US3762213A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Leak detector
Assignee: OI Glass Inc
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Filing: 1971-05-03
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Granted: 1973-10-02
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Expires: 1991-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is provided for detecting leaks in plastic bottles. The leak detector is sealingly engaged to the mouth of the bottle to be tested. Thereafter, a vacuum is drawn in the bottle by moving a rod having a flexible diaphragm connected thereto away from the bottle mouth. Such movement of the diaphragm while the detector is engaged to the bottle mouth results in an increased volume within the sealed area with no change in the amount of air contained within such sealed area. Accordingly, the pressure within such sealed area will be reduced from atmospheric pressure thereby creating a partial vacuum. Means are provided for lifting the head with the partially vacuumized bottle carried thereon. If the bottle is satisfactory from a leakage standpoint, it will be retained thereon by virtue of the vacuum for a predetermined period of time, say on the order of three seconds. On the other hand, if the bottle contains a leak, sufficiently great to render the bottle commercially unsatisfactory, the partial vacuum will be lost and the bottle will fall from the head, thereby indicating that the bottle was defective.
Inventors
- 👤 C Nowicki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 10:45
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/02; G01M3/26; G01M3/32; G01M3/34; G01M3/3218
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed conTainer positioned on a support comprising (I) a testing head having a. an end member sealingly engageable with said container mouth; b. a hollow body portion secured to said end member; c. a resilient diaphragm cooperating with the body portion and the end member to define a chamber, said resilient diaphragm having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation to said body portion; d. aperture means in said end member providing communication between said chamber and the interior of the container when the end member is sealingly engaged with the container mouth, e. means for moving said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of the chamber when the end member is sealingly engaged to the container mouth to create a partial vacuum in said container and (II) means imparting relative movement between said testing head and said support following creation of said partial vacuum to retain said container on the testing head solely by the partial vacuum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed conTainer positioned on a support comprising (I) a testing head having a. an end member sealingly engageable with said container mouth; b. a hollow body portion secured to said end member; c. a resilient diaphragm cooperating with the body portion and the end member to define a chamber, said resilient diaphragm having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation to said body portion; d. aperture means in said end member providing communication between said chamber and the interior of the container when the end member is sealingly engaged with the container mouth, e. means for moving said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of the chamber when the end member is sealingly engaged to the container mouth to create a partial vacuum in said container and (II) means imparting relative movement between said testing head and said support following creation of said partial vacuum to retain said container on the testing head solely by the partial vacuum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
163 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed container comprising (I) a testing head having a. an end member sealingly engageable with said container mouth, b. a hollow body portion secured to said end member, c. a resilient diaphragm cooperating with the body portion and the end member to define a chamber therein, said resilient diaphragm having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation within said body portion, d. aperture means in said end member providing communication between said chamber and the interior of the container when the end member is sealingly engaged with the container mouth, e. means for moving said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of the chamber when the end member is sealingly engaged to the container mouth to create a partial vacuum in said container, and (II) means for moving said testing head and the partially vacuumized container to a position during which the container is retained on the testing head solely by the partial vacuum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
163 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed container comprising (I) a testing head having a. an end member sealingly engageable with said container mouth, b. a hollow body portion secured to said end member, c. a resilient diaphragm cooperating with the body portion and the end member to define a chamber therein, said resilient diaphragm having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation within said body portion, d. aperture means in said end member providing communication between said chamber and the interior of the container when the end member is sealingly engaged with the container mouth, e. means for moving said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of the chamber when the end member is sealingly engaged to the container mouth to create a partial vacuum in said container, and (II) means for moving said testing head and the partially vacuumized container to a position during which the container is retained on the testing head solely by the partial vacuum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
163 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed container comprising (I) a testing head having a. sealing means engageable with said open mouth container for sealing the interior therof from the atmosphere, b. hollow body means, c. a resilient diaphragm positioned within said hollow body and having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation to said body means to define a chamber which is variable in size in response to movement of said diaphragm, d. means for providing communication between said chamber and the interior of the container when the sealing means is sealingly engaged with the container mouth, e. means to move said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of the chamber so as to create a partial vacuum in said container when the sealing means is sealingly engaged to the container mouth, and (II) means for detecting the loss of said partial vacuum in said container by moving the container while it is sealingly engaged to said testing head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
163 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed container comprising (I) a testing head having a. sealing means engageable with said open mouth container for sealing the interior therof from the atmosphere, b. hollow body means, c. a resilient diaphragm positioned within said hollow body and having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation to said body means to define a chamber which is variable in size in response to movement of said diaphragm, d. means for providing communication between said chamber and the interior of the container when the sealing means is sealingly engaged with the container mouth, e. means to move said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of the chamber so as to create a partial vacuum in said container when the sealing means is sealingly engaged to the container mouth, and (II) means for detecting the loss of said partial vacuum in said container by moving the container while it is sealingly engaged to said testing head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed container comprising (I) a testing head having a. sealing means engageable with said container for sealing the interior thereof from the atmosphere, b. a body portion to which the sealing means is engaged, said body portion having a hollow chamber, c. a resilient diaphragm positioned within said chamber, said diaphragm having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation to said body portion, the sealing means, the body portion and the diaphragm cooperating with the container being tested to define an enclosure isolated from the atmosphere, d. means for moving said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of said enclosure when said container is sealingly engaged to said sealing means to create a partial vacuum in said container and (II) means for moving said testing head and the partially vacuumized container to a position during which the container is retained on the testing head soLely by the partial vacuum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for leak testing an open mouthed container comprising (I) a testing head having a. sealing means engageable with said container for sealing the interior thereof from the atmosphere, b. a body portion to which the sealing means is engaged, said body portion having a hollow chamber, c. a resilient diaphragm positioned within said chamber, said diaphragm having an outer periphery sealingly secured in fixed relation to said body portion, the sealing means, the body portion and the diaphragm cooperating with the container being tested to define an enclosure isolated from the atmosphere, d. means for moving said diaphragm in a direction increasing the effective size of said enclosure when said container is sealingly engaged to said sealing means to create a partial vacuum in said container and (II) means for moving said testing head and the partially vacuumized container to a position during which the container is retained on the testing head soLely by the partial vacuum.
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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) | 1976-10-01 | 1977-04-02 | 1977-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-01 | 1981-04-02 | 1981-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-01 | 1985-04-02 | 1985-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |