Calibration system and method for making
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending through said housing between said inlet and said outlet;
a curved wall surface on said housing;
a tube compressor;
a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said passage, said compressible tube being between said curved wall surface and said tube compressor and being wrapped in a circumferential direction at least part way around said tube compressor;
said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube;
a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, said flow-through passage being in fluid communication with said passage extending through said housing so as to form an endless loop therewith;
a calibration liquid located in said endless loop so as to wet said sensor; and
means for keeping said sensor relatively wet during storage of said apparatus, said means comprising an element carried by said housing for urging said tube compressor to squeeze a zone of said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endless loop calibration system comprising a sensor cassette having a flow-through passage and at least one sensor to be calibrated, a chamber coupled to the sensor cassette to define an endless loop, a calibration liquid in the endless loop, and a valve element which is employed to prevent the flow of calibration liquid through the endless loop. This valve element, preferably carried by a housing, urges a tube compressor to squeeze a compressible tube against a curved wall surface sufficiently to prevent fluid from flowing in the compressible tube across the zone, and to maintain the at least one sensor in the sensor cassette wet with calibration liquid for long term storage of the calibration system.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending through said housing between said inlet and said outlet; a curved wall surface on said housing; a tube compressor; a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said passage, said compressible tube being between said curved wall surface and said tube compressor and being wrapped in a circumferential direction at least part way around said tube compressor; said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube; a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, said flow-through passage being in fluid communication with said passage extending through said housing so as to form an endless loop therewith; a calibration liquid located in said endless loop so as to wet said sensor; and means for keeping said sensor relatively wet during storage of said apparatus, said means comprising an element carried by said housing for urging said tube compressor to squeeze a zone of said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending through said housing between said inlet and said outlet; a curved wall surface on said housing; a tube compressor; a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said passage, said compressible tube being between said curved wall surface and said tube compressor and being wrapped in a circumferential direction at least part way around said tube compressor; said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube; a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, said flow-through passage being in fluid communication with said passage extending through said housing so as to form an endless loop therewith; a calibration liquid located in said endless loop so as to wet said sensor; means for keeping said sensor relatively wet during storage of said apparatus, said means comprising an element for urging said tube compressor to squeeze a zone of said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone; a package base; and a package cover attached to said package base and, together with said package base, defining an enclosed space in which said housing, said sensor device, and said means comprising said element are located. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for producing a calibration system comprising:
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forming a system comprising a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, and a housing including a curved wall surface and defining a fluid passage so that said flow-through passage and said fluid passage are parts of an endless loop, a tube compressor, and a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said fluid passage, said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube; introducing a calibration liquid into said endless loop; and maintaining said sensor in a relatively wet condition during storage of said system by placing an element relative to said tube compressor to urge said tube compressor to squeeze said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing through said endless loop. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification