Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Multiple passage filling means for diverse materials or flows – With valve
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-24
2004-12-28
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Multiple passage filling means for diverse materials or flows
With valve
C141S027000, C222S389000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06834689
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for transporting, storing and dispensing very viscous semisolid products, and more particularly to an ASME pressure vessel having a pig delivery system whereby pressurized gas, greater than 15 psig, is used to effectively extrude viscous material out of the apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As used herein, the term “tank” is used define a container limited to internal pressures of less than 15 psig, and the term “vessel” is used define a container capable of withstanding internal pressures of a magnitude greater than 15 psig. The prior art generally teaches “tanks”, that are limited to internal pressures of less than 15 psig, and consequently, limited to dispensing products of low viscosity.
Bulk transport and dispensing of viscous semisolid products has commonly been accomplished in non-metallic and metallic containers capable of being pressurized with gas and having a piston follower which moves in response to the gas pressure applied to the top of the piston follower and thereby transferring force over a wide cross-sectional area to the viscous semisolid product below the piston follower and causing the semisolid product to flow from the container.
The prior art can be divided into two categories. The first category generally comprises small pressurized apparatus and dispensing methods utilized in non-bulk delivery and dispensing of small volumes of product like toothpaste and shaving cream. The second category of prior art generally comprises larger equipment designed to transport and dispense bulk volumes of semisolid products like grease or non-viscous products that must be isolated from the atmosphere. The terminology most often used to denote bulk liquid transportation equipment is “tote” or more precisely, an Intermediate Bulk Container or “IBC”.
Typically, an Intermediate Bulk Container or “IBC” is simply a container ranging in size from 85 gallons to 550 gallons and come in a variety of shapes and are fabricated using a variety of materials, such as plastic, aluminum, steel and stainless steel. They are typically used for shipping bulk liquids and not intended to be capable of withstanding the application of internal pressure. The prior art dealing with the particular category of bulk transport and dispensing tanks specifically designed to be capable of withstanding internal pressures is typically limited to dispensing gas pressures having a magnitude of less than 15 psig.
In contrast, the apparatus and methods of the present invention are designed for the specific purpose of transporting, storing and dispensing highly viscous materials that require dispensing gas pressures of 15 psig and greater.
The low-pressure limitation of the prior art defines the difference between a “tank” or “IBC” of the prior art, and an ASME “pressure vessel” in accordance with the present invention. As discussed hereinafter below, prior art “tanks” and “IBC's” are designed and engineered to meet federal standards that are different from the federal standards that are met by the “ASME vessels” of the present invention, and is an important distinction and difference between the prior art and the present invention.
There are several patents that teach Intermediate Bulk Containers (“IBC's”) and “tanks” for transport or storage and dispensing of semisolid and fluid materials, such as grease and oil, which utilize piston members with various specially designed seals that dispense the contents. Some of these patents recite inflation pressures for inflating the seals, but are silent as to the viscosities of the materials and the internal design pressure of the tank and the dispensing pressures. Since the containers are referred to as a “tank” and the tank diameters taught in the patents are large, it is assumed by reference to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 1, for the design of pressure containing vessels, that the limiting design pressure is less than and/or substantially less than 15 psig, and consequently, that they are limited to dispensing products of low viscosity
Watson, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,721,235, 5,114,054, and 5,341,726, disclose an elongate generally cylindrical tank for transport or for storage in bulk of semisolid and fluid materials, such as grease and oil. The tank has cylindrical piston that carries a hollow inflatable seal in a circumferential channel around the piston. A pressurizing device varies the pressure within the seal between atmospheric pressure and a pressure higher than atmospheric wherein the seal expands and presses against the internal surface of the tank.
Watson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,112 discloses an elongate generally cylindrical tank for transport or for storage in bulk of semisolid and fluid materials, such as grease and oil. The tank has cylindrical piston and a piston member that carries an annular elastic seal. The seal has an annular crown projecting radially outwardly from the piston member and engageable with the interior surface of the tank. The seal has a pair of spaced apart legs supporting the crown, and an arrangement for squeezing the legs together to move the crown outwardly and cause it to be pressed against the interior surface of the tank with a pressure such that when the piston member slides in the tank a portion of the crown is maintained in sliding engagement with the interior surface thereby to wipe the material therefrom and to seal the piston member relative to the tank.
Popp et al, U.S. Pat, No. 5,887,750 discloses an intermediate bulk container (“IBC” or “tank”) that is open substantially the full diameter at the top with an outwardly extending flange and an inner sealing band extending to a height above the top of the flange. A removable lid sitting on the body has a cylindrical side wall depending down and terminating with an outwardly extending lid flange forming an obtuse angle with the side wall, wherein the lid is adapted to sit on the open end of the body with the lid flange above the body flange and the sealing band overlapping the lid side wall. A channel is formed between the inner sealing band, the body flange and the lid flange. A gasket is placed in the channel and the gasket is compressed between the body flange and the lid flange for sealing the container. The large opening facilitates cryogenic cleaning of commodity residue from the interior. The system includes a rotating base to turn the container to facilitate freezing and removal of the residue.
Berry, Sr., et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,027,123 and 6,325,384 disclose tank pistons with an improved seal and wiper that are used in conjunction with tanks for transporting semi-solid and viscous materials such as grease, oil, ink, and the like. The improved seals consist of an annular rubber member with a hollow chamber filled with an open cell foam material such as polyurethane, or a gel such as silica gel. The material in the chamber is compressible and expandable to provide a seal about the piston. The pistons may also be provided with an annular wiper structure that extends about the outer forward periphery of the piston, and is forwardly angled at about 45 degrees relative to an axis of the piston. The wiper has a beveled end that makes contact with the interior surface of the tank to provide a cleaning action. A complementary second wiper may be added near the outer rearward periphery of the piston.
Popp et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,248 discloses a piston for dispensing material from a tank that includes a nose section connected to a piston shaft. A recessed channel is located between the nose section and piston shaft. In the channel, there is a seal lifter over which a solid wiping seal is placed. Upon inflation, the seal lifter forces the wiping seal to extend beyond the periphery of the piston to come into sealing contact with the interior wall of the container.
U.S. Code of Federal Regulations 49 CFR Paragraph 178.705, incorporated herein by reference, lists the standards for metal Intermediate Bulk Containers or “IBC'S, such as tho
Douglas Steven O.
Jaeco Technology, Inc.
Roddy Kenneth A.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for transporting, storing and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for transporting, storing and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for transporting, storing and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3310536