US4818489A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for sampling breath air at the workplace
Assignee: BERTHOLD & Co KG A GERMAN Corp GmbH
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Filing: 1986-12-02
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Granted: 1989-04-04
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Expires: 2006-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A pocket instrument for sampling breath air in situ, includes a microprocessor-controlled directional control valve with needles at an outlet to which needle the sample vessels are attached. The directional control valve is arranged to be connected through another outlet to the atmosphere and to a collecting chamber respectively, which collecting chamber is provided with a feeding device for accommodating and delivering the breath air.
Inventors
- 👤 Winfried Gonner
- 👤 Bruno Kolb
- 👤 Gottfried Machata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 04:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/08; G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/02; G01N1/22; G01N1/2273; A61B5/082; G01N1/2247; G01N1/10; G01N1/20; G01N1/2035; G01N2001/2071; G01N2001/2085; G01N2001/2276; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/497; G01N35/00; G01N35/10; G01N35/1079; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/90; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/20; Y10T436/203332; Y10T436/204165
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
318 words
An automatic breath air sampling device comprising a directional control valve having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, a mouthpiece communicating with said inlet for exhaling breath air into said control valve, needle means communicating with said first outlet for conducting breath air into a sealed sample vessel, a sealed sample vessel for holding a breath air sample for testing, said vessel being adapted to be pushed onto said needle means to receive breath air therefrom, a sample vessel carrier means for movably mounting said vessel and for driving said vessel into fluid communication with said needle means thereby enabling said vessel to receive a breath air sample, said control valve being switchable between at least first and second operating positions with said control valve being configured in said first position for diverting breath air from said inlet to discharge from said second outlet so as to rinse said control valve of dilutants and pollutants with breath air prior to sampling for purpose of preventing introduction of dilutants and pollutants into the sample vessel in said second position and said control valve being configured in said second position for discharging sample breath air through said needle means into said sample vessel, pressure sensor means for sensing a predetermined minimum flow of breath air from said second outlet when said control valve is switched to said first position, timing means for establishing a fixed predetermined time interval after said pressure sensor means senses said predetermined minimum flow, said time interval being predetermined for adequate rinsing of said control valve of sample dilutants and pollutants with breath air, and control means for controlling said vessel carrier means to drive said vessel into communication with said needle means and for switching said control valve to said second position after said timing means determines said time interval has elasped where said control valve is rinsed of dilutants and pollutants.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
318 words
An automatic breath air sampling device comprising a directional control valve having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, a mouthpiece communicating with said inlet for exhaling breath air into said control valve, needle means communicating with said first outlet for conducting breath air into a sealed sample vessel, a sealed sample vessel for holding a breath air sample for testing, said vessel being adapted to be pushed onto said needle means to receive breath air therefrom, a sample vessel carrier means for movably mounting said vessel and for driving said vessel into fluid communication with said needle means thereby enabling said vessel to receive a breath air sample, said control valve being switchable between at least first and second operating positions with said control valve being configured in said first position for diverting breath air from said inlet to discharge from said second outlet so as to rinse said control valve of dilutants and pollutants with breath air prior to sampling for purpose of preventing introduction of dilutants and pollutants into the sample vessel in said second position and said control valve being configured in said second position for discharging sample breath air through said needle means into said sample vessel, pressure sensor means for sensing a predetermined minimum flow of breath air from said second outlet when said control valve is switched to said first position, timing means for establishing a fixed predetermined time interval after said pressure sensor means senses said predetermined minimum flow, said time interval being predetermined for adequate rinsing of said control valve of sample dilutants and pollutants with breath air, and control means for controlling said vessel carrier means to drive said vessel into communication with said needle means and for switching said control valve to said second position after said timing means determines said time interval has elasped where said control valve is rinsed of dilutants and pollutants.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said control valve is configured to divert breath air from said inlet to said second outlet in said first position and from said inlet to said first outlet in said second position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said control means controls said vessel carrier means to drive said vessel into communication with said needle means upon said pressor sensor means sensing a predetermined minimum flow rate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising means for exhausting said second outlet of said control valve to atmosphere during said first time interval.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
168 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said needle means comprises two needles, and said device further comprises means for determining second predetermined time interval sufficient to rinse said a sample vessel of dilutants and pollutants with breath air from said mouthpiece, said control valve being configured for a third intermediate operating position with (a) breath air being diverted from said inlet to said second outlet in said first position, (b) breath air being diverted from said inlet through said needle means into said vessel in said second position, and (c) one of said needles being exhausted to atmosphere and breath air being diverted for said inlet through said other needle into said vessel in said third position, and said control means having means for switching said control valve to said third position at the end of said first time interval and actuating said means for determining a second time interval and for switching said control valve to said second position at the end of said second time interval.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
177 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising a collecting chamber for holding breath air, connector means for providing fluid communication between said second outlet of said control valve and said collecting chamber, said connector means having a intermediate valve and a bore providing communication between said second outlet and atmosphere through said intermediate valve, feeding means connected to said chamber for feeding breath air into and from said collecting chamber, and said control means further comprising means for controlling said intermediate valve to be open during said time interval so as to discharge breath air from said second outlet of said control valve to atmosphere and to be closed at the end of said time interval and means for controlling said feeding means for feeding breath air into said collecting chamber when said intermediate valve is closed at the end of said time interval and for feeding breath air from said collecting chamber when said control valve is switched to said second position so as to feed breath air from said collecting chamber into said sample vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said collecting chamber is of sufficient capacity for holding breath air for filling a plurality of sample vessels and said control means further comprises means for controlling said control valve, said feeding means and said vessel carrier means for filling a plurality of sample vessels in seriatim from said collecting chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 6 comprising an approximately pocket-size sampling device housing means providing a self-contained portable housing for said breath air sampling device with said control means comprising microprocessor means for automatic control.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said needle means comprises two needles, and said device further comprises means for determining a second predetermined time interval when said feeding means begins feeding breath air into said sample vessel, said second time interval being sufficient to rinse said sample vessel of dilutants and pollutants with breath air from said collecting chamber, and exhaust means for connecting one of said needles to atmosphere for said second time period for rinsing said sample vessel with breath air prior to filling the sample vessel with breath air to be tested and wherein said control means further comprises means for disengaging said vessel from said needle means after said second interval has elasped.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said feeding means comprises a piston pump configured for reciprocal movement within said collecting chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said control valve is configured to divert breath air from said inlet to said second outlet in said first position and from said second outlet to said first outlet in said second position.
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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) | 1992-04-03 | 1992-10-03 | 1993-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-04-03 | 1996-10-03 | 1997-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-04-03 | 2000-10-03 | 2001-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |