Patent ID: 7670564
Filing Date: 2010-03-02
Classification: G01F,G01N

Abstract:
1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising: a container which contains a liquid; a dispensing probe which dispenses said liquid in said container; a light beam generator; an illumination angle control mechanism which reflects a light beam from said light beam generator toward said container and said liquid in said container, said illumination angle control mechanism changing an illuminating angle of said light beam toward said container and liquid in said container to illuminate said light beam at a plurality of illumination angles to said container and said liquid in said container; a photosensor which receives said light beam which is reflected a plurality of times from said container and said liquid in said container; a controller which computes a liquid surface level of said liquid in said container on the basis of the plurality of illumination angles of said light beam and output signals received from said photosensor; and a dispensing controller which controls operations of said dispensing probe in accordance with said liquid surface level.