US4224828A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Non-spill gas-liquid contact unit
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
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Filing: 1978-12-04
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Granted: 1980-09-30
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Expires: 1998-12-04
Abstract
Abstract A non-spill gas-liquid contact unit for use in a portable detector device r testing the atmosphere for the presence of hazardous substances. The gas-liquid contact unit includes a tubular chamber for absorber liquid, surmounted by a tubular air chamber removably attached thereto by a fluid tight joint, and a breather tube for drawing environmental air through the absorber liquid. The air chamber possesses an axial gas inlet tube projecting from its lower end for admitting gas from the absorber chamber, and an axial gas outlet tube whose one end projects into the upper end of the air chamber and the other end can be connected to a vacuum pump. The air chamber with its inlet and outlet tubes functions as a lock so that, when the unit is accidentally tilted from the normally vertical position to a horizontal or an inverted position while it is under vacuum, the liquid cannot spill out of the unit and thus nullify the analysis and corrode the vacuum pump.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter A. Steinke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/0004; G01N33/0009; G01N33/0011
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
A non-spill gas-liquid contact unit suitable for use in a portable detector device for testing the atmosphere for the presence of toxic or hazardous substances, comprising in combination: an absorber chamber containing a predetermined volume of absorber liquid and having an open end; an air chamber surmounting said absorber chamber and having an upper end and a lower end; a fluid tight joint means for removably joining said air chamber to said absorber chamber open end; a gas intake tube, centrally located in said absorber chamber and connected to a sidewall opening of said absorber chamber or said air chamber, for drawing gas from the environmental atmosphere into said absorber liquid; a tube-like inlet means in said air chamber lower end, which projects centrally into said absorber chamber open end, for passage of said gas from said absorber chamber into said air chamber; and a tube-like outlet means in said air chamber upper end, which projects centrally into said air chamber, for passage of gas out of said air chamber, wherein the capacity of said absorber chamber is sufficiently large so that when the contact unit is tilted horizontally or inverted the absorber liquid level does not reach the open end of said air chamber inlet means or of said gas intake tube, or if exceeded such that liquid spills into said air chamber, the capacity of the air chamber is sufficiently large so that the liquid level does not reach said air chamber outlet means, while said outlet means is connected to a vacuum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
A non-spill gas-liquid contact unit suitable for use in a portable detector device for testing the atmosphere for the presence of toxic or hazardous substances, comprising in combination: an absorber chamber containing a predetermined volume of absorber liquid and having an open end; an air chamber surmounting said absorber chamber and having an upper end and a lower end; a fluid tight joint means for removably joining said air chamber to said absorber chamber open end; a gas intake tube, centrally located in said absorber chamber and connected to a sidewall opening of said absorber chamber or said air chamber, for drawing gas from the environmental atmosphere into said absorber liquid; a tube-like inlet means in said air chamber lower end, which projects centrally into said absorber chamber open end, for passage of said gas from said absorber chamber into said air chamber; and a tube-like outlet means in said air chamber upper end, which projects centrally into said air chamber, for passage of gas out of said air chamber, wherein the capacity of said absorber chamber is sufficiently large so that when the contact unit is tilted horizontally or inverted the absorber liquid level does not reach the open end of said air chamber inlet means or of said gas intake tube, or if exceeded such that liquid spills into said air chamber, the capacity of the air chamber is sufficiently large so that the liquid level does not reach said air chamber outlet means, while said outlet means is connected to a vacuum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A unit according to claim 1, wherein said absorber chamber and said air chamber possess a generally tubular configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein and said outlet means comprises a tube projecting into said air chamber upper end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A unit according to claim 3, wherein said inlet means comprises a tube projecting from said air chamber lower end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A unit according to claim 3, wherein the outlet tube end of said air chamber is constricted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A unit according to claim 1, wherein said gas intake tube is mounted in a sidewall opening of said absorber chamber and entirely contained therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A unit according to claim 1, wherein said gas intake tube is mounted in a sidewall opening of said air chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fluid tight joint means comprises a ground glass joint.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A unit according to claim 8 wherein the ground glass joint contains a polytetrafluoroethylene sleeve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A unit according to claim 2, wherein said air chamber is joined intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof to said absorber chamber open end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A unit according to claim 2, wherein said air chamber contains at least one external protuberance above said joint means to assist separation of said chamber from said absorber chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of a non-spill gas-liquid contact unit according to claim 1 with a vacuum pump.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a gas-liquid contact unit comprising: a lower chamber for absorber liquid having an open end; an upper chamber having a tube-like inlet means projecting centrally into said lower chamber for passage of gas from said lower chamber into said upper chamber and a tube-like outlet means projecting centrally inwardly into said upper chamber for passage of gas out of said upper chamber; a fluid tight joint means for removably joining said lower chamber to said upper chamber; and a gas intake tube centrally extending into said lower chamber for absorber liquid, the improvement wherein said gas intake tube is mounted in a sidewall opening of said lower chamber and entirely contained therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a gas-liquid contact unit comprising: a lower chamber for absorber liquid having an open end; an upper chamber having a tube-like inlet means projecting centrally into said lower chamber for passage of gas from said lower chamber into said upper chamber and a tube-like outlet means projecting centrally inwardly into said upper chamber for passage of gas out of said upper chamber; a fluid tight joint means for removably joining said lower chamber to said upper chamber; and a gas intake tube centrally extending into said lower chamber for absorber liquid, the improvement wherein said gas intake tube is mounted in a sidewall opening of said lower chamber and entirely contained therein.
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) | 1983-09-30 | 1984-03-31 | 1984-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-09-30 | 1988-03-31 | 1988-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-09-30 | 1992-03-31 | 1992-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |