Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling or refilling of dispensers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-13
2001-02-06
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling or refilling of dispensers
C141S002000, C141S104000, C141S197000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182713
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an installation for filling a container with gas whose nature is according to a predetermined specification, comprising:
an assembly or plurality of sources of supply gas;
at least one connector for connecting the or each container;
a network of control valves, selectively connecting the output of each supply gas source to the or each connector; and
a drive or control unit for the network of valves adapted to control the condition of the valves for filling the or each container with a gas according to the predetermined specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pure gases or gaseous mixtures are now filled into cylinders or frames carrying a group of cylinders. They are filled in a filling installation and then brought to the site of utilization of the gas.
So as to permit the filling of containers with gases of different compositions and under different pressures, the filling installations conventionally comprise a network of valves permitting selectively connecting to the container to be filled an assembly of sources of supply gas.
To ensure filling of the container with a gas satisfying a predetermined specification, the opening and closing of the valves is at present entrusted to an operator. The latter opens and closes the different valves, at predetermined moments, and according to a predetermined sequence. The operation of such an installation therefore requires the continuous presence of an experienced operator who determines the sequence of operations.
It has been proposed to replace manual valves by control valves connected to a drive unit adapted to control the condition of the valves for filling a receptacle with a gas according to the predetermined specification.
In such an installation, the drive unit is adapted to receive at its input the specifications of the gas to be introduced into the container. The input data consist particularly in the mass composition, or in the pressure of the different components constituting the gas. Thus, the information input into the drive unit is the result relied on for the filling operation.
Such a filling installation requires an extremely complex drive unit whose program that is utilized depends both on the physical structure of the network of valves used and on the nature of the gases to be introduced.
By way of example, FR-A-2.713.105 describes an installation for filling a reservoir with a gaseous mixture. This installation comprises a computer driving the cyclic opening and closing of valves arranged between the reservoir and sources of gas under pressure. The computer receives as its controls the composition relied on to effect the mixture. It is adapted to predetermine and carry out a cycle for driving the various valves so as to obtain the desired mixture.
Moreover, JP-2675633 describes an installation for filling cylinders comprising several sources of gas that can supply selectively the cylinders under the control of a control unit. The operational steps of the control unit and the input variables are not disclosed.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention has for its object to provide a simple installation for filling, permitting making uniform and standard the installations used for filling at various sites, thereby facilitating the filling of containers whilst improving the reproducability and reliability of the operations of filling with gas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To this end, the invention has for its object an installation for filling at least one container with gas whose nature is according to a predetermined specification, comprising:
an assembly of sources of supply gas;
at least one connector for connecting the or each container;
a network of control valves, selectively connecting the output of each source of supply gas to the or each connector; and
a drive unit for the network of valves adapted to control the condition of the valves for filling the or each container with a gas according to the predetermined specification;
characterized in that:
said driving unit comprises means for inputting a program constituted by a sequence of procedures, each procedure comprising an elemental task to be performed by the network of valves under the control of the drive unit, and in that said driving unit comprises means for processing successive procedures constituting the program, said means being adapted to control the network of valves to perform sequentially the elemental tasks described successively in the sequence of procedures constituting the program.
According to particular embodiments of the invention, the installation comprises one or several of the following characteristics:
each procedure comprises the identification of a single valve to be controlled in the network of valves, upon performing the corresponding elemental task, and the data relative to the manner of actuating the valve;
the data relative to the manner of actuating each valve comprises a reference value, the installation comprises an assembly of detectors adapted to carry out operations on the condition of filling the or each container, and the processing means are adapted to end the actuation of the valve when the step carried out reaches the corresponding reference value;
the assembly of detectors comprises at least one selected from a detector for measuring temperature of the gas and at least one container, a balance for weighing at least one container, a pressure detector disposed upstream of at least one container, and a humidity detector disposed down-stream of at least one container;
the data relating to the manner of actuating the valve comprises a time delay, and in that the processing means comprise a timing adapted to differentiate, from said time delay, the performance of the following elemental task after the end of actuation of the valve concerned with the procedure being performed;
it comprises a vacuum pump and the valve network comprises means selectively to connect the vacuum pump to the or each connector under control of said drive unit performing an elemental task of placing under vacuum, involved in the procedural sequence constituting the program;
it comprises an outlet to the atmosphere and the valve network comprises means selectively to connect the outlet to the atmosphere to the or each connector under control of said drive unit performing an elemental task of connecting to the atmosphere involved in the procedural sequence constituting the program; and
it comprises at least two assemblies of connectors for connecting the containers, said assemblies of connectors are connected in parallel to the outlet of the network of valves by means of a selection valve individual to each assembly of connectors.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4582100 (1986-04-01), Poulsen
patent: 5409046 (1995-04-01), Swenson et al.
patent: 5551490 (1996-09-01), Kountz et al.
patent: 5673735 (1997-10-01), Crvelin et al.
patent: 5901758 (1999-05-01), Hwang et al.
patent: 26 40 842 (1978-03-01), None
patent: 36 37 925 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 0 660 027 (1995-06-01), None
Deck Philippe
Dhalluin Jean-Philippe
Knapik Christophe
Douglas Steven O.
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
Installation for filling a container with gas does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Installation for filling a container with gas, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Installation for filling a container with gas will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2557980