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:
Jan. 09, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 27, 1999
Michael J. Byrne, East Aurora, NY (US);
Thomas E. Ryan, Batavia, NY (US);
Kyle R. Bleyle, Lancaster, NY (US);
Keshav D. Sharma, Lancaster, NY (US);
Robert C. Atkinson, Buffalo, NY (US);
David J. Cash, Kenmore, NY (US);
Leica Microsystems Inc., Depew, NY (US);
Abstract
A transmitted light refractometer comprises an optical system having a movable mirror for redirecting light transmitted through a light-refracting sample to a beam splitter for dividing the light between first and second detection paths. The first detection path leads to an eyepiece whereby an operator may view an illumination boundary shadowline brought into the field of view of the eyepiece by adjusting the position of the movable mirror. The second detection path leads to a light-sensitive detector, preferably a linear scanned array, for generating signal information indicative of the location of the shadowline on the detector. An optical position sensor associated with the movable mirror includes a position detector providing signal information indicative of the position of the movable mirror. During a reading, the shadowline is brought into the field of view of the eyepiece, and the shadowline signal information and the mirror position signal information are processed to calculate index of refraction of the sample.