Automatic air eliminator
First Claim
1. An automatic air eliminator comprisingan elongated housing (22) defining an interior chamber having a top wall, a bottom wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall centered on an axis A;
- a vent passage (54,
60) in the chamber top wall;
a hydrophobic membrane (56) spanning said vent passage (54,
60);
a fluid outlet passage (32d) in the bottom wall of said chamber;
a fluid inlet opening (68) in the chamber side wall at a location adjacent to said top wall, said inlet opening being positioned relative to said axis so that fluid inflow to said inlet opening enters the chamber tangentially and circulates about said axis to said bottom wall and flows to the fluid outlet passage (32d), and a curved inlet tube having a first end connected to said inlet opening and a second end arcuately spaced about said axis from said inlet tube first end;
an inlet connector connected to said inlet tube second end, and securing means for securing the inlet tube to said housing so that the inlet connector lies substantially parallel to said axis.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic air eliminator includes an elongated housing defining an interior chamber having a top wall, a bottom wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall centered on an axis. A vent opening is present in the chamber top wall and a hydrophobic membrane covers the vent opening. The housing has a fluid outlet passage centered on the axis in the bottom wall of the chamber and a fluid inlet passage in the chamber side wall at a location adjacent to the top wall. That inlet passage is curved about the axis so that fluid inflow to the passage enters the chamber tangentially and circulates about the axis to the fluid outlet to minimize fluid turbulence and to maximize the residence time of the fluid housing.
34 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An automatic air eliminator comprising
an elongated housing (22) defining an interior chamber having a top wall, a bottom wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall centered on an axis A; -
a vent passage (54,
60) in the chamber top wall;a hydrophobic membrane (56) spanning said vent passage (54,
60);a fluid outlet passage (32d) in the bottom wall of said chamber; a fluid inlet opening (68) in the chamber side wall at a location adjacent to said top wall, said inlet opening being positioned relative to said axis so that fluid inflow to said inlet opening enters the chamber tangentially and circulates about said axis to said bottom wall and flows to the fluid outlet passage (32d), and a curved inlet tube having a first end connected to said inlet opening and a second end arcuately spaced about said axis from said inlet tube first end;
an inlet connector connected to said inlet tube second end, and securing means for securing the inlet tube to said housing so that the inlet connector lies substantially parallel to said axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An automatic air eliminator comprising
an elongated container having a top, a bottom wall and a cylindrical side wall extending up from the bottom wall and being centered on an axis; -
a fluid outlet in the bottom wall on said axis; a tubular filter extending up from the container bottom wall on said axis and having an interior, said interior being in fluid communication with said outlet and said filter defining with said side wall an annular space in said container; a cap closing the top of the container, said cap having a top wall and a cylindrical side wall centered on said axis and defining a chamber above said filter; a vent passage in the cap top wall; a hydrophobic membrane spanning said vent passage, and means defining an arcuate fluid inlet opening in the cap side wall, said opening following an imaginary curved line about said axis and being elongated circumferentially whereby fluid inflow to said opening enters said chamber tangentially and circulates along an unobstructed helical path into said annular space and flows through said filter to said fluid outlet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification