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. 15, 2013
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2011
Xiao-ying Yu, Richland, WA (US);
LI Yang, Richland, WA (US);
James P. Cowin, Richland, WA (US);
Martin J. Iedema, Richland, WA (US);
Zihua Zhu, Richland, WA (US);
Xiao-Ying Yu, Richland, WA (US);
Li Yang, Richland, WA (US);
James P. Cowin, Richland, WA (US);
Martin J. Iedema, Richland, WA (US);
Zihua Zhu, Richland, WA (US);
Battelle Memorial Institute, Richland, WA (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for supporting a liquid against a vacuum pressure in a chamber can enable analysis of the liquid surface using vacuum-based chemical analysis instruments. No electrical or fluid connections are required to pass through the chamber walls. The systems can include a reservoir, a pump, and a liquid flow path. The reservoir contains a liquid-phase sample. The pump drives flow of the sample from the reservoir, through the liquid flow path, and back to the reservoir. The flow of the sample is not substantially driven by a differential between pressures inside and outside of the liquid flow path. An aperture in the liquid flow path exposes a stable portion of the liquid-phase sample to the vacuum pressure within the chamber. The radius, or size, of the aperture is less than or equal to a critical value required to support a meniscus of the liquid-phase sample by surface tension.