Asphalt content gauge with compensation for sample temperature deviations

Patent 4874950 Issued on October 17, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 30, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

2564626

3492479

3761712

Apparatus for measuring quantity of asphalt ingredient in an asphalt compound
Patent #: 4164655
Issued on: 08/14/1979
Inventor: Noma , et al.

Method and apparatus for measurement of moisture
Patent #: 4362939
Issued on: 12/07/1982
Inventor: Horiuchi , et al.

Apparatus and method for determining the hydrogen content of a substance Patent #: 4499380
Issued on: 02/12/1985
Inventor: Aggour , et al.

Inventor

Regimand, Ali

Application

No. 175144 filed on 03/30/1988

US Classes:

250/390.04, Composition analysis16/257, Resiliently biased retaining means250/390.05For moisture content

Examiners

Primary: Howell, Daniel W.
Assistant: Rauchholz, William F.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson

International Class

G01N 023/05

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improvement in a nuclear measuring gauge for measuring the composition of a hydrogen containing material by counting neutrons which are thermalized by the presence of the hydrogen in the material. The present invention is based upon the recognition that in measuring samples, such as hot asphalt, with such a gauge, the error which is introduced by temperature variations in a sample is a function of not only the temperature of the sample but also its hydrogen content. In accordance with the present invention, this inaccuracy is compensated for by applying to the measurement a correction factor which is a function of both the temperature of the sample and its hydrogen content.