METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING PARTICLE CHARACTERISTICS BY MEASURING SCATTERED LIGHT
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring characteristics of particles in a dispersion, as determined from scattered light and particle motion in a fluid, comprising:
- a) a sample cell which contains the particle dispersion and which provides optical access for passage of light,b) an acceleration means for producing forces on particles, andc) means for measuring effects of particle motion, caused by said forces, so as to determine accurately a characteristic of said particles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument for measuring the size and characteristics of a particle contained in a sample of particles. A particle sample is introduced into a sample chamber. The sample particles are subjected to centrifugal forces so that large particles travel in the sample chamber at velocities greater than small particles. Light is shown upon the particles as they travel in the sample chamber. The particles diffract the light. The diffracted light is then received by detectors that convert the diffracted light into corresponding electronic signals. The electronic signals are analyzed to determine the size and characteristics of the particles that caused the diffracted light.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring characteristics of particles in a dispersion, as determined from scattered light and particle motion in a fluid, comprising:
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a) a sample cell which contains the particle dispersion and which provides optical access for passage of light, b) an acceleration means for producing forces on particles, and c) means for measuring effects of particle motion, caused by said forces, so as to determine accurately a characteristic of said particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining particle characteristics from a set of measurements of scattered light characteristics, each measurement being performed under a different condition, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) directing light from a light source towards a particle dispersion, b) detecting and measuring light scattered from said particle dispersion, and c) causing motion between said light source and a detection means, and particles along a direction of particle motion, wherein step (b) is performed a plurality of times, each time for a different condition of particles in said dispersion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for determining a distribution of particle characteristics from a power spectrum of a scatter signal, comprising:
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a) directing light onto a plurality of moving particles, and detecting light scattered from said particles, b) measuring a power spectrum of a scattering signal for various values of acceleration and/or scattering angle of said particles, c) creating a set of simultaneous equations which relate said measured power spectra, which are functions of frequency, scattering angle, and acceleration, to theoretical power spectra, which are functions of frequency, scattering angle, acceleration, and particle characteristics, and to a particle characteristic distribution, and d) solving said simultaneous equations so as to express the particle characteristic distribution in terms of the measured and theoretical power spectra.
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Specification