Constant Temperature Circulator

• US 20110186283A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Preston Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Preston Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Preston, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/287
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0475 specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/02 Water baths; Sand baths; Air baths
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/003 with immersed cooling element

Abstract

An constant temperature circulator for maintaining a liquid at a constant temperature including a housing that encapsulates a controller, a display, a heating element, a temperature sensor, and an electric motor having an impeller. The housing includes a first port and a second port that cooperatively define a chamber that encapsulates the impeller, an aperture and an opening, such that actuation of the impeller when the electric motor is activated by the controller moves the liquid from the aperture, through the chamber and to the opening.

Claims

1. An constant temperature circulator for maintaining a liquid at a constant temperature including a controller, a display connected to the controller and an electric motor connected to the controller including an output shaft having an impeller, the constant temperature circulator comprising:

a housing including a first integrally molded cover connected to a second integrally molded cover, an upper portion defined in the housing that contains the controller, display and electric motor and a lower portion defined in the housing adapted to be immersed into the liquid;

one of the first and second integrally molded covers including a first opening, a first port extending from the first opening to a first rim and a first channel disposed within the lower portion;

an other of the first and second integrally molded covers including a second port having a second rim disposed within the lower portion;

a chamber cooperatively defined by the first port and the second port and configured to complementarily encapsulate the impeller when the first rim abuts the second rim;

an aperture cooperatively defined by the first rim and the second rim in communication with the chamber; and

a first adjuster movably connected to the first channel to adjust a flow of the liquid through the aperture and the chamber between a substantially closed position restricting the first opening and a substantially open position unrestricting the first opening.

2. The constant temperature circulator of claim 1, further comprising a second opening formed in the lower portion and in communication with the second port.

3. The constant temperature circulator of claim 1, wherein the first integrally molded cover and the second integrally molded cover are each molded from a synthetic polymer.

4. The constant temperature circulator of claim 2, further comprising a second channel and a second adjuster movably connected to the second channel and movable to adjust a flow of the liquid through the aperture and the chamber between a substantially closed position restricting the second opening and a substantially open position unrestricting the second opening.

5. The constant temperature circulator of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes an edge disposed in the lower portion to define a skirt cavity below the chamber to prevent objects disposed in the liquid from contacting the impeller or output shaft.

6. The constant temperature circulator of claim 1, further comprising a mounting element removably connected to the housing so that the housing may be connected to a container for the liquid.

7. The constant temperature circulator of claim 5, wherein the mounting element is selected from the group consisting of a clamp and a base ring.

8. The constant temperature circulator of claim 1, further comprising a tube connected to the second opening to facilitate connection to an external device for adjusting a temperature of the liquid.

9. The constant temperature circulator of claim 1, wherein the aperture is disposed about a longitudinal axis of the output shaft.

12. The constant temperature circulator of claim 9, wherein the first integrally molded cover and the second integrally molded cover are each molded from a synthetic polymer.

10. An constant temperature circulator for maintaining a liquid at a constant temperature comprising:

a controller;

a display connected to the controller;

an electric motor connected to the controller including an output shaft having an impeller;

a housing including a first integrally molded cover connected to a second integrally molded cover, an upper portion defined in the housing that contains the controller, display and electric motor and a lower portion defined in the housing adapted to be immersed into the liquid;

one of the first and second integrally molded covers including a first opening, a first port extending from the first opening to a first rim and a first channel disposed within the lower portion;

an other of the first and second integrally molded covers including a second port having a second rim disposed within the lower portion;

a chamber cooperatively defined by the first port and the second port and configured to complementarily encapsulate the impeller when the first rim abuts the second rim;

an aperture cooperatively defined by the first rim and the second rim in communication with the chamber; and

a first adjuster movably connected to the first channel to adjust a flow of the liquid through the aperture and the chamber between a substantially closed position restricting the first opening and a substantially open position unrestricting the first opening.

11. The constant temperature circulator of claim 10, further comprising a second opening formed in the lower portion and in communication with the second port.

13. The constant temperature circulator of claim 11, further comprising a second channel and a second adjuster movably connected to the second channel and movable to adjust a flow of the liquid through the aperture and the chamber between a substantially closed position restricting the second opening and a substantially open position unrestricting the second opening.

14. The constant temperature circulator of claim 10, wherein the housing further includes an edge disposed in the lower portion to define a skirt cavity below the chamber to prevent objects disposed in the liquid from contacting the impeller or output shaft.

15. The constant temperature circulator of claim 10, further comprising a mounting element removably connected to the housing so that the housing may be connected to a container for the liquid.

16. The constant temperature circulator of claim 15, wherein the mounting element is selected from the group consisting of a clamp and a base ring.

17. The constant temperature circulator of claim 10, further comprising a tube connected to the second opening to facilitate connection to an external device for adjusting a temperature of the liquid.

18. The constant temperature circulator of claim 10, wherein the impeller is configured to be operated by the electric motor in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction.

20. The constant temperature circulator of claim 17, wherein the housing further includes an edge that defines a skirt cavity below the chamber to prevent objects disposed in the liquid from contacting the heating element, impeller or output shaft.

21. The constant temperature circulator of claim 17, wherein the housing is molded from a synthetic polymer.

22. The constant temperature circulator of claim 17, wherein the impeller is configured to be operated by the electric motor either in a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction.

19. An constant temperature circulator for maintaining a liquid at a constant temperature comprising:

a housing that encapsulates a controller;

a display connected to the controller;

a heating element connected to the controller;

a temperature sensor connected to the controller; and

an electric motor connected to the controller including an output shaft having an impeller;

wherein the housing includes a first port and a second port that cooperatively define a chamber that encapsulates the impeller, an aperture and an opening, such that actuation of the impeller when the electric motor is activated by the controller moves the liquid from the aperture, through the chamber and to the opening.