US3894236A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for irradiating fluids
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-12-10
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Granted: 1975-07-08
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Expires: 1993-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A housing surrounds an elongated ultraviolet lamp and forms therewith a closed annular space to confine fluid passage means for fluids to be irradiated. The passage means surrounds the ultraviolet lamp and has relatively thin flattened passage runs that either encircle the lamp or extend longitudinally of the lamp. The passage means may provide a plurality of separate paths for sterilization of a plurality of fluid streams to be treated simultaneously and different fluid streams may be treated primarily by different wave lengths. The passage runs may be formed by thin walled resilient plastic tubing which may expand under internal fluid pressure into intimate contact with the lamp. The rays directed outwardly through the thin fluid streams may be reflected back through the thin fluid streams for greater irradiation efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Wayne K Hazelrigg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:35
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L2/00; A61L2/02; A61L2/08; A61L2/10; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/30; C02F1/32; C02F1/325; C02F2201/00; C02F2201/32; C02F2201/322; C02F2201/3223; C02F2201/3228; C02F2201/328
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
In a device for radiant treatment of flowing fluid, the combination of: an elongated lamp providing a source of radiant energy and having an envelope wall; and passage means for flow therethrough of fluids to be treated by the radiant energy; said passage means comprising a plurality of tubes of flexible non-metallic material having a unitary wall structure transparent to said radiant energy in side-by-side relationship each being of substantially smaller cross sectional area than the radiant source; said tubes being positioned to jointly provide an overall configuration of an annulus surrounding and substantially completely encasing the envelope wall of said radiant source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a device for radiant treatment of flowing fluid, the combination of: an elongated lamp providing a source of radiant energy and having an envelope wall; and passage means for flow therethrough of fluids to be treated by the radiant energy; said passage means comprising a plurality of tubes of flexible non-metallic material having a unitary wall structure transparent to said radiant energy in side-by-side relationship each being of substantially smaller cross sectional area than the radiant source; said tubes being positioned to jointly provide an overall configuration of an annulus surrounding and substantially completely encasing the envelope wall of said radiant source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said runs encircle in close proximity to the envelope wall of the radiant source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said tubes provide a plurality of independent helical flow paths through said annulus for conveying fluids through the annulus simultaneously.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said tubes have flexible pressure-responsive walls, said tubes being of flattened cross sectional configuration with their minimum cross sectional dimensions radially of said source, said tubes normally functioning under relatively high fluid pressure in pressure contact with the radiant source, said tubes being capable of relaxing in response to lowered fluid pressure therein to release the pressure of the tubes against the source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said runs extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the radiant source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination as set forth in claim 5 in which the tubes coact to form a single flow passage having alternately reversed flow portions extending between opposite end portions of the radiant source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said tubes are formed of fluorinated ethylene propylene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said tubes have plastic pressure-responsive walls; and in which the tubes are surrounded by adjacent housing structure in pressure contact therewith whereby the adjacent housing structure reinforces the plastic walls.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as set forth in claim 8 in which said tubes are confined side-by-side in pressure contact with each other for reinforcement against their internal pressures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1, which includes a separate housing enclosing the tubes; in which helical ribs cooperate with the envelope wall of the radiant source And said housing to form helical spaces between the source and the housing; and in which the fluid flows through said helical spaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combination as set forth in claim 10 in which the tubes are helical and have flexible pressure-responsive plastic walls; and in which said tubes occupy said helical spaces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes reflector means to intercept the radiant energy from said source after the radiant energy passes through said tubes, said reflector means serving to reflect the radiation inwardly through the tubes towards the radiant source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which said relector means is the inner circumferential surface of a housing surrounding the tubes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as set forth in claim 13 in which said inner circumferential surface of the housing is an aluminum surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which said tubes have plastic walls capable of transmitting the radiant energy; and in which said reflector means comprises a coating of reflecting material carried by plastic walls that are on the sides of the tubes that are away from the elongated radiant source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said housing has external cooling fins.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said passage runs coact with the envelope wall of said source of radiant energy to form a flow passage for the fluid to flow in direct with the envelope wall of the source of radiant energy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a device for irradiating fluids, the combination of: an elongate tubular lamp providing a source of radiant energy; and multiple flexible tubes for different fluids to be irradiated, each tube extending along the lamp of said source in close proximity thereto and being conformed to the outer surface configuration of the lamp tube, each tube being of flattened cross sectional configuration with its width a multiple times its thickness and with its thickness dimension extending radially of said source, said multiple tubes extending over at least a major portion of the irradiating surface of said lamp.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a device for irradiating fluids, the combination of: an elongate tubular lamp providing a source of radiant energy; and multiple flexible tubes for different fluids to be irradiated, each tube extending along the lamp of said source in close proximity thereto and being conformed to the outer surface configuration of the lamp tube, each tube being of flattened cross sectional configuration with its width a multiple times its thickness and with its thickness dimension extending radially of said source, said multiple tubes extending over at least a major portion of the irradiating surface of said lamp.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a device for irradiating fluids, the combination of: an elongated lamp source of radiant energy having a peripheral enclosing wall; at least one tube of flexible material extending substantially from one end to the other of said radiant source, said tube being flattened towards said source in transverse cross section; and housing means spaced from the enclosing wall of the radiant source with the flattened tube occupying at least the major portion of the radial dimension of the space between the enclosing wall and the housing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a device for irradiating fluids, the combination of: an elongated lamp source of radiant energy having a peripheral enclosing wall; at least one tube of flexible material extending substantially from one end to the other of said radiant source, said tube being flattened towards said source in transverse cross section; and housing means spaced from the enclosing wall of the radiant source with the flattened tube occupying at least the major portion of the radial dimension of the space between the enclosing wall and the housing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A combination as set forth in claim 19, wherein said housing means confines the passage means to limit expansion in cross section of the passage means in response to fluid pressure in the passage means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
A combination as set forth in claim 20 in which the fluid is under pressure with the flexible walls of the tube in pressure contact with both said housing and said source of radiant energy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which a plurality of tubes extend from one end to the other of the radiant source to carry different fluids.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1969655A
Cited
US2501290A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |