Fiber optic probe system
First Claim
1. A system for detection of a selected medium in an environment comprising:
- a light source means for generating a beam of light;
a light receiving and signal generating means for receiving light from said light source and for generating variable signals dependent upon the amount of light received;
optical path means made of a continuous uninterrupted length of transparent material for connecting said light source means to said light receiving and signal generating means and for providing a continuous light path therebetween for transmitting said beam of light from said light source means to said light receiving means along the optical path;
at least one sensor portion located on a peripheral outer surface of said optical path means and in contact with the environment and being constructed and arranged to cause change in intensity of light transmitted through said sensor portion dependent on the amount of selected medium in the environment adsorbed and absorbed by the sensor portion, whereby variable output signals generated by said light receiving and signal generating means vary in accordance with the amount of selected medium in the environment adsorbed and absorbed by the sensor portion; and
signal processing and indicating means connected to said light receiving and signal generating means for output signaling and for indicating the detection of the selected medium in the environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automatic and real time detection of the presence or absence of a substance in an environment by monitoring variations in light energy transmitted through an optical fiber having a specially processed sensitive probe area. The sensitive probe area is positioned on, about or within the environment where a substance is to be detected. Because of differences in optical indices of refraction and energy absorption characteristics of different substances, the presence of different substances at the processed sensitive area will cause different proportional and characteristic attenuation of the light energy passing through the optical fiber. Changes in light energy transmission can be interpreted automatically to provide an indication of the condition of an environment.
147 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for detection of a selected medium in an environment comprising:
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a light source means for generating a beam of light; a light receiving and signal generating means for receiving light from said light source and for generating variable signals dependent upon the amount of light received; optical path means made of a continuous uninterrupted length of transparent material for connecting said light source means to said light receiving and signal generating means and for providing a continuous light path therebetween for transmitting said beam of light from said light source means to said light receiving means along the optical path; at least one sensor portion located on a peripheral outer surface of said optical path means and in contact with the environment and being constructed and arranged to cause change in intensity of light transmitted through said sensor portion dependent on the amount of selected medium in the environment adsorbed and absorbed by the sensor portion, whereby variable output signals generated by said light receiving and signal generating means vary in accordance with the amount of selected medium in the environment adsorbed and absorbed by the sensor portion; and signal processing and indicating means connected to said light receiving and signal generating means for output signaling and for indicating the detection of the selected medium in the environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17)
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12. A system for detection of a change of condition in an environment comprising:
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fiber optical tube means having an elongated passage therein with a light inlet portion for receiving a beam of light and a light outlet portion for discharging the beam of light; an intermediate portion of said fiber optical tube means having an exterior surface providing a light transmission opening means for enabling passage of a portion of the light beam therethrough; light measuring means associated with said outlet portion of said fiber optical tube means for measuring the amount of light transmitted thereto and for generating signals indicative of the amount of light received thereby; said exterior surface of light transmission opening means being located in the environment and being subject to changes in environmental conditions adjacent thereto for changing the amount of light transmitted through said light transmission opening means and the amount of light transmitted to said light measuring means; and condition indicating means connected to said light measuring means for indicating the presence of a selected substance adjacent said exterior surface of said light transmission opening means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 18)
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Specification