Receptacles – Separate reinforcing element – Externally attached sidewall reinforcing element
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-23
2001-06-05
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Separate reinforcing element
Externally attached sidewall reinforcing element
C220S650000, C220S671000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241117
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to fluid pressure differential containment structures, and specifically to such containment structures configured to operate in the range of one to two atmospheres of pressure differential.
2. Description of the Related Art
Within the construction arts as an example of forming relatively thin yet strong containment walls is the corrugated siding or roofing used in relatively flat sheets for metal buildings. Another is the use of corrugations in rigid metal pipe, and further in flexible metal tubing (bellows).
Most pressure differential containment structures of the related art are constructed of metal plate (such as for rectilinear chambers) or relatively thick metal tube (such as for cylindrical chambers) and may or may not have additional and external reinforcing ribs. Thus inherent in such chamber or vessel structures are the large bulk and heavy weight of the structural materials, which leads to disadvantages and additional costs in fabrication, handling, shipping and application. Construction of, for example, a rectilinear chamber with suitably ribbed or corrugated wall reinforcement would result in a significant weight savings over such a chamber fabricated from plate with comparable structural integrity and stability. With suitable reinforcement, similarly significant savings are feasible in a cylindrical configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fluid pressure differential containment structure, such as a vacuum chamber or a pressure vessel in polyhedral configuration, for operation in the pressure range of 1 to 2 atmospheres of pressure differential, using relatively thin wall material, (i.e. thin relative to conventionally dimensioned material for comparable application) and incorporating strengthening members by folding or forming the walls of the containment structure itself.
The structural configuration of a preferred embodiment comprises a closed polyhedral configuration of rectilinear geometry with four lateral walls in a lateral wall structure and two end walls. Each lateral wall component is preferably fabricated from at least one sheet, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or synthetic material including polymers and composites, to comprise integral reinforcing rib or corrugation contours transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wall, whereby ‘longitudinal’ indicates along the direction between open ends of the lateral wall structure, whether oriented horizontally or vertically. Each lateral wall includes transverse flanges at each joining edge. The lateral walls are preferably joined, such as by welding or adhesion, along longitudinal joints with four corner members. The end walls are preferably joined at transverse flange faces or can be sealed as with sealing rings under removable fastening means.
An alternative embodiment is of cylindrical geometry with a laterally arcuate wall terminating in transverse annular flange plates and two end walls. The lateral wall component is preferably first fabricated from at least one sheet to comprise reinforcing flutes or channels longitudinally along the full length of the lateral wall. Such formed sheet component is subsequently arcuately rolled to be joined, as by welding or adhesion, along opposing longitudinal edges to configure the cylindrical wall structure. Annular flange plates are then welded along the fluted arcuate profile of each end of the cylindrical wall structure. The edge-on profile functions to reinforce the strength of the annular flange plate, which allows correspondingly thinner material. As with the rectilinear configuration, the end walls are preferably welded at the transverse flange faces or can be sealed as with sealing rings under removable fastening means.
Since flexible cylindrical bellows do not intrinsically support longitudinal compressive or expansive forces, such a cylindrical configuration, with circumferential corrugations, would not be a feasible application of the present invention. However, longitudinal strengthening members in a rigid tube would support compressive or expansive loads as long as the length of the tube is appropriate to the material properties. The end flanges can be much thinner than those on a conventional cylindrical chamber due to support from the flute or channel edge profiles.
It is an object of the present invention to provide pressure differential containment using significantly thinner wall material than conventional such chambers and vessels.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the incorporation of strengthening members by folding or forming the wall components of the containment structure material itself and joining the walls by means of further reinforcing corner members.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide operation of such containment in the pressure range of
1
or
2
atmospheres of pressure differential.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such containment with fabrication in both polyhedral and cylindrical configurations.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1116496 (1914-11-01), Schott
patent: 1516694 (1924-11-01), Atkinson
patent: 2175071 (1939-10-01), Walker
patent: 3647100 (1972-03-01), Russell-French
patent: 3794209 (1974-02-01), Mizuguchi et al.
patent: 4381842 (1983-05-01), Dezawa
patent: 4589565 (1986-05-01), Spivey
Lawrence Carl E.
Schumacher, III John E.
Wickins Steven R.
Moy Joseph M.
Puls, Jr. Louis G.
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