Flow cell

• US 4,260,257 A
• Filed: 05/29/1979
• Issued: 04/07/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hugh Y. Yee, William E. Neeley
• Original Assignee: Hugh Y. Yee, William E. Neeley
• Inventors: Neeley, William E., Yee, Hugh Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGraw, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US06/042,789
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 356/246, 356/410, 356/411, 356/440, 250/576
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10

Abstract

A flow cell for location intermediate a light source and a photosensitive device for light measurement of a fluid therein in a light path. The flow cell has an elongated tubular body member, a debubbler unit, and a tubular fluid outlet tower. The body member has an open-ended bore therethrough constituting a sight passageway. A pair of light transmitting quartz rods are positioned in the respective open ends of the bore to close them. One end of the debubbler unit functions as a fluid inlet conduit and a tubular neck portion extends from the bottom of the debubbler unit and is transversely connected to the open-ended bore of the body member intermediate its ends. A tubular fluid outlet tower has its bottom end transversely connected to the open-ended bore of the body member intermediate its ends. The bottom ends of the debubbler unit and the fluid outlet tower connect to the bore of the body member adjacent the respective internal ends of the light transmitting rods to define the path for fluid flowing through the sight passageway. The internal end surface of the light transmitting rods are flat in the central portion and form a curved surface adjacent their perimeter with the interior surface of the bore of the body member.

Claims

1. A flow cell for location intermediate a light source and a photosensitive device for light measurement of a fluid therein in a light path, comprising:

a body member having an open-ended bore therethrough constituting a sight passageway to lie along a portion of the length of the light path of a colorimeter;

p1 fluid inlet means transversely connected to said open-ended bore intermediate its ends;

fluid outlet means transversely connected to said open-ended bore intermediate its ends;

said fluid inlet means and said fluid outlet means being longitudinal spaced a predetermined distance along the axis of the open-ended bore of said body member;

a pair of fluid seals in the respective open ends of said bores and closing them, each of said seals being constituted by a light transmitting rod;

said fluid inlet means and said fluid outlet means opening into said bore adjacent the respective internal ends of said light transmitting rods to define the path for fluid flowing through said sight passageway;

the internal end surface of said light transmitting rods have a central portion that is flat and substantially perpendicular to the axis of the bore of said tubular member to provide optimal transmission of light and a curved surface adjacent their perimeter that blends with the interior surface of said bore where said respective surfaces meet much in the manner of the meniscus curved surface that is formed by a liquid in a vessel due to surface tension of the liquid with the side walls of the vessel, the internal ends of said light transmitting rods being fused to the interior walls of said bore; and

debubbler means comprising a tubular portion having a first aperture in its bottom surface, a tubular neck having its top end connected to said first aperture and its bottom end connected to said fluid inlet means.

2. A flow cell as recited in claim 1 wherein said body member and said light transmitting rods are made of the same material.

3. A flow cell as recited in claim 1 wherein said body member and said light transmitting rods are both made of quartz.

5. A flow cell as recited in claim 1 wherein said body member is covered by an opaque coating.

6. A flow cell as recited in claim 1 wherein said body member has a transversely oriented opaque barrier within its cross-section that prevents light from passing longitudinally from one end to the other opposite end through the wall structure of said body member.

4. A flow cell as recited in claim 4 wherein said debubbler means is formed integrally with said body member.