Patent ID: 8485018

Claim:
A method of determining a falling state of a falling body passing through a measured substance inserted into a measuring container by using a falling speed measuring sensor including a first coil pair which includes a pair of coils disposed in the outer periphery of the measuring container and separated from each other in the vertical direction and a second coil pair which includes a pair of coils disposed in the outer periphery of the measuring container, separated from each other in the vertical direction, and disposed below the first coil pair so as to be separated therefrom by a specified distance, the method comprising: measuring a first elapsed time which is a time interval between extreme values of two potentials generated in the first coil pair when the falling body passes through the first coil pair and a second elapsed time which is a time interval between extreme values of two potentials generated in the second coil pair when the falling body passes through the second coil pair; and determining the falling state of the falling body by comparing the first elapsed time with the second elapsed time.