US3678881A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for indicating contamination of a fluid supply to a fluidic circuit
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1970-03-27
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Granted: 1972-07-25
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Expires: 1990-03-27
Abstract
Abstract A fluid flow filter having filter hole openings of a selected size or of size smaller than the smallest fluid opening in a fluid circuit being monitored by the contamination-indicating device is serially connected with a fluid flow restrictor for bypassing a small portion of the supply fluid. A pressuresensitive indicator is connected to the juncture of the filter output and restrictor for indicating the pressure state at the juncture. A high pressure state indicates negligible contamination of the fluid whereas a low pressure state indicates substantial contamination thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey N Shinn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 14:46
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/06; G01N15/0606; G01N15/0618; B; B01; B01D; B01D35/00; B01D35/14; B01D35/143; G01L; G01L19/00; G01L19/08; G01L19/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8158; Y10T137/8225; Y10T137/8275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A device for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid supplied to a fluidic circuit, said contamination-indicating device comprising a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size smaller than the smallest fluid opening in a fluid circuit being monitored by the contamination-indicating device, said filter having an upstream end adapted for connection to a passage supplying the pressurized fluid to the monitored fluidic circuit, a fluid flow restrictor having a first end in fluid communication with the downstream end of said filter at a first juncture and a second end vented to thereby bypass a portion of the fluid flowing in the passage to the monitored fluidic circuit, and pressure-sensitive indicator means in fluid communication with the first juncture for indicating the relative pressure magnitude of the bypassed fluid at the first juncture wherein the relative pressure magnitude corresponds to the relative degree of particle contamination of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A device for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid supplied to a fluidic circuit, said contamination-indicating device comprising a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size smaller than the smallest fluid opening in a fluid circuit being monitored by the contamination-indicating device, said filter having an upstream end adapted for connection to a passage supplying the pressurized fluid to the monitored fluidic circuit, a fluid flow restrictor having a first end in fluid communication with the downstream end of said filter at a first juncture and a second end vented to thereby bypass a portion of the fluid flowing in the passage to the monitored fluidic circuit, and pressure-sensitive indicator means in fluid communication with the first juncture for indicating the relative pressure magnitude of the bypassed fluid at the first juncture wherein the relative pressure magnitude corresponds to the relative degree of particle contamination of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure-sensitive indicator means comprises a proportional-type pressure-sensitive member for providing response over a range of values of pressure corresponding to a range of degree of contamination of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit, the degree of contamination increasing with reduced pressure at the first juncture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure-sensitive indicator means comprises a digital-type pressure-sensitive member for providing a two-state response to the pressure at the first juncture, a high pressure state at the first juncture corresponding to negligible contamination of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit and a low pressure state corresponding to substantial contamination thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure-sensitive indicator means comprises, a fluid pressure-sensitive member in fluid communication with the first juncture, and a display member in communication with said pressure-sensitive member and operable therewith for providing a read-out as a function of the relative pressure magnitude at the first juncture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
125 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 4 wherein said fluid pressure-sensitive member is of the digital type, said display member providing a digital read-out as a function of the relative pressure magnitude at the first juncture, said fluid pressure-sensitive member being operative in a first state wherein the pressure at the first juncture is substantially equal to the pressure of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit in the condition of negligible contamination thereof, and being operative in a second state wherein the pressure at the first juncture is substantially less than the pressure of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit in the condition of substantial contamination thereof, said display member providing an indication distinguishing the two conditions of fluid contamination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 4 wherein said fluid pressure-sensitive member is of the proportional type, said display member providing a proportional read-out as a function of the relative pressure magnitude of tee first juncture, said fluid pressure-sensitive member being operative over a range of pressure magnitudes corresponding to a range of degrees of contamination of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit, said display member providing an indication of the degree of contamination wherein the degree of contamination increases with reduced pressure at the first juncture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 1 wherein said fluid flow restrictor provides a resistance to fluid flow therethrough for limiting the bypass fluid flow to less than 10 percent of the total supply fluid flow.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 1 wherein the size of the filter hole openings are approximately 50 percent of the smallest fluid opening in the monitored fluidic circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in clAim 1 wherein the size of the filter hole openings are less than 80 percent of the smallest fluid opening in the monitored fluidic circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 4 wherein said display member being of the visual type for providing the contamination degree read-out in visual form.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 4 wherein said display member being of the audible type for providing the contamination degree read-out in audible form.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
112 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 4 wherein said pressure-sensitive member comprises a piston contained within a hollow member further containing said filter, said restrictor comprising a passage through a wall of said hollow member and disposed intermediate said filter and piston, and said display member comprising a fluorescent coating on an end surface of said piston, said piston adapted for motion axially within said hollow member in response to the pressure of the bypassed fluid at the downstream end of said filter whereby the condition of fluorescence of the fluorescent end of said piston corresponds to the relative degree of contamination of the fluid supplied to the monitored fluidic circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
127 words
The contamination-indicating device set forth in claim 4 wherein said pressure-sensitive member comprises a diaphragm contained within a hollow member further containing said filter, said restrictor comprising a passage through a wall of said hollow member and disposed intermediate said filter and diaphragm, and said display member comprising a pair of electrical contacts contained within said hollow member and disposed in proximity with the downstream side of said diaphragm, said diaphragm adapted for flexure in response to the pressure of the bypassed fluid at the downstream side of said filter, the diaphragm flexure causing movement of one of the pair of contacts for separating or mating said contacts to thereby respectively open or complete an electrical circuit including an electrical power source and an electrical display member.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
234 words
A device for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage, said contamination-indicating apparatus comprising a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size equal to the maximum size particle to be tolerated in a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage, said filter having an input end adapted for connection to the passage, the flow area of said filter being sufficiently large to cause a negligible pressure drop across the filter in a nonparticle-laden state thereof, a fluid flow restrictor having an input end in fluid communication with the output end of said filter, and an output end vented to thereby bypass a small fraction of the fluid flowing in the passage, a fluid pressure-sensitive member in fluid communication with the juncture of the filter and restrictor, and a display member in communication with said pressure-sensitive member and operable therewith for providing a read-out indicative of the relative fluid pressure magnitude at the filter-restrictor juncture wherein a pressure magnitude substantially equal to the pressure of the fluid in the passage and corresponding to negligible accumulated particle contamination of the fluid is indicated by a nonactivated condition of said display member, and a pressure magnitude substantially less than the pressure of the fluid in the passage and corresponding to substantial accumulated particle contamination of the fluid is indicated by a fully activated condition of said display member.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
234 words
A device for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage, said contamination-indicating apparatus comprising a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size equal to the maximum size particle to be tolerated in a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage, said filter having an input end adapted for connection to the passage, the flow area of said filter being sufficiently large to cause a negligible pressure drop across the filter in a nonparticle-laden state thereof, a fluid flow restrictor having an input end in fluid communication with the output end of said filter, and an output end vented to thereby bypass a small fraction of the fluid flowing in the passage, a fluid pressure-sensitive member in fluid communication with the juncture of the filter and restrictor, and a display member in communication with said pressure-sensitive member and operable therewith for providing a read-out indicative of the relative fluid pressure magnitude at the filter-restrictor juncture wherein a pressure magnitude substantially equal to the pressure of the fluid in the passage and corresponding to negligible accumulated particle contamination of the fluid is indicated by a nonactivated condition of said display member, and a pressure magnitude substantially less than the pressure of the fluid in the passage and corresponding to substantial accumulated particle contamination of the fluid is indicated by a fully activated condition of said display member.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid supplied to a fluidic circuit comprising the steps of bypassing less than 10 percent of a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage to a fluidic circuit by passing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow restrictor, filtering the bypassed fluid by pAssing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size smaller than the smallest fluid opening in the fluidic circuit, sensing the pressure of the bypassed fluid at the downstream side of the filter, and providing a read-out of the sensed pressure at the downstream side of the filter wherein a sensed pressure of magnitude substantially equal to the pressure of the fluid flowing in the passage to the fluidic circuit is indicative of negligible contamination of the fluid and a sensed pressure of magnitude substantially less is indicative of substantial particle contamination.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid supplied to a fluidic circuit comprising the steps of bypassing less than 10 percent of a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage to a fluidic circuit by passing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow restrictor, filtering the bypassed fluid by pAssing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size smaller than the smallest fluid opening in the fluidic circuit, sensing the pressure of the bypassed fluid at the downstream side of the filter, and providing a read-out of the sensed pressure at the downstream side of the filter wherein a sensed pressure of magnitude substantially equal to the pressure of the fluid flowing in the passage to the fluidic circuit is indicative of negligible contamination of the fluid and a sensed pressure of magnitude substantially less is indicative of substantial particle contamination.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage comprising the steps of bypassing a small fraction of a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage by passing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow restrictor, filtering the bypassed fluid by passing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size smaller than the maximum size particle to be tolerated in the fluid, sensing the pressure level of the bypassed fluid at the downstream side of the filter, and displaying the sensed pressure level of the bypassed fluid by providing a read-out thereof wherein a high pressure level corresponding to negligible contamination of the fluid is indicated by a nonactivated state of a read-out device, and a low pressure level corresponding to substantial particle contamination of the fluid is indicated by a fully activated state.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for indicating the degree of particle contamination in a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage comprising the steps of bypassing a small fraction of a pressurized fluid flowing in a passage by passing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow restrictor, filtering the bypassed fluid by passing the bypassed fluid through a fluid flow filter provided with filter hole openings of size smaller than the maximum size particle to be tolerated in the fluid, sensing the pressure level of the bypassed fluid at the downstream side of the filter, and displaying the sensed pressure level of the bypassed fluid by providing a read-out thereof wherein a high pressure level corresponding to negligible contamination of the fluid is indicated by a nonactivated state of a read-out device, and a low pressure level corresponding to substantial particle contamination of the fluid is indicated by a fully activated state.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-25 | 1976-01-24 | 1976-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-25 | 1980-01-24 | 1980-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-25 | 1984-01-24 | 1984-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |