APPARATUS FOR MEASURING MENISCUS OF FLUID MEDIUM Russian patent published in 2014 - IPC G01B7/00 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to an apparatus (102) configured to measure the shape of a meniscus (132) of a fluid medium and a method of measuring the meniscus shape implemented by the apparatus. The present group of inventions enables to more accurately determine the irregular meniscus shapes. The disclosed apparatus comprises a fluid medium chamber containing a first electrically conducting fluid medium (128) and a second electrically insulating fluid medium (324). Said fluid media are mutually immiscible and determine the meniscus (132) of the fluid medium between themselves. Furthermore, the shape of the meniscus of the fluid medium is controlled by a main electrically wetted electrode (118) and auxiliary electrically wetted electrodes (120, 122, 124, 126). The apparatus also includes a voltage source (134) for applying voltage between the main electrically wetted electrode and the auxiliary electrically wetted electrodes, as well as a measuring circuit (144) for separate measurement of capacitances between the main electrically wetted electrode and at least two corresponding auxiliary electrically wetted electrodes. To this end, the measuring circuit includes a converter for signal demodulation, representing said capacitances.

EFFECT: apparatus implements the corresponding method of measuring the meniscus shape.

15 cl, 5 dwg