Sample collector

A sample collector for collecting a sample of a gas-charged liquid such as a carbonated beverage from an exteriorly accessible transmission line through which the liquid is flowing. The collector comprises a cylindrical chamber for receiving and storing a liquid sample. A tube has a first end which extends inside the chamber and is positioned and configured so that liquid flowing therefrom is angularly directed against the inside wall of the chamber to create a downwardly-directed spiral flow of liquid along the inside wall. The second end of the tube has attached thereto a valve housing having a flow control valve and a forward end to which a bored needle is releasably secured. The needle bore and the tube bore are aligned and are in communication when the valve is open. The tube has a linear length and bore magnitude relationship which is conducive to inhibiting foaming of the liquid flowing therethrough for collection in the chamber, and foam production is further inhibited by the angular direction of the liquid flow against the inside wall of the chamber. To accomplish necessary tube length, the tube can be coiled on itself at a site along its length a plurality of turns to provide proper length and maintain an overall compact physical size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates in general to a sample collector, and in particular 
to a sample collector for collecting a gas-charged liquid from a 
transmission line through which the liquid is flowing, while inhibiting 
the foaming of the liquid sample so collected. 
In the production of gas-charged liquids such as carbonated beverages, for 
example, it is many times necessary to draw a sample of the liquid as it 
is being transported through transmission lines such as piping from a 
preparation site to a packaging site. Such sampling may be required to 
maintain quality control of the purity, taste, color, viscosity, 
temperature, or other characteristics of the liquid as it is being 
transported and packaged With respect to purity, it is especially 
important to be able to check for biological contamination so that 
contamination free conditions are maintained. In order to accommodate this 
need for obtaining samples, transmission lines generally have self-closing 
seals along their length which are permeable by a bored needle through 
which liquid can be withdrawn. Because the liquid is gas charged, however, 
employment of standard collection apparatus, which is believed to usually 
comprise a needle-tipped, large bore tube in straight communication with a 
collecting container, results in excessive foaming of the liquid so 
collected within the collecting container. This foaming is undesirable 
since it interferes with actual quantity of liquid being collectible, can 
be most untidy, and can require multiple redraws in order to obtain 
adequate and representative samples. Additionally, excessive foaming 
within a sampling apparatus can itself cause contamination therein before 
opening because of foam leakage through any incompletely sealed escape 
routes. 
As a result, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a 
sample collector wherein foaming of gas-charged liquid samples is 
significantly inhibited. Another object of the present invention is to 
provide a sample collector wherein the relationship between the length and 
bore magnitudes of a collection tube thereof acts to inhibit foam 
formation within a collecting container. Yet another object of the present 
invention is to provide a sample collector wherein the linear length of 
the tube through which collected liquid flows is increased by tube coiling 
upon itself at a site along its length to thereby achieve such linear 
length while maintaining relatively compact physical dimensions. These and 
other objects of the invention will become apparent throughout the 
description which follows. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is a sample collector for collecting a sample of a 
gas-charged liquid such as a carbonated beverage, for example, from a 
transmission line having self-closing entry means for sample collection 
and through which the liquid is flowing, as from a preparation site to a 
packaging site. The sample collector comprises a cylindrical chamber means 
for receiving and storing a liquid sample. A tube, having a first and a 
second end, is provided whereby the first end has securement means for 
removably securing it in a leak-proof manner within the chamber means and 
is positioned and configured so that liquid flowing from the first end is 
angularly directed against the inside wall of the chamber means to create 
a spiral flow of liquid along the inside wall. The second end of the tube 
has attached thereto a valve housing having a valve means for controlling 
liquid flow through the tube, and additionally having a forward end which 
has needle reception means for releasably securing a bored needle thereto 
so that the bore of the needle is in communication with the bore of the 
tube when the valve means is in an open position. The tube has a linear 
length and bore magnitude relationship which is conducive to the 
inhibition of foaming of the gas-charged liquid flowing therethrough into 
the chamber means. In a preferred embodiment, the tube is coiled upon 
itself at a site along its length a plurality of turns to thereby provide 
linear dimension while maintaining a relatively compact physical size. 
Finally, a bored needle is releasably secured to the forward end of the 
valve housing for insertion into the self-closing entry means disposed in 
the transmission line through which the liquid is flowing. The 
relationship of length and bore of the tube, and the position and 
configuration of the first end of the tube, which directs liquid flowing 
therefrom against the inside wall of the chamber means, acts to inhibit 
foaming of gas-charged liquid samples so collected to thereby provide 
superior sample collection for quality control testing and maintenance. 
Preferably, the entire sample collector is autoclavable and therefore 
reusable in its entirety, and all components thereof are non-reactive with 
any gas-charged liquid sample being collected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sample collector 10 for collecting a 
gas-charged liquid is illustrated. The collector 10 comprises a 
cylindrical container 12, preferably constructed of transparent or 
translucent autoclavable plastic, having a threaded opening 14, as a 
chamber means for receiving and storing gas-charged liquid. A tube 16, 
having a first end 18 and a second end 20 is provided, with the first end 
18 thereof securedly projecting through a threaded cap 22, preferably 
constructed of stainless steel, and configured and positioned so that 
liquid flowing through the bore 24 of the tube 16 at the first end 18 is 
angularly directed against the inside wall 26 of the container 12 to 
create a downwardly-directed spiral flow, as opposed to a splash, along 
the inside wall 26. In the embodiment here illustrated, an angle 15 of 
about 50.degree. from the vertical is chosen, and preferably is within a 
range between about 45.degree. and about 55.degree.. Depending upon the 
tightness of the interface between the container 12 and the cap 22, a 
gasket (not shown) therebetween may be required to assure leak-proof 
securement. At the interface of the tube 16 and the cap 22, preferably 
stainless steel solder is applied to maintain securement in the embodiment 
here illustrated. At the second end 20 of the tube 16 is secured, likewise 
preferably by stainless steel solder, a valve housing 28 having a 
conventional valve means 30 for controlling liquid flow therethrough. The 
forward end 32 of the valve housing 28 has an interiorly threaded opening 
34 as a needle reception means for releasably securing a standard bored 
needle 36 having lateral flanges 38 which engage the interior threads of 
the opening 34 to thereby align the bore of the needle 36 in communication 
with the bore 24 of the tube 16. In the embodiment here shown, the valve 
housing 28 and the needle 36, here a 16-gauge needle, are made by Beckton 
Dickinson Company, Rutherford, N.J., with the housing 28 having catalog 
no. 3153, and the needle 36 having catalog no. 1103. All Components of the 
embodiment here described are autoclavable, and are non-reactive with 
liquids being collected. Prior to use, the needle 36 is maintained with a 
rigid plastic cover (not shown) therearound to thereby maintain aseptic 
conditions. 
The tube 16 is preferably constructed of stainless steel, and has a 
preferred linear length between about 10 inches and about 15 inches. In 
the embodiment here shown, the tube 16 has a linear dimension of 12 
inches, yet is relatively compact in physical size as achieved by the 
plurality of turns 40 which act to coil the tube 16 on itself. Such 
coiling additionally provides a beneficial weight concentration to thereby 
act as a counterbalance against tipping over of the collector 10 when it 
is placed on a flat surface. Inside bore magnitude of the tube 16 is 
preferably between about 1/16 inch and 1/8 inch, with the bore in the 
embodiment here illustrated being 1/16 inch. The linear length magnitude 
of the tube to the bore magnitude thereof in the illustrated embodiment is 
therefore 192:1. It has been determined that a length-to-bore size 
relationship range of the tube 16 of from about 80:1 to about 240:1, 
coupled with angularly directing liquid flow against the inside wall 26 of 
the container 12 to create a downwardly-directed spiral flow as the liquid 
emerges from the first end 18 of the tube 16, are factors responsible in 
significantly inhibiting foam production from the gas-charged liquid 
collected in the container 12. In operation, and while practicing 
customary aseptic conditions (e.g. autoclaving the collector 10) as may be 
required for a particular sampling goal, an operator (1) inserts the tip 
of the needle 36 into a self-closing seal or other entry means of a 
transmission line carrying gas-charged liquid; (2) opens the valve means 
30; (3) collects a liquid sample which flows into the container 12 through 
the bore of the needle 36, valve housing 28, and tube 16; (4) closes the 
valve means 30; and (5) removes the tip of the needle 36 from the 
transmission line entry. Should the initial amount of collected sample be 
inadequate due to rapid pressure equalization of the transmission line and 
the needle bore, removal of the needle from the entry means of the 
transmission line one or more times as necessary and subsequent 
re-insertion therein will re-establish sample flow into the container 12. 
The container 12 is then unscrewed from the cap 22, and the liquid can be 
transferred to appropriate testing and control apparatus as desired. 
Because foam production is inhibited in sample collection, the liquid so 
collected is easily handled and is of an adequate quantity as may be 
required for subsequent processing. 
While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention 
has been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the 
inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and 
that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such 
variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.