1. Apparatus for determining a physical quantity of a sample, in particular for determining the density of a fluid, comprising an optical measuring device for determining a quality of the sample.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical measuring device is configured to detect inhomogeneities caused by air inclusions or contaminants, or a combination thereof.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical measuring device is configured to detect deviations from homogeneously distributed optical properties selected from the group consisting of brightness, color, contrast, and turbidity.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical measuring device comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of brightness sensor, color sensor, and camera.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the camera comprises a CCD or CMOS image sensor.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transparent test tube containing the sample.
7. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test tube has a substantially U-shaped configuration.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical measuring device is in visual contact with the transparent test tube.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an evaluation unit for processing an image acquired by the optical measuring device or data supplied by the optical measuring device.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit comprises a processor for processing a brightness distribution of the image acquired by the optical measuring device or the data supplied by the optical measuring device.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit comprises a processor for comparing the data supplied by the optical measuring device with reference data, or for comparing the image acquired by the optical measuring device with a reference image.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reference data or the reference image are obtained on an empty test tube.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit comprises a comparator for comparing brightness, contrast or color, or a combination thereof, of adjacent pixels.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an illumination unit for illuminating the sample.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, constructed as a density measuring device according to a flexural oscillator principle.
16. A method for determining a physical quantity of a sample, comprising the steps of:
measuring the sample optically to generate image data, and
electronically determining from the generated image data a quality of the sample.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sample is a fluid and the physical quantity is a density of the fluid.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the physical quantity includes determining inhomogeneities caused by air inclusions or contaminants, or a combination thereof.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein anomalous optical properties of the sample selected from the group consisting of brightness, color and turbidity are determined.
20. The method of claims 16, wherein an image is acquired of the sample and used to electronically determine the quality of the sample.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the quality of the sample is determined from the brightness distribution of the image.
22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of comparing the image of the sample with a reference image of an empty test tube.
23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of comparing brightness or color, or both, of adjacent pixels in the image.
24. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of illuminating the sample.
25. The method according to claim 16, wherein a density of the sample is measured according to a flexural oscillator principle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A two-stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces comprising:
a bobber main body, said bobber main body providing a buoyant force to normally maintain the bobber main body in a floating condition; and
a spring having a spring constant that is substantially equal to the spring constant of the bobber in water so that the total force required to compress the spring with respect to the bobber main body causes complete submersion of the bobber main body; and
a resiliently displaceable member to allow the simultaneous submersion of the bobber main body and the displacement of the member with respect to the bobber main body so as to provide gradual resistance; wherein a force to bring the resiliently displaceable member to a down position is substantially equal to the buoyant force of the bobber main body so that a complete displacement of the member to the down position in a body of water results in the complete submersion of the bobber main body, the resiliently displaceable member including a hollow center allowing for a fishing line to run therethrough and a fishing line engaging member having an opening which allows an unknotted fishing line to slide through but can be blocked from sliding therethrough by a knot on the fishing line.
2. The two-stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces of claim 1 wherein the spring is a compression spring.
3. The two-stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces of claim 1 including a resilient chemiluminescence capsule holder supported by said bobber main body to provide for nighttime fishing.
4. A two stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces comprising:
a bobber main body, said bobber main body providing a buoyant force to normally maintain the bobber main body in a floating condition;
a spring having a spring constant so that a total force required to displace the spring to a down position with respect to the bobber main body causes a complete submersion of the bobber main body;
a resiliently displaceable elongated member extending through said bobber main body, said resiliently displaceable elongated member extending through said bobber main body to allow the simultaneous submersion of the bobber main body and the displacement of the resiliently displaceable elongated member with respect to the bobber main body so as to provide a gradual resistance to a fishing line attached to the resiliently displaceable elongated member, wherein a force to displace the resiliently displaceable elongated member to a down position is substantially equal to the buoyant force of the bobber main body so that a complete displacement of the resiliently displaceable elongated member to the down position in a body of water results in a complete submersion of the bobber main body; and
a stop cap connected to an upper end of the resiliently displaceable member to maintain the spring encircling a portion of the resiliently displaceable member.
5. The two-stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces of claim 4 wherein said spring is a tension spring.
6. The two-stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces of claim 4 including a fixed stop connected to a lower end of the resiliently displaceable member to prevent the resiliently displaceable member from sliding through the bobber main body.
7. A two stage fishing bobber responsive to different fishing forces comprising:
a bobber main body, said bobber main body providing a buoyant force to normally maintain the bobber main body in a floating condition;
a spring having a spring constant so that a total force required to displace the spring to a down position with respect to the bobber main body causes a complete submersion of the bobber main body; and
a resiliently displaceable elongated member extending through said bobber main body wherein the spring is supported on an upper end of the bobber main body by the resiliently displaceable member, said resiliently displaceable elongated member extending through said bobber main body to allow the simultaneous submersion of the bobber main body and the displacement of the resiliently displaceable elongated member with respect to the bobber main body so as to provide a gradual resistance to a fishing line attached to the resiliently displaceable elongated member, wherein a force to displace the resiliently displaceable elongated member to a down position is substantially equal to the buoyant force of the bobber main body so that a complete displacement of the resiliently displaceable elongated member to the down position in a body of water results in a complete submersion of the bobber main body.