Patent EP0090599A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0090599A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Cryogenic device and method
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1983-03-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-03-24
Abstract
Abstract The temperature of a biological specimen or other object may be controlled by supporting the object within a vessel (12) containing a liquid cryogen (C) above the liquid cryogen level (L) and varying the vertical spacing between the object and the liquid cryogen level (L). The vessel (12) is provided with vertically continuous inner walls (12.3) of high thermal conductivity, e.g., metal walls, to provide a vertical temperature gradient within the vessel (12) above the liquid cryogen level (L).
Inventors
- 👤 Dean W. Schilling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 04:41
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/28; G01N1/42; F; F17; F17C; F17C13/00; F17C13/02; F25; F25D; F25D3/00; F25D3/10; F17C2270/00; F17C2270/05; F17C2270/0509
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of controlling the temperature of an object (S), characterised in that it comprises: disposing the object a distance apart from a cryogen (C) in a vessel, the object being disposed for movement between conductors (12.3) having high thermal conductivity, one end of each of the conductors being in thermal contact with the cryogen and the other end of each being spaced apart from the cryogen; and varying the distance between the object and the cryogen, thereby to raise or lower the temperature of the object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of controlling the temperature of an object (S), characterised in that it comprises: disposing the object a distance apart from a cryogen (C) in a vessel, the object being disposed for movement between conductors (12.3) having high thermal conductivity, one end of each of the conductors being in thermal contact with the cryogen and the other end of each being spaced apart from the cryogen; and varying the distance between the object and the cryogen, thereby to raise or lower the temperature of the object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises: supporting the object (S) in an upwardly open vessel (12) containing a liquid cryogen (C), the level of which is vertically spaced below the object and the vessel having vertically continuous inner walls 12.3 of high thermal conductivity to provide a vertical temperature gradient above the level of liquid cryogen in the vessel; and varying the vertical spacing between the object and the cryogen liquid level within the vessel to raise or lower the temperature the object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to Claim 2, characterised in that it further comprises sensing a temperature relative. to the temperature of the object, and varying the vertical spacing of the object above the liquid cryogen level until a desired temperature. is obtained.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method according to Claim 2, characterised in that it further comprises comparing the sensed temperature with a desired temperature and generating a signal representing . the difference between those temperatures and providing means (16.1, 16.2, 24.1, 24.2) responsive to said signal for varying the vertical spacing of the object above the liquid cryogen so as to increase such spacing if the sensed temperature is lower than the desired temperature, and to decrease such" spacing if the sensed temperature is greater than the desired temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
100 words
A device for use in the method of Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises: (a) an upwardly open vessel (12) containing a liquid cryogen (C), the vessel having vertically continuous inner walls (12.3) of high thermal conductivity to provide a vertical temperature gradient within the vessel above the level of liquid cryogen; (b) support means (14) for supporting the object within the vessel above the level of liquid cryogen, and (c) elevation varying means (16.1, 16.2, 24.1, 24.2) for varying the vertical spacing of the support means above the liquid cryogen level to vary the temperature of the object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to Claim 5 characterised in that it includes temperature-sensing means (26, 26.1, 26.2) carried by the support means (14) for sensing a temperature related to the temperature of the object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device according to Claim 6, characterised in that it includes control means (26.4) responsive to said temperature-sensing means for generating an electric signal characteristic of the difference between the sensed temperature and a desired temperature, and the elevation varying means (16.1, 16.2, 24.1, 24.2) includes means (24) responsive to said electric signal to vary the elevation of said support means within the vessel above the liquid cryogen level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to Claim 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that the inner walls of the vessel have a thermal conductivity of not less than about 4.0 Btu-ft/ (ft 2 ) (hr) (°F).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device according to Claim 7 or 8, characterised in that it includes means for varying the desired temperature as a function of time.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
43 words
A device according to any of Claims 5 to 9 , characterised in that it includes heat conduction means (18) carried generally horizontally within the vessel by the support means (14) for conducting heat inwardly of the vessel to reduce horizontal temperature gradients.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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