US4054522A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for exposing a fluid to a negative pressure
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-05-17
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Granted: 1977-10-18
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Expires: 1996-05-17
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for exposing a fluid to a negative pressure particularly for degassing liquid containing a gas comprises a double acting piston/cylinder unit of which the cylinder is divided into two chambers by the piston, the volume of one chamber swept by the piston being lesser than that swept by the piston in the other chamber. An inlet for a fluid is made to said one chamber, a conduit connects the two chambers and an outlet is made from the other chamber. Valve means are associated with the conduits to permit controlled reciprocation of the piston within the cylinder and fluid passed from said one chamber to the other is exposed to a negative pressure in the other chamber, gas, in the situation in which the fluid is a gas-containing liquid, forming bubbles in the other chamber or, where the fluid is wholly liquid, a part of that liquid being vaporized. The contents of the other chamber are then passed through the outlet from the other chamber to, where the fluid is a gas-containing liquid, a bubble trap in which the gas is separated from the liquid or, where the fluid is wholly liquid, the gaseous phase or vapor will be condensed upon release of pressure and moved through the outlet to be used as required. In a variation the piston/cylinder structure is replaced by a simple receptacle provided with a flexible diaphragm.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry Pinkerton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:27
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D19/00; B01D19/0063; A; A61; A61M; A61M1/00; A61M1/14; A61M1/16; A61M1/1654; A61M1/1656; A61M1/1658; B01D19/0036; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/2496; Y10T137/2514; Y10T137/2516
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for exposing a fluid to a negative pressure comprising a receptacle, a partition reciprocable in the receptacle and dividing the receptacle into two chambers, means for reciprocating said partition, means for reducing the effective volume swept during reciprocation by said partition in one chamber to be lesser than that swept by said partition in the other chamber, an inlet to said one chamber for the admission of a fluid, conduit means connecting said one chamber and said other chamber to provide liquid communication between said chambers, a fluid outlet from said other chamber and interconnected valve means cooperating with said inlet, said outlet and said conduit means to permit controlled reciprocation of said partition within the receptacle, fluid passed through said conduit from said one chamber to said other chamber expanding to occupy the larger volume of said other chamber by the formation of bubbles in said fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for exposing a fluid to a negative pressure comprising a receptacle, a partition reciprocable in the receptacle and dividing the receptacle into two chambers, means for reciprocating said partition, means for reducing the effective volume swept during reciprocation by said partition in one chamber to be lesser than that swept by said partition in the other chamber, an inlet to said one chamber for the admission of a fluid, conduit means connecting said one chamber and said other chamber to provide liquid communication between said chambers, a fluid outlet from said other chamber and interconnected valve means cooperating with said inlet, said outlet and said conduit means to permit controlled reciprocation of said partition within the receptacle, fluid passed through said conduit from said one chamber to said other chamber expanding to occupy the larger volume of said other chamber by the formation of bubbles in said fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for reducing the effective volume swept by the partition in said one chamber comprises a rod extending from the partition and through said one chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inlet includes means for pressurizing a liquid, said liquid constituting a motive fluid for moving said partition in a direction to expand said one chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein resilient means are provided to move said partition in a direction to expand said other chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein resilient means are provided to move said partition in a direction to expand said other chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising two receptacles, each with a partition and each divided into two chambers by said partition, said partitions being mechanically interconnected and including means for reducing the effective volumes swept by said pistons within one of the chambers of each cylinder to be lesser than those of the other chambers of those cylinders, the lesser volume chamber of one cylinder expanding as the greater volume chamber of the other cylinder expands.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outlet communicates with said other chamber in an upper region of that chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said receptacle comprises a cylinder and said partition, a piston, said cylinder being disposed generally horizontally.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said cylinder is mounted for pivoting movement in a vertical plane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided for connecting said outlet to a device for removing said bubbles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inlet includes means for mixing a solution.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
188 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for mixing a solution comprises a receptacle with a partition dividing the receptacle thereof into two chambers, means for reciprocating said partition within said receptacle, means reducing the effective volume swept by said partition during reciprocation in one chamber to be lesser than that swept by said partition in the other chamber, first conduit means constituting an inlet for a first fluid to said one chamber and connectable to a source of said first fluid, second conduit means connecting said one chamber to said other chamber, third conduit means connected to said other chamber and constituting an outlet for mixed fluids, fourth conduit means constituting an inlet for a second fluid and connectable between a source of a second fluid and said mixing apparatus to cause said second fluid to be added to the first fluid in an amount directly related to the difference in effective volumes of said chambers swept by said piston of said unit and interconnected valve means cooperating in said conduit means to permit controlled reciprocation of said piston of said unit in said cylinder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a liquid outlet of said device for removing said gaseous phase is connected to dialysis apparatus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
179 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said dialysis apparatus comprises a dialyser cell having a membrane dividing said cell into a blood side and a solution side and means for delivering dialysate solution to said solution side of said cell, said means for delivering said solution comprising a hydraulic circuit including a receptacle, a partition reciprocable in said receptacle and dividing said receptacle into two chambers, means reducing the effective volume swept by the partition in one chamber to be lesser than the volume swept by the partition in the other chamber, first conduit means constituting an inlet for the dialysate solution to said one chamber and connectable to a source of the dialysate solution, second conduit means connecting said one chamber to said other chamber and including the dialysis cell, third conduit means connected to the other chamber and constituting an outlet for dialysate mixed with blood wastes, whereby the wastes are caused to be drawn across the membrane in a volume directly related to the difference in effective volume swept by the piston in said cylinder.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
160 words
A hemodialysis system comprising means for preparing a dialysate solution and apparatus for degassing that solution comprising a receptacle, a partition reciprocable in the receptacle and dividing the receptacle into two chambers, means reducing the effective volume swept by said partition, in one chamber to be lesser than that swept by said partition in the other chamber, an inlet to said one chamber for the admission of said solution, conduit means connecting said one chamber and said other chamber, an outlet from said other chamber and interconnected valve means cooperating with said inlet, said outlet and said conduit means to permit controlled reciprocation of said partition within the receptacle, gas entrained in said solution passed from said one chamber to said other chamber forming bubbles to occupy the larger volume of said other chamber and means connecting said outlet to a device for separating said gas the liquid, a liquid outlet from said device being connectable to a dialysis cell.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
160 words
A hemodialysis system comprising means for preparing a dialysate solution and apparatus for degassing that solution comprising a receptacle, a partition reciprocable in the receptacle and dividing the receptacle into two chambers, means reducing the effective volume swept by said partition, in one chamber to be lesser than that swept by said partition in the other chamber, an inlet to said one chamber for the admission of said solution, conduit means connecting said one chamber and said other chamber, an outlet from said other chamber and interconnected valve means cooperating with said inlet, said outlet and said conduit means to permit controlled reciprocation of said partition within the receptacle, gas entrained in said solution passed from said one chamber to said other chamber forming bubbles to occupy the larger volume of said other chamber and means connecting said outlet to a device for separating said gas the liquid, a liquid outlet from said device being connectable to a dialysis cell.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said receptacles are aligned and said partitions are coupled by a rod, said rod extending through adjacent walls of said receptacles and constituting said means for reducing the effective volume of said chambers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said device for removing said bubbles of said fluid comprises a bubble trap having a gas outlet and a liquid outlet.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
56 words
The method of exposing a fluid to a negative pressure within a closed system which comprises delivering a determined volume of that fluid to a first chamber, making a connection from that first chamber to a second, larger chamber, causing said determined volume to be transferred and expanded, through said connection, to fill said second chamber.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
56 words
The method of exposing a fluid to a negative pressure within a closed system which comprises delivering a determined volume of that fluid to a first chamber, making a connection from that first chamber to a second, larger chamber, causing said determined volume to be transferred and expanded, through said connection, to fill said second chamber.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of degassing a liquid in a closed system which comprises delivering a determined volume of said liquid to a first chamber of a closed system, making a connection from that first chamber to a second larger chamber of the system, causing said determined volume to be transferred, through said connection, to said second chamber, to expand in said chamber and release a gaseous phase and thereafter, passing said liquid and gaseous phases from said second chamber to separating means.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of degassing a liquid in a closed system which comprises delivering a determined volume of said liquid to a first chamber of a closed system, making a connection from that first chamber to a second larger chamber of the system, causing said determined volume to be transferred, through said connection, to said second chamber, to expand in said chamber and release a gaseous phase and thereafter, passing said liquid and gaseous phases from said second chamber to separating means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for mixing a solution comprises a first receiving chamber receiving a predetermined volume of a primary liquid, a second receiving chamber, means connecting said chambers, means transporting liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber through said connecting means, inlet means for a secondary liquid communicating with said connecting means and means rendering the volume of said second chamber greater than the predetermined volume of primary liquid whereby secondary liquid is delivered through said connecting means to fill, with said primary liquid, said second chamber.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said dialysis apparatus comprises a dialyzer cell having blood and dialysate solution sides, a first receiving chamber receiving a determined volume a dialysate solution from said device for removing said gaseous phases, a second receiving chamber, means connecting said chambers to said dialysate solution side of said cell, means transporting liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber through said connecting means and means rendering the volume of said second chamber greater than said predetermined volume of dialysate solution whereby blood wastes are drawn across said cell to fill, with said solution, said second chamber.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said receptacle comprises a cylinder and said partition a piston reciprocable in the cylinder.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition comprises a flexible diaphragm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-10-17 | 1981-04-18 | 1981-10-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-10-17 | 1985-04-18 | 1985-10-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-10-17 | 1989-04-18 | 1989-10-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |