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:
Apr. 03, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2009
Charles H. Wick, Darlington, MD (US);
Charles H. Wick, Darlington, MD (US);
The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A concentrator device and method of concentrating a liquid sample may be provided. The concentrator device may include a pressure vessel and a filter element disposed within the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel may include an inlet configured to introduce pressurized air into a first portion of the pressure vessel and a first outlet fluidly coupled with a second portion of the pressure vessel. The first outlet may be adapted to be selectively opened and closed. A second outlet may be configured to receive a capillary tube inserted into the first portion of the pressure vessel. The filter element may be configured to receive a liquid sample to be concentrated. The filter element may substantially separate the first portion of the pressure vessel from the second portion of the pressure vessel and may define a retentate side adjacent to the first portion and a filtrate side adjacent to the second portion. When pressurized air is introduced through the inlet and the first outlet is open, a filtrate of the liquid sample received in the filter element may pass from the retentate side to the filtrate side such that a concentrated retentate of the liquid sample remains on the retentate side. When the first outlet is closed, the concentrated retentate of the liquid sample may be forced out through the capillary tube.