GB2372565A

GB2372565A - Sampling device

Info

Publication number: GB2372565A
Application number: GB0201582A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Sephton; Howard Moores; Albert Edward Jones; Robert Timmins
Original assignee: RGH SAMPLING SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: RGH SAMPLING SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2001-01-24
Filing date: 2002-01-24
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2022-01-24
Also published as: GB0102044D0; GB2372565B; GB0201582D0

Abstract

The device e.g. for sampling liquids or powders in the chemical, pharmaceutical or food industries, comprises inner and outer sleeves 32,34 rotatable with respect to one another. The sleeves have open lower ends incorporating an elastic membrane 40 and on rotation of a sleeve, the membrane stretches to cover the open end of the inner sleeve 32 to capture a sample within that sleeve. Preferably the membrane is initially in the form of a annular ring having inner and outer edges located in grooves 46 and 50 on the outer faces 48,52 of the sleeves. The membrane may be of silicone rubber and the device can be mounted on the end of a delivery system for inserting into a material to be sampled.

Description

Title : Sampling device and apparatus DESCRIPTION This invention concerns a sampling device and sampling apparatus incorporating the sampling device.

In many manufacturing processes it is important to sample products both during and after the manufacturing process. This is particularly so with the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Traditional sampling techniques include dipping, i. e. where a container is dipped into the product under test to collect a small amount of the product. The container is usually then sealed and delivered for testing.

Difficulties can arise with sampling products in this way either because the product itself is toxic or harmful in some way or because the product has to be maintained at a high level of purity and the introduction of a sampling container can lead to contamination of the product. More and more Health and Safety legislation insists on high levels of safety and cleanliness not only as regards the products being manufactured but also for the personnel working with the products.

A first object of this invention is to provide an improved sampling device.

A second object of the invention is to provide an improved sampling apparatus incorporating the improved sampling device.

According to the present invention there is provided a sampling device comprising relatively rotatable closely spaced inner and outer sleeves having corresponding open ends, which are bridged by an elastic membrane, whereby rotation of one of the sleeves relative to the other causes the membrane to stretch and cover the open end of the inner sleeve, in order to capture a product sample in the inner sleeve.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a sampling apparatus comprising a sampling device having relatively rotatable closely spaced inner and outer sleeves having corresponding open ends, which are bridged by an elastic membrane, whereby rotation of one of the sleeves relative to the other causes the membrane to stretch and cover the open end of the inner sleeve, in order to capture a product sample in the inner sleeve and means for delivering the sampling device into and out of a product to be sampled.

The invention further envisages a product storage or production vessel having a sampling device and delivery system according to the invention.

The elastic membrane may be made of any suitable elastomeric material, such as, for example, silicone rubber.

The preferred elastic membrane is in the form of an annular ring having an inner edge and an outer edge. The inner and outer edges are preferably attached to the outer sides of the inner and outer sleeves of the sampling device respectively. Attachment of the membrane to the inner and outer sleeves may be by any suitable means. In one preferred embodiment the edges of the membrane are thickened to form effectively"0"rings that are stretchable over the outer sides of the inner and outer sleeves. The inner and outer sleeves of the sampling device are preferably formed with annular grooves on their outer sides for location of the thickened edges of the membrane.

The inner and outer sleeve arrangement is preferably mounted on one end of a delivery system for inserting the sampling device into a product to be sampled and for removing the sampling device therefrom with a product sample retained in the inner sleeve. Preferably the delivery system includes means for rotating one of the inner and outer sleeves relative to the other for sealing the end of the inner sleeve when a product sample is in situ.

The sampling device is preferably separable from the delivery system.

Thus, for example, the sampling device can be coupled to the delivery system by means of a removable pin or by a bayonet type fitting. Ideally, the coupling of the sampling device to the delivery system will enable the sampling device to be uncoupled using one hand only.

The delivery system preferably includes a rod extending from a rotary actuator to one or other of the inner and outer sleeves of the sampling device for causing rotation thereof relative to the other sleeve. The delivery system preferably also includes a tubular housing and in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer sleeve of the sampling device is a close fit within the tube, so that it is the sleeve to remain stationary whilst the inner sleeve is rotated to seal its end by means of the membrane. The close fit of the outer sleeve in the tube is preferably afforded by the"0"ring that locates the membrane on the outer sleeve.

The delivery system may further be provided with plunger means extending into the inner sleeve for drawing a product sample into the inner sleeve or for discharging a sample therefrom.

The delivery system also preferably includes a sample cabinet into which the sampling device can be delivered either for discharging the product sample into another container, for example, or for removing the sampling device itself.

The cabinet preferably includes means for isolating it from the vessel or other container for the product to be sampled, such as, for example, a valve between the vessel and the cabinet. The cabinet preferably further includes a light source for the convenience of the operator of the sampling apparatus. The cabinet preferably also has means for evacuating same in order to provide an air free environment in the cabinet.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows schematically sampling apparatus according to the invention in idle position; Figure 2 shows the apparatus of Figure 1 in sampling position; Figure 3 shows the apparatus of Figure 1 in discharge position; Figure 4 shows detail of the apparatus of Figures 1 to 3, particularly a sampling device according to the invention; Figure 5 shows part of the sampling device of Figure 4 in open position; Figure 6 is as section through the sampling device of Figure 4 in closed position; and Figure 7 shows sealing means of the sampling device of Figure 4 open and partially closed.

Referring to figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown schematically a process tank 10 containing product to be sampled. The tank has an outlet 12, to which sampling apparatus generally designated 14 is connected. The sampling apparatus 14 comprises a ball valve 16, above which is a sample cabinet 18. A light source 20 is provided for illuminating the sample cabinet. The sample cabinet also has a suction outlet 22, whereby the sample cabinet can be evacuated, if an air free sampling environment is required. Communicating with the top of the sample cabinet is a sampling device delivery and withdrawal mechanism generally designated 24.

The delivery and withdrawal mechanism 24 is arranged to insert a probe 26 carrying a sampling device 28 into the product in the tank to be sampled though the ball valve 16 when open, to seal the sampling device with a sample inside it and to withdraw the sampling device into the sample cabinet, where either the sample is discharged into a sample container 30 placed in the cabinet or the sampling device itself is dropped into a sample container. At this time the ball valve 16 is closed. The sampling device 28 and the delivery and withdrawal mechanism 24 are shown in more detail in the remaining drawings and are described below.

Turning, therefore to Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings, the sampling device 28 comprises an inner sleeve 32 and an outer sleeve 34 that are relatively rotatable. The inner sleeve 32 acts as the initial sample receptacle.

Both sleeves 32,34 are open at the same end and the open ends 36,38 respectively are level with each other. Bridging the space between the open ends of the sleeves is a membrane 40 of elastomeric material, such as silicone rubber. The membrane 40 is formed as a ring with inner and outer edges thickened to form"0"rings 42,44 respectively, the outer of which 44 locates in a groove 50 on outer face 52 of outer sleeve 34 and the inner of which 42 locates in a groove 46 on outer face 48 of inner sleeve 32. The action of rotating one sleeve relative to the other sleeve stretches the membrane and causes it to extend across the open end of the inner sleeve in overlapping segments as shown in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings until the open end of the inner sleeve 32 is sealed.

The sampling device 28 is slidably contained in a tube 60 and is connected to a rod 62 for moving the sampling device 28 up and down in order to insert it into product to be sampled and to withdraw the sampling device into the sample cabinet 18. The sampling device 28 has its inner sleeve 32 fixedly connected to the rod 62 and freely rotatable within the outer sleeve 34 by rotating action of the rod, whilst the outer sleeve is held by virtue of the outer"0" ring 44 of the membrane sealing between the outer sleeve 34 and the inside wall of the tube 60.

The sampling device 28 is removably connected to the rod 62 by means of a pin 64, although some other type of connection may be used, such as a bayonet type fitting, provided that the sampling device can be readily detached from the rod and preferably using one hand. The sampling device 28 includes a plunger 66 extending from the rod through into the inner sleeve 32, which can be used to assist with discharging a product sample from the inner sleeve, when the sampling device has been uncoupled. As an addition, the plunger 66 can be arranged to be operable when the sampling device is still coupled to the rod 62 for assisting both with drawing product into the inner sleeve and with discharging a product sample therefrom.

The rod 62 is coupled to a rotary actuator for rotating the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve, which is prevented from rotating by the friction contact between the"0"ring 44 and the inside surface of the tube 60.

In use the sampling apparatus is operated in the following manner as illustrated particularly in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. The valve 16 is opened and the tube/rod/sampling device lowered into a product container and into the product to be sampled (Figure 2) with the sampling device open. That action will cause product to enter the inner sleeve 32 of the sampling device 28. It will be noted that both the plunger 66 and the top wall of inner sleeve 32 each have a pair of vent holes 70,72 respectively to allow air to escape as product enters the inner sleeve. The respective vent hole pairs are preferably offset relative to each other by 90 . Then the rotary actuator is operated to rotate the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve 34, which action seals the inner sleeve and captures a product sample in the inner sleeve. The tube/rod/sampling device assembly is then withdrawn form the product container until the sampling device 28 is within the sample cabinet. The rod is then moved relative to the tube to expose the sampling device and its coupling beyond the end of the tube. Then the sampling device can be uncoupled and dropped into a sample container placed in the cabinet. It may be possible to discharge the product sample directly into a sample container by means of the plunger 66. Alternatively, the sampling device can be uncoupled from the rod 62 and removed completely from the cabinet.

It will be appreciated that the sampling device itself may be used as a hand-held item. It will be further appreciated that the sampling device and apparatus of the present invention may be used for various types of product including liquids and powders as well as in various industries including the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A sampling device comprising relatively rotatable closely spaced inner and outer sleeves having corresponding open ends, which are bridged by an elastic membrane, whereby rotation of one of the sleeves relative to the other causes the membrane to stretch and cover the open end of the inner sleeve, in order to capture a product sample in the inner sleeve.
2. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic membrane is made of elastomeric material.
3. A sampling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastomeric material is silicone rubber.
4. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the elastic membrane is in the form of an annular ring having an inner edge and an outer edge.
5. A sampling device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inner and outer edges of the annular ring are attached to the outer sides of the inner and outer sleeves of the sampling device respectively.
6. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, for attachment of the membrane to the sleeves, edges of the membrane are thickened to form effectively"0"rings that are stretchable over the outer sides of the inner and outer sleeves.
7. A sampling device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner and outer sleeves are formed with annular grooves on their outer sides for location of the thickened edges of the membrane.
8. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the inner and outer sleeve arrangement is mounted on one end of a delivery system for inserting the sampling device into a product to be sampled and for removing the sampling device therefrom with a product sample retained in the inner sleeve.
9. A sampling device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the delivery system includes means for rotating one of the inner and outer sleeves relative to the other for sealing the end of the inner sleeve when a product sample is in situ.
10. A sampling device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sampling device is separable from the delivery system.
11. A sampling device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sampling device is coupled to the delivery system by means of a removable pin.
12. A sampling device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sampling device is coupled to the delivery system by a bayonet type fitting.
13. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the delivery system includes a rod extending from a rotary actuator to one or other of the inner and outer sleeves of the sampling device for causing rotation thereof relative to the other sleeve.
14. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the delivery system includes a tubular housing.
15. A sampling device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the outer sleeve of the sampling device is a close fit within the tube, so that it is the sleeve to remain stationary whilst the inner sleeve is rotated to seal its end by means of the membrane.
16. A sampling device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the close fit of the outer sleeve in the tube is afforded by the"0"ring that locates the membrane on the outer sleeve.
17. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 16, wherein the delivery system is further provided with plunger means extending into the inner sleeve for drawing a product sample into the inner sleeve or for discharging a sample therefrom.
18. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 17, wherein the delivery system also includes a sample cabinet into which the sampling device can be delivered either for discharging the product sample into another container or for removing the sampling device itself.
19. A sampling device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the cabinet includes means for isolating it from the vessel or other container for the product to be sampled.
20. A sampling device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the isolating means is a valve between the vessel and the cabinet.
21. A sampling device as claimed in claim 18,19 or 20, wherein the cabinet further includes a light source.
22. A sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the cabinet also has means for evacuating same in order to provide an air free environment in the cabinet.
23. A sampling apparatus comprising a sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22 and means for delivering the sampling device into and out of a product to be sampled.
24. A product storage or production vessel incorporating a sampling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22.
25. A sampling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
26. A sampling apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.