Apparatus for counting microparticles using a gas reservoir to increase stability of air pressure
View Patent ↗A microparticle count apparatus that includes or is connected to a gas reservoir for increasing stability of air pressure at the microparticle counter even when air pressure or air flow rate provided by a nozzle coupled to the microparticle measurement apparatus is unstable.
1. A microparticle measurement apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a microparticle counter for counting a number of microparticles in a volume of gas received by the microparticle counter;
a vacuum pump for causing the volume of gas to flow through the microparticle counter using negative pressure; and
a gas reservoir for increasing stability of air pressure at the microparticle counter even when air pressure or air flow rate provided by a nozzle coupled to the microparticle measurement apparatus is unstable.
2. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle measurement apparatus includes an enclosure and wherein the gas reservoir is inside of the enclosure.
3. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle measurement apparatus includes an enclosure and wherein the gas reservoir is outside of the enclosure.
4. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas reservoir is inside of the microparticle counter.
5. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle measurement apparatus includes an enclosure that is used as the gas reservoir.
6. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas reservoir is part of a gas pathway portion, associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus, and has a larger diameter than the rest of the gas pathway portion.
7. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas reservoir is a cylindrical shaped component located at a branch of a gas pathway portion associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus.
8. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas reservoir is a long coiled portion of a gas pathway portion associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus.
9. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas reservoir is located between the microparticle counter and the vacuum pump.
10. A microparticle measurement apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a microparticle counter for counting a number of microparticles in a volume of gas received by the microparticle counter;
an external fitting for coupling with a vacuum pump, which is external to the microparticle measurement apparatus, for causing the volume of gas to flow through the microparticle counter using negative pressure; and
a gas reservoir for increasing stability of air pressure at the microparticle counter even when air pressure or air flow rate provided by a nozzle coupled to the microparticle measurement apparatus is unstable.
11. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the microparticle measurement apparatus includes an enclosure and wherein the gas reservoir is inside of the enclosure.
12. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the microparticle measurement apparatus includes an enclosure and wherein the gas reservoir is outside of the enclosure.
13. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas reservoir is inside of the microparticle counter.
14. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the microparticle measurement apparatus includes an enclosure that is used as the gas reservoir.
15. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas reservoir is part of a gas pathway portion, associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus, and has a larger diameter than the rest of the gas pathway portion.
16. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas reservoir is a cylindrical shaped component located at a branch of a gas pathway portion associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus.
17. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas reservoir is a long coiled portion of a gas pathway portion associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus.
18. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas reservoir is located at a portion of a gas pathway that is between the microparticle counter and the vacuum pump.
19. A microparticle measurement apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a microparticle counter for counting a number of microparticles in a volume of gas received by the microparticle counter;
a vacuum pump for causing the volume of gas to flow through the microparticle counter using negative pressure; and
an external fitting for coupling with a gas reservoir for increasing stability of air pressure at the microparticle counter even when air pressure or air flow rate provided by a nozzle coupled to the microparticle measurement apparatus is unstable.
20. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the gas reservoir is part of a gas pathway portion, associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus, and has a larger diameter than the rest of the gas pathway portion.
21. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the gas reservoir is a cylindrical shaped component located at a branch of a gas pathway portion associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus.
22. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the gas reservoir is a long coiled portion of a gas pathway portion associated with the microparticle measurement apparatus.
23. The microparticle measurement apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the gas reservoir is located at a portion of a gas pathway that is between the microparticle counter and the vacuum pump.