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US 5,743,343 AGranted
Method and apparatus for fluid and soil sampling
AssigneeSimulProbe Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNoah Heller, Jeffrey Barrow, Jeffrey Gamble
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sampling device includes a barrel having a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior. A fluid entrance penetrates the exterior surface. A fluid path having an outlet port is fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance. The device is driven into a subsurface so that a soil sample is forced into the hollow interior. While the device is still in the subsurface a fluid sample is collected through the least one fluid entrance and fluid path.
Claims28
A sampling device for collecting a fluid sample and a soil sample from a subsurface, comprising;
- a barrel including a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior, the hollow interior being configured to receive a soil sample;
- a fluid entrance penetrating an exterior surface of the barrel;
- a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance;
- and
- means for drawing a fluid sample into the fluid path.
2 more elements
A sampling device for collecting a fluid sample and a soil sample from a subsurface, comprising;
- a barrel including a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior, the hollow interior being configured to receive a soil sample;
- a fluid entrance penetrating an exterior surface of the barrel;
- a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance;
- and
- a fluid sample chamber fluidly coupled to the fluid path;
- the fluid sample chamber including a first one-way valve permitting a fluid flow from the fluid path to the fluid sample chamber and a second one-way valve permitting a fluid flow out of the sample chamber, the fluid sample chamber being removable from a remainder of the sampling device.
3 more elements
A method of collecting a soil sample and a fluid sample from a subsurface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device including a barrel having a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at a downhole end of the hollow interior, the sampling device also having a fluid entrance, a fluid path, and a fluid sample chamber, the fluid entrance being fluidly coupled to the fluid path and the fluid path being fluidly coupled to the fluid sample chamber;
- driving the downhole end of the sampling device into a subsurface so that a soil sample of the subsurface is forced through the open end and into the hollow interior;
- collecting a fluid sample from the subsurface at least after the driving step has been initiated and while the sampling device is within the subsurface, the fluid sample being collected in the fluid sample chamber via the fluid entrance and the fluid path;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface and recovering the soil sample and the fluid sample.
2 more elements
An environmental sampling device, comprising:
- a barrel including a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior;
- a fluid entrance penetrating at least one of the interior and exterior surfaces;
- a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance;
- a tip having a releasing mechanism movable between a first position and a second position, the tip being drivingly coupled to the barrel and covering the open end of the barrel when the releasing mechanism is in the first position, the tip being displaceable from the open end when the releasing mechanism is in the second position;
- and
- a drive shoe movable between a driving position, in which the drive shoe assembly covers the fluid entrance, and a sampling position, in which the drive shoe is spaced apart from the fluid entrance.
3 more elements
An environmental sampling device, comprising:
- a barrel including a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior;
- a tip having a releasing mechanism, the releasing mechanism having a first position and a second position, the tip being drivingly coupled to the barrel and covering the open end of the barrel when the releasing mechanism is in the first position, the tip being displaceable from the open end when the releasing mechanism is in the second position;
- and
- a drive shoe coupled to the barrel and being movable relative to the barrel between a driving position and a releasing position, wherein a portion of the exterior surface of the barrel is covered by the drive shoe when the drive shoe is in the driving position, wherein said portion of the exterior surface of the barrel is exposed when the drive shoe is in the releasing position, and wherein the drive shoe is displaced toward the downhole end relative to the barrel when moving from the driving position to the releasing position;
- wherein the tip is operably coupled to the drive shoe so that the releasing mechanism is in the first position when the drive shoe is in the driving position, the releasing mechanism moving to the second position when the drive shoe moves from the driving position to the releasing position.
2 more elements
An environmental sampling device, comprising:
- a barrel including a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior;
- a tip having a releasing mechanism, the releasing mechanism having a first position and a second position, the tip being drivingly coupled to the barrel and covering the open end of the barrel when the releasing mechanism is in the first position, the tip being displaceable from the open end when the releasing mechanism is in the second position;
- and
- a drive shoe coupled to the barrel and being movable relative to the barrel between a driving position and a releasing position, wherein the drive shoe is displaced toward the downhole end relative to the barrel when moving from the driving position to the releasing position;
- wherein the tip is operably coupled to the drive shoe so that the releasing mechanism is in the first position when the drive shoe is in the driving position, the releasing mechanism moving to the second position when the drive shoe moves from the driving position to the releasing position;
- the tip including a retractor having at least one arm resiliently coupled to a remainder of the tip by a spring member, the arm being drivingly coupled to the barrel when the tip is in the first position, and the retractors being displaced away from the barrel by the spring member when the releasing mechanism moves from the first position to the second position.
3 more elements
A method of collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device having an exterior surface, a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, a soil gas entrance independent of the hollow interior, and a soil gas path fluidly coupled to the soil gas entrance;
- driving the sampling device into a subsurface so that a soil sample enters the hollow interior;
- drawing a soil gas sample from the subsurface through the soil gas entrance and the soil gas path;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the driving and drawing steps.
2 more elements
A method of collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device having an exterior surface, a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, a soil gas entrance penetrating the exterior surface of the sampling device, and a soil gas path fluidly coupled to the soil gas entrance;
- driving the sampling device into a subsurface so that a soil sample enters the hollow interior;
- drawing a soil gas sample from the subsurface through the soil gas entrance and the soil gas path;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the driving and drawing steps.
2 more elements
An environmental sampling device for collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising:
- a barrel having an exterior surface, a soil gas entrance, a soil gas path, an interior surface defining a hollow interior and lying between the exterior surface and the hollow interior, and an open end leading to the hollow interior, the soil gas entrance penetrating at least one of the interior and exterior surfaces and being fluidly coupled to the soil gas path, the hollow interior being configured to receive a soil sample when the sampling device is driven into a subsurface;
- and
- means for drawing a soil gas sample through the soil gas entrance and through the soil gas path.
An environmental sampling device for collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising:
- a barrel having an exterior surface a soil gas entrance, a soil gas path, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end leading to the hollow interior, the soil gas entrance penetrating the exterior surface and being fluidly couple to the soil gas path, the hollow interior being configured to receive soil sample when the sampling device is driven into a subsurface;
- and
- means for drawing a soil gas sample through the soil gas entrance and through the soil gas path.
A method of collecting a soil sample and a fluid sample from a subsurface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device having a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, a fluid entrance, and a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance, the sampling device also having a drive tip;
- advancing the sampling device into the subsurface with the drive tip covering the open end thereby preventing subsurface material from entering the hollow interior during the advancing step;
- driving the sampling device into a subsurface so that a soil sample enters the hollow interior, the drive tip being displaced into the hollow interior of the sampling device;
- collecting a fluid sample through the fluid entrance and the fluid path;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the advancing, driving and collecting steps.
3 more elements
A method of environmental sampling, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device having a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, a fluid entrance independent of the hollow interior, and a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance;
- driving the sampling device into the subsurface so that a soil sample enters the hollow interior;
- collecting a fluid sample through the fluid entrance and the fluid path;
- preventing a fluid flow through the fluid entrance before the collecting step;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the driving and collecting steps.
3 more elements
A method of environmental sampling, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device having a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, a fluid entrance penetrating an exterior surface of the sampling device, and a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance;
- driving the sampling device into the subsurface so that the soil sample enters the hollow interior;
- collecting a fluid sample through the fluid entrance and the fluid path;
- preventing a fluid flow through the fluid entrance before the collecting step;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the driving and collecting steps.
3 more elements
An environmental sampling device for collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising:
- a barrel having an exterior surface, a soil gas entrance, a soil gas path, an interior surface defining a hollow interior and lying between the interior surface and the hollow interior, and an open end leading to the hollow interior, the soil gas entrance penetrating at least one of the interior and exterior surfaces and being fluidly coupled to the soil gas path, the hollow interior being configured to receive a soil sample when the barrel is driven into a subsurface;
- and
- means for blocking a fluid flow into the soil gas entrance, the blocking means being movable to an open position which permits a fluid flow into the soil gas entrance.
An environmental sampling device for collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising:
- a barrel having an exterior surface, a soil gas entrance penetrates the interior surface of the barrel, a soil gas path, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end leading to the hollow interior, the soil gas entrance penetrating at least one of the interior and exterior surface and being fluidly coupled to the soil gas path, the hollow interior being configured to receiver a soil sample when the barrel is driven into a subsurface;
- and
- means for blocking fluid flow into the soil gas entrance, the blocking means being movable to an open position which permits a fluid flow into the soil gas entrance.
A method of collecting a soil sample and a soil gas sample, comprising the step of:
- providing a sampling device having an exterior surface, a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample and having an open end covered by a drive tip, the sampling device further including a soil gas entrance, and a soil gas path fluidly coupled to the soil gas entrance;
- advancing the sampling device into a subsurface, the advancing step being carried out with the drive tip covering the open end thereby preventing subsurface material from entering the hollow interior during the advancing step;
- driving the sampling device into the subsurface so that a soil sample enters the hollow interior and so that the drive tip is displaced into the hollow interior;
- drawing a soil gas sample from the subsurface through the soil gas entrance and the soil gas path;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the driving and drawing steps.
3 more elements
An environmental sampling method comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling device having a hollow interior configured to receive a soil sample, a fluid entrance, and a fluid path fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance, the hollow interior having an open end, the open end being covered by a drive tip;
- advancing the sampling device into a subsurface, the advancing step being carried out with the drive tip covering the open end thereby preventing subsurface material from entering the hollow interior;
- driving the sampling device into the subsurface so that a soil sample enters the hollow interior the driving step being carried out so that the drive tip is displaced into the hollow interior;
- collecting a fluid sample through the fluid entrance and the fluid path;
- preventing a fluid flow through the fluid entrance before the collecting step;
- and
- removing the sampling device from the subsurface after the driving and collecting steps.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.