Special receptacle or package – For gas – With gas storing absorbent or solvent
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-24
2004-09-28
Yu, Mickey (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For gas
With gas storing absorbent or solvent
C206S484000, C383S038000, C220S560130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796421
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to devices for storing gases and fluids under pressure. More particularly, the invention relates to pressure vessels that are formed out of flexible materials and that can be made to conform to a variety of shapes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, pressure vessels capable of containing liquids or gases at significant pressures have involved fixed shape cylinders or spheres formed of high-strength metals such as steel or aluminum. Such pressure vessels, while successful for their designed applications, involve a number of problems. First, such metallic cylinders are relatively heavy compared to the gases or fluids that they contain. Second, pressure cylinders contain all of the gas or liquid in a single space. Should the vessel rupture, the entire vessel is destroyed, often with a violent explosion sending shards of metal in all directions. Third, metallic cylinders have a definite shape and cannot be adapted to fit readily in many space-constrained applications. The present invention involves a number of small cells linked to each other by small conduits. The cells are collected in a flexible matting material that adds to the structural integrity of the cells. A pressure vessel of this type can be lightweight, adaptable to a variety of spaces and unusual applications, and is inherently safer in rupture situations.
Various designs have been developed using linked cell technologies, most in the area of packaging materials. U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,379 issued to Kerr discloses heat-sealable packaging material comprised of interconnected cells formed by laminating two facing sheets of air impermeable material to define designated partitions and passageways. Discontinuities are provided at selected locations in each of the partitions to provide limited communication between the adjacent passages. The packaging material may be cut to the desired length and sealed at one end and then inflated by the insertion of a suitable manifold at the other end and supplying pressurized air. While inflation is maintained, the passages are sealed by a heat-sealing bar trapping the air within the passages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,306 issued to Larson, describes air inflated cushioning material comprising a series of interconnected cells formed by heat-sealing two facing sheets of film together. Here the cells are connected to each other and a central passageway that is used to inflate the cells. After inflation, the entrance to the passageway is then sealed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,188, issued to Soroka et al, is directed to an inflatable packaging structure that includes an envelope with an inner liner. The inner liner located within envelope includes an inflatable first layer and a second or upper inflatable layer formed of flexible sheets of heat sealable plastic material. The sheets are sealed to form zones that are connected to a single valve used for inflation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,646 issued to Inoue et al. describes containers formed of laminated, interconnected cells. The cells are arranged in pairs that can communicate with each other. One chamber is designed to hold powdered, liquid or solid preparations while the second chamber is designed to hold an oxygen absorbent and a desiccant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,392 issued to Gotoh et al., is directed to a method and apparatus for producing an air cushion having a plurality of independent bubbles. The bubbles have communicating portions extending in a continuous direction so that a plurality of them may be filled simultaneously and then individually sealed. A sheet of bubbles is formed by heat-sealing films together having the bubble forming depressions shapes with a hollow tubing communicating portion extending at the center line of the films in a continuous direction. A portion corresponding to the bubble forming depressions communicates with the right and left sides of the communicating portion. Air blown from a nozzle and fed through the communicating portion inflates the bubbles so that the films can be sealed at the communicating conjunction area making each bubble independent.
While other variations exist, the above-described designs involving linked cell technologies are typical of those encountered in the prior art. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a flexible pressure vessel that is capable of maintaining gasses or liquids at relatively high pressures. It is a further objective to provide this capability in a vessel that is light in weight and that presents a significantly reduced risk of injury in rupture situations. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a pressure vessel that may be easily adapted to a variety of space constraints.
It is yet a further objective to provide a pressure vessel that is durable, easily serviced, and that may be produced inexpensively. It is still a further objective to provide a flexible pressure vessel that is protected against contamination by liquids and gases that it may contain. It is another objective to provide means to increase the pressure handling capabilities of the flexible pressure vessel. It is yet another objective of the invention to provide such increased pressure handling capability with a minimal increase in weight.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses many of the deficiencies of prior art flexible container and pressure vessel inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
A flexible pressure vessel providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. At least one upper dome-shaped cell portion is provided. The upper cell portion is formed from a first sheet of resilient material and has an inner surface, an outer surface, an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a border of sheet material surrounding the outer perimeter, and at least one upper passageway portion. The upper passageway portion extends outwardly from the inner perimeter to the surrounding sheet material.
At least one mating lower dome-shaped cell portion is provided. The lower cell portion is formed from a second sheet of resilient material and has an inner surface, an outer surface, an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a border of sheet material surrounding the outer perimeter, and at least one lower passageway portion. The lower passageway portion extends outwardly from the inner perimeter to the surrounding sheet material. The upper cell portion is joined to the mating lower cell portion such that a cell is formed. The cell has at least one passageway extending outwardly from the cell for connection to either a passageway of another cell or a valve.
A first ring is provided. The first ring has a first inner circumference, an outer circumference and a first predetermined thickness. The first ring is sized and shaped to fit frictionally over the upper cell portion and surround its outer perimeter. A second ring is provided. The second ring has a second inner circumference, an outer circumference and a second predetermined thickness. The ring second ring is sized and shaped to fit frictionally over the lower cell portion and surround its outer perimeter.
A first flexible blanket is provided. The first blanket has an upper surface, a lower surface and is sized and shaped to cover the upper cell portion and surrounding sheet material. The first blanket is fixedly attached at its lower surface to the outer surface of the upper cell portion and surrounding sheet material. A second flexible blanket is provided. The second blanket has an upper surface, a lower surface and is sized and shaped to cover the lower cell portion and surrounding sheet material. The second blanket is fixedly attached at its lower surface to the outer surface of the lower cell portion and surrounding sheet material. A valve is provided. The valve is connected to the passageway and provides means for controlling a flow of either of gasses and liquids i
Arnold Troy
Belasco David A.
Belasco Jacobs & Townsley LLP
Yu Mickey
LandOfFree
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