Water quality measuring device

• US 9,612,230 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miura Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Miura Company Limited
• Inventors: Hamada, Yusuke, Arimitsu, Yasuyuki, Kano, Katsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, David A
• Application Number:
  US14/833,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20150362471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1475 Inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/205 Metallic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/51 Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/80 Medical packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2071 Removable sample bottle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/78 producing a change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1893 using flow cells

Abstract

A water quality measuring device comprises a measurement cell (10), a sample water supply unit (80), a reagent supply unit (30), an agitating unit (17), a measuring unit (20) and a control unit (90). The sample water supply unit (80) includes an inlet channel (12) configured to supply the measurement cell (10) with sample water and an outlet channel (13) configured to discharge sample water from the measurement cell (10). The inlet channel (12) is connected to a flow channel (2) configured to supply sample water, and includes a filter (13) and an electromagnetic valve (15). The control unit (90) opens the electromagnetic valve (15) for supplying sample water to allow sample water, from which foreign substances are removed by the filter (13), to flow into the measurement cell (10).

Claims

1. A The water quality measuring device comprising:

a measurement cell configured to pool sample water;

a sample water supply unit configured to supply the measurement cell with sample water;

a reagent supply unit configured to supply the measurement cell with a reagent to react with a water quality index substance;

an agitating unit provided at a bottom of the measurement cell;

a measuring unit configured to measure intensity of transmitted light of light having a required wavelength through sample water; and

a control unit configured to control operations of the sample water supply unit, the reagent supply unit, the agitating unit, and the measuring unit;

wherein

the sample water supply unit includes an inlet channel configured to supply the measurement cell with sample water and an outlet channel configured to discharge sample water from the measurement cell,

the inlet channel is connected to a flow channel configured to supply sample water, and includes a filter and an electromagnetic valve,

the control unit opens the electromagnetic valve for supplying sample water to allow sample water, from which foreign substances are removed by the filter, to flow into the measurement cell,

the inlet channel further includes a constant flow valve,

the control unit opens the electromagnetic valve for supplying sample water to allow sample water, from which foreign substances are removed by the filter and of which flow rate is controlled by the constant flow valve, to flow into the measurement cell,

the measurement cell has a pair of light transmission windows facing each other and provided in side walls,

the measuring unit includes a light-emitting diode and a phototransistor facing each other with the light transmission windows sandwiched therebetween,

in a state where the measurement cell pools sample water from which foreign substances are removed by the filter, the control unit operates the measuring unit to measure intensity of transmitted light through the sample water,

the agitating unit includes an agitator rotatably provided on the bottom of the measurement cell and a stator provided outside the measurement cell,

the control unit energizes an electromagnetic induction coil of the stator to rotate the agitator while sample water is supplied and the reagent is injected,

the reagent supply unit includes a reagent cartridge removably provided at an opening of the measurement cell,

the reagent cartridge includes a cartridge case and a medicine package housed in the cartridge case,

the medicine package includes a container configured to contain the reagent, a tube body provided at a lower edge of the container and configured to connect an interior and an exterior of the container, a first tube having a first end coupled to the tube body and made of an elastic material, and a nozzle connected to a second end of the first tube and configured to discharge the reagent,

the nozzle includes a nozzle main body having a closed tip end and a second tube made of an elastic material,

the nozzle main body has a discharge hole penetrating a side surface close to the tip end and a barb provided on an outer circumferential surface close to the tip end, and

the second tube is attached to the tip end of the nozzle main body and covers the barb, to be retained to the nozzle main body and close the discharge hole.

2. The water quality measuring device according to claim 1, wherein

the elastic material for the first tube is binary fluorine rubber or polyolefin elastomer, and

the elastic material for the second tube is polyolefin elastomer.

3. The water quality measuring device according to claim 2, wherein

the nozzle main body includes a stepped section provided substantially in a center of an outer circumference in a length direction, a groove provided around an outer circumference of the stepped section close to a tip end, and a seal ring attached to the groove, and

when the reagent cartridge is attached, the nozzle is disposed such that a tip end of the nozzle protrudes into the measurement cell and airtightly attached to an inner circumferential surface of the measurement cell by the seal ring.

4. The water quality measuring device according to claim 3, wherein

the cartridge case includes a container housing and a tubular portion extended from a bottom surface of the container housing,

the tubular portion includes a slit provided vertically, a curved surface recessed arcuately and provided substantially in a vertical center of a surface facing the slit, a tube body stopping piece provided at a base end, and a nozzle stopping piece provided at a tip end,

the tube body includes a first receiving section provided at a portion protruding from the container,

the nozzle main body includes a second receiving section provided at a base end,

the container is disposed in the container housing with the first receiving section being engaged with the tube body stopping piece, and

the first tube is disposed in the tubular portion with the second receiving section being engaged with the nozzle stopping piece.

5. The water quality measuring device according to claim 4, wherein

the reagent supply unit further includes a discharge mechanism configured to discharge the reagent from the reagent cartridge to the measurement cell,

the discharge mechanism includes a rotary driving shaft provided outside the slit and connected to a motor, a driving arm having a first end coupled to the rotary driving shaft, and a pressing roller rotatably attached to a second end of the driving arm, the reagent is discharged into sample water from the discharge hole through a gap provided between the nozzle main body and the second tube when the pressing roller entering and exiting the slit presses the first tube toward the curved surface, and

the control unit drives the motor of the discharge mechanism for injecting the reagent, to intermittently inject a certain amount of the reagent into sample water every time the driving arm rotates.

6. The water quality measuring device according to claim 5, wherein

the container is entirely configured by soft sheets and provided as a bag having a gusset on either side, the interior of the container through lamination of interior surfaces of the soft sheets formed in a funnel shape with the tube body as a stem.

7. The water quality measuring device according to claim 6, wherein

each of the soft sheets is configured as a laminated sheet including a linear low density polyethylene resin film layer, a stretch polyamide resin film layer, an aluminum foil layer, and a stretch polyethylene terephthalate resin film layer, laminated from inside to outside of the container.

8. The water quality measuring device according to claim 6, wherein

each of the soft sheets is configured as a laminated sheet including a linear low density polyethylene resin film layer, an aluminum oxide vapor deposition polyamide resin film layer, and a stretch polyethylene terephthalate resin film layer, laminated from inside to outside of the container.