Claims
- 1. Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves along a beam path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors spaced about said detect zone and oriented to detect light scattered in different predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising:
a carrier formed of a solid transparent material, said carrier having walls forming a passage into which the fluid can pass and forming an outside surface, said detect zone lying in said passage and said detectors lying outside said carrier with said walls isolating said detectors from fluid in said passage.
- 2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said passage extends completely through said carrier and said passage is of substantially constant cross-section.
- 3. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said passage has an axis; said light source lies outside said carrier and said beam passes through said carrier walls in a direction perpendicular to said passage; said passage has a surface that is cylindrical, at least on a side opposite said source.
- 4. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
at least about half of said outside surface of said carrier is spherical.
- 5. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said passage extends in a downward direction along an axis, said beam path extends in a forward direction, and said axis and beam path define a horizontal plane that is normal to said axis and that includes said beam path; said outside surface of said carrier has a top surface portion that lies above said horizontal plane and that extends around said axis with said top surface portion extending at an upward incline toward said axis, and said carrier has a bottom surface portion that lies below said horizontal plane and that extends around said axis, with said bottom surface portion extending at a downward incline toward said axis.
- 6. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein:
said outside surface of said carrier includes a middle band that is cylindrical and that is substantially centered on said horizontal plane.
- 7. Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves along a path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors spaced about said detect zone and oriented to detect light scattered in predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising:
a carrier formed of a glass-like solid transparent material and having walls that form a through passage and an outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface lying between said detect zone and said detectors being substantially spherical, so light scattered by a particle passing through said detect zone passes through said glass-like material and emerges largely normal to the outer surface before passing to one of said detectors.
- 8. The apparatus described in claim 7 wherein:
said fluid has a predetermined index of refraction and said glass-like material has an index of refraction greater than that of said fluid; said passage has an axis extending in a downward direction and said passage is of cylindrical shape, at least forward of said axis; said beam path extends in a forward direction and passes through said axis, and said beam path and axis define a horizontal plane that is normal to said axis and with said beam path lying in said plane; a plurality of said detectors each lies above said horizontal plane and forward of said axis, and said plurality of detectors are each aimed at a downward orientation of at least 400° to the horizontal and are each aimed at a location that is rearward of said axis.
- 9. The apparatus described in claim 7 including:
input and output conduits for directing fluid into and out of said through passage; said carrier having top and bottom surface areas surrounding upper and lower ends of said passage, respectively; said input and output conduits having sealing surfaces that are of shapes corresponding to the shapes of said top and bottom surface areas and that are pressed facewise against said top and bottom surface areas to seal there against and to clamp said carrier in place.
- 10. The apparatus described in claim 9 wherein:
said top and bottom surface areas if said carrier are of convex spherical shapes and said sealing surfaces of said conduits are of concave spherical shapes.
- 11. Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that move forwardly along a path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors spaced about said detect zone and oriented to detect light scattered in predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising:
a carrier forming a through passage and having an outer surface area which lies forward of said detect zone and which is formed of a glass-like solid transparent material lying, said detect zone in said passage, said passage having an axis, and the light beam passes perpendicular to said axis; said outer surface of said transparent carrier extending primarily normal to said light beam at locations that are forward of said detect zone, and that are angled, from said detect zone, by up to a plurality of degrees above and below and on either side of the direction of the light beam.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Applicant claims priority from U.S. Provision application No. 60/336,859 filed Nov. 2, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60336859 |
Nov 2001 |
US |