Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Processes – Bag filling
Patent
1994-08-05
1995-10-03
Jacyna, J. Casimer
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Processes
Bag filling
141 4, 141 67, 141 95, 141114, 141197, 141313, B65B 3100
Patent
active
054544076
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new and improved pneumatic wand apparatus and method which are particularly adapted for hand-held use in the essentially automatic filling with ambient air of non-elastic dunnage bags to predetermined overpressures in situ in cargo containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although prior art apparatus and methods are known for the filling of dunnage bags with ambient air, none are known which are configured and operable in the manner of those disclosed herein in accordance with the teaching of this invention, in particular with regard to the filling of dunnage bags to predetermined overpressures in situ in cargo containers.
More specifically, and considering first the Dunnage Bag Inflation Air Gun as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,070 to Angarola et al, the same will immediately be seen by those skilled in this art to take the form of a somewhat complex air injection device requiring a plurality of high pressure air fill orifices, and to be strictly limited in operation to use with dunnage bags which include a gun-compatible, highly specialized fill valve assembly, including a separately attachable fill valve assembly sealing member, the overall cost of which would most probably, as a practical cost matter, clearly rule out use of the Angarola air gun with contemporary dunnage bags, which are now being used in vastly increased quantities since the 1979 issue date of the Angarola patent, and which do not as a matter of economic practicality include such highly specialized and costly fill valve assemblies. The Angarola et al inflation gun operates through the entrainment of ambient air by high pressure air jets from the pressurized air fill orifices to force air through the fill valve assembly into the dunnage bag; and, upon filling of the dunnage bag to the specified maximum pressure level, simply dumps excess pressurized air back into the surrounding atmosphere, thus requiring reliance upon the skill and attention of the fill gun operator to detect this condition (see for example telltales 597 in Angarola's FIG. 21), discontinue pressurized air flow to the gun, remove the same from the dunnage bag fill valve assembly, and seal the same; it being noted that although Angarola et al do mention at lines 63-68 of patent specification column 9 that an automatic valve closure member could be employed to close the specialized dunnage bag fill valve upon sensing of a predetermined pressure in the dunnage bag, no specific disclosure of this feature is found in the patent. Under these circumstances, it should be immediately clear that the application of the Angarola et al air gun to the inflation of dunnage bags in situ in cargo containers would most probably be far less than practical, with the high pressure air being dumped from the gun upon bag filling quite possibly damaging or contaminating with dust sensitive cargo of the nature requiring dunnage bag protection, for example sophisticated electronic components or the like, and possibly presenting a safety hazard to the gun operator in violation of contemporary OSHA standards. In addition, the apparent need for precise alignment between the Angarola et al inflation gun and the specialized dunnage bag valve assembly would most probably render such task even more difficult in the somewhat cramped confines of a cargo container.
Referring next to the highly complex, and presumably inordinately expensive Ball Inflation Apparatus as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,098 to Stuckel, the same will immediately be seen to be directed to the inflation of elastic, rather than inelastic, objects, in particular vehicle tires, basketballs and footballs, although cushioning bags are also mentioned; with such elastic objects in any event of necessity comprising self-contained, specialized inflation valve assemblies which require a very small diameter, sharply pointed needle for insertion thereinto to inflate the object. To this effect, Stuckel includes a very small diameter, sharply pointed lubric
REFERENCES:
patent: 3810262 (1974-05-01), Strand
patent: 4146070 (1979-03-01), Angarola et al.
patent: 4702287 (1987-10-01), Higbie et al.
patent: 4711275 (1987-12-01), Ford et al.
patent: 4714098 (1987-12-01), Stuckel
patent: 4862912 (1989-09-01), Stonn et al.
patent: 4872492 (1989-10-01), McAnally et al.
patent: 4875509 (1989-10-01), Da Silva
Huza Mark
Olich Jack M.
Pesce Michael
Diba Industries Inc.
Jacyna J. Casimer
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