The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 22, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 09, 1992
Douglas A Newberg, Annapolis, MD (US);
Vjekoslav Pavlin, Adelphi, MD (US);
Richard R Newberg, Royal Oak, MD (US);
Jackson C Yang, Silver Spring, MD (US);
NL Technologies, Limited, Annapolis, MD (US);
University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD (US);
Abstract
An apparatus can withdraw a sample from a vessel or conduit or provide a sample to this vessel or conduit. This apparatus includes a main body with an inlet passage and drain passage. The main body has a longitudinal axis with the axes of the drain passage and inlet passage being inclined relative thereto. A flexible bellows is positioned within an internal cavity of the main body. A sealing tip of the bellows is movable by a valve operating rod to close an orifice to a sample cavity within the body. A sample can be taken from the vessel or conduit, through this sample cavity and out the drain passage to a sampling device when the apparatus is used as a sampler. On the other hand, a sample can be fed through the inlet passage, sample cavity and orifice to the vessel or conduit when the apparatus is used as a feeder/inoculator. Steam, pure dry air and/or a wash medium can be provided through the inlet passage to cleanse the apparatus. Crevices and exposure to moving parts are avoided in the apparatus to prevent contamination of the sample. This apparatus can be retrofitted to existing containers or vessels and can be automatically controlled and monitored.