Apparatus for measuring the density of a liquid, utilizing the law of refraction

• US 4,037,967 A
• Filed: 04/29/1974
• Issued: 07/26/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Reissland, Martin-Ulrich, Schweizer, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Clark, Conrad
• Application Number:
  US05/465,241
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 356/128-137
• US Class Current: 356/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/431 Dip refractometers, e.g. using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within prespecified limits, utilizing the law of refraction, particularly an apparatus for measuring the acid density of a motor vehicle storage battery for the purpose of determining its state of charge. The apparatus has an optical system with a photosensitive element and a light transmissive body with a measuring surface which is in contact with the liquid, and with a light source which illuminates the measuring surface.

The light source has an illuminated surface with a non-directional transmission.

The illuminated surface facing the measuring surface is spaced therefrom.

The illuminating surface together with said measuring surface define an open container filled with the said liquid. A frosted glass disc illuminated by a lamp forms the illuminated surface.

The optical system contains a convergent lens whose main plane, together with the measuring surface encloses a precisely defined acute angle.

Claims

1. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising:

A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon,

B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom,

C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics,

D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid, and

E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface,

F. said measuring surface being enclosed by an opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element.

2. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, for measuring the acid density of a storage battery, said light-transmissive body being constructed as a rod, said light source being arranged adjacent said rod, a measuring surface being provided at one end of said rod, said rod changing at its other end to a battery closure plug, said photosensitive element being mounted in the plug.

3. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, said lamp being a gallium arsenide diode.

4. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, said photosensitive element being photoresistor.

5. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising thermometer probe provided with the portion of the apparatus that is immersed in the liquid.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a convergent lens having a main plane, which plane, together with the measuring surface, forms an acute angle.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frosted light-transmissive material comprises frosted glass.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the frosted glass is siliconized.

9. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising:

A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon,

B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom,

C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics,

D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid,

E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface,

said measuring surface being enclosed by an Opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element, and

F. a deflecting surface provided as the opaque layer arranged in the path of rays behind the said measuring surface and limiting one side of the measuring surface.

10. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 9, said deflecting surface being provided with a reflecting layer covered with a protective layer.

11. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid as claimed in claim 10, said reflecting layer comprising a gilded surface.

12. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising:

A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon,

B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom,

C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics,

D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of an open chamber which is filled with the liquid,

E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface,

said light-transmissive body being constructed as a rod, said light source being arranged adjacent said rod;

a measuring surface being provided at one end of said rod, said rod changing at its other end to a battery closure plug, said photosensitive element being mounted in the said plug;

said measuring surface being enclosed by an opaque layer, and the light-transmissive body being arranged relative to the direction of rays emanating from said light source, so that only the light rays refracted in the area of the end of the opaque layer into the light-transmissive body strike the photosensitive element, and

F. a deflecting surface provided as the opaque layer arranged in the path of rays behind the said measuring surface and limiting one side of the said measuring surface.

13. Apparatus for continuously measuring the density of a liquid within predetermined limits by use of the law of refraction, said apparatus being particularly useful for measuring the density of the electrolytic acid in a motor vehicle storage battery in order to determine its state of charge, comprising:

A. a light-transmissive body having a measuring surface thereon,

B. a plate of frosted light-transmissive material comprising at least one frosted surface and at least one edge, the frosted surface being mounted in a position facing the measuring surface and spaced therefrom,

C. a lamp for directing light into the edge of said plate to cause the frosted surface to function as an illuminating surface of a light source with non-directional light transmissive characteristics,

D. the illuminating surface and the measuring surface defining walls of a open chamber which is filled with the liquid,

E. a photosensitive element placed to receive light deflected by the measuring surface, and

F. a boundary surface for a refraction of the pencil of light rays arriving from the measuring surface, at the end of the light-transmissive body that faces the photosensitive element, said boundary surface being inclined, with respect to the measuring surface by an angle Ε

, given by formula ##EQU2## in which formula n represents the largest occurring index of refraction of the liquid, n_o represents the index of refraction of the medium positioned between the light-transmissive body and the photosensitive element, and N represents the index of refraction of the photoconductive body.