SNIFFER PROBE WITH SHIELDING

Abstract

The invention relates to a sniffer probe (10) for drawing in gas when searching for gas leaks, the sniffer probe having at least one sniffer tip (11), and an intake opening (16) being provided which is connected via a connecting line to a main sniffer line which can be connected to a gas leak detector. The sniffer tip (11) is provided in the region of the intake opening (16) with flexible elongated shielding elements (30) which project from the sniffer tip (11) in such a way that the intake opening (16) is shielded from the exterior environment (38) of the sniffer probe (10) on all sides.

Claims

1. A sniffer probe for drawing in gas, the sniffer probe having at least one sniffer tip provided with an intake opening which is connected via a connecting line to a main sniffer line which can be connected to a gas leak detector, wherein the sniffer tip is provided in the region of the intake opening with flexible elongated shielding elements which project from the sniffer tip in such a way that the intake opening is shielded from the outer environment of the sniffer probe to all sides.

2. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the distance between adjacent shielding elements is less than or equal to approximately 1/10 or preferably 1/100 of the intake opening diameter.

3. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the shielding elements form a test cavity for the test object to be examined, which test cavity adjoins the intake opening, and shield the test cavity from the outer environment of the sniffer probe to all sides.

4. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the sniffer tip is formed by at least one arm from the side of which that faces the test cavity the shielding elements protrude.

5. The sniffer probe according to claim 4, wherein the sniffer probe comprises at least two separate arms between which the test cavity is formed, at least one of the arms having the intake opening on the side facing the test cavity.

6. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of shielding elements surrounds the intake opening.

7. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein a plurality shielding elements is provided in the form of flexible and preferably elastic fibers, preferably in the form of brush-type bristles.

8. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the shielding elements form flexible walls that shield the test cavity from the outer environment of the sniffer probe.

9. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the shielding elements are arranged exclusively in an edge region of the side of the arms which faces the test chamber, said edge region delimiting the test chamber from the outer environment.

10. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the shielding elements are arranged on both arms on opposite sides of the test cavity and each border the test cavity or shield the same from the environment.

11. The sniffer probe according to claim 10, wherein at least some of the shielding elements extend to approximately the center of the cavity.

12. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the shielding elements of at least two different lengths are provided, shielding elements of the same length preferably being arranged in rows and the rows of long shielding elements alternating with the rows of short shielding elements.

13. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the shielding elements surround the greater part of the cavity.

14. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the two arms are connected with each other at their rear ends in the manner of a fork and have the intake openings at their front ends opposite the rear ends.

15. The sniffer probe according to claim 14, wherein the two arms are formed in U-shape.

16. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the intake opening is formed on an inner side of the respective arm, which faces the test cavity.

17. The sniffer probe according to claim 16, wherein the inner sides are formed to be parallel to each other in the region of the front ends of the two arms.

18. The sniffer probe according to claim 1, wherein the arms are connected at their rear ends to a base element which comprises the main sniffer line and can be connected to a gas leak detector.

Description

[0024] In the Drawings:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the embodiment and

[0026] FIG. 2 is a view in the direction of the arrow II in FIG. 1.

[0027] The sniffer probe has two arms 12, 14 that form an U. The rear ends of the two arms 12, 14 are integrally connected with a central base element 28, in which a main sniffer line, not illustrated in the Figure, is contained that is connected to the gas leak detector. The front ends 22, 24 of the two arms 12, 14 opposite the rear ends are formed spaced from each other, such that a test cavity 20 for the pipeline to be examined is formed between them.

[0028] On opposing sides of the test cavity 20, intake openings 16, 18 are formed on the inner sides 26 of the two arms 22, 24 adjoining the test cavity 20. As an alternative, it is conceivable that only one of the two arms 22, 24 is provided with an intake opening 16, while the other arm 24 has no intake opening 18 or the only intake opening 16 is located centrally at or in the region of the base element 28 between the two arms. As an alternative, the intake opening can be introduced into the shielded region using a capillary.

[0029] Each intake opening 16, 18 is formed in the front region of the front end 22, 24 of the respective arm 12, 14. Each intake opening 16, 18 is connected to the main sniffer line in a gas-conducting manner via a separate connecting line which extends in the respective arm 12, 14 and is not illustrated in the Figures.

[0030] The inner sides 26 of the two arms 12, 14 are arranged parallel to each other in the region of the front ends 22, 24, so that the sniffer probe 10 can be oriented with respect to the pipeline to be examined such that the region of the pipeline that is to be tested is contained in the test cavity 20.

[0031] From the inner sides 26 of both arms 12, 14, flexible shielding elements in the form of elastic fibers or brush hairs project in the manner of a brush and protrude into or border the test cavity 20. The shielding elements 30 are arranged in parallel to each other.

[0032] The shielding elements are arranged exclusively in the edge region 36 of the inner sides 26 of the two arms 12, 14. The wall region 36 delimits the inner sides to the outside and encloses the intake opening 16, 18 completely. Thereby, the shielding elements projecting from the inner sides 26 in the edge regions 36 form a gas-permeable wall that shields the test cavity 20 from the outer environment 38 of the sniffer probe 10.

[0033] Each of the two arms 12, 14 is provided with one or more rows 32 of longer shielding elements 30 and/or with one or more rows 34 of shorter shielding elements 30. The shielding elements of the rows 34 are formed shorter than the shielding elements 30 of the rows 32. The rows 32 and the rows 34 alternate. so that one row 34 is arranged between two adjacent rows 32 and vice versa. The longer shielding elements 30 of the rows 32 each extend to the center of the test cavity 20, so that the shielding elements 30 of the rows 32 almost contact each other in the region of the center of the test cavity 20. In contrast, the shorter shielding elements 30 of the rows 34 are each formed to be only about half as long as the shielding elements 30 of the rows 32, so that in the region of the center of the test cavity 20, a space for a test object remains between mutually opposite shielding elements 30 of the rows 34 that extend from mutually opposite arms 22, 24 and surround or shield the test cavity 20. Thereby, a test object introduced into the test cavity 20 bends the longer shielding elements 30 of the rows 32 more than the shorter shielding elements 30 of the rows 34.

[0034] As an alternative, it is conceivable that the longer and the shorter shielding elements 30 alternate without being arranged in rows of the same length. Here, one shorter fiber element 30 can be surrounded respectively by a plurality of longer shielding elements and vice versa.

[0035] The shielding elements 30 shield the intake opening 16 form the outer environment of the sniffer probe 10 in such a manner that the effects of air turbulences in the region outside the test cavity 20 on the air flow within the test cavity 20 and in the direction of the intake opening 16 or 18 are reduced.

[0036] In a further embodiment not illustrated in the Figures, only one arm configured as a sniffer tip is provided, which has an intake opening in the region of the sniffer tip. Here, flexible elongated shielding elements protrude in the region of the intake opening. The shielding elements may be bristle-like elongated fibers and/or flexible walls. It is of importance to the invention that the test cavity adjoining the intake openings is shielded by the shielding elements from the outer environment of the sniffer probe om all sides, so that a distance of at most ⅕ of the intake opening diameter and preferably less than 1/10 or less than 1/100 of the diameter remains between adjacent shielding elements. The shielding elements form walls that enclose and/or define the test cavity completely.