Orientation device for a gas analyzer

• US 7,402,284 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Kochie, Rob, McGee, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handy; Dwayne K.
• Application Number:
  US10/304,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 422 62- 67, 422/68.1, 422/94, 422/98, 422/99, 422/102, 422/103, 422/104, 422/83, 422/105, 422/107, 422/119, 436 43- 50, 436/165
• US Class Current: 422/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2252 in a vehicle exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/245 Fans
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0037 for NOx
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 for organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 Condition or time responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the orientation of a gas analyzer. Because condensation can build-up in a filter of the gas analyzer, it needs to be purged from the analyzer so that accurate readings can be made. By having a orientation device built-in, the analyzer can be purged at the desired orientation so that, as much water, can be purged, as possible, to the designated outlet.

Claims

1. A gas analyzer having an orientating system comprising:

a housing having an inlet and outlet for exchanging a sample of gas;

a sensor located within the housing that senses at least one characteristic of the sample of gas;

a pump to circulate the sample of gas to said sensor and to said outlet;

a purge solenoid connected to said pump and to said outlet;

and an orientation determiner that determines the orientation of the analyzer;

wherein the gas analyzer is a handheld analyzer;

wherein the orientation determiner determines the orientation of the gas analyzer with respect to an axis that can be selected from a group consisting of x-axis, y-axis, z-axis, other axis, or a combination thereof; and

wherein the purge solenoid operates to purge the analyzer of contaminant when the analyzer is in a certain orientation based on the orientation determined by the orientation determiner.

2. The orientation device of claim 1, wherein the orientation determiner can be selected from a group consisting of a tilt switch, an accelerometer, a GPS, a magnetic sensitive device, other orientation device and a combination thereof.

3. The orientation device of claim 1 further comprising an alert member that is in communication with the orientation determiner.

4. The orientation device claim 3, wherein the alert member can be selected from a group consisting of a visual display, an audible device, a tactile device, other alert devices and a combination thereof.

5. A method of purging a gas analyzer, comprising the steps of:

providing the gas analyzer of claim 1;

determining the orientation of the analyzer with respect to an axis with the orientation determiner; and

purging the analyzer when the analyzer is in a certain orientation.

6. The method of orientating of claim 5 further comprising preventing purging of the contaminant if the analyzer is not in the proper orientation.

7. The method of orientating of claim 5, wherein the orientation determiner can be selected from a group consisting of a tilt switch, an accelerometer, a GPS, a magnetic sensitive device, other orientation device and a combination thereof.

8. A gas analyzer having an orientating system comprising:

a housing having an inlet and outlet for exchanging a sample of gas;

a sensor located within the housing that senses at least one characteristic of the sample of gas;

a pump to circulate the sample of gas to said sensor and to said outlet;

a purge solenoid connected to said pump and to said outlet;

a means for determining the orientation of the gas analyzer;

wherein the gas analyzer is a handheld analyzer;

wherein the means for determining the orientation of the gas analyzer with respect to an axis that can be selected from a group consisting of x-axis, y-axis, z-axis, other axis, or a combination thereof;

; and

wherein the purge solenoid operates to purge the analyzer of contaminant when the analyzer is in a certain orientation based on the orientation determined by the orientation determiner.

9. The orientation system of claim 8, wherein the means for determining orientation can be selected from a group consisting of a tilt switch means, an accelerometer means, a GPS means, a magnetic sensitive device means, other orientation device means and a combination thereof.

10. The orientation system of claim 8 further comprises an alert means that is in communication with the means for determining.

11. The orientation system of claim 8 further comprises an alert means that can alert an operator if the analyzer is not in the proper orientation for purging.

12. The orientation system of claim 10, wherein the alert means can be selected from a group consisting of a visual display means, an audible device means, a tactile device means, other alert device means and a combination thereof.

13. The orientation system of claim 8 further comprising a controller means, wherein the controller means, the means for determining and the means for purging are in communication with each other.