Abstract:
Instead of a discontinuous mixing process for mixing two or more flowable materials for a paint-spraying plant, a continuous mixing and conveying process is provided. Use is made of individual conveyor pumps driven individually by hydraulic adjusting units in the form of double-acting hydraulic cylinders. Control is exerted by an electronic control device controlling a proportional governor at hydraulic connecting lines between the adjusting units to adjust the stroke of pistons of the adjusting units and thus the ratio of the flowable material conveyed.
Abstract:
A dispensing apparatus which defines an outlet through which a metered dose of liquid from a reservoir is dispersed as an atomized spray. A droplet of liquid is metered onto a perforate membrane which is vibrated by way of a piezoelectric transducer such that atomized droplets are dispensed through the holes formed in the membrane. At each actuation of a delivery device, which provides the metered quantity of liquid, the transducer is actuated so as to vibrate the membrane for a period greater than the dispensing period required for the droplet to be dispensed. The apparatus is particularly suitable for dispensing pharmaceutical preparations.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for coloring ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber granules for use in fabricating rubber products such as athletic surfaces. The method provides an efficient and cost effective method of coloring large quantities of EPDM rubber that provides a durable and permanent color coating on the EPDM rubber. The disclosed method may also be used for coloring other types of rubber or synthetic materials.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a polymer dissolving method and apparatus, which method is entirely or partly based on a pressurized method, in which mixing is carried out in a dissolving head (3) by means of mechanical or static mixers (7, 11, 12). At the end of the process there are pressure chambers (9, 10) wherein pressure is maintained by means of a feed pump (8) and a valve (25). The process is entirely or partially pressurized.
Abstract:
A high precision, small volume fluid processing system employs open ended capillary tubes to meter, aliquot and mix small volumes of sample fluid and reagents. The system has an automatic mechanism for moving the capillary tubes as well as automated sub-systems for incubating and mixing fluids within the capillary tubes.
Abstract:
A portable, battery powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient including a durable body and a medication cassette inserted in the durable body. The cassette includes a housing for containing a canister of medication, bears an identification code, and permits the canister to be manually depressed to release a dose, e.g., a metered dose, when out of the durable body. The durable body includes an actuator mechanism for engaging an inserted cassette and its canister, and an actuator release mechanism for controlling the actuator mechanism to depress the canister for a selected period of time to release the desired dose of medication and then the release the canister. The actuator mechanism, includes a compression spring for depressing the canister and a torsion spring for reloading the compression spring. The torsion spring is reloaded by rotating the cassette from an open position for delivering aerosol to a closed position. The actuator release mechanism includes a motor and trigger pin assembly that controls the release of the compression spring and the torsion spring, and, hence, the time that the canister is depressed. The motor operates in response to sensed flow satisfying a selected delivery threshold. The durable body includes a flow sensor having an asymmetrical orifice that is calibrated, independent of the cassette, to convert the sensed pressure due to flow into a flow rate. The orifice is separately calibrated for an inhalation flow rate range and an exhalation flow rate range over a selected number of known flow rates. The sensed pressure value is corrected for transducer offset drift and converted to a flow rate using the calibration data and piecewise linear interpolation.
Abstract:
A resuscitation/ventilation apparatus incorporates an entrainment mixer with a nozzle, discharging entraining gas into an entrainment chamber, the nozzle being connected with a high pressure source of the entraining gas. One entrainment port to the entrainment chamber is connected to atmosphere and another entrainment port is connected to an oxygen source. A continuously variable restriction is disposed in the oxygen supply conduit upstream of the other entrainment port and is variable independently of any control of the entraining gas supply, to enable delivery of a gas mixture of steplessly variable oxygen concentration.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold. Changes in the patient's breath flow patterns during the course of an aerosolized medication inspiration therapy program may be detected and used to adjust the controlled amount of medication to be delivered in a given administration and/or to inform the patient of the patient's condition or change in condition. The device also may contain a library of administration protocols or operating parameters for different medications and a means for identifying from the canister the medicinal contents of the canister for customizing operation of the apparatus.
Abstract:
A reactor for introducing gas into a fluid comprises a mixing tank (12, 43) for the fluid and a partition means (13,45) for dividing the tank into at least two chambers (21, 89) and (23, 91). The reactor further comprises a first pump means (14, 47) located in one of the chambers for circulating the fluid downwards in one chamber and then upward in the other chamber and an aerator assembly (29, 49) for aerating a sidestream of the fluid and introducing the aerated fluid into the tank for mixing the aerated fluid with the circulating fluid in the tank. The aerator assembly comprises a bank of venturi aerators (38, 57) each having an aerator inlet; an aerator outlet; and a constriction intermediate the aerator inlet and the aerator outlet for creating a region of reduced pressure in the fluid, the constriction being elongate in a section transverse to the direction of flow of the fluid through the constriction; and a means for introducing the gas into the constriction to aerate the fluid.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold. Changes in the patient's breath flow patterns during the course of an aerosolized medication inspiration therapy program may be detected and used to adjust the controlled amount of medication to be delivered in a given administration and/or to inform the patient of the patient's condition or change in condition. The device also may contain a library of administration protocols or operating parameters for different medications and a means for identifying from the canister the medicinal contents of the canister for customizing operation of the apparatus.