US4637716A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber-optical Doppler anemometer
Assignee: BASF SE
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Filing: 1983-09-20
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Granted: 1987-01-20
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Expires: 2003-09-20
Abstract
Abstract In a fiber-optical Doppler anemometer for measurement of fluctuating light or the Doppler broadening of laser light scattered by a scattering medium, for example by particles in motion, coherent laser light is passed via a fiber-optical coupler (1) and a submerged fiber-optical probe (2) into the scattering medium, and the light scattered back by the scattering medium is picked up by the submerged fiber-optical probe (2), branched by the fiber-optical coupler (1) and passed to a photodetector (3).
Inventors
- 👤 Helmut Auweter
- 👤 Dieter Horn
- 👤 Erik Lueddecke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:07
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/02; G01N15/0205; G01P; G01P5/00; G01P5/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A fiber-optical Doppler anemometer for measuring the Doppler broadening of laser light passing through a scattering medium containing moving particles, which anemometer comprises: (a) a laser light emitting means; (b) a fiber-optical coupler arranged to receive the laser light from the emitting means; (c) a fiber optical probe submerged in the scattering medium and arranged (c 1 ) to receive the light from the fiber-optical coupler, and (c 2 ) to return the light scattered by the moving particles to the fiber-optical coupler along with non-shifted light, said non-shifted light being coherent with the scattered light; and (d) a photodetector device arranged to receive a beam of light split in said fiber-optical coupler, said light including both light scattered by the moving particles and light otherwise returned to the fiber-optical coupler, said photodetector serving to compare the frequencies of the light scattered by he moving particles and the light otherwise returned to the coupler from the optical probe.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
A fiber-optical Doppler anemometer for measuring the Doppler broadening of laser light passing through a scattering medium containing moving particles, which anemometer comprises: (a) a laser light emitting means; (b) a fiber-optical coupler arranged to receive the laser light from the emitting means; (c) a fiber optical probe submerged in the scattering medium and arranged (c 1 ) to receive the light from the fiber-optical coupler, and (c 2 ) to return the light scattered by the moving particles to the fiber-optical coupler along with non-shifted light, said non-shifted light being coherent with the scattered light; and (d) a photodetector device arranged to receive a beam of light split in said fiber-optical coupler, said light including both light scattered by the moving particles and light otherwise returned to the fiber-optical coupler, said photodetector serving to compare the frequencies of the light scattered by he moving particles and the light otherwise returned to the coupler from the optical probe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A fiber-optical Doppler anemometer according to claim 1, wherein the laser light emitting means is an integrated semiconductor laser and the laser light is passed directly via a light guide to the fiber-optical coupler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fiber-optical Doppler anemometer according to claim 1, wherein the photodetector is an integrated detector and the scattered light branched off by the fiber-optical coupler is passed directly via a light guide to the detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fiber-optical Doppler anemometer according to claim 1, wherein the anemometer construction is completely integrated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A fiber-optical Doppler anemometer according to claim 1, wherein the submerged fiber-optical comprises a light guide which is terminated by a sleeve surrounded by a protective tube and rendered hydrophobic at its end.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of measuring the Doppler broadening of laser light scattered by contact with moving particles in a scattering medium which comprises: passing a beam of laser light through a fiber-optical coupler and then through a fiber-optical probe arranged in sequence with said coupler, said probe being submerged in the scattering means, whereby a portion of the light is scattered by the moving particles; returning the light scattered by the particles to the coupler via the fiber-optical probe along with non-shifted laser light, whereby said light is branched by the coupler and passed to a photodetector whereby the frequencies of the scattered light and non-shifted light are compared.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of measuring the Doppler broadening of laser light scattered by contact with moving particles in a scattering medium which comprises: passing a beam of laser light through a fiber-optical coupler and then through a fiber-optical probe arranged in sequence with said coupler, said probe being submerged in the scattering means, whereby a portion of the light is scattered by the moving particles; returning the light scattered by the particles to the coupler via the fiber-optical probe along with non-shifted laser light, whereby said light is branched by the coupler and passed to a photodetector whereby the frequencies of the scattered light and non-shifted light are compared.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-01-19 | 1990-07-21 | 1991-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-01-19 | 1994-07-21 | 1995-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-01-19 | 1998-07-21 | 1999-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |