Patent
Spectral analysis apparatus for measuring intermediate layers of mineral samplers
| العنوان: | Spectral analysis apparatus for measuring intermediate layers of mineral samplers |
|---|---|
| Document Number: | 20050090011 |
| تاريخ النشر: | April 28, 2005 |
| Appl. No: | 10/502300 |
| Application Filed: | January 22, 2003 |
| مستخلص: | A method of spectral analysis of a mineral (M) in granular form is disclosed. The mineral (M) is moved through an illumination zone (18) and a beam of light is directed at the mineral (M) to illuminate it. Light reflected off the mineral (M) is collected and then spectrally analysed to obtain information pertaining to the composition of the granular material (M). The mineral (M) is in the form of a layer having an undersurface (20) and a top surface (22). The illumination zone (18) is intermediate the undersurface (20) and the top surface (22). |
| Inventors: | Du Plessis, Francois Eberhardt (Stellenbosch, ZA) |
| Assignees: | Blue Cube Intellectual Property Company (PTY) LT (Strand, ZA) |
| Claim: | 1. A method of analysing a mineral in a granular form to provide information pertaining to its composition, the method comprising moving said granular mineral through an illumination zone, directing a beam on light at said mineral to illuminate it, collecting light reflected from said granular mineral and spectrally analysing the reflected light to obtain information pertaining to the composition of the granular mineral, said mineral being in the form of a layer having an undersurface and a top surface, said illumination zone being intermediate the undersurface and the top surface of the layer. |
| Claim: | 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and including the step of inserting a probe into said layer so that a leading end of the probe is intermediate said undersurface and said top surface, illuminating the material in the vicinity of said leading end of said probe, and collecting light from the illuminated granular mineral in the vicinity of said leading end. |
| Claim: | 3. (canceled) |
| Claim: | 4. A method as claimed in claims 1 or 2 and including the step of scraping said layer so as to cause an upper part of the layer to be diverted so that it passes around said illumination zone thereby exposing, as an upwardly facing surface intermediate said undersurface and said top surface, granular mineral which was previously lying in said layer at a level between said upwardly facing surface and said top surface. |
| Claim: | 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the granular mineral is dispersed in a liquid to form a slurry which flows along a pipe having walling which constrains the slurry and causes it to flow axially along the pipe, inserting a probe into said pipe so that a leading end of the probe is spaced from said walling, illuminating the dispersed granules flowing in said pipe in an illumination zone spaced inwardly from said walling, and collecting light reflected from the granules in the slurry as they move through the illumination zone. |
| Claim: | 6. (canceled) |
| Claim: | 7. A method as claimed in claim 1, and comprising placing a layer of granular mineral in a vertically elongate container having a transparent wall, directing a beam of light at said wall to form an illumination zone intermediate the top surface of the powdered mineral and the undersurface of the granular mineral, rotating said container about a vertical axis so that the granular mineral in the container at a level intermediate said top and undersurfaces moves through said illumination zone, and collecting light reflected off the granular mineral in said zone. |
| Claim: | 8. (canceled) |
| Claim: | 9. Apparatus for analysing a mineral in granular form to provide information pertaining to its composition, the apparatus comprising a light source at an illumination zone for directing light onto said granular mineral at said zone, means for collecting light reflected from the granular mineral in said zone, means for spectrally analysing the reflected light, and means which constrains said granular mineral into a layer having an undersurface and a top surface, said illumination zone being at a level which is intermediate said top and undersurfaces of said layer. |
| Claim: | 10. (canceled) |
| Claim: | 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said light source is constituted by the end of a first optical fibre, and there is a second optical fibre for transmitting reflected light to said means for spectrally analysing the reflected light. |
| Claim: | 12. (canceled) |
| Claim: | 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 and further including a scraper for causing an upper part of said layer to be diverted around the probe thereby to expose an upwardly facing granular mineral surface intermediate said undersurface and said top surface, said probe serving to illuminate, and to collect reflected light from, the intermediate granular mineral surface. |
| Claim: | 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 13 and comprising a vertically elongate container for receiving mineral in granular form, said container having transparent side walling and there being means for rotating said container about a vertical axis, said light source being positioned to direct light at the container to create an illumination zone intermediate the top and bottom surfaces of a charge of granular mineral in said container. |
| Claim: | 15. (canceled) |
| Claim: | 16. An installation comprising apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 13 and a pipe along which a slurry comprising a liquid with mineral in granular form dispersed in it flows, said pipe including walling and said probe being inserted into said pipe through said walling thereof so that the leading end of the probe is within the pipe and spaced inwardly from the walling. |
| Claim: | 17-19. (canceled) |
| Current U.S. Class: | 436073/000 |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspap.20050090011 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Applications |
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edspap USPTO Patent Applications edspap.20050090011 715 3 Patent patent 714.566650390625 |
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https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&scope=site&db=edspap&AN=edspap.20050090011&custid=s6537998&authtype=sso |
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Array ( [Name] => DocumentID [Label] => Document Number [Group] => Patent [Data] => 20050090011 ) Array ( [Name] => DateEntry [Label] => Publication Date [Group] => Patent [Data] => April 28, 2005 ) Array ( [Name] => DocumentID [Label] => Appl. No [Group] => Patent [Data] => 10/502300 ) Array ( [Name] => DateFiled [Label] => Application Filed [Group] => Patent [Data] => January 22, 2003 ) Array ( [Name] => Abstract [Label] => Abstract [Group] => Ab [Data] => A method of spectral analysis of a mineral (M) in granular form is disclosed. The mineral (M) is moved through an illumination zone (18) and a beam of light is directed at the mineral (M) to illuminate it. Light reflected off the mineral (M) is collected and then spectrally analysed to obtain information pertaining to the composition of the granular material (M). The mineral (M) is in the form of a layer having an undersurface (20) and a top surface (22). The illumination zone (18) is intermediate the undersurface (20) and the top surface (22). ) Array ( [Name] => Author [Label] => Inventors [Group] => Patent [Data] => <searchLink fieldCode="ZA" term="%22Du+Plessis%2C+Francois+Eberhardt%22">Du Plessis, Francois Eberhardt</searchLink> (Stellenbosch, ZA) ) Array ( [Name] => OtherAuthors [Label] => Assignees [Group] => Patent [Data] => <searchLink fieldCode="ZS" term="%22Blue+Cube+Intellectual+Property+Company+%28PTY%29+LT%22">Blue Cube Intellectual Property Company (PTY) LT</searchLink> (Strand, ZA) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 1. A method of analysing a mineral in a granular form to provide information pertaining to its composition, the method comprising moving said granular mineral through an illumination zone, directing a beam on light at said mineral to illuminate it, collecting light reflected from said granular mineral and spectrally analysing the reflected light to obtain information pertaining to the composition of the granular mineral, said mineral being in the form of a layer having an undersurface and a top surface, said illumination zone being intermediate the undersurface and the top surface of the layer. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and including the step of inserting a probe into said layer so that a leading end of the probe is intermediate said undersurface and said top surface, illuminating the material in the vicinity of said leading end of said probe, and collecting light from the illuminated granular mineral in the vicinity of said leading end. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 3. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 4. A method as claimed in claims 1 or 2 and including the step of scraping said layer so as to cause an upper part of the layer to be diverted so that it passes around said illumination zone thereby exposing, as an upwardly facing surface intermediate said undersurface and said top surface, granular mineral which was previously lying in said layer at a level between said upwardly facing surface and said top surface. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the granular mineral is dispersed in a liquid to form a slurry which flows along a pipe having walling which constrains the slurry and causes it to flow axially along the pipe, inserting a probe into said pipe so that a leading end of the probe is spaced from said walling, illuminating the dispersed granules flowing in said pipe in an illumination zone spaced inwardly from said walling, and collecting light reflected from the granules in the slurry as they move through the illumination zone. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 6. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 7. A method as claimed in claim 1, and comprising placing a layer of granular mineral in a vertically elongate container having a transparent wall, directing a beam of light at said wall to form an illumination zone intermediate the top surface of the powdered mineral and the undersurface of the granular mineral, rotating said container about a vertical axis so that the granular mineral in the container at a level intermediate said top and undersurfaces moves through said illumination zone, and collecting light reflected off the granular mineral in said zone. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 8. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 9. Apparatus for analysing a mineral in granular form to provide information pertaining to its composition, the apparatus comprising a light source at an illumination zone for directing light onto said granular mineral at said zone, means for collecting light reflected from the granular mineral in said zone, means for spectrally analysing the reflected light, and means which constrains said granular mineral into a layer having an undersurface and a top surface, said illumination zone being at a level which is intermediate said top and undersurfaces of said layer. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 10. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said light source is constituted by the end of a first optical fibre, and there is a second optical fibre for transmitting reflected light to said means for spectrally analysing the reflected light. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 12. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 and further including a scraper for causing an upper part of said layer to be diverted around the probe thereby to expose an upwardly facing granular mineral surface intermediate said undersurface and said top surface, said probe serving to illuminate, and to collect reflected light from, the intermediate granular mineral surface. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 13 and comprising a vertically elongate container for receiving mineral in granular form, said container having transparent side walling and there being means for rotating said container about a vertical axis, said light source being positioned to direct light at the container to create an illumination zone intermediate the top and bottom surfaces of a charge of granular mineral in said container. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 15. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 16. An installation comprising apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 13 and a pipe along which a slurry comprising a liquid with mineral in granular form dispersed in it flows, said pipe including walling and said probe being inserted into said pipe through said walling thereof so that the leading end of the probe is within the pipe and spaced inwardly from the walling. ) Array ( [Name] => Comment [Label] => Claim [Group] => Patent [Data] => 17-19. (canceled) ) Array ( [Name] => CodeClass [Label] => Current U.S. Class [Group] => Patent [Data] => 436073/000 ) Array ( [Name] => AN [Label] => Accession Number [Group] => ID [Data] => edspap.20050090011 ) |
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