Abstract: Plungers and plunger assemblies for a diaphragm-sealed valve are provided. Each plunger is adapted to be received in a passage of the valve body and includes a base member and an upper member having a longitudinal play in this passage with respect to the base member. A resilient middle element is provided between the upper and base member. The base member is connected to a plunger actuating mechanism within the valve body. Optionally, the upper member may be self-aligning within the passage. The plunger can be used to compensate for temperature variations experienced by the valve in use.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve having communication mechanisms operatively connecting neighboring pairs of grooves is provided. Each communication mechanism has a communication port opening in an interface of a valve cap, between the neighboring grooves. The communication mechanism also has a communication conduit extending within the valve cap and connecting the communication port and one of the neighboring grooves. It also has a recess within a valve body aligned with the communication port and with the other one of the neighboring grooves, a flexible sealing surface of the diaphragm being seated within the recess and resiliently biased away from the interface of the valve cap. A plunger assembly is also provided, including plungers movable to push flexible sealing surface towards the communication port.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chromatographic method for eliminating interference from interfering agents, coming from the gas sample itself or from the system material used to perform the impurities measurements, on impurities to be quantified in a gas sample. The method advantageously relies on the use of an additional valve and an additional sample loop particularly arranged in a G. C. system, and also on an additional supporting gas inlet operatively connected to the system through the additional sample loop for providing the system with a supporting gas comprising at least a predetermined portion of a predetermined active gas that will react with the unwanted interfering impurities, if any, or with the column material to cancel out unwanted active sites. Thus, the method of the present invention can advantageously be used in gas chromatographic systems to improve sensitivity thereof by acting on column separation material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chromatographic method for eliminating interference from interfering agents, corning from the gas sample itself or from the system material used to perform the impurities measurements, on impurities to be quantified in a gas sample. The method advantageously relies on the use of an additional valve and an additional sample loop particularly arranged in a G. C. system, and also on an additional supporting gas inlet operatively connected to the system through the additional sample loop for providing the system with a supporting gas comprising at least a predetermined portion of a predetermined active gas that will react with the unwanted interfering impurities, if any, or with the column material to cancel out unwanted active sites. Thus, the method of the present invention can advantageously be used in gas chromatographic systems to improve sensitivity thereof by acting on column separation material.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve provided with a valve cap and a valve body, a diaphragm and a plunger assembly. The diaphragm is compressibly positioned between the valve cap and the valve body. The valve body comprises a process purging channel extending along a main recess of the valve body, under a pre-formed deformation of the diaphragm. A process purging inlet passage and a process purging outlet passage, both opening on the process purging channel, allow for a purging gas to flow in the process purging channel.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and a method of eliminating interference for impurities measurement in noble gases based on emission spectroscopy which provide very stable, sensitive and interference free results. The method mainly relies on the use of a combination of particularly designed means serially connected for cancelling interferences and proper means for correcting linearity issues. The proposed method is particularly advantageous since it offers long-term stability while providing very accurate and reliable results, even at sub-ppb and up to 10,000 ppm levels, whatever the surrounding conditions and the additional impurities that could be present in the gas under analysis.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve having communication mechanisms operatively connecting neighbouring pairs of grooves is provided. Each communication mechanism has a communication port opening in an interface of a valve cap, between the neighbouring grooves. The communication mechanism also has a communication conduit extending within the valve cap and connecting the communication port and one of the neighbouring grooves. It also has a recess within a valve body aligned with the communication port and with the other one of the neighbouring grooves, a flexible sealing surface of the diaphragm being seated within the recess and resiliently biased away from the interface of the valve cap. A plunger assembly is also provided, including plungers movable to push flexible sealing surface towards the communication port.

Abstract: A hand tool and a method of fabrication thereof, the tool comprising a head having a neck portion provided with perforations, and a handle comprising a core and a sleeve, the sleeve of the handle being molded over the core and the neck, the material of the sleeve forming a bridge between the core and the neck and filling the perforations of the neck.

Abstract: A shaft and a method of fabricating a shaft for a tool, comprising on at least part of a surface thereof at least one structural sheet comprising at least one of: i) glass fibers, ii) carbon fibers, iii) Kevlar™ fibers and polyester fibers, impregnated with one of: i) a thermoset resin and ii) a thermoplastic resin.