/or level of the fluid based on any variations from the predefined shape of the incident beam. The detection circuit outputs a signal to a display unit indicating the quality, intensity and/or level of the fluid. The detection circuit may also actuate an alarm if the quality, intensity and/or level of the fluid is below a preselected minimum value.