JP2015031525A - Detector for optical measuring - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a detector for optical measuring that can prevent deterioration of machining ease and assembling/wiring ease, which is an undesirable consequence of making optical measuring apparatuses more compact, and excels in freedom from fouling and in cleaning ease.SOLUTION: A detector for optical measuring 1 comprises a light-shielded detector body 4 provided with a plurality of hollows 2 and 3 having apertures 7 and 8 arranged with space between them; a light emitting element 5 arranged in at least one hollow 2 and emitting light in the direction of its aperture 7; and a light receiving element 6 arranged in at least the other hollow 3 and receiving light coming incident through its aperture 8. The hollows 2 and 3 between the elements 5 and 6 and the apertures 7 and 8 are filled with optically transparent resin 10.

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical measurement detector.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique is known in which light irradiated from a light emitting element is focused by an optical window and incident on a measurement liquid, and the light is received by a light receiving element to perform optical measurement. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2.)

  In Patent Document 1, light emitted from a light emitting diode is focused and incident on a measurement liquid, scattered light generated by the movement of the light in the measurement liquid is focused, and the focused light is collected by a photodiode. A turbidity sensor that detects turbidity by receiving light is disclosed. In this turbidity sensor, a channel for accommodating a light emitting diode and a channel for accommodating a photodiode are separately provided in a watertight housing, and an optical window for focusing the light provided in each channel is provided. The light is focused.

  In Patent Document 2, light irradiated from a light source and passed through a lens is incident on a test solution stored in a cylindrical cavity of a cell body, and light transmitted through the test solution is passed through the lens. The turbidity or chromaticity is detected by the first light receiving element, and the scattered light generated by moving through the test solution is passed through the lens, and the turbidity or chromaticity is detected by the second light receiving element. An apparatus is disclosed. This flow cell device includes a rotating arm that rotates about the central axis of the cavity, and a wipe body that is connected to the tip of the rotating arm. When the rotating arm is rotated, the wipe is a peripheral wall of the cell body. In addition, friction cleaning is performed in contact with each lens portion disposed on the peripheral wall portion.

JP-T-2006-510015 JP 2002-131221 A

However, in the configuration of the turbidity sensor of Patent Document 1, it has an optical window for focusing light (hereinafter referred to as a condensing device). There is a problem that very delicate work is required and workability and assembly workability are poor.
Moreover, in the structure of the flow cell apparatus of patent document 2, there is a problem that dirt easily adheres to a step between a lens (hereinafter referred to as a condensing device) provided on the peripheral wall portion of the cell body and the peripheral wall portion, and is difficult to clean. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and prevents deterioration in workability and assembly workability due to downsizing of an apparatus for performing optical measurement, and is less likely to cause dirt to adhere and is easy to clean. An object of the present invention is to provide a detector for optical measurement.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
One embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of cavities having openings arranged at intervals, and has a light-shielding detector body, and is disposed in at least one of the cavities, and emits light toward the opening direction. A light-emitting element that emits light and a light-receiving element that is disposed in at least one other cavity and receives light incident from the opening, and the light-emitting element and a space between the light-receiving element and each of the openings An optical measurement detector is provided in which an optically transparent resin is filled in the cavity.

  According to this aspect, the light emitted from the light emitting element is transmitted through the sample liquid through the cavity filled with the optically transparent resin, or the light scattered in the sample liquid enters the other cavity. Incident light is received by the light receiving element through the cavity filled with optically transparent resin, so that the optical measurement of the sample liquid can be performed based on the amount of received light.

In this case, instead of a light collecting device such as a conventional turbidity sensor or flow cell device, the space between each element in the cavity and the opening is filled with an optically transparent resin. Further, it is not necessary to precisely process the cavity for arranging the light collecting device. As a result, each part can be easily processed, the assembling work of the apparatus is simplified, and the optical measurement detector can be easily downsized.
In addition, the transparent resin filled in the cavity part reduces the gap between the inner peripheral wall of the cavity part and the resin and the step near the opening edge of the cavity part, making it difficult for dirt to adhere to the optical measurement detector. In addition, the cleaning properties of the optical measurement detector can be improved.

Moreover, in the said aspect, it is good also considering the inner peripheral wall of the said cavity part as a light absorption color in the said cavity part.
In this way, stray light is absorbed when it enters the inner peripheral wall of the light absorbing color cavity. Thereby, it is possible to prevent stray light from being detected by the light receiving element.

  Further, in the above aspect, the detector main body includes a storage unit that can store a sample having a sample supply port and a discharge port, and the cavity is in a position in contact with the sample stored in the storage unit. The opening may be provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical measurement detector that prevents deterioration in workability and assembly workability associated with downsizing of an optical measurement apparatus, and that is not easily contaminated and has good cleaning properties. it can.

It is the whole block diagram which fractured | ruptured a part which shows the longitudinal cross-section of the detector for optical measurement which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view which shows the light emitting element of the detector for optical measurements of FIG. It is the whole block diagram which fractured | ruptured a part which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the detector for optical measurement which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the whole block diagram which fractured | ruptured a part which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the detector for optical measurements which concerns on the modification of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the whole block diagram which fractured | ruptured a part which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the detector for optical measurement which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is the whole block diagram which fractured | ruptured a part which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the detector for optical measurements which concerns on the modification of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

An optical measurement detector according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
The optical measurement detector according to the present embodiment is a 90-degree scattering turbidity detector 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, a turbidity detector (optical measurement detector) 1 includes a detector body 4 having two cavities 2 and 3 and one cavity 2 of the detector body 4. The light emitting element 5 arranged and the light receiving element 6 arranged in the other cavity 3 are provided.

The detector body 4 is made of a light-shielding material. The two cavities 2 and 3 provided in the detector body 4 are provided with openings 7 and 8 that are arranged adjacent to each other at one end surface 4a of the detector body 4 with a space therebetween.
As shown in FIG. 1, each of the cavities 2 and 3 is inclined with respect to the one end face 4a described above, and the longitudinal axis of one cavity 2 and the longitudinal axis of the other cavity 3 are substantially perpendicular. Crossed.

  The light-emitting element 5 is a light-emitting diode arranged to emit light in the direction of the opening 7 in one cavity 2. The light emitting element 5 is formed in a bullet shape by molding a semiconductor element 9 that generates light with an epoxy resin. By forming the bullet-shaped head 5a into a spherical shape, the light emitted from the semiconductor element 9 in a predetermined angle range θ is condensed by the head 5a, and high-intensity light is emitted. ing.

The light receiving element 6 is a photodiode disposed so as to receive the light incident from the opening 8 in the other cavity 3.
The elements 5 and 6 are connected to a measuring unit (not shown) for measuring turbidity, a power source (not shown), and the like by wiring not shown.

The openings 7 and 8 are arranged adjacent to each other with an interval (for example, 1.0 mm or more) so that light emitted from the light emitting element 5 enters the opening 8 as direct light and is not received by the light receiving element 6. ing.
In the hollow portions 2 and 3 between the elements 5 and 6 and the openings 7 and 8, resin filled portions 11 and 12 filled with an optically transparent resin 10 are formed. For example, the epoxy resin before curing is poured into the resin filling portions 11 and 12 and cured, and then polished so that there is no step between the one end surface 4a and the openings 7 and 8.

  The optically transparent resin 10 is an epoxy resin that transmits light in the wavelength range of 660 to 960 nm. The epoxy resin is filled so as to be in close contact with the surface of the head portion 5a of the light emitting element 5, thereby eliminating the refractive index difference at the interface. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the light emitted from the semiconductor element 9 of the light emitting element 5 travels straight without being refracted by the head 5 a of the light emitting element 5.

  The inner peripheral walls 2a, 3a of the cavities 2, 3 are colored with black, which is a light absorption color, at least the inner peripheral walls 11a, 12a of the cavities 2, 3 in the resin filling portions 11, 12. As a result, of the light emitted from the light emitting element 5, the light incident on the inner peripheral walls 11a and 12a of the cavities 2 and 3 is absorbed without being reflected by the inner peripheral walls 11a and 12a. .

The operation of the turbidity detector 1 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described.
In order to detect the turbidity of the sample liquid using the turbidity detector 1 according to the present embodiment, light is emitted from the light emitting element 5 while the one end surface 4a of the detector main body 4 is immersed in the sample liquid. Let it fire. Light emitted from the light emitting element 5 enters the sample liquid from the opening 7 via the resin filling portion 11 made of epoxy resin in the cavity 2 filled so as to fill the space in front of the head 5 a of the light emitting element 5. Is injected into. The light emitted into the sample liquid is scattered by the turbidity in the sample liquid, and a part of the scattered light is transmitted from the opening 8 through the resin filling portion 12 made of epoxy resin in the cavity 3 by the light receiving element 6. Received light. As a result, the turbidity in the sample liquid can be detected by the 90-degree scattering method based on the amount of light received by the light receiving element 6.

According to the structure of the turbidity detector 1 according to the present embodiment, each element 5, 6 and each opening 7 in each cavity 2, 3 in place of the light collecting device as in the conventional turbidity detector. , 8 is filled with the optically transparent resin 10, so that there is an advantage that precise processing of the condensing device and the cavity for arranging the condensing device is not required. As a result, there is an advantage that each part can be easily processed, the assembling work of the apparatus is simplified, and the turbidity detector 1 can be easily reduced in size.
In addition, since the cavities 2 and 3 are filled with the optically transparent resin 10 and then polished so as not to have a step with the one end surface 4a, it is possible to make it difficult to attach dirt to the turbidity detector 1. There is also an advantage that the cleaning property of the optical measurement detector can be improved.

  Further, by coloring the inner peripheral walls 11a and 12a of the cavities 2 and 3 in the resin filling portions 11 and 12 with black which is a light absorption color, in the longitudinal direction of the cavities 2 in the light emitted from the light emitting element 5 The light emitted outside the narrow angle range along the light enters the inner peripheral walls 11a and 12a of the light absorbing color cavities 2 and 3, and is absorbed. Therefore, only light emitted within a narrow angle range along the longitudinal direction of the cavity 2 is emitted from the opening 7 of the cavity 2 into the sample liquid.

In addition, only the light within the range incident in the cavity 3 from the opening 8 along the longitudinal direction of the cavity 3 is received by the light receiving element 6.
Thereby, even if it does not provide the conventional condensing apparatus in the cavity parts 2 and 3, the influence of a stray light can be excluded and the scattered light from sample water can be detected accurately.

In the present embodiment, the cavities 2 and 3 are filled with the epoxy resin, but instead, any other optically transparent resin 10 may be filled.
Moreover, in this embodiment, although the 90 degree scattering type turbidity detector provided with the two cavity parts 2 and 3 was illustrated, it is not restricted to this. For example, the optical measurement detector may further include a cavity and have at least three cavities.

  Further, the light emitted from the light emitting element 5 has a problem that the light is reflected and scattered and diffused because the refractive index of the head 5a of the light emitting element 5 and the conventional light collecting device is large. However, the optically transparent resin 10 employed in place of the conventional condensing device is filled between the elements 5 and 6 and the openings 7 and 8 in the cavities 2 and 3, whereby the light emitting element 5. Since there is almost no difference in the refractive index from the head 5a to the one end face 4a and from the one end face 4a to the light receiving element 6, light reflection is reduced, and light scattering and diffusion can be reduced.

Next, an optical measurement detector according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to portions having the same configuration as the optical measurement detector (turbidity detector 1) according to the first embodiment described above, and the description thereof is omitted.
The optical measurement detector according to this embodiment is different from the optical measurement detector according to the first embodiment in that the detector main body has a recess.

The turbidity detector 13 will be exemplified and described as an optical measurement detector according to the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the turbidity detector 13 is disposed in a detector body 18 having four cavities 14, 15, 16, and 17 and in the cavities 14 and 15 of the detector body 18. The light emitting element 5 and the light receiving element 6 disposed in the cavities 16 and 17 are provided separately from the cavities 14 and 15 in which the light emitting element 5 is disposed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the detector body 18 includes a recess 19, and the recess 19 has an opening 20. When the detector body 18 is immersed in the sample solution, the sample solution is placed in the recess 19. And the opening 20 comes into contact with the sample solution.
As shown in FIG. 3, the cavity portions 14, 15, 16, and 17 are provided on the wall surface 18 a of the detector body 18 having the opening 20, and the longitudinal axis of the cavity portion 14 in which the light emitting element 5 is disposed. The longitudinal axis of the cavity 16 in which the light receiving element 6 is disposed is collinear or the longitudinal axis of the cavity 15 in which the light emitting element 5 is disposed and the longitudinal axis of the cavity 17 in which the light receiving element 6 is disposed. Intersect at an approximately right angle.

The operation of the turbidity detector 13 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
According to the turbidity detector 13 according to the present embodiment, the light irradiated from the light emitting element 5 in the cavity 15 in a state where each opening 20 is in contact with the sample liquid filled in the recess 19 is turbidity. Similar to the detector 1, the light receiving element 6 in the cavity 17 receives 90-degree scattered light due to turbidity in the sample liquid, and detects the turbidity of the sample liquid. Further, light emitted from the light emitting element 5 in the cavity portion 14 through the epoxy resin, which is an optically transparent resin 10, passes through the sample solution and enters the cavity portion 16, and the epoxy resin. And the light transmittance of the sample liquid is detected. As a result, for example, the turbidity detector 13 measures the turbidity of the transmission / scattering method using 90-degree scattered light and transmitted light, or changes the wavelength of the light-emitting element 5, so The degree can be measured simultaneously.

  In the turbidity detector 13 according to this embodiment, the number of elements of the light emitting element 5 and the light receiving element 6 is not necessarily the same. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the turbidity detector 13 includes a detector body 18 in which the longitudinal axis of the cavity 15 and the longitudinal axis of the cavity 21 are collinear and the length of the cavity 15 is long. Cavities 15, 17, and 21 may be provided so that the axis and the longitudinal axis of the cavity 17 where the light receiving element 6 is disposed intersect at a substantially right angle.

Next, an optical measurement detector according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In the description of the present embodiment, parts having the same configuration as those of the optical measurement detector (turbidity detector 13) according to the second embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The optical measurement detector according to the present embodiment is a flow cell device 22.
As shown in FIG. 5, the flow cell device 22 includes a detector body 23 having a space 24 in which the sample liquid can be stored in the detector body 23, and a sample liquid from the outside in the storage section 24. A supply port 25 for supplying and a discharge port 26 for discharging the sample liquid stored in the storage unit 24 to the outside of the detector main body 23 are provided.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the hollow portions 27 and 29 are provided coaxially on the inner wall surfaces 23 a and 23 b facing the accommodating portion 24. The cavity 27 has an opening 28 in the inner wall surface 23a, and houses the light emitting element 5 therein. The cavity 29 has an opening 30 in the inner wall surface 23b, and accommodates the light receiving element 6 therein.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the supply port 25 is provided below the openings 28 and 30 in the detector main body 23. Moreover, the discharge port 26 is provided above each opening 28 and 30 as FIG. 5 shows. That is, the sample liquid supplied from the supply port 25 into the storage unit 24 flows through the storage unit 24 and then is discharged from the discharge port 26.

The operation of the flow cell device 22 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
According to the flow cell device 22 according to the present embodiment, the sample liquid supplied from the supply port 25 into the storage unit 24 flows in the storage unit 24 and is discharged through the discharge port 26. By emitting light from the light emitting element 5 of the unit 27, the emitted light is transmitted through the sample solution and received by the light receiving element 6 in the cavity 29. Thereby, the turbidity and chromaticity of the sample liquid can be detected by utilizing the property that the received transmitted light is attenuated by being absorbed by the turbidity or chromaticity component in the sample liquid.

In the flow cell device 22 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, two hollow portions 27, having openings 28, 30 at positions adjacent to each other on one inner wall surface 23 a of the detector body 23. 29 may be provided, and a mirror surface portion 31 formed by mirror-finishing the surface may be provided on the inner wall surface 23b facing the inner wall surface 23a. In the sample liquid existing on the optical path from the time when light is emitted from the light emitting element 5 in the cavity 27 until the emitted light is reflected by the mirror surface part 31 and received by the light receiving element 6 in the cavity 29. The turbidity and chromaticity of the sample liquid can be detected according to the attenuation of light due to the turbidity and chromaticity component of the liquid.
Further, by folding back the optical path, it is possible to sufficiently secure the optical path length necessary for optical measurement of transmitted light while downsizing the apparatus.

  In the above-described embodiment, the optical measurement detectors 1, 13, and 22 may include a cleaning unit that frictionally cleans dirt adhering to the surfaces of the openings 7, 8, 20, 28, and 30. Preferably, the cleaning unit is a wipe body made of resin or the like, and the surface of the openings 7, 8, 20, 28, 30 is rubbed and cleaned as the wipe body rotates or swings. In addition, as a well-known cleaning method, a method using water pressure or the like can be applied.

  In the above-described embodiment, the turbidity detectors 1 and 13 and the flow cell device 22 are exemplified as the optical measurement detectors, but are not limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to a detector that detects the chromaticity of a sample solution and a detector that measures components such as organic substances in the sample solution.

  In the above-described embodiment, the optical measurement detector performs optical measurement using a measurement target as a liquid, but may be used for optical measurement of gas.

1, 13, 22 Optical measurement detectors 2, 14, 15, 27 Cavities where light emitting elements are arranged 2a, 3a Cavities inner peripheral walls 3, 16, 17, 21, 29 Cavities where light receiving elements are arranged 4, 18, 23 Detector body 5 Light-emitting element 6 Light-receiving element 7, 8, 20, 28, 30 Opening 10 Resin 24 Container 25 Supply port 26 Discharge port

Claims (3)

A detector body having a plurality of cavities with openings arranged at intervals and having a light shielding property;
A light emitting element disposed in at least one of the cavities and emitting light toward the opening direction;
A light receiving element disposed in at least one other cavity and receiving light incident from the opening;
An optical measurement detector comprising an optically transparent resin filled in the cavity between the light emitting element and the light receiving element and the openings.   The optical measurement detector according to claim 1, wherein an inner peripheral wall of the cavity portion is light-absorbing in each of the cavity portions. The detector body includes a storage unit that can store a sample having a supply port and a discharge port for the sample,
3. The optical measurement detector according to claim 1, wherein the hollow portion includes the opening at a position in contact with a sample accommodated in the accommodating portion.

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