CA2445088A1 - System for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body - Google Patents

System for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2445088A1
CA2445088A1 CA002445088A CA2445088A CA2445088A1 CA 2445088 A1 CA2445088 A1 CA 2445088A1 CA 002445088 A CA002445088 A CA 002445088A CA 2445088 A CA2445088 A CA 2445088A CA 2445088 A1 CA2445088 A1 CA 2445088A1
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Canada
Prior art keywords
test body
pressure
hollow body
impermeability
test
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Granted
Application number
CA002445088A
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French (fr)
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CA2445088C (en
Inventor
Torsten Kuhn
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Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH and Co KG
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Individual
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    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01MTESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/007Leak detector calibration, standard leaks

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Examining Or Testing Airtightness (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for monitoring systems, which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body. A test body (2), which generates a defined increase in pressure in a measuring chamber (4) over a predetermined time period, is used in the system in place of the hollow body. Said defined increase in pressure corresponds exactly to the pressure increase generated by a hollow body with negligible leakage, the hollow body being thus recognised as leakproof. The test body can be configured as a glass capillary, which runs in a sealed manner between two chambers at different air pressures.
Alternatively, the test body can consist of a substance, which during storage absorbs moisture from the ambient atmosphere in a defined manner. A vacuum created around the body removes moisture from the test body and said moisture evaporates at least partially in the vacuum, causing in turn an increase in pressure in the chamber. This pressure increase corresponds to the increase in pressure that is still acceptable for a hollow body to be tested.

Description

SYSTEM FOR MONITORING SYSTEMS WHICH IN TURN MONITOR
THE IMPERMEABILITY OF A HOLLOW BODY
Description The present invention relates to a system for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body.
Facilities and systems for monitoring the impermeability of a hollow body often work 1 o according to the pressure-resisting principle. In this case, the hollow body to be monitored is surrounded by a vacuum. If the vacuum remains constant over a test period, the hollow body is considered to be impermeable. If, on the other hand, the vacuum decreases and the pressure increases above a predetermined fixed value, the hollow body is classified as permeable.
Containers or cartridges for medical fluids or dosing aerosols for inhaling devices are noted as examples of test subjects from the medical field. By way of example, reference is made to the publications EP 0 775 076 B1, WO 00/49988, WO 97/39831 and WO
00/23037. All cartridges or containers described in these documents must, as hollow 2 o bodies, be monitored for impermeability. This is accomplished, inter alia, according to the aforementioned pressure-resisting principle.
To ensure the continuity of the monitoring process, it is necessary to monitor the system itself with which the impermeability of the hollow body is monitored to ascertain 2 5 whether the measured increases in pressure are still measured correctly on the basis of a possible leakage and whether the correct conclusions are drawn from the measured values. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the impermeability monitoring system itself.
3 o Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system for an impermeability monitoring system of this type. In addition, an appropriate test body is to be proposed which can be inserted in the system instead of the hollow body to be tested and permits a reliable conclusion, based on its properties, about whether the impermeability monitoring system is still functioning properly.
This object is solved by the system according to claim 1 and, alternatively, according to claim 5. The test bodies can be found in the claims allocated to the respective system.
Accordingly, according to the first proposed solution, a system for monitoring systems is proposed which in turn monitors the impermeability of a hollow body, wherein a test body is placed in a test chamber divided into two chambers instead of the hollow body to actually to be monitored for impermeability, such that the test body is subjected with one part of the first chamber acted upon by ambient air pressure and with the other part of the other second chamber acted upon with lower air pressure. Both chambers are thereby separated from one another by means of a seal. The test body extends through an opening in the seal, adjoining it in a sealing manner. Thus, it is ensured that both chambers are separated from one another with respect to pressure. The test body has a defined leakage with a preset leakage rate which corresponds to that leakage rate which can still be tolerated by the actual hollow bodies in order to consider the hollow body as impermeable. Due to the defined leakage, there is now an increase in pressure in the second chamber with lower air pressure. This pressure increase is detected over a 2 o specific time period. If the measured leakage rate thereby exceeds the preset maximum leakage rate, it is concluded that the entire system is not functioning properly since an additional leakage must then have occurred in the system or the measuring instruments no longer function properly. The operating personnel of the impermeability monitoring system can then take the appropriate necessary steps to return the impermeability 2 5 monitoring system into a proper state.
A test body according to the invention for use in the system described above is designed such that the preset leakage is realized by a glass capillary of a predetermined length and preset diameter. This glass capillary thus passes through the already mentioned seal 3 o between the two chambers of the test chamber in which different air pressures prevail.
The glass capillary thus simulates a hollow body, i.e. for example a cartridge according to the aforementioned publications, with a maximum tolerable leakage. In a special application, the leakage rate of the glass capillary carnes 6.67 x 10-3 mbar x 1 for ambient atmosphere (ambient air). sec This value corresponds to the maximum tolerable value for the cartridge or hollow body.
For reasons of practicability, the glass capillary is preferably carried by a closed hollow body.
The preset leakage of the glass fiber is preferably preset by the diameter of the capillary, z o so that it is in the range of max. 50 ~,m.
According to the second proposed solution, a system for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body is provided in which a test body is placed in a vacuum chamber instead of the hollow body, the test body first being 1 s supplied with a defined amount of moisture and a pressure increase is measured in the vacuum chamber within a preset time period. If this measured increase in pressure exceeds a preset maximum pressure increase, then it is concluded that the impermeability monitoring system is malfunctioning.
2 o The basis for this system is that the test body consists of a material which can absorb defined moisture from the ambient atmosphere when stored. The amount of absorbable moisture can be influenced, among other things, by the size of the surface of the test body.
2 s A vacuum is now generated in the vacuum chamber about the test body.
During the test period, moisture is now removed from the test body and evaporated at Least partially in the vacuum. This evaporation thereby increases the pressure in the vacuum chamber.
Depending on the time period and on the amount of fluid absorbed, a defined increase in pressure is thus produced in the vacuum chamber. This correlates to a pressure increase 3 o that is still tolerable in the hollow body to be monitored for impermeability, the actual test subject of the impermeability monitoring system.
Both systems have in common that the actual impermeability monitoring system is adjusted thereby that it simulates the leakages which are still tolerable and that, in the actual test process, when the pressure increase is exceeded, it is a clear indication of additional leakages or other malfunctions in the system.
As already mentioned, the test body in the system according to the second proposed solution consists of a special material. Possible materials are those which have a relatively high absorption of a moisture, e.g. water. Polyamide or polyoxymethyl come into consideration.
to A great advantage of all proposed test bodies is seen therein that they can be used again after a recuperation time. According to the first proposed solution, a pressure equalization with the environment takes place after the test during the recuperation time of the test body for the system. A reabsorption of moisture from the environment in a constant atmosphere takes place after the test in the test bodies for the system according to the second proposed solution.
The invention will be described schematically in greater detail with reference to two embodiments, showing:
Fig. 1 schematically the system according to the first proposed solution in preparation for the monitoring of the impermeability monitoring system, Fig. 2 the ready-to-use system according to the first proposed solution, Fig. 3 the system of Fig. 2 during the test, and Fig. 4 the system according to the second proposed solution.
3 o The same reference numbers designate the same parts in the following.
Fig. 1 schematically shows the first system. It essentially consists of the test chamber 5 in which, after the impermeability monitoring system has been acknowledged as ready to-use, the actual test subject, namely the hollow body, is placed. However, to monitor this system, the test body 2 is used. The test body 2 extends through a seal 6 with which the lower part of the test chamber 5 is sealed and thus separates a first test chamber 3 in s which the ambient air pressure generally prevails.
In this case, the test body 2 consists of a hollow body and a defined leakage, which is realized by a glass capillary 7 of a defined length and defined diameter. As shown in Fig. 2, to carry out the test, a suction bell 8 is placed on the seal 6 and the area thus 1 o defined is evacuated until the pressure found therein is, for example, about 1 mbar. The suction bell 8 surrounds the second chamber 4 of the test chamber 5. If the air pressure in the first chamber 3 is about 1000 mbar and about 1 mbar in the second chamber 4, then the pressure difference between both chambers is 999 mbar. Together with the glass capillary 7 of the test body 2, this results in a certain pressure equalization between 15 the chambers 3 and 4 within a predetermined time period. This is schematically illustrated in Fig. 3, where the air flow through the glass capillary 7 is shown by the arrow 9.
The glass capillary 7 is dimensioned such that the leakage rate corresponds to a leakage 2 o rate which indicates a still acceptable leakage in the hollow bodies to be monitored.
The leakage rate is ascertained by sensors (not shown). If the leakage rate exceeds a preset value, then it is concluded that the system as such does not meet the requirements in order to continue to be used in the impermeability monitoring process.
Additional 2 s leakages are then the main cause of a malfunction.
Fig. 4 schematically shows the second proposed solution. A test body 20 is placed in a vacuum chamber 30. A vacuum is produced about this test body in the vacuum chamber 30. During the test phase, moisture is removed from the test body 20 and 3 o evaporated at least partially in the vacuum. This evaporation increases the pressure in the vacuum chamber 30 which can be detected by sensors (not shown). This pressure increase corresponds to that pressure increase which is still tolerable in the hollow bodies which can then be monitored for impermeability in the impermeability monitoring system.

Claims (7)

1. System for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body, wherein a test body (2) is placed in a test chamber (5) divided into two chambers (3, 4) instead of the hollow body, such that the test body (2) is subjected with one part of the first chamber (3) acted upon by ambient air pressure and with another part of the second chamber (4) acted upon by lower air pressure, wherein both chambers (4) are separated from one another by means of a seal (6) and the test body (2) extends through an opening found therein so as to adjoin it in a sealing manner and the test body (2) has a defined leakage with a preset leakage rate, the increase in pressure in the second chamber (4) is detected over a predetermined time period and, when the measured leakage rate exceeds the preset leakage rate, a malfunction of the impermeability monitoring system is recognized.
2. Test body for use in the system according to claim 1, wherein the preset leakage is realized by a glass capillary (7) having a predetermined length and preset diameter.
3. Test body according to claim 2, wherein the leakage rate of the glass capillary (7) is 6.67 × 103 mbar × 1 in an ambient sec atmosphere (ambient air).
4. Test body according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the glass capillary (7) has a diameter in the range of max. 50 µm.
5. System for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body, wherein a test body (20) is placed in a vacuum chamber (30) instead of the hollow body, wherein the test body (20) has first been supplied with a defined amount of moisture and an increase in pressure is measured in the vacuum chamber (30) within a predetermined time period and, when the measured pressure increase exceeds a preset maximum pressure increase, a malfunction of the impermeability monitoring system is recognized.
6. Test body for use in the system according to claim 5, which consists of a polyamide having a defined size of the surface.
7. Test body according to claim 6, which consists of polyoxymethylene (POM) having a defined size of the surface.
CA2445088A 2001-05-18 2002-04-12 System for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body Expired - Lifetime CA2445088C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE10124260.3 2001-05-18
DE10124260A DE10124260A1 (en) 2001-05-18 2001-05-18 System for checking systems which in turn serve to check the tightness of a hollow body
PCT/EP2002/004072 WO2002095348A1 (en) 2001-05-18 2002-04-12 System for monitoring systems, which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2445088A1 true CA2445088A1 (en) 2002-11-28
CA2445088C CA2445088C (en) 2013-11-12

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CA2445088A Expired - Lifetime CA2445088C (en) 2001-05-18 2002-04-12 System for monitoring systems which in turn monitor the impermeability of a hollow body

Country Status (12)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1388003B1 (en)
JP (1) JP4045190B2 (en)
AR (1) AR033894A1 (en)
AT (1) ATE458990T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2445088C (en)
DE (2) DE10124260A1 (en)
ES (1) ES2338215T3 (en)
MX (2) MXPA03010526A (en)
PE (1) PE20030014A1 (en)
TW (1) TW544514B (en)
UY (1) UY27292A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2002095348A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102098891A (en) * 2009-12-10 2011-06-15 佳能企业股份有限公司 Waterproof electronic device with test structure, water leakage tester and testing method
DE102012210040A1 (en) * 2012-06-14 2013-12-19 Inficon Gmbh Tester with a test gas container
DE102012220108A1 (en) * 2012-11-05 2014-05-22 Inficon Gmbh Method for testing a leak test system

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5640712A (en) * 1979-09-11 1981-04-17 Toshiba Corp Standard leakage unit
DE3340353A1 (en) * 1983-11-08 1985-05-15 Pfanni-Werke Otto Eckart KG, 8000 München Method and device for detecting leaks in sealed containers
DE3613694A1 (en) * 1986-04-23 1987-10-29 Leybold Heraeus Gmbh & Co Kg DEVICE FOR CALIBRATING THE DETECTOR OF A LEAK DETECTOR
DE4038266A1 (en) * 1990-11-30 1992-06-04 Siemens Ag Testing gas pressure tightness, esp. sulphur hexa:fluoride tightness of capacitors - placing component in container, evacuating container, then taking and measuring gas sample
DE4212938A1 (en) * 1992-04-18 1993-10-21 Rexroth Mannesmann Gmbh Seal testing appts. e.g. for testing vehicle shock absorber - has pressure source for filling first chamber with gas and uses pressure sensor to determine pressure increase in second chamber
DE9401662U1 (en) * 1994-02-02 1994-04-07 Leybold Ag, 63450 Hanau Leakage rate determining capillary for a test leak
DE19726559A1 (en) * 1997-06-23 1998-12-24 Bosch Gmbh Robert Diagnostic module
DE19853368A1 (en) * 1998-11-19 2000-06-08 Weick Hans Joachim Measuring water quantity and leakage in containers, e.g. of motor vehicle air conditioning system; involves determining partial pressure of water vapor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
UY27292A1 (en) 2002-12-31
AR033894A1 (en) 2004-01-07
JP4045190B2 (en) 2008-02-13
TW544514B (en) 2003-08-01
DE10124260A1 (en) 2002-12-05
ES2338215T3 (en) 2010-05-05
MXPA03010526A (en) 2004-03-02
CA2445088C (en) 2013-11-12
EP1388003A1 (en) 2004-02-11
PE20030014A1 (en) 2003-02-24
EP1388003B1 (en) 2010-02-24
WO2002095348A1 (en) 2002-11-28
MXPA03010561A (en) 2004-03-15
DE50214234D1 (en) 2010-04-08
ATE458990T1 (en) 2010-03-15
JP2004525387A (en) 2004-08-19

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