Special receptacle or package – Including ancillary article contacting medium – Gas medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-09
2001-06-12
Foster, Jim (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
Including ancillary article contacting medium
Gas medium
C206S317000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244432
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to humidity control devices and more particularly to humidity control devices for use in cases for storing guns and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Humidity control devices have been known for many years. Perhaps one of the earliest humidity control devices was simply a pan of water setting on a stove or heater. The pan was repeatedly re-filled with water as the heat from the stove or heater evaporated the water. The water vapor raised the humidity in an environment of low moisture.
It is well recognized that during cold weather, particularly in the Northern climes, the indoor moisture content may often be very low. This low humidity causes damage. For example, the drying out of wood pieces that have been glued together often results in the wooden pieces coming apart at glued joints. In other words, wooden furniture with pieces glued together become loose and eventually may entirely separate. Legs may fall off chairs or legs may become disassociated from a table. The same types of problems occur with guns carrying fine wooden stocks.
Over the years, sophistication has developed in humidity control devices. Homes today often include a humidifier that is associated with the central furnace or heating system. Water is automatically fed into the humidifier. The water is exposed to warm moving air which picks up the moisture, carrying the water vapor throughout the home. Electronic controlled humidity regulators are very effective, but expensive and not very portable.
Desiccants have been used to completely or almost completely remove all the humidity in the air. Desiccants typically leave the humidity at or quite near zero percent.
In other instances environments may contain an excess amount of water vapor. Such a condition is typically confronted in the below ground level portion of the house, typically referred to as a basement. If the basement is located in a soil environment that contains high moisture, the moisture may move through the walls e.g. concrete, of the basement raising the moisture content in the basement air to an unacceptably high level.
Devices have been designed to lower the moisture content, such devices are commonly referred to as dehumidifiers. These devices often work on a principle of refrigeration. The devices include a coil (tubular coil) through which a compressible fluid is passed. When the fluid is permitted to expand, the fluid rapidly lowers the temperature of the tubing. As moist air is passed over the tubing, condensation takes place on the tubing forming water which drops down into a removable pan. Periodically the pan is removed and emptied. All too often, the dehumidifier is forgotten, the pan overflows onto the floor and the water then evaporates, again raising the humidity.
Humidifying devices and dehumidifying devices of the type just described are generally not suitable for use in a gun case. The described humidifying devices and dehumidifying devices take up a substantial amount of space and simply will not fit within a gun case. Attempts have been made to design small devices that fit within a small case.
There is a need to control the humidity in gun cases. If too a high level of moisture is present oxidation or rusting of metal parts in the gun stored in the case may occur. If too low a level of moisture is present in the gun case, cracking of the wood parts may occur along grain lines or glued joints. Both of the problems are very serious when expensive guns are involved. The wood surface may warp or have varnish separation. Damage to the gun may reduce its value very substantially. The present invention over comes these inherent problems.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a device for controlling the relative humidity in a gun case environment. The present invention utilizes a saturated aqueous solution of a solute such as a salt or a sugar or another soluble compound that inherently creates a desired relative humidity in the air space adjacent to the humidity control device. The solution includes a substantial amount of water in a fluid form as a saturated salt solution. The solution further includes a gel forming material such as an alginate or xanthan. The combination of vegetable gum, water and salt provides a highly viscous fluid. In the present invention, the viscous solution is contained in a polymeric pouch. The polymeric pouch may be of a thin film of polyethylene (high density or low density), oriented polystyrene or the like. The solution may be a hydrocolloid including soluble gums (alginate, xanthan, pectin) a protein gel (egg albumen, gelatin) or inorganic polymer (silicate).
The pouch may be protected within a rigid casing. A casing suitable for use in the present invention is a tube for example of ⅝″ to 3.25″. The pouch may be placed within the cylinder and end caps placed on each end of the tube. The tube walls may have openings defined therein to permit the movement of water vapor through the tube walls. The pouch containing the salt gel may also be protected with an envelope, pouch, netting, or perforated plate that allows relatively free passage for water vapor, yet protects the more fragile salt pouch from mechanical damage. Alternately, the container for the salt pouch may be impermeable except for a “window” through which water vapor can freely pass.
Any of various salts may be used to prepare the salt solution. For example, the solute may be a single salt such as sodium chloride, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrite or a mixture of salts such as 50/50 potassium chloride and ammonium nitrate or a non-ionic compound such as sucrose. As another example, approximately a 50/50 by weight combination of potassium chloride and ammonium nitrate or ammonium carbonate and calcium chloride are suitable.
Several different anions and cations can be combined to produce the proper salt solutions. The anions which may be used are: nitrate, nitrite, chloride, bromide, fluoride, and iodide. The cations which may be used are: lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium.
Sugars, sugar alcohols, polybasic acids, and salts of polybasic acids may also be used to produce the proper solutions. Some of the sugars which may be used are sucrose, fructose, glucose, galactose and the like. Some of the sugar alcohols which may be used are sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol. Some of the polybasic acids which can be used are citric, maleic, malic, and succinic. The salts of the polybasic acids which are usable are sodium citrate, sodium malate, and sodium tartrate.
Several different compounds are usable for creating the solutions. The following list is only a partial list of the compounds which are usable: lead chlorate, lead perchlorate, manganese chloride, mercuric nitrate, potassium dichromate, potassium permanganate, sodium chromate, aluminum nitrate, ammonium chloride, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium bisulfite, barium bromide, cobalt sulfate, copper sulfate, copper nitrite, ferrous sulfate, and ferric bromide.
A solution of sodium chloride will provide a relative humidity at about 74%. If the humidity starts to fall below 74%, the salt solution gives up water to form moisture in the air until the air reaches a relative humidity of 74%. The water travels through the wall of the polymeric pouch and out through the various openings in the protective pouch case. On the other hand, if the moisture in the air around the present device rises above 74% relative humidity, the salt solution will pick up moisture from the air lowering the relative humidity to approximately 74%. A solution of sodium chloride with excess solid crystals of sodium chloride will provide a relative humidity of about 74%.
Some examples of humidities possible with single and mixtures of solutes are listed below. Some solutes that produce/maintain humidity levels in the 90% or higher range are: potassium sulfate at 97%; potassium nitrate at 92%; cesium iodide at 91%; and barium chloride at 90%. While this humidity range s
Esse Robert L.
Saari Albert L.
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