Probe inlet apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A probe inlet apparatus for facilitating the introduction of an elongated probe member into an isolated environment, the inlet apparatus comprising:
- (a) an inlet housing having an inlet housing cavity extending therethrough through which the elongated probe member may pass;
(b) annular seal means connected to the inlet housing for providing an annular seal around the probe member so that fluid may not flow through the inlet housing cavity when the probe member is received through said cavity;
(c) an inner seal seat mounted toward an inner end of the inlet housing from the annular seal means, the inner seal seat having a seat opening through which the probe member may pass when the probe member is extended completely through the inlet housing cavity;
(d) seal member positioning means associated with the inlet housing for providing a magnetic positioning force; and
(e) a seal member responsive to the magnetic positioning force to be positioned in a seated position against the inner seal seat over the seat opening for preventing fluid from flowing through the inlet housing cavity from the seal opening toward the annular seal means, and adapted to be contacted and moved to an unseated position against said magnetic positioning force by the probe member as the probe member is inserted through the seat opening toward the inner end of the inlet housing from the annular seal means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe inlet apparatus comprises an annular seal member and an inner seal device both mounted within an inlet housing having an inlet housing cavity extending therethrough. The inner seal device comprises a seat member connected to the inlet housing and a seal member ball adapted to seat against a seat member opening to form an inner seal. The seal member is responsive to a magnetic seal member positioning force produced by a suitable magnetic associated with the inlet housing to be held in the seated position so as to form the inner seal. An elongated probe may be inserted through the inlet housing cavity to first form an annular seal with the annular seal member and then to contact and displace the seal member against the magnetic positioning force from its seated position to an unseated position allowing the probe member to reach a desired probe depth. As the probe member is withdrawn from the inlet housing, the magnetic seal member positioning force moves the seal member back to the seated position to reestablish the inner seal before the probe is removed from the annular seal member to break the annular seal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A probe inlet apparatus for facilitating the introduction of an elongated probe member into an isolated environment, the inlet apparatus comprising:
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(a) an inlet housing having an inlet housing cavity extending therethrough through which the elongated probe member may pass; (b) annular seal means connected to the inlet housing for providing an annular seal around the probe member so that fluid may not flow through the inlet housing cavity when the probe member is received through said cavity; (c) an inner seal seat mounted toward an inner end of the inlet housing from the annular seal means, the inner seal seat having a seat opening through which the probe member may pass when the probe member is extended completely through the inlet housing cavity; (d) seal member positioning means associated with the inlet housing for providing a magnetic positioning force; and (e) a seal member responsive to the magnetic positioning force to be positioned in a seated position against the inner seal seat over the seat opening for preventing fluid from flowing through the inlet housing cavity from the seal opening toward the annular seal means, and adapted to be contacted and moved to an unseated position against said magnetic positioning force by the probe member as the probe member is inserted through the seat opening toward the inner end of the inlet housing from the annular seal means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A probe inlet apparatus for facilitating the introduction of an elongated probe member into an isolated environment, the inlet apparatus comprising:
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(a) a seat member having a seat member opening into the isolated environment; (b) annular seal means for receiving the probe member and forming an annular seal around the probe member when the probe member is received therethrough; (c) an inlet housing connected to the inlet seat member and the annular seal means so as to form an inlet chamber having an inlet housing cavity extending between the seat member opening and the annular seal means; (d) a seal member container chamber connected to the inlet housing adjacent to the seat member and on the opposite side of the seat member from the inlet chamber; (e) seal member positioning means associated with the inlet housing for providing a magnetic positioning force; and (f) a seal member contained in the seal member container chamber and being responsive to a magnetic positioning force to be positioned in a seated position against the seat member to form an inner seal, the seal member also being adapted to be contacted and moved to an unseated position against the magnetic positioning force by the probe member as the probe member is inserted through the seat member opening from the inlet chamber to the seal member container chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of introducing an elongated probe member into an isolated environment comprising the steps of:
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(a) retaining a seal member in a seated position over a seat member opening so as to form an inner seal to the isolated environment; (b) inserting a forward end of the probe member through an annular seal member connected with a seat member through which the seat member opening is formed to form an annular seal around the probe member and a substantially sealed chamber between the inner seal and the annular seal; (c) inserting the forward end of the probe further through the annular seal and through the seat member opening so as to contact and move the seal member to an unseated position while continuously maintaining the annular seal around the probe member, the forward end of the probe member being exposed to the isolated environment when the seal member is in the unseated (d) withdrawing the probe member from the seat member opening while maintaining the annular seal; (e) positioning the seal member back in the seated position over the seat member opening with a magnetic seal member positioning force to reestablish the inner seal while maintaining the annular seal; and (f) withdrawing the probe member from the annular seal member. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification