Patent ID: 9726541
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: G01J,G01N

Claim:
1. A sensor for monitoring a medium comprising: at least one electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation; a detector for electromagnetic radiation; a housing comprised of a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is a cup-shaped monolithic formed part comprised of a material transparent for the electromagnetic radiation; wherein the electromagnetic radiation source and the detector are arranged adjacent to each other in an interior of the cup-shaped monolithic formed part of the housing; the cup-shaped monolithic formed part of the housing comprising a first flat wall area and a second flat wall area that are angularly arranged relative to each other and project into the interior of the cup-shaped monolithic formed part to define a cavity in which, outside of the housing, the medium is immediately contained, wherein the first and second flat wall areas are transparent for the electromagnetic radiation and are arranged in a beam path of the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic radiation source to the detector such that the electromagnetic radiation passes sequentially through the first wall, through the medium in the cavity outside of the housing, and through the second wall, wherein the first and second wall areas and the medium form a prism refracting the electromagnetic radiation; a radiation-deflecting device arranged in the interior of the cup-shaped monolithic formed part of the housing in the beam path downstream of the electromagnetic radiation source, the radiation deflecting device comprising a first mirror and a second mirror arranged at a right angle relative to each other such that the electromagnetic radiation is deflected twice in sequence first by 90° at the first mirror and then again by 90° at the second mirror in the beam path from the electromagnetic radiation source to the detector; wherein the prism is arranged in the beam path downstream of the second mirror and upstream of the detector; the detector comprising photo diodes, arranged in a row or in a matrix, for the refracted electromagnetic radiation; wherein the second part is a cover closing off the first part so that the sensor is an enclosed sensor in which the electromagnetic radiation source, the detector, and the first and second mirrors are enclosed in the housing; a data processing system, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source and the detector are connected to the data processing system so that sequentially electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths are refracted in the prism and the resulting electromagnetic radiation spectra are detected and evaluated, wherein a change of the electromagnetic radiation spectra changing with a change of the medium is detectable; wherein the data processing system determines the change of the medium based on shifts in the location of the different wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation reaching the detector, respectively.