Isolation fluid control device and water cup

Claim 1

A cup for the containment and separation of two immiscible liquids comprising: (a) a liquid receiving chamber constructed and arranged to receive a non-aqueous first liquid; (b) means for introducing an aqueous second liquid into said liquid receiving chamber, the second liquid being substantially immiscible with the first liquid and having a lower specific gravity than the first liquid, the first liquid forming a lens at the surface of the second liquid; (c) outlet means constructed and arranged to permit liquid to pass from said liquid receiving chamber; (d) liquid level control means constructed and arranged to maintain the level of the lens in said chamber at a preselected height, said liquid level control means including conduit means in fluid communication with said liquid receiving chamber configured so as to cause the second liquid within said liquid receiving chamber to overflow into an overflow chamber when the level of the second liquid rises above a predetermined point and whereby the level of the lens in said chamber is determined by the height of said conduit means; and (e) means for separating the first liquid from the second liquid in said liquid receiving chamber which means includes a porous fluid--selective filter means positioned at the bottom of said fluid receiving chamber between said fluid receiving chamber and said outlet means, said filter means permitting the passage therethrough of the non-aqueous first liquid settling from the lens to the substantial exclusion of the aqueous second liquid.