Instrument and method for measuring the volume of a hermetically sealed variable volume and pressure conforming container
US7252014B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2006 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F22/02
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An instrument and method for measuring the volume of a hermetically sealed, variable volume, pressure conforming container. The instrument includes a needle, a vacuum pump, a mass flow rate sensor and an integrator. The needle has a lumen operable for sealingly perforating a container and thereby placing the lumen of the needle in fluid communication with a retention chamber defined by the container. The vacuum pump evacuates the gaseous content from the retention chamber through the lumen defined by the needle and past a mass flow rate sensor for sensing mass flow rates pulled through the lumen and transmitting corresponding mass flow rate signals over time to the integrator. The integrator is programmed to integrate the received mass flow rate signals over time through achievement of an evacuated retention chamber to generate a total mass value, and calculate a volume from the total mass value employing the Ideal Gas Law.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.