Self-flushing bottle in-line fluid sampler

Inventors

Hennen, James M. • Allen, William E.

Assignees

MTS Systems Corp

Abstract

A hydraulic fluid sampler and a method for obtaining a hydraulic fluid sample includes a sample container holder configured to support a sample container mounted thereto in an inverted position and a non-inverted position. In the inverted position, the sample container holder is configured to flush the sample container with hydraulic fluid so as to flush away any contaminates that may be present. In the non-inverted position, the sample container holder is configured to fill the sample container with hydraulic fluid.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a hydraulic fluid sampler that includes a supply line and a valve fluidly coupled to the supply line, and a drain line. The sampler further includes a sample container for receiving hydraulic fluid and having a removable cap for a portion thereof, and a sample container holder configured to cover the portion of the sample container when the cap is removed and when the sample container is mounted to the sample container holder.

The holder supports the sample container in an inverted position and a non-inverted position. The sample container includes a first orifice and a second orifice both disposed in the portion of the sample container holder, wherein the first orifice is configured to flush the sample container with hydraulic fluid when the sample container is in the inverted position and the second orifice is configured to receive the flushing hydraulic fluid when the sample container is in the inverted position, with the second orifice fluidly connected to the drain line.

The sampler includes a frame configured to support the sample container holder in a first position where the sample container is in an inverted position and in a second position where the sample container is in a non-inverted position. The holder and frame arrangement supports releasable attachment of the sample container and supports rotation or positioning between inverted and non-inverted orientations while routing hydraulic fluid to and from the sample container via the supply line and the drain line. In some embodiments, the sampler further includes a sample container cap holder configured to hold a sample container cap over an orifice fluidly coupled to the supply line.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims include four inventive features spanning the sampler structure and the method. Coverage focuses on an inverted-position self-flushing container via a two-orifice arrangement, holder and frame support for inverted and non-inverted positions, releasable attachment of the sample container, and a method for obtaining a hydraulic fluid sample using an inverted-to-non-inverted sequence and securing the removable cap.

Across the independent claims, coverage centers on a holder and frame arrangement that supports inverted and non-inverted positions, combined with orifice-based flushing when inverted and subsequent filling and cap securing. The sampler architecture is defined by supply and drain routing with fluidly connected orifices, and the method coverage is defined by an inverted-flush to non-inverted-fill sequence followed by removing the container and securing the removable cap.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications