Patent ID: 7969575

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring optical characteristics of liquid samples, the apparatus comprising: an upper arm having a first measuring surface; a lower arm having a second measuring surface, the upper arm coupled to the lower arm via a hinge and the upper arm capable of swinging relative to the lower arm via the hinge, wherein one of the first and second measuring surfaces is coupled to a light source while the other of the first and second measuring surface is coupled to a detector; an actuator configured to position the upper arm into a first measuring position with respect to the lower arm, wherein the first measuring surface of the upper arm and the second measuring surface of the lower arm are spaced approximately to contact and sandwich a liquid sample in between to form an optical path, such that light generated from the light source is received and detected through the light path by the detector for measuring light absorption by the liquid sample; and a controller coupled to the actuator, the controller executing a preprogrammed procedure to control the actuator to position the upper arm into the first measuring position, wherein prior to positioning the upper arm into a first measuring position by the actuator controlled by the controller, the upper arm is lifted such that the liquid sample can be deposited onto the second measuring surface of the lower arm, and wherein after the liquid sample has been deposited, the upper arm is lowered and rests on the lower arm in a rest position in which the first and second measuring surfaces are in contact with the liquid sample, and wherein from the rest position, the actuator is programmed to move the upper arm upwardly to a home position such that the liquid sample is broken up into a first part and a second part, the first part being attached to the first measuring surface of the upper arm while the second part being attached to the second measuring surface of the lower arm.