IP Library Granted Patent US 7,152,455
Granted Patent B2
US 7,152,455 · App. 10/288,462 · Granted Dec 26, 2006

Rapid gas recovery in an incubator system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,152,455
App. No.
10/288,462
Granted
Dec 26, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for rapid gas recovery in a controlled gas atmosphere enclosure, which are particularly suited for maintaining incubator gas concentration levels, include the formulation of algorithms utilized for this purpose. The algorithms are included in the firmware for an embedded controller and operate gas solenoids that have inputs defined as specific gases at a defined pressure. An application of the rapid gas recovery method and apparatus to incubators is also disclosed.

Claims (8)

1. A method of controlling rapid gas recovery in an incubator system comprising:

determining gas concentrations in the incubator to initiate rapid gas recovery;

determining start and target volumes for each gas;

predicting a total volume required for each gas; and

adjusting a time required for gas recovery.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of predicting the total volume required for the gas further comprises the steps of: iteratively adding injected gas and subtracting loss due to same gas injection and other gas injection based on volumetric proportions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a microcontroller determines gas concentrations.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas is from a group including oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 14, 2006
From: THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
To: THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC.
Reel/Frame 018600/0555 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2006
From: GSLE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
To: THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018224/0364 →