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US 4,374,570 AGranted
Sterilized storage container
OwnerRoger S. Sanderson, Robert C. Whelchelinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container lid is released at a desired point in a sterilizing cycle with the actuating movement being provided by an expandable chamber having a quantity of sterilizing environment captured during the sterilizing cycle.
Claims7
An actuator comprising:
- flexible means defining an expandable chamber having opposing end walls, one of said end walls having a hole formed therein;
- an actuator pin secured to the other of said end walls and extending through said chamber and through said hole in a manner which permits the pin to slide within said hole as the chamber expands or contracts while preventing fluid leakage through said hole, said actuator pin having a valve passage extending through one end of the pin and opening to the interior of the chamber to permit environment to enter the chamber;
- and
- including valve means responsive to the temperature of the environment applied to said chamber for automatically closing the valve passage to capture a quantity of said environment in said chamber so that subsequent changes in the environment on the exterior of the chamber will cause the chamber to expand or contract accordingly and cause said actuator pin to slide within said hole when the surrounding end wall is restrained.
1 more element
Control apparatus comprising:
- actuator means for providing an actuating movement responsive to changes in gaseous pressure of the environment surrounding the actuator means;
- and
- said pressure responsive actuator means including temperature responsive means for permitting operation of said pressure responsive means at a predetermined temperature;
- said actuator means including an expandable chamber which is initially open to said pressure, and said temperature responsive means including a valve which closes said chamber at a predetermined temperature, rendering the chamber responsive to surrounding pressure changes.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- applying a gaseous environment to an expandable chamber which is open to the environment;
- closing said chamber automatically by means responsive to the temperature of said environment to capture a volume of the environment within the chamber;
- changing the pressure of the environment surrounding the chamber causing a change in the size of the chamber;
- and
- employing the resulting change in the size of the chamber to provide an actuating movement.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.