Not applicable
The field of the embodiments of the Chemical Resistant Composite Support Pad is generally tank support equipment and as an example, without limiting the application of the embodiments, oil field tank support pads.
The prior art encompasses a variety of support structures including wood beams and other commonly found support means. These types of structures are inherently flawed as they typically degrade in the environment. Other support structures include coated polystyrene foam. Unfortunately, polystyrene foam suffers from degradation by the material present in the tanks being supported. In addition, defects form in the solid surface when a pre-formed foam core is covered with a sprayed-on solid coating. The purpose of the embodiments presented herein are to address these deficiencies.
Embodiments of the Chemical Resistant Composite Support Pad (hereinafter the “Support Pad”) are comprised of both the process and devices to manufacture the Support Pad. The devices used to manufacture the Support Pad are comprised of a top mold and a bottom mold. Both the process and devices to manufacture the Support Pad can form support pads of various sizes and geometries. The support pads can be manufactured in various shapes to accommodate larger tanks such as sectional circles or pie shaped supports for tanks. Many shapes or geometries may be formed. And, the various geometries can be segmented in various ways. The variety of shapes and the segmentation is important to be able to mold tanks supports in various and enlarged geometries but yet allow the tanks supports to be easily transported.
The Support Pads and method of manufacturing the Support Pads comprise several advantages over the prior art. First, the Support Pads are manufactured with a solid coating that completely envelops the center foam core. Since the Support Pads including the solid coating are cast in a mold, no defects are found like the defects found on prior art devices with a sprayed on coating. The Support Pads can be manufactured to a variety of shapes and sizes to form support pads for essentially unlimited sizes and shapes of tanks. In addition, the segmentation of the Support Pads allows for easy transport and assembly at the job site.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the embodiments in detail, it is to be understood that the embodiment is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiment or embodiments are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be used as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the embodiments. Additional benefits and advantages of the embodiments will become apparent in those skilled in the art to which the present embodiments relate from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the embodiments.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable relevant patent granting authorities and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the embodiments of the application which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the embodiments in any way.
Embodiments of the Chemical Resistant Composite Support Pad 100 (hereinafter the “Support Pad”) are comprised of both the process and devices to manufacture the Support Pad 100. The devices used to manufacture the Support Pad 100 are comprised of a top mold 204 and a bottom mold 404. Both the process and devices to manufacture the Support Pad 100 can form support pads of various sizes and geometries. For example as shown in
These various geometries can be segmented in various ways. The variety of shapes and the segmentation is important to be able to mold tanks supports in various and enlarged geometries but yet allow the tanks supports to be transported.
The top mold 204 is comprised of a mold lip 201, a pneumatic ejection port 203, a lid aperture 202, a magnetic cover 301 for the pneumatic ejection port 203, and a lid 302. The magnetic cover 301 covers the pneumatic ejection port 203 during the spraying of the coatings inside of the mold as well as the injection of the polymer foam. The mold lip 201 is used to seal the top mold 204 to the bottom mold 404 in particular to seal the mated bottom mold 404 and top mold 204 when the controlled run is made to complete the inside coating.
The magnetic cover 301 is a thin sheet of magnetic material that is placed over the pneumatic ejection port 203 on the inside of the top mold 204. The pneumatic ejection port 203 is used when the Support Pad 100 is to be ejected from the mold by inserting compressed air into the pneumatic ejection port 203 to force the Support Pad 100 out from the mold. The magnetic cover 301 is easily detached from the top mold by the force of the compressed air inserted in the pneumatic ejection port 203.
The lid 302 covers the lid aperture 202 during the spraying of the skin coating and is removed to allow access the interior of the mold when the controlled run is performed and when the foam is added to the inside of the mold. A small gap 303 is formed between the lid 302 and the top mold 204 when the lid 302 is positioned. The small gap 303 allows for the removal of the lid 302 at the conclusion of the molding process.
The process of forming a Support Pad 100 is comprised of the following steps. First, the top mold 204 and the bottom mold 404 are opened so that the interior sides of both molds are accessible. Then a coating of polymer agent is sprayed onto the interior sides of the top mold 204 and the bottom mold 404 to create a top mold coating 401 and a bottom mold coating 403. A polymer agent is any polymeric material that may be applied through a spraying technique. In one embodiment of the forming the Support Pad 100, the polymer agent is either polyurea or polyurethane. Then the two molds are allowed to cure. After a proper curing time, the two molds are placed together as shown schematically in
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62256252 | Nov 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 15288047 | Oct 2016 | US |
Child | 16408243 | US |