Package making – Methods – With contents treating
Patent
1992-02-21
1993-07-06
Coan, James F.
Package making
Methods
With contents treating
53 86, 53526, 2065248, B65B 3104
Patent
active
052243249
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for reducing the volume of a flexible package and the contents contained therein to a minimum. This is done in a pressure vessel in which the package with contents is inserted through a sealable opening and which is provided with a pressure conduit for regulation of the inner pressure thereof. The invention is also concerned with a package provided in accordance with the method of the invention.
PRIOR ART
In the case of, for example, craft of the submarine type installation of easily accessible rescue equipment, such as lifeboats and the like, presents a problem. The equipment has commonly been installed near the exits of the craft. Since the area of the exits is limited, it is, however, difficult to bring the equipment out to the exterior of the craft, especially in emergency situations. It has also been suggested to dispose the equipment outboard. For this, however, separate pressure tanks have been required, in which the equipment is kept and which are independent of the pressures existing at different water depths to which the craft is capable of descending. From the point of view of design and operation, such separate pressure tanks obviously represent less satisfactory solutions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
By means of the present invention which relates to a flexible package for rescue equipment the above described problems will be eliminated. The package containing the rescue equipment is intended to be disposed on board or outboard, for example in close vicinity to the fin of the submarine. Owing to the package being flexible and having been given a minimum volume in accordance with the invention and adapted to the outlines of the rescue equipment, the equipment is capable of being kept in position independent of the depth reached by the craft. In this way, there is no risk of damage to the rescue equipment.
Thus, the rescue equipment is enclosed in a package the volume of which has been reduced to a minimum in that substantially all air contained in the package has been pressed out of the same by means of the method according to the present invention and an apparatus according to the present invention.
Methods and apparatuses for packaging articles under air pressure are previously known. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2 780 043 describes a method and an apparatus for packaging edibles in evacuated packages by means of a pressure chamber. The pressure chamber is pressurized at the same time as the interior of the package contained therein is connected to a vacuum pump for evacuation of substantially all air.
According to a favourable embodiment of the method and of the apparatus according to the invention, compression of the package volume is carried out below the surface of a fluid contained in the pressure vessel. In this way, a good all-round effect on the package is achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
The invention will hereinafter be described in more detail in conjunction with the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention .
The attached drawing is a schematic view of a pressure vessel 1 provided with a manhole cover 2 and a conduit 3 for regulation of the pressure in the pressure vessel 1. To the conduit 3 there is connected a three way valve 4. The pressure vessel 1 is partially filled with a fluid 5, preferably water.
In the figure of the drawing there is also shown a package 7 immersed below the surface 6 of the fluid 5, the interior space of the package communicating with the atmosphere surrounding the pressure vessel 1. Communication with the atmosphere takes place by means of a tube or hose pipe 8 which is connected to a nonreturn valve 9 on the package 7.
When compression of the volume of a flexible package 7 and the rescue equipment (not shown) enclosed therein is to be carried out, the three way valve 4 is adjusted such that the interior of the pressure vessel 1 will be connected to the surrounding atmosphere, as indicated by the arrow P2. The manhole cover 32 is open
REFERENCES:
patent: 1748270 (1930-02-01), Antich
patent: 2780043 (1957-02-01), Hensgen
patent: 3759722 (1983-09-01), Simon
patent: 4104964 (1978-08-01), Larkworthy et al.
patent: 4577816 (1986-03-01), Foster
patent: 4709818 (1987-12-01), Spinosa et al.
patent: 5005700 (1991-04-01), Rohling et al.
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