Patent ID: 7252014
Filing Date: 2007-08-07
Classification: G01F,G01M

Abstract:
1. An instrument for measuring volume of a hermetically sealed, variable volume, pressure conforming container, comprising: (a) a needle having a lumen operable for sealingly perforating a hermetically sealed, variable volume, pressure conforming container so as to place the lumen of the needle in fluid communication with a retention chamber defined by such a container, (b) a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the lumen effective for evacuating gaseous content from a hermetically sealed, variable volume, pressure conforming container via the lumen defined by the needle, (c) a mass flow rate sensor in sealed fluid communication with the lumen defined by the needle for sensing mass flow rates pulled through the lumen and transmitting corresponding mass flow rate signals over time, (d) an integrator (i) in electrical communication with the mass flow rate sensor for receiving the mass flow rate signals, and (ii) programmed to (A) integrate the received mass flow rate signals over time through achievement of an evacuated retention chamber to generate a total mass value, and (B) calculate a volume from the total mass value employing the ideal gas law.