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US 4,392,514 AGranted
Apparatus and method for precision gas mixing
AssigneeQueue Systems, Inc.
InventorsMax F. Farley, Laughton T. Fine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for precisely mixing gases in which solenoid valves sequentially feed separate gases to be mixed to a common pressure regulator and flowmeter.
Claims22
A precision gas mixing apparatus of the type which mixes plural gases in desired proportions by sequentially permitting each gas to flow for selected time durations, which time durations are related to such desired proportions, said system comprising:
- plural nonpressure-regulated input gas flow lines, each having an electrically controllable on/off flow control device connected in series therewith;
- and
- a gas flow rate control means including a serially connected gas pressure regulator and gas flowmeter fluid connected in common to each of said on/off flow control devices for supplying any one of said plural gases at a desired preset gas flow rate whenever the respectively corresponding on/off flow control device is turned on.
An apparatus for mixing gases comprising:
- a plurality of means for conveying separate nonpressure-regulated gases;
- sequencing means connected to said plurality of conveying means for sequentially allowing the exclusive flow of each of said separate gases for a time period related to the desired proportion of each of said separate gases in a desired final mixture;
- pressure regulating and flow control means serially connected in common to sequentially pass the gases allowed to flow by said sequencing means for regulating the pressure and rate of flow of said each of said separate gases therethrough;
- and
- mixing chamber means connected to said regulating means for sequentially receiving each of said separate gases.
2 more elements
An apparatus for mixing gases comprising:
- a plurality of means for conveying nonpressure-regulated gases;
- valve means for each of said plurality of conveying means, each valve means having an inlet connected to its respective conveying means and an outlet connected in common to the outlets of other said valve means, each valve means being responsive to an electric signal, for permitting fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet when said electric signal is present;
- valve control means electrically connected to each valve means for supplying said electric signal to each of said valve means in a serial sequence, the time period of said signal supplied to a given one of said valve means being related to the proportion in a desired final mixture of the gas in said conveying means connected to said inlet of said given valve means;
- mixture selection means electrically connected to said valve control means for permitting selection of the duration of said time period of said signal supplied to said valve means;
- gas pressure and flow regulating means serially connected in common to said outlets of said valve means for regulating the pressure and rate of flow of gas sequentially flowing from said outlets, said flow regulating means including a pressure regulator and a flowmeter;
- and
- mixing chamber means connected to said flow regulating means for receiving gas from said flow regulating means.
4 more elements
An apparatus for mixing gases comprising:
- a plurality of means for conveying nonpressure-regulated gas;
- valve means for each of said plurality of conveying means, each having an inlet connected to said conveying means and an outlet connected to the outlets of other said valve means, and responsive to an electric signal, for permitting fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet when said electric signal is present;
- valve control means electrically connected to said valve means for supplying said electric signal to each of said valve means in a serial sequence, the time period of said signal supplied to a given one of said valve means being related to the proportion in a desired final mixture of the gas in said conveying means connected to said inlet of said given valve means;
- mixture selection means electrically connected to said valve control means for permitting selection of said time period of said signal supplied to said valve means;
- gas pressure and flow regulating means serially connected in common to said outlets of said valve means for regulating the pressure and rate of flow of gas sequentially flowing from said outlets, said flow regulating means including a pressure regulator and a flowmeter;
- mixing chamber means connected to said flow regulating means for receiving gas from said flow regulating means and containing said gas as said gas mixes with gas already in said mixing chamber, said mixing means further including leaking means for permitting escape of said gas already in said mixing chamber displaced by said gas;
- and
- means connected to said valve control means for causing a predetermined variation of the absolute durations of said time periods selected with said mixture selection means in order to purge said mixing chamber of an unwanted gas composition, said predetermined variation being followed by an automatic reversion of said time periods to said durations selected withsaid mixture selection means.
5 more elements
A method of combining a plurality of separate gases into a desired final mixture comprising the steps of:
- (a) sequentially allowing the exclusive flow of each of said plurality of separate nonpressure-regulated gases for a time period related to the desired proportion of each of said plurality of separate gases in said desired final mixture;
- (b) regulating the pressure and rate of flow of each of said plurality of separate gases with a common serially connected gas pressure and flow regulation means to be used in turn by each of said plurality of separate gases;
- (c) introducing said each of said plurality of separate gases into a mixing chamber where said desired final mixture is to be maintained;
- and
- (d) repeating said steps (a), (b), and (c).
2 more elements
A method of combining a plurality of separate gases having different respective pressures into a desired final mixture comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting the relative durations that each of said plurality of separate gases is to flow;
- (b) generating electric signals of durations related respectively to each of said relative durations that each of said plurality of separate gases is to flow;
- (c) sequentially applying said signals to solenoid valves, each of which controls the flow of one of said plurality of separate gases, so as to cause each of said solenoid valves to open in its turn, thus permitting the sequential flow of each of said plurality of gases;
- (d) regulating the pressure and rate of flow of said each of said plurality of gases with common pressure and flow regulating means used in turn by said each of said plurality of gases;
- (e) introducing each of said plurality of gases into a mixing chamber where said desired final mixture is to be maintained;
- (f) exhausting mixed gas already present in said mixing chamber which is displaced by said each of said plurality of gases;
- and
- repeating said steps (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).
5 more elements
A method of mixing plural gases in desired proportions by sequentially permitting each gas to flow for selectable time durations, said method comprising the steps of:
- automatically sequentially and individually connecting an unregulated pressure source of each gas to a common gas pressure and flow rate control mechanism which feeds a common gas mixing chamber for the respective desired selectable time durations, and
- cyclically repeating such sequential connections.
A gas mixing apparatus comprising:
- N input unregulated gas flow lines;
- an electrically controllable on/off flow control device connected in series with each of said N lines;
- gas pressure and flow rate determining mechanism connected in common to all N of said on/off control devices to receive gas from said on/off flow control devices and to provide as output respectively corresponding metered gas flows;
- a clock source of regular clock pulses;
- a digital counter connected to cyclically count said clock pulses;
- manually operable digital switches;
- a digital signal processing device connected to said counter and to said switches cyclically providing N output control signals at N successive relative elapsed times determined by the setting of said switches, said N control signals being connected to control respective ones of said N on/off flow control devices.
4 more elements
A precision gas mixing apparatus of the type which mixes plural gases in desired proportions by sequentially permitting each gas to flow for selected time durations, which time durations are related to such desired proportions, said system comprising:
- plural input gas flow lines, each having an electrically controllable on/off flow control device connected in series therewith;
- a gas flow rate control means fluid connected in common to each of said on/off flow control devices for supplying any one of said plural gases at a desired preset gas flow rate whenever the respectively corresponding on/off flow control device is turned on;
- and
- a digital electronic control circuit means connected to provide separate electrical signals for controlling each of said on/off flow control devices;
- said digital electronic control circuit means comprising:
- a clock providing output pulses at a predetermined rate,
- a digital counter connected to cyclically count a predetermined number of said output pulses,
- programmable digital value input means for manually defining desired digital electrical signals, and
- digital signal comparison and driving circuit means connected to said digital counter and to said digital value input means for providing sequential output signals having relative time durations proportional to the respectively corresponding manually defined digital electrical signals.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.