Patent · US Expired

Valve

US5014738A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
11References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 10, 1989
Grant dateMay 14, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 10, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/6579
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A valve, which is particularly useful in the inlet system of a mass spectrometer, has a fluid inlet (60) and a fluid outlet (68). A valve seat (64) is disposed between the fluid inlet (60) and the fluid outlet (68), and a valve closure member in the form of a piston (62) sliding in a cylinder (60), and a diaphragm (56), is engageable with the valve seat. A chamber (77) for receiving coolant (e.g. liquid nitrogen) is located on the side of the diaphragm (56) opposite the valve seat (64), and by thus cooling the diaphragm, fluid material in contact with the valve closure member is also cooled, and preferably condensed or frozen. The invention removes the requirement for a U- or T-shaped cold trap as used in conventional systems.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.