US 5,307,685 A · Pressure tester and method of testing therewith

Abstract

Apparatus for, and method of, through-the-valve testing the pressure levels within pressurized containers, particularly aerosol containers, without dispensing the container contents. The apparatus includes a vertically reciprocal head in which a small charge of gas under greater pressure than the highest pressure level to be tested for is isolated in a small chamber. The head is lowered onto a container being tested and an adapter on the bottom of the head interfaces with the valve on the container. The pressure of the charge in the head is released into the adapter and the container valve is actuated to provide a connection between the container pressure and the higher pressure in the head and adapter. Due to its small volume the pressure in the head and adapter readily equalizes to the level of the pressure in the container. This equalized pressure is sensed by a pressure sensor or transducer connected to the chamber in the head.

Claims22

Dependent claims

Apparatus for testing the pressure levels within pressurized containers that have valves which are actuatable from the exterior to provide pressure transmitting connections through the valves into containers being tested, comprising,

a pressure charge isolator having a small volume chamber for receiving and isolating therein a small discrete volume charge of pressurized fluid, said isolator having inlet and outlet connections, first valve means operatively connected with said isolator for alternately connecting said inlet connection to and disconnecting said inlet connection from a source of pressurized fluid, second valve means operatively connected with said isolator for opening and closing said outlet connection, a pressure sensing port in communication with said chamber for sensing the pressure level therein, and adaptor means operatively connected with said second valve means and operatively engageable with the valve of a pressurized container being tested so as to form a sealed pressure transmitting connection between the interior of the pressurized container and said small volume chamber whereby the discrete isolated pressure charge within said small volume chamber when released equalizes to the pressure within the pressurized container and the equalized pressure may be sensed at said pressure sensing port.

Apparatus for ascertaining the pressure levels within pressurized containers that have valves which are actuatable from the exterior to provide pressure transmitting connections through the valves of containers being tested into the container interiors, comprising,

a sleeve-like valve body having a through-bore which has a lower bore section joined at its upper end by a female circumferential valve seat to the lower end of a larger diameter upper bore section,
a valve spool reciprocable within said bore of said valve body and having a lower spool section reciprocally interfitting within said lower bore section and joined at its upper end by a male circumferential valve seat to the lower end of an upper spool section reciprocally interfitting within said upper bore section said male valve seat being matable with said female valve seat,
a protruding spool extension on the lower end of said lower spool section which protrudes below said sleeve-like valve body and which has a hollow lower end,
a vertically unseatable poppet valve member housed within said hollow lower end of said protruding spool extension,
a pressurized container-engaging adapter operatively connected to the lower end of said protruding spool extension for mating engagement with a pressurized container and actuation of its valve, and
means for producing relative axial movement between said valve body and said spool and between said apparatus and a pressurized container to produce said mating engagement between said adapter and container for actuation of its valve,
said valve body having a pressure inlet port connected to the annular space which is formed between said male and female circumferential valve seats when separated,
said valve spool having a transverse inlet passageway which communicates with said annular space and which connects with the upper end of an axial passageway in said spool which at its lower end opens into said hollow lower end of said spool, and
said poppet valve member having an axial passageway therein which at its upper end communicates with the upper portion of the hollow space in the hollow lower end of said protruding spool extension and which at its lower end communicates with an outlet passageway in said poppet valve member which in turn opens into a pressure outlet passageway formed between the lower end of said poppet valve member and the interior of the bottom end of said lower hollow end of said spool which last mentioned passageway is closed when said poppet valve is seated and which is opened when said poppet valve is unseated so as to communicate with said adapter and in turn with said pressure transmitting connection provided by said pressurized container valve.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pressure tester and method of testing therewith

Life of this patent

Pressure tester and method of testing therewith

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22