Patent ID: 8212999
Filing Date: 2012-07-03
Classification: G01B,G01P

Abstract:
1. A liquid droplet measurement apparatus, comprising: a liquid droplet ejection device for ejecting a liquid droplet; a first laser light source emitting a laser light; a first optical device which condenses the laser light emitted from the first laser light source so as to make, in terms of a beam cross-section of the laser light, a beam width in a direction perpendicular to a direction of ejection of the liquid droplet, greater than a beam width in the direction of ejection of the liquid droplet, and make light intensity of the laser light fall within a prescribed range within a range where variation in a position of the liquid droplet occurs in the direction perpendicular to the direction of ejection of the liquid droplet, at a position where the laser light from the first laser light source is irradiated onto the liquid droplet which has been ejected from the liquid droplet ejection device; a lens for condensing a beam of the laser light which has passed a position where the laser light is irradiated onto the liquid droplet; a first light receiving device which receives the laser light that has been condensed by the lens and generates a determination signal; and a first liquid droplet characteristics calculation device which calculates at least one of a volume of the liquid droplet and a velocity of the liquid droplet, from the determination signal generated by the first light receiving device.