TOOL FOR TRANSFERRING CONTROLLED AMOUNTS OF FLUID INTO AND FROM A FLUID FLOW CIRCUIT
First Claim
1. A tool for transferring controlled amounts of fluid into and from a fluid flow circuit, said tool comprising:
- a substantially closed tube having a first end and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, and a chamber defined therein;
an elongate plunger having a fore end extending inside said chamber and toward said second end of said tube, an aft end extending outside said chamber and from said first end of said tube, a piston-like structure on said fore end adapted for establishing and maintaining close sliding contact and a tight seal between the periphery of said piston-like structure and said inner surface of said tube along the length of said tube, and a manipulable structure on said aft end adapted for adjusting the position of said piston-like structure within said chamber of said tube;
a fluid inlet duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube;
a first coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid inlet duct for connecting said fluid inlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit;
a fluid outlet duct having a proximal end mounted on said second end of said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube;
a second coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid outlet duct for connecting said fluid outlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit; and
a fluid transfer duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tool for transferring controlled amounts of fluid into and from a fluid flow circuit is disclosed herein. The tool includes a substantially closed tube having a first end, a second end, and a chamber therein; an elongate plunger having a fore end extending inside the chamber and toward the second end of the tube, an aft end extending outside the chamber and from the first end of the tube, a piston-like structure on the fore end, and a manipulable structure on the aft end; a fluid inlet duct mounted on the tube; a first coupler mounted on the fluid inlet duct for connecting the duct with the fluid flow circuit; a fluid outlet duct mounted on the second end of the tube; a second coupler mounted on the fluid outlet duct for connecting the duct with the fluid flow circuit; and a fluid transfer duct mounted on the tube.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A tool for transferring controlled amounts of fluid into and from a fluid flow circuit, said tool comprising:
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a substantially closed tube having a first end and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, and a chamber defined therein;
an elongate plunger having a fore end extending inside said chamber and toward said second end of said tube, an aft end extending outside said chamber and from said first end of said tube, a piston-like structure on said fore end adapted for establishing and maintaining close sliding contact and a tight seal between the periphery of said piston-like structure and said inner surface of said tube along the length of said tube, and a manipulable structure on said aft end adapted for adjusting the position of said piston-like structure within said chamber of said tube;
a fluid inlet duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube;
a first coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid inlet duct for connecting said fluid inlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit;
a fluid outlet duct having a proximal end mounted on said second end of said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube;
a second coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid outlet duct for connecting said fluid outlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit; and
a fluid transfer duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A service tool for injecting and drawing controlled amounts of liquid into and from a fluid flow circuit with minimal spillage and without introducing significant amounts of air into said fluid flow circuit, said service tool comprising:
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a substantially closed tube comprising translucent material and having a first end and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, a chamber defined therein, and graduated markings along the length of said tube;
an elongate plunger having a fore end extending inside said chamber and toward said second end of said tube, an aft end extending outside said chamber and from said first end of said tube, a piston-like structure on said fore end adapted for establishing and maintaining close sliding contact and a tight seal between the periphery of said piston-like structure and said inner surface of said tube along the length of said tube, and a manipulable structure on said aft end adapted for adjusting the position of said piston-like structure within said chamber of said tube;
a fluid inlet duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube;
a first coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid inlet duct for connecting said fluid inlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit, said first coupler including an automatic shut-off valve;
a fluid outlet duct having a proximal end mounted on said second end of said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube;
a second coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid outlet duct for connecting said fluid outlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit, said second coupler including an automatic shut-off valve; and
a fluid transfer duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube, said fluid transfer duct including an adjustable control valve.
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19. A composite tool for (i) transferring controlled amounts of fluid into and from a fluid flow circuit, (ii) separating out gas bubbles from liquid circulating through said fluid flow circuit, and (iii) monitoring the rate of fluid flow through said fluid flow circuit, said composite tool comprising:
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a tool for transferring controlled amounts of fluid into and from said fluid flow circuit;
a device for removing gas bubbles from a liquid; and
a fluid flow meter;
wherein said fluid transfer tool, said gas bubble removal device, and said fluid flow meter are integrated together in an interoperable fashion so as to be in fluid communication with each other and cooperatively define at least one fluid flow service path through said composite tool.
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20. A composite service tool for (i) injecting and drawing controlled amounts of liquid into and from a fluid flow circuit with minimal spillage and without introducing significant amounts of air into said fluid flow circuit, (ii) separating out gas bubbles from liquid circulating through said fluid flow circuit, and (iii) monitoring the rate of fluid flow through said fluid flow circuit, said composite service tool comprising:
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a substantially closed tube comprising translucent material and having a first end and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, a chamber defined therein, a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port at said second end, and graduated markings along the length of said tube;
an elongate plunger having a fore end extending inside said chamber and toward said second end of said tube, an aft end extending outside said chamber and from said first end of said tube, a piston-like structure on said fore end adapted for establishing and maintaining close sliding contact and a tight seal between the periphery of said piston-like structure and said inner surface of said tube along the length of said tube, and a manipulable structure on said aft end adapted for adjusting the position of said piston-like structure within said chamber of said tube;
a fluid inlet duct having a proximal end and a distal end;
a first coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid inlet duct for connecting said fluid inlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit, said first coupler including an automatic shut-off valve;
a fluid outlet duct having a proximal end and a distal end;
a second coupler mounted on said distal end of said fluid outlet duct for connecting said fluid outlet duct in line with said fluid flow circuit, said second coupler including an automatic shut-off valve;
a fluid transfer duct having a proximal end mounted on said tube so as to be in fluid communication with said chamber inside said tube, and a distal end extending from said tube, said fluid transfer duct including an adjustable control valve;
a device for removing gas bubbles from a liquid; and
a fluid flow meter;
wherein said tube, said gas bubble removal device, and said fluid flow meter are integrated together and connected between said proximal end of said fluid inlet duct and said proximal end of said fluid outlet duct in an interoperable fashion so as to be in fluid communication with each other and cooperatively define at least one fluid flow service path through said composite service tool.
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Specification