Liquid sampling apparatus
OwnerJames Morrisinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid sampling apparatus. The liquid sampling apparatus includes a body, a first port, and a second port, and a liquid conduit therebetween. A nose portion is provided adjacent the first port sized and shaped for interfitting engagement with, and for opening of, a biased normally closed outlet valve in a liquid reservoir. When liquid is allowed to exit a liquid reservoir, the sampling apparatus allows flow of the liquid between the ports. The body may be provided having a flexible portion, allowing the second port to be directed at a sampling container. The liquid sampling apparatus maybe constructed in polyethylene or other material suitable for use with the liquid being sampled, such as lubricant.
Claims56
A liquid sampling apparatus, the liquid sampling apparatus for use with a liquid reservoir having a biased, normally closed and openable valve, said liquid sampling apparatus comprising:
- a body, the body extending between a first end and a second end, the body comprising a first port at or near the first end and a second port at or near the second end, the body comprising a flexible structural material and having an internal sidewall defining a liquid conduit providing fluid communication between the first port and the second port;
- said first end further comprising at least one nose portion sized and shaped for interfitting engagement with and opening of the valve;
- and
- adjacent said at least one nose portion, a nose passageway defined by one or more nose passageway wall portions, the nose passageway shaped and sized for receiving and routing liquid to or from the first port.
A liquid sampling apparatus, for extraction of liquid from a liquid reservoir through an openable, engageable, biased lubricant discharge valve, comprising:
- a body, the body extending between a first end and a second end, the body comprising a first port at or near the first end and a second port at or near the second end, the body having an internal sidewall defining a liquid conduit providing fluid communication between the first port and the second port;
- said first end further comprising at least one nose portion sized and shaped for interfitting engagement with and opening of the valve, and adjacent said at least one nose portion, a nose passageway defined by one or more nose passageway wall portions, the nose passageway shaped and sized for receiving and routing liquid to or from the first port;
- wherein said body comprises a flexible structural material having a first portion, an intermediate portion, and a second portion, and along said first portion extends along a primary longitudinal axis, and along said second portion extends along a secondary longitudinal axis, and wherein along said intermediate portion at least a portion of said body is sufficiently flexible so that said first portion and said second portion are displaceable so that said primary longitudinal axis and said secondary longitudinal axis are offset;
- and
- a nose sealing collar for sealing the liquid sampling apparatus against the openable biased lubricant discharge valve so as to avoid leakage of lubricant fluid between the lubricant sampling apparatus and the openable biased lubricant discharge valve, when said at least one nose portion engages the openable biased lubricant discharge valve.
A lubricant fluid sampling kit for extracting lubricant fluid from a mechanical system containing a lubricant fluid and having a lubricant discharge valve, said lubricant fluid sampling kit comprising:
- a container, the container for holding lubricant fluid;
- and
- a liquid sampling apparatus, said liquid sampling apparatus comprising a body, the body extending between a first end and a second end, the body comprising a first port at or near the first end and a second port at or near the second end, the body comprising an internal sidewall defining a liquid conduit providing fluid communication between the first port and the second port, said first end further comprising at least one nose portion sized and shaped for interfitting engagement with and opening of the valve, and adjacent said at least one nose portion, a nose passageway defined by one or more nose passageway wall portions, the nose passageway shaped and sized for receiving and routing liquid to or from the first port, and wherein said body comprises a flexible structural material having a first portion, an intermediate portion, and a second portion, and along said first portion extends along a primary longitudinal axis, and along said second portion extends along a secondary longitudinal axis, and wherein along said intermediate portion at least a portion of said body is sufficiently flexible so that said first portion and said second portion are displaceable so that said primary longitudinal axis and said secondary longitudinal axis are offset, and a nose sealing collar for sealing the liquid sampling apparatus against the lubricant discharge valve so as to avoid leakage of lubricant fluid between the lubricant sampling apparatus and the lubricant discharge valve.
A method for delivering fluid lubricant from a lubricant reservoir to a sample container, comprising:
- obtaining a lubricant sampling apparatus having a fluid lubricant sealing collar;
- connecting said lubricant sampling apparatus to an outlet valve fluidically coupled to said lubricant reservoir, wherein the lubricant sampling apparatus provides a liquid conduit path extending from the outlet valve to a sample container;
- extracting fluid lubricant aliquots;
- and
- wherein connecting the lubricant sampling apparatus manually actuates the outlet valve and provides non-contact deposition of said fluid lubricant aliquots to said sample container during the fluid lubricant extraction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.