US3746977A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aperture tube assembly for a particle study apparatus
Assignee: Coulter Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1971-08-23
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Granted: 1973-07-17
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Expires: 1991-08-23
Abstract
Abstract An assembly which includes a plurality of particle counting and sizing aperture tubes for use with a particle analyzer of the Coulter type. The assembly includes a rotatable, turret-like fitting having coupled thereto at their open-top end a plurality of the aperture tubes, preferrably having different aperture sizes. The fitting has passageways providing fluid and electric current communication between the interior of each aperture tube and a port in a housing part of the assembly. The housing is in a fixed position, opens into and can form a part of the fluid control piece of a typical Coulter type analyzer. The housing and fitting have fluid tight mating surfaces such that selective rotation of the fitting causes the port in the housing to be aligned with one of the passageways leading into any desired one of the aperture tubes, while the remaining aperture tubes are blocked off by the imperforate portion of the housing which seals the remaining passageways of the fitting.
Inventors
- 👤 W Hogg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:31
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/10; G01N15/1031; G01N15/12; G01N15/134
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
An aperture tube assembly for use with an electronic particle study apparatus of the Coulter type, comprising: a fitting having interior and exterior surfaces, a plurality of open-top aperture tubes positioned about said exterior surface of said fitting, each aperture tube being coupled from its open-top end to said fitting for fluid communication between said interior surface and a scanning aperture disposed in each said aperture tube, and said assembly being constructed and arranged for mounting to the particle study apparatus and for relative movement of said fitting for aperture tube selecting movement with respect to the apparatus, said assembly further being constructed and arranged such that at any one time only one of said aperture tubes is in fluid communication with thE apparatus by way of said interior surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
An aperture tube assembly for use with an electronic particle study apparatus of the Coulter type, comprising: a fitting having interior and exterior surfaces, a plurality of open-top aperture tubes positioned about said exterior surface of said fitting, each aperture tube being coupled from its open-top end to said fitting for fluid communication between said interior surface and a scanning aperture disposed in each said aperture tube, and said assembly being constructed and arranged for mounting to the particle study apparatus and for relative movement of said fitting for aperture tube selecting movement with respect to the apparatus, said assembly further being constructed and arranged such that at any one time only one of said aperture tubes is in fluid communication with thE apparatus by way of said interior surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein said scanning apertures are of at least two different sizes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein said aperture tubes are positioned relative one another to be other than diametrically opposed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein said aperture tubes are positioned relative to one another such that their apertures are other than axially aligned with one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein each aperture tube is provided with an open ended flushing tube partly disposed within the aperture tube, one of the ends of said flushing tube being inside the aperture tube and proximate the scanning aperture and its other end being external to the aperture tube for connection to an external source of flushing fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein each aperture tube is further provided with means defining an electrically conductive path, said path means being disposed entirely within the tube and having one end proximate the scanning aperture and the other end proximate the open top end of the aperture tube, for communicating electrically with said interior surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 6 wherein said path means comprises at least one metallic electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 which is provided with means defining an electrically conductive path for each aperture tube, said path means being disposed primarily within said fitting and proximate said interior surface and thereby proximate the open top end of the aperture tubes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 8 wherein an electrode defines said path means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 and in combination therewith means defining an electrically conductive path for each aperture tube, said path means being disposed external said aperture tubes and proximate said interior surface of said fitting.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 10 wherein an electrode down stream of said fitting defines said path means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein said fitting is in the form of the female part of a concentric joint.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein said fitting is annular, with an inner wall of circular cross section which defines said interior surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 13 wherein said aperture tubes are radially positioned about said fitting and said fitting is constructed and arranged for rotative movement about the axis of its inner wall.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 14 wherein said fitting is in the form of the female part of a concentric joint with its said inner wall telescoping over a male part defined by the particle study apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 wherein said fitting is in the form of a disc with respect to which said interior and exterior surfaces are defined by the opposite faces of said disc.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 16 wherein said aperture tubes have their open tops radially spaced about and dependent from said exterior surface and said disc is constructed and arranged for rotative movement about its axis which lies normal to its opposite faces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 17 wherein said disc is constructed and arranged such that its interior surface is mated with a similar surface of contact defined by the particle study apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 1 which further comprises a hollow housing having a wall and at least one port through said wall, said housing being constructed to mate its said wall with said interior surface of said fitting, such that in any orientation of said fitting a maximum of one of said aperture tubes can be aligned for fluid communication with the interior of said housing by way of the open-top end of that aperture tube and said port.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein said wall is constructed to block the open-top end of all of said aperture tubes, except for the one aperture tube in fluid communication with the interior of said housing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein said housing has an axial end which depends from said wall and defines mounting means for joining said housing to said fitting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 12 wherein said axial end is closed to enable fluid retention in said housing and biasing means retains said fitting to said axial end and permits relative movement therebetween.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein said wall defines a side wall of said housing, said interior surface of said fitting defines a central bore of said fitting, and said side wall and said central bore are constructed to mate and define a path of relative rotative movement about the axis of said central bore.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
58 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein said wall defines the bottom wall of said housing, said interior surface of said fitting defines the top wall of said fitting, and said top and bottom walls are constructed to mate and define a path of relative rotative movement about an axis which lies normal to said walls.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
An aperture assembly according to claim 24 wherein said top and bottom walls are disc shaped, an axially positioned member depends from said housing and defines means for mounting said fitting to said housing in fluid tight relationship.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein a fluid conduit is carried by said housing and one end of said conduit extends external of said housing for connection to a flushing arrangement in said aperture tubes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein the particle study apparatus includes a control piece and said housing is defined by a portion of the control piece.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 27 wherein said housing and the control piece have substantially parallel longitudinal axes which are aligned.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 27 wherein said housing and the control piece have substantially parallel longitudinal axes which are laterally spaced apart.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 19 wherein the particle study apparatus includes a control piece, and a member separable from and constructed to be mounted intermediate said fitting and the control piece carries said housing.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
An aperture tube assembly according to claim 30 wherein said housing and the control piece have substantially parallel longitudinal axes which are laterally spaced apart.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1969081A
Cited
US3444464A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-16 | 1977-01-15 | 1977-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-16 | 1981-01-15 | 1981-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-16 | 1985-01-15 | 1985-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |