The present invention relates to an optical device for detecting the liquid level in an infusion machine having a boiler (68) and a duct (61) of a determined length. The device (12) comprises an optical sensor (21) associated to the duct in a determined position representative of a determined level of the liquid in the boiler (68). The sensor (21) is arranged to detect the presence or the absence of the liquid at the determined level by means of optical signals. The device (12) further comprises a board (23) connected to the optical sensor (21) and apt to manage the sensor (21) signals and to generate electrical signals representative of the presence or of the absence of the liquid in the determined level. The device (12) comprises a shell (27) opaque to the ambient light and shaped so as to engage the board (23) and protect the optical sensor (21) from the ambient light. The invention also relates to the apparatus for infusion machine that uses the device and to the related detecting method.

A rugged, all-electronic fluid dispensing system for use with pipettes or in other contexts indirectly measures fluid flow by using a non-linear system model to correlate vacuum existing at the top of a column of suspended fluid. Non-contact operation is provided to eliminate the need for contact-type closed-loop fluid flow sensing and associated potential cross-contamination risks. In one particular exemplary non-limiting illustrative implementation, an electronic controller within a gun-shaped, cordless self-contained pipetter housing dynamically calculates valve opening time based on a non-linear equation. Calibration is used to derive equation constants, and column vacuum pressure before the valve is opened is used as the independent variable to derive a valve opening time that will result in accurate dispensing of a desired programmed fluid quantity. Repetitive automatic dispensing with accuracies greater than 1% are possible within the context of a relatively inexpensive portable pipette or device without the need for mechanically-complex positive displacement arrangements.

A rugged, all-electronic fluid dispensing system for use with pipettes or in other contexts indirectly measures fluid flow by using a non-linear system model to correlate vacuum existing at the top of a column of suspended fluid. Non-contact operation is provided to eliminate the need for contact-type closed-loop fluid flow sensing and associated potential cross-contamination risks. In one particular exemplary non-limiting illustrative implementation, an electronic controller within a gun-shaped, cordless self-contained pipetter housing dynamically calculates valve opening time based on a non-linear equation. Calibration is used to derive equation constants, and column vacuum pressure before the valve is opened is used as the independent variable to derive a valve opening time that will result in accurate dispensing of a desired programmed fluid quantity. Repetitive automatic dispensing with accuracies greater than 1% are possible within the context of a relatively inexpensive portable pipette or device without the need for mechanically-complex positive displacement arrangements.

A sealed observation element for viewing the flow of molten liquid during the operation of a sulfur recovery unit comprises at least one sight glass that is heated and which may be swept with a purge gas supplied through one or more bleed rings to prevent condensation or deposition of materials on the side of the sight glass exposed to the process stream.

Füllstandsanzeige für ein Medium, insbesondere Flüssigkeit mit einem lichtdurchlässigen Anzeigemittel, wobei das Anzeigemittel in der Weise beschaffen ist, daß das Anzeigemittel in Abhängigkeit davon, welches Medium an das Anzeigemittel angrenzt unterschiedliche optische Eigenschaften aufweist, so daß im Grenzbereich zwischen zwei Medien ein optischer Effekt auftritt, der den Füllstand eines Mediums anzeigt. Zur Unterstützung des optischen Effektes ist eine Lichtquelle vorgesehen, die optisch an das Anzeigemittel angekoppelt ist.

A container for liquids having a receptacle suitable for containing a liquid, the receptacle having a wall portion and a floor portion joined to contain liquid, the wall portion having an aperture suitable for allowing a substantial portion of the liquid to be viewed therethrough; and a window means for allowing a user to view the liquid contained in the receptacle, the window means being located contiguous with the aperture so as to prevent liquid from escaping from the receptacle through the aperture. The window means has an outer window crystal configured to overlap the aperture when located thereover; an inner window crystal having substantially the same dimension as the outer window crystal and at least one of the inner window crystal or outer window crystal having a raised portion located substantially around its perimeter, the raised portion juxtaposed with the aperture so as to mate with the aperture and protrude through the aperture when the window crystal is located over the aperture; and a sealing ring configured to fit within a space between the inner window crystal and the wall portion when the inner window crystal is lcoated over the aperture.

Die Erfindung betrifft eine Vorrichtung zum Anzeigen und Kontrollieren von Fluidzuständen mit mindestens einem Fluidanschluß (10), der in einen das Fluid aufnehmenden Sichtraum (16) mündet, der mit mindestens einer Anzeigeeinrichtung versehen ist und der einem Betrachter in einer Blickrichtung das Kontrollieren des Fluidzustandes ermöglicht. Dadurch, daß der Sichtraum (16) mit einem das Kontrollieren des Fluidzustandes erleichternden Hilfsmittel (38) zumindest teilweise versehen ist und daß das Hilfsmittel (38) in Blickrichtung des Betrachters hinter der Anzeigeeinrichtung derart angeordnet ist, daß eine Kontrasterhöhung erfolgt, sind bekannte Vorrichtungen dahingehend weiter verbessert, daß mit möglichst geringem Kostenaufwand die optische Kontrolle durch einen Betrachter deutlich erleichtert ist.

The present invention discloses a road tanker with a plurality of tanks (5,7,9) which are individually mounted one behind the other to a vehicle chassis (3) using a flexible mounting system (10) which allows the individual tanks to move with respect to one another in response to flexing of the vehicle chassis. The use of multiple tanks facilitates the use of a sight gauge for determining the quantity of liquid in each tank.

The invention also proposes tankers having a unique configuration of tanks (105,107,105) which are each horizontally symmetrical and in which the opposite ends of each tank are correspondingly curved and wherein adjacent tanks have complimentary curved ends to allow close nesting of the tanks.

Also described is a vapour recovery system.

A container for liquids having a receptacle suitable for containing a liquid, the receptacle having a wall portion and a floor portion joined to contain liquid, the wall portion having an aperture suitable for allowing a substantial portion of the liquid to be viewed therethrough; and a window means for allowing a user to view the liquid contained in the receptacle, the window means being located contiguous with the aperture so as to prevent liquid from escaping from the receptacle through the aperture. The window means has an outer window crystal configured to overlap the aperture when located thereover; an inner window crystal having substantially the same dimension as the outer window crystal and at least one of the inner window crystal or outer window crystal having a raised portion located substantially around its perimeter, the raised portion juxtaposed with the aperture so as to mate with the aperture and protrude through the aperture when the window crystal is located over the aperture; and a sealing ring configured to fit within a space between the inner window crystal and the wall portion when the inner window crystal is lcoated over the aperture.