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:
Oct. 16, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 20, 1999
Robert J. Bryant, Manchester, NH (US);
Lawrence B. Gray, Merrimack, NH (US);
Geoff P. Spencer, Manchester, NH (US);
DEKA Products Limited Partnership, Manchester, NH (US);
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for detecting the presence of a gas in a pump chamber of a pumping system. The methods, and systems employing the methods, involve isolating a pump chamber from its surroundings, for example by closing an inlet and outlet valve on lines to and from the chamber, and determining the volume of the pump chamber with a force applied to a moveable or flexible surface of the pump chamber. The volume of the pump chamber is then redetermined in a similar fashion but with a second, different level of force applied to the surface of the pump chamber. The volumes thus determined can then be compared to detect the presence of a gas in the pump chamber.