Hinged closure for gas specific gravity measuring instrument

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for opening and closing / sealing chambers within devices such as gas specific gravity meters or gas adsorption analyzers. [Solution] The device includes a housing having an access opening, a swing arm mounted on the housing and configured to pivot selectively toward and away from the access opening, and a closing portion captured by the swing arm. The closing portion can be configured to move selectively in substantially vertical motion with respect to the swing arm between a retracted position and an inserted position, at least partially within the access opening, and can have locking features to cooperate with engaging features within the device to move the closing portion into a closing and sealing configuration.

Claims

1. A specific gravity measuring device, A housing having an access opening, A swing arm mounted on the housing by a hinge, the swing arm is configured to pivot selectively toward and away from the access opening, A closing portion that is captured by the swinging arm, wherein the closing portion is configured to be selectively moved relative to the swinging arm between a retracted position and an inserted position, at least partially within the access opening. Equipped with, A specific gravity measuring device wherein the closing portion comprises a locking feature for cooperating with an engaging feature configured to extend at least partially within the housing when the closing portion is moved into a closing and sealing configuration.

2. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the locking feature of the closing portion comprises a cam plate and a cooperating cam follower, the cam follower being configured to at least partially extend within a locking recess that at least partially extends within the housing when the closing portion is moved into the closing and sealing configuration.

3. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the cam driven link cooperates with the cam plate to facilitate the movement of the sealing portion of the closing portion so as to make sealing contact with the periphery of the sample chamber of the specific gravity measuring device when the closing portion is moved into the closing and sealing configuration.

4. The aforementioned swinging arm is, A support cylindrical object that engages with the closing portion, A support flange protruding outward from the aforementioned support cylinder, A hinge extension portion extending from the support flange and / or the support cylinder to the hinge and A specific gravity measuring device according to claim 1, comprising the features described above.

5. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 4, wherein the closing portion comprises a closing portion shaft that is at least partially received within the supporting cylindrical object.

6. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 5, wherein a bearing is mounted between the support cylinder and the closing shaft to facilitate the linear and rotational movement of the closing shaft relative to the support cylinder.

7. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising an isolation block extending at least partially within the housing.

8. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 7, wherein the closing portion comprises a seal plate configured to seal at least partially with respect to the isolation block in order to seal at least partially a locking recess when the closing portion is in the closing and sealing configuration.

9. A specific gravity measuring device, A housing comprising an access opening and a locking recess, wherein the locking recess extends at least partially within the housing, A swing arm mounted on the housing by a hinge, the swing arm is configured to pivot selectively toward and away from the access opening, A closing portion that is captured by the swinging arm, wherein the closing portion is configured to be selectively moved relative to the swinging arm between a retracted position and an inserted position, at least partially within the access opening. Equipped with, A specific gravity measuring device comprising a cam plate configured to cooperate with a cam follower, the closing portion of which is configured to extend at least partially within the locking recess when the closing portion is moved into a closing and sealing configuration.

10. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the cam driven link cooperates with the cam plate to facilitate the movement of the sealing portion of the closing portion to the periphery of the sample chamber of the specific gravity measuring device when the closing portion is moved to the closing and sealing configuration.

11. The aforementioned swinging arm is, A support cylindrical object that engages with the closing portion, A support flange protruding outward from the aforementioned support cylinder, A hinge extension portion extending from the support flange and / or the support cylinder to the hinge and A specific gravity measuring device according to claim 9, comprising the features described.

12. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 11, wherein the closing portion comprises a closing portion shaft that is at least partially received within the support cylindrical object, and a bearing is mounted between the support cylindrical object and the closing portion shaft to facilitate the linear and rotational movement of the closing portion shaft relative to the support cylindrical object.

13. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 9, further comprising an isolation block extending at least partially within the housing.

14. The specific gravity measuring device according to claim 13, wherein the closing portion comprises a seal plate configured to seal at least partially with respect to the isolation block in order to seal at least partially a locking recess when the closing portion is in the closing and sealing configuration.

15. A method for operating a specific gravity measuring device, The oscillating arm is pivoted around a hinge toward the access opening in the housing of the device, and the closing part is captured by the oscillating arm. With the closing portion at least partially received within the access opening, the closing portion is moved from a retracted position to an insertion position and / or a closed position relative to the swing arm. Includes, The closing portion is brought such that the locking features of the closing portion engage with the engaging features within the device, and is biased in substantially vertical motion to move the closing portion to a closing and sealing configuration.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the locking feature of the closing portion comprises a cam plate and extends at least partially within the housing, the engaging feature comprises a cam follower, the method for moving the closing portion from the insertion position to the closing and sealing configuration comprises engaging the cam follower with the cam plate, and rotating at least the cam plate such that the engagement between the cam follower with the cam plate moves the sealing portion of the closing portion to make sealing contact with the periphery of the sample chamber of the specific gravity measuring device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the swing arm comprises a support cylinder that engages with the closing portion, a support flange extending outward from the support cylinder, and a hinge extension portion extending from the support flange and / or the support cylinder to the hinge.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the closing portion comprises a closing portion shaft that is at least partially received within the support cylinder, and a bearing is mounted between the support cylinder and the closing portion shaft to facilitate the linear and rotational movement of the closing portion shaft relative to the support cylinder.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the engaging feature comprises a locking recess extending at least within the housing to receive the locking feature of the closing portion, the closing portion comprises a seal plate, and moving the closing portion from the retracted position to the insertion and / or closed position includes bringing the seal plate into at least partially sealing contact with an isolation block extending at least partially within the housing to seal at least partially the locking recess.

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