FIELD

This application relates to fluid sampling systems and to fluid sampling vessels for use in the fluid sampling systems.

BACKGROUND

The sampling of working fluids of industrial machines or fluids stored in fluid storage containers is often required for preventative maintenance and/or quality control. Prior art methods employed to obtain a representative, pressurized or non-pressurized fluid sample typically require removal of a lid from a bottle and an independent activation of a valve on the bottle to send fluid from the fluid source into the bottle. In such prior art methods, air in the bottle is displaced by the fluid and vented to atmosphere. Removal of a typical lid, with or without a vent port, is not be able to contain gases, gas entrained fluids or hygroscopic fluids for analysis. Removal and temporary placement of the lid also allows the ingress of airborne contamination and moisture which can distort counts of particulate, wear metals, gases or moisture when sampling in any non-highly controlled environment.

Thus, available sampling devices generally suffer from being cumbersome to use and/or prone to allowing contaminants into the sampling device or allowing sampled fluids to escape out of the sampling device.

There remains a need for a sampling system that is both easy to use and can preserve the integrity of the sampled fluid.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, there is provided a fluid sampling vessel comprising: a bottle having a mouth; a cap for the bottle, the cap comprising a rim sealingly engageable with the mouth of the bottle, a sampling port through a top of the cap fluidly connecting an interior volume of the bottle with an external environment, an open-ended conduit extending from the sampling port at an underside of the cap into the bottle when the cap is engaged with the bottle so that fluid entering the sampling port from the external environment can flow from a first end of the conduit to a second end of the conduit into the bottle, the conduit comprising a guide portion proximate the first end and a valve retaining portion proximate the second end and longitudinally aligned with the guide portion, the guide portion separated from the valve retaining portion by a valve seat; a spring-loaded ball valve situated in the valve retaining portion, the spring-loaded ball valve comprising a ball and a spring, the ball seated on the spring and biased by the spring toward the valve seat, the ball preventing fluid from flowing between the guide portion and the valve retaining portion when the ball is seated on the valve seat and permitting fluid to flow between the guide portion and the valve retaining portion when the ball is pushed away from the valve seat against the bias of the spring; and a removable retainer mounted proximate the second end of the conduit, the retainer preventing the spring and the ball from exiting the conduit through the second end while permitting fluid to flow out of the conduit into the bottle.

In another aspect, there is provided a fluid sampling system comprising: the fluid sampling vessel as defined above; and, an adapter releasably connectable to the sampling port of the cap of the vessel and to a fluid outlet of a source of the fluid, the adapter comprising a fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the open-ended conduit of the vessel and the source of the fluid when the adapter is connected to both the sampling port and the fluid outlet, and an activating probe for opening the spring-loaded ball valve when the adapter is connected to the sampling port.

In an embodiment, the rim is sealingly engageable with the mouth of the bottle by a sealing element. In an embodiment, the cap comprises a perimetrical groove around an inner circumference at an underside of the cap for retaining the sealing element in the cap.

In an embodiment, the removable retainer comprises a tension clip washer having a perimetrical raised edge mated with an internal clip groove in the valve retaining portion of the open-ended conduit. In an embodiment, the removable retainer comprises at least one aperture therein to permit fluid flow between the interior volume of the bottle and the valve retaining portion of the open-ended conduit. In an embodiment, the valve retaining portion of the open-ended conduit comprises at least one slot, preferably opposed slots, in a wall thereof to facilitate insertion and removal of the tension clip washer from the open-ended conduit.

In an embodiment, the fluid sampling vessel further comprises an analysis sensor located in the interior volume of the bottle for collecting physical and/or chemical property data on the fluid in the bottle. In an embodiment, the analysis sensor wirelessly transmits the data collected to a receiving device outside the fluid sampling vessel.

In an embodiment, the activating probe comprises an engagement surface that engages the ball of the spring-loaded ball valve to displace the ball against the bias of the spring to open the spring-loaded ball valve when the activating probe is connected to the sampling port of the cap of the vessel.

In an embodiment, the system further comprises an actuatable sampling valve connectable to the adapter and the fluid outlet between the adapter and the fluid outlet. In an embodiment, the actuatable sampling valve is openable to permit fluid flow from the fluid outlet to the adapter and closeable to prevent fluid flow from the fluid outlet to the adapter.

In an embodiment, the system further comprises a vacuum line connector releasably connectable to the sampling port of the cap of the vessel and to a vacuum line. In an embodiment, the vacuum line connector comprises a fluid flow pipe in fluid communication with the open-ended conduit of the vessel and the vacuum line when the vacuum line connector is connected to both the sampling port and the vacuum line. In one embodiment, the vacuum line connector comprises a valve opener for opening the spring-loaded ball valve when the vacuum line connector is connected to the sampling port. In one embodiment, the valve opener comprises an engagement surface that engages the ball of the spring-loaded ball valve to displace the ball against the bias of the spring to open the spring-loaded ball valve when the vacuum line connector is connected to the sampling port of the cap of the vessel.

The fluid sampling vessel is ventless in that the vessel does not require a separate vent to permit displacement of air inside the vessel during sampling of the fluid in order to avoid over-pressurization in the vessel. Instead, the vessel may be at least partially evacuated through a vacuum line connector connected at the sampling port to provide a low pressure inside the vessel, which is at a lower pressure than the fluid being sampled from a higher-pressure fluid source. The spring-loaded ball valve seals the interior volume of the fluid sampling vessel until the fluid is sampled using the sampling system. Use of the vessel in conjunction with the adapter having an activating probe to displace the ball of the ball valve unseals the interior volume of the fluid sampling vessel to permit the fluid to flow from the fluid source at higher pressure into a lower pressure interior volume of the vessel until the pressures equalize or until enough fluid has been collected. At that time, the activating probe may be operated to re-seal the interior volume of the fluid sampling vessel to prevent contamination of the fluid collected in the vessel.

The activating probe of the adapter and valve opener of the vacuum line connector may utilize the same or a similar type of element to open the ball valve. The activating probe and/or the valve opener may comprise an engagement surface that engages the ball to displace the ball against the bias of the spring.

With the valve opener, when the vacuum line connector is connected to the sampling port of the cap of the vessel, the valve opener automatically opens the ball valve. Insertion of the vacuum line connector into the sampling port causes the engagement surface of the valve opener to engage with the ball to displace the ball against the bias of the spring to open the ball valve. Air in the interior volume of the fluid sampling vessel can then be evacuated through a vacuum line connected to the vacuum line connector and a vacuum pump. Removing the vacuum line connector from the sampling port permits the ball valve to re-seal the interior volume of the fluid sampling vessel to retain the interior volume under a lower pressure.

With the activating probe, when the adapter is connected to the sampling port of the cap of the vessel, the activating probe automatically opens the ball valve. Insertion of the adapter into the sampling port causes the engagement surface of the activating probe to engage with the ball to displace the ball against the bias of the spring to open the ball valve. With the adapter connected to the source of fluid, the fluid from the source can then flow through the fluid flow channel in the adapter into the fluid sampling vessel. Removing the adapter from the sampling port permits the ball valve to re-seal the interior volume of the fluid sampling vessel to retain the sampled fluid captured therein.

The fluid sampling system is easy to use with only one hand, thereby making the system safer to use in locations where a free hand may be required to ensure an operator's safety, for example on a ladder or at a top of a water tower. At the same time, the fluid sampling system is able to retain sampled fluids without or with minimal spillage and without permitting contaminants to enter the sampling bottle before, during and/or after sampling.

The fluid may be a gas, a liquid or a mixture of gas and liquid. The fluids may be sampled from industrial machines or fluid storage containers. Fluid samples comprising a liquid are most common in the field of industrial machines. Preferably, the fluid comprises a liquid or gas found in lubricated power transmission apparatuses. Some fluids that may be sampled include, for example, motor oil from an engine casing, transmission oil from a transmission manifold, brake fluid from a braking system, hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump or motor, and the like.

Further features will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description. It should be understood that each feature described herein may be utilized in any combination with any one or more of the other described features, and that each feature does not necessarily rely on the presence of another feature except where evident to one of skill in the art.

