Pocket colorimeter

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pocket colorimeter comprising: a main body having a sample inlet; a water quality measurement unit which is provided above the sample inlet and which measures the absorbance of a sample suctioned through the sample inlet; a reagent cartridge which is attachable / detachable to / from the sample inlet and which mixes a contained reagent and an injected reagent when the sample is injected through the sample inlet; and a sample suction unit operated by syringe pumping so as to suction the sample through the sample inlet, and thus the present invention is structurally simple, can quickly and accurately measure water quality, and eliminates the need for a worker to manage a reagent and a sample, and thus is convenient and safe.

Description

Portable water quality measuring device

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable water quality measuring device (pocket colorimeter) for measuring water quality in rivers, oceans, water supply and sewage systems, aquaculture farms, etc., and more particularly, to a portable water quality measuring device capable of quickly and simply measuring various water qualities by irradiating light on a mixture of a measurement target sample and a colorimetric reagent and measuring absorbance.

[0002] Generally, when rivers, oceans, water systems, and aquaculture farms become contaminated with wastewater or other pollutants, they can have a significant impact on people, ecosystems, and the environment. Therefore, it's important to regularly monitor and manage water pollution levels using water quality monitoring devices.

[0003] There are two methods for testing water quality: one is to collect water directly and conduct the test using a water quality measuring device installed in a separate facility such as a research institute, and the other is to install a water quality measuring device directly in a river, ocean, water supply and sewage system, or aquaculture farm.

[0004] Water quality measurement devices installed in separate facilities have the advantage of being able to accurately measure multiple water quality items using various sensors, but they have the problem that the measurement target samples must be collected and transported to a separate facility, and it is difficult to measure water quality on a regular basis.

[0005] In addition, water quality measuring devices installed in places where water quality measurement is required have the advantage of being able to measure water quality at any time, but they have the inconvenience of being difficult to respond to in an emergency in case of device failure and having to periodically replace the reagents by the operator.

[0006] To solve the problems of these conventional on-site water quality measurement devices, a portable water quality measurement device was developed.

[0007] Prior art document 1 (Korean Patent No. 10-0943918) discloses a portable automatic water pollution measurement device that injects a measurement sample into a vial in which luminescent microorganisms are cultured and measures the water pollution status of the measurement sample based on the amount of luminescent microorganisms. The portable automatic water pollution measurement device disclosed in this prior art document 1 has the advantage of being portable and capable of measuring water pollution simply by miniaturizing the device for measuring the water pollution status using immobilized luminescent microorganisms. However, the device disclosed in the above prior art document 1 has a complex configuration, such as a quantitative control pump for quantitatively supplying a sample, a storage compartment for storing and discharging a plurality of vial storage boxes containing luminescent microorganisms as reagents, and a rotation driving section.

[0008] Prior art document 2 (Korean Patent No. 10-2122053) discloses a portable water quality measurement device including a sample container receiving groove, a light source, a spectroscopic module, and a light detection unit. The portable water quality measurement device disclosed in this prior art document 2 has the advantage of enabling simple multi-item water quality measurements by mixing a reagent in a sample container and then inserting it into the device. However, this device requires a worker to mix a color-developing reagent in the sample container, which poses a risk of exposure to reagents harmful to the human body. In addition, there is the inconvenience of reagent and sample management, as the reagent must be protected from light exposure and contamination of the sample container to ensure measurement accuracy.

[0009] The present invention was invented to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a portable water quality measurement device that is simple in configuration, capable of measuring water quality quickly and accurately, and is convenient and safe because it does not require the operator to manage reagents and samples.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a main body having a sample inlet at the bottom and an operation unit for operating a sample injection operation at the top; a water quality measurement unit having a measurement cell installed at the top of the sample inlet and an optical sensor arranged on the side of the measurement cell, and measuring the absorbance of a sample sucked through the sample inlet; a reagent cartridge having a built-in reagent, being detachable from the sample inlet, and allowing the built-in reagent and the injected reagent to be mixed when a sample is injected into the sample inlet by the operation unit; and a sample suction unit installed between the water quality measurement unit and the operation unit, and operating in a syringe pump manner when the operation unit is operated to allow a sample to be sucked through the sample inlet.

[0011] Preferably, the sample suction unit includes a cylinder extending from the upper portion of the measurement cell to the operation unit and a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder in conjunction with the operation unit so that the sample is introduced into the measurement cell through the sample inlet.

[0012] More preferably, the operating part includes an operating rod having one end connected to the piston and the other end exposed to the upper outer side of the main body; and a lock switch installed between the side of the main body and the operating rod and locking or unlocking movement of the operating rod.

[0013] Preferably, the reagent cartridge contains a powder-type reagent, has a sample suction slit on the bottom, and is fitted into the sample inlet.

[0014] Preferably, the main body further includes a sample inlet for zero point measurement arranged parallel to the sample inlet, and the water quality measurement unit and the sample suction unit are formed as a pair arranged parallel to each other in correspondence with the sample inlet and the sample inlet for zero point measurement, and the reagent cartridge is not detachably attached to the sample inlet for zero point measurement, so that only the sample is sucked.

[0015] Additionally, the main body has a transparent window so that the operator can visually check the measurement cell, and a display unit that displays the water quality measurement results.

[0016] In addition, the main body has a measurement button on the front upper part for starting a water quality measurement operation, and when the measurement button is pressed, the absorbance of the sample is measured in the water quality measurement unit, and the measurement result is displayed through the display unit.

[0017] Additionally, a battery is built into the main body, and a charging terminal for charging the battery is provided on the outer surface of the main body.

[0018] Preferably, the measuring cell and the cylinder are connected to each other through a connecting tube having a diameter smaller than the diameters of the measuring cell and the cylinder, so that the piston is prevented from moving into the measuring cell.

[0019] According to the present invention, by means of a sample suction unit in the form of a syringe pump and a one-touch operation unit, a sample and a reagent can be simultaneously sucked into the measuring cell, so that water quality measurement can be performed simply and quickly without the need to perform the task of mixing the sample and reagent in the measuring cell.

[0020] In addition, according to the present invention, there is no risk of the worker being exposed to the reagent, and there is no need for the worker to touch the measurement cell, so anyone, even a non-expert, can easily and conveniently measure water quality.

[0021] In addition, according to the present invention, the water quality measurement time can be further shortened by measuring the zero point value of a sample not containing a reagent at the same time as measuring the measurement value of a sample containing a reagent.

[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portable water quality measuring device according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a portable water quality measuring device according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken from the front showing a portable water quality measuring device according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portable water quality measuring device according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 is a rear view illustrating a portable water quality measuring device according to the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a portable water quality measuring device from the front according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a portable water quality measurement device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. It should be noted that, in the description of the present invention below, the terms used to refer to the components of the present invention are named in consideration of the functions of each component, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the technical components of the present invention.

[0029]

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a portable water quality measurement device according to the present invention is a device that measures the water quality of a sample by irradiating light on a mixture of a measurement target sample and a color development reagent to measure absorbance, and is configured to include a main body (100), a water quality measurement unit (200), a reagent cartridge (300), and a sample suction unit (400).

[0031] The main body (100) may be formed in the form of a syringe that is elongated in a vertical direction and has a component receiving space inside. The main body (100) has a sample inlet (110) at the bottom through which a sample is introduced, and an operating unit (160) at the top for operating a sample injection operation. In addition, a handle (101) may be provided on the upper side of the main body (100) to facilitate operation of the operating unit (160).

[0032] The water quality measurement unit (200) includes a measurement cell (210) installed on the upper portion of the sample inlet (110) inside the main body (100) and a light sensor (220) arranged on the side of the measurement cell (210). This water quality measurement unit (200) measures the absorbance of a sample sucked into the measurement cell (210) through the sample inlet. Here, the measurement cell (210) is made of a transparent material so that light is transmitted, and a sample / reagent mixture in which a sample injected through the sample inlet (110) and a reagent built into a reagent cartridge (300) are mixed is introduced into the measurement cell (210). In addition, the light sensor (220) is composed of a light emitting unit arranged on one side of the measurement cell (210) and a light receiving unit arranged on the other side of the measurement cell (210) to receive light passing through the measurement cell (210) from the light emitting unit.

[0033] The reagent cartridge (300) contains a powdered reagent and is configured to be detachably attached to the sample injection port (110) described above. When a sample is injected into the sample injection port (110) by the operation of the operating unit (160) described above, the powdered reagent contained in the reagent cartridge (300) is mixed with the sample and flows into the measurement cell (210).

[0034] The sample suction unit (400) is installed between the water quality measurement unit (200) and the operation unit (160) inside the main body (100), and operates in a syringe pump manner when the operation unit (160) is operated so that the sample is suctioned through the sample injection port (110).

[0035] Specifically, the sample suction unit (400) includes a cylinder (410) extending from the upper portion of the measurement cell (210) to the operation unit (160) inside the main body (100) and a piston (420) that reciprocates within the cylinder (410) in conjunction with the operation unit (160). By means of the sample suction unit (400), when the operation unit (160) is operated to cause the piston (420) to move from the lower portion to the upper portion within the cylinder (410), a sample outside the main body (100) is suctioned into the measurement cell (210) via the sample inlet (110). At this time, a powder-type reagent built into the reagent cartridge (300) is also mixed with the sample and suctioned into the measurement cell (210).

[0036] Preferably, the reagent cartridge (300) contains a powder-type reagent, has a sample suction slit (not shown) on the bottom surface, and is formed to be fitted into the sample inlet (110) of the main body (100). For example, the reagent cartridge (300) is made of a soft material such as rubber or silicone, so that it can be easily attached to and detached from the sample inlet (110).

[0037] In addition, the operating part (160) includes an operating rod (160), a lock switch (170), and a return spring (171). The operating rod (160) is formed so that one end is connected to the piston (420) and the other end is exposed to the upper outer side of the main body (100). The lock switch (170) is installed between the side of the main body (100) and the operating rod (160), and serves to lock or unlock the movement of the operating rod (160). The return spring (171) is installed around the piston (420) between the operating rod (160) and the main body (100) to return the operating rod (160) to an upper position.

[0038] Here, when the operator presses the operating rod (160) downward, the lock switch (170) is placed in the locked position, and the piston (420) of the sample suction part (400) is placed in the downward position. At this time, the operator connects the reagent cartridge (300) to the sample inlet (110). Then, when the operator unlocks the lock switch (170), the piston (420) rises to the original position by the return spring (171), and accordingly, the sample is sucked through the sample inlet (110), and the reagent and sample of the reagent cartridge (300) are mixed and introduced into the measurement cell (210).

[0039] In this way, the portable water quality measurement device according to the present invention can simultaneously suck the sample and the reagent into the measurement cell (210) by simply immersing the main body (100) in the sample to be measured and then operating the operation unit (160). This enables simple and rapid water quality measurement without the need to perform the task of mixing the sample and the reagent in the measurement cell (210). Furthermore, the portable water quality measurement device according to the present invention does not pose a risk of exposure of the operator to the reagent and does not require the operator to touch the measurement cell (210), so that even a non-expert can easily and conveniently measure water quality.

[0040] Preferably, the portable water quality measuring device according to the present invention further includes a zero-point measurement sample inlet (110'), a zero-point measurement water quality measuring unit (200'), and a zero-point measurement sample suction unit (400'). The zero-point measurement water quality measuring unit (200') and the zero-point measurement sample suction unit (400') are respectively arranged in parallel with the aforementioned sample inlet (110), the water quality measuring unit (200), and the sample suction unit (400). The sample suction unit (400) and the zero-point measurement sample suction unit (400') are integrally connected to the operating unit (160) so that they can be raised and lowered simultaneously. In addition, optical sensors (220, 220') are arranged on the outside of the measuring cell (210) of the water quality measuring unit (200) and the measuring cell (210') of the zero-point measurement water quality measuring unit, respectively. Here, a common light sensor light emitting unit may be arranged between the measuring cell (210) of the water quality measuring unit (200) and the measuring cell (210') of the water quality measuring unit for zero point measurement, and each light sensor receiving unit may be arranged on the outer side of each of the measuring cell (210) of the water quality measuring unit (200) and the measuring cell (210') of the water quality measuring unit for zero point measurement. In addition, a reagent cartridge is not mounted in the sample inlet (110') for zero point measurement, and a reagent cartridge (300) is mounted only in the sample inlet (100).

[0041] Therefore, when a sample is sucked by the operation of the operating unit (160), only a sample that does not contain a reagent is sucked into the water quality measuring unit (200') for zero point measurement, and a sample that contains a reagent is sucked into the water quality measuring unit (200).

[0042] By this configuration, the portable water quality measurement device according to the present invention can further shorten the water quality measurement time by simultaneously measuring the measurement value of a sample containing a reagent and the zero value of a sample not containing a reagent.

[0043] Additionally, the water quality measuring device according to the present invention is provided with a transparent window (120) on the back surface of the main body (100) so that an operator can visually check the measuring cells (210, 210'). Here, the transparent window (120) may be formed as two windows to correspond to the positions of the water quality measuring unit (200) and the water quality measuring unit (200') for zero point measurement, or may be formed as one window so that both the water quality measuring unit (200) and the water quality measuring unit (200') for zero point measurement are visible. This transparent window (120) may be provided on the front surface of the main body (100). In addition, the main body (100) is provided with a display unit (130) that displays the water quality measurement results. This display unit (130) may be provided on the upper portion of the transparent window (120) on the back surface of the main body (100), or may be provided on the front surface of the main body (100).

[0044] Additionally, the main body (100) is equipped with a measurement button (140) on the front upper part for starting a water quality measurement operation. When an operator presses this measurement button (140), the absorbance of the sample is measured in the water quality measurement unit (200), and the measurement result can be displayed through the display unit (130).

[0045] Meanwhile, a battery (150) may be built into the main body (100), and a charging terminal (151) for charging the battery (150) may be provided on the outer surface of the main body (100).

[0046] Referring to FIG. 6, a portable water quality measuring device according to another embodiment of the present invention may be arranged so that the measuring cell (210) of the water quality measuring unit (200) is partitioned into a separate space from the cylinder (410) of the sample suction unit (400). Specifically, the measuring cell (210) and the cylinder (410) are connected to each other through a connecting pipe (230) having a diameter smaller than the diameters of the measuring cell (210) and the cylinder (410). Accordingly, when the operating unit (160) is pressed downward and the piston (420) of the sample suction unit (400) moves downward, the piston (420) cannot move into the measuring cell (210).

[0047] Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the cylinder (410) of the sample suction unit (400) and the measurement cell (210) of the water quality measurement unit (200) are formed as an integral tube. Accordingly, when the piston (420) moves downward, the piston (420) may move to the measurement cell (210), and the packing provided at the end of the piston (420) may rub against the inner wall of the measurement cell (210), thereby contaminating or wearing out the measurement cell (210). Then, a problem of deterioration in the measurement accuracy of the optical sensor (220) may occur. However, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the measurement cell (210) of the water quality measurement unit (200) is partitioned into a separate space from the cylinder (410) of the sample suction unit (400), so that the piston (420) does not come into contact with the measurement cell (210), and therefore, the measurement accuracy of the optical sensor (220) can be maintained.

[0048] Meanwhile, referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the operating unit (160) may not include the lock switch (170) illustrated in FIG. 3. In this case, after a certain period of time has passed since the user pressed the operating unit (160), the piston (420) may return to its original position due to the pressure inside the cylinder (210) of the water quality measuring unit (200).

[0049]

[0050] The embodiments of the present invention described above are merely illustrative of the technical concept of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted according to the following claims. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, all technical ideas within the scope equivalent to the present invention should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A main body having a sample injection port at the bottom and an operating unit for operating a sample injection operation at the top; A water quality measuring unit having a measuring cell installed on the upper part of a sample inlet and a light sensor placed on the side of the measuring cell, and measuring the absorbance of a sample sucked through the sample inlet; A reagent cartridge having a built-in reagent, detachably attachable to the sample inlet, and configured to mix the built-in reagent and the injected reagent when a sample is injected into the sample inlet by the operating unit; and A portable water quality measuring device, comprising a sample suction unit installed between the water quality measuring unit and the operating unit, and operating in a syringe pump manner when the operating unit is operated to suction a sample through the sample injection port.

2. In paragraph 1, A portable water quality measurement device, wherein the sample suction unit includes a cylinder extending from the upper portion of the measurement cell to the operation unit and a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder in conjunction with the operation unit so that the sample is introduced into the measurement cell through the sample injection port.

3. In paragraph 2, A portable water quality measuring device, wherein the operating unit comprises an operating rod having one end connected to the piston and the other end exposed to the upper outer side of the main body; and a lock switch installed between the side of the main body and the operating rod and locking or unlocking movement of the operating rod.

4. In paragraph 1, A portable water quality measuring device, wherein the reagent cartridge contains a powder-type reagent, has a sample suction slit on the bottom surface, and is fitted into the sample injection port.

5. In paragraph 1, The above body further includes a sample inlet for zero point measurement arranged parallel to the sample inlet, The water quality measurement unit and the sample suction unit are formed as a pair and are arranged parallel to each other to correspond to the sample injection port and the zero point measurement sample injection port, respectively. A portable water quality measuring device in which only the sample is sucked into the sample inlet for the above zero point measurement, without the reagent cartridge being removed.

6. In paragraph 1, A portable water quality measuring device, wherein the main body has a transparent window so that the operator can visually check the measuring cell, and has a display unit that displays the water quality measurement results.

7. In paragraph 6, A portable water quality measuring device, wherein the main body has a measurement button on the front upper part for starting water quality measurement work, and when the measurement button is pressed, the absorbance of the sample is measured in the water quality measuring unit, and the measurement result is displayed through the display unit.

8. In paragraph 1, A portable water quality measuring device having a battery built into the main body and a charging terminal for charging the battery provided on the outer surface of the main body.

9. In paragraph 1, A portable water quality measuring device, wherein the measuring cell and the cylinder are connected to each other through a connecting tube having a diameter smaller than the diameters of the measuring cell and the cylinder, thereby preventing the piston from moving into the measuring cell.

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