Patent Application
20080007011
As per
The valve (1) of the sort referenced herein will also usually include a pair of holes, each hole having a blind bore (4). The valve will further usually include a gas passage means (5). The gas passage means is usually a hole communicating through the hollow interior of the valve, to the interior of the cylinder.
The container will also generally use a regulator to meter out and allow the escape from the container, in a controlled manner, the liquid or gas within the container. These regulators come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and the particular regulator used will be a function of choice or necessity driven by the requirements of whatever or whomever will consume the contents of the container. However, in order to provide a clear understanding of the invention, one particular form of regulator will be generally described. In this sort of regulator, attachment of the regulator to the valve is accomplished through the use of a valve clamping means (6), also known as a yoke, which includes a frame work acting as a retainer (7) having a pair of pins (8) and an opposite turnable screw (9), the turning of said screw pulling a regulator gas passage means (10) into contact with the valve gas passage means (5), while the pair of pins (8) seats into the pair of blind holes (4), both stabilizing and guiding the regulator gas passage means (10) into contact with the valve gas passage means (5).
What has been described thus far would be well known to anyone familiar with the art, and is presented merely to enable clear understanding of the detailed description of the seal, which follows. However, before describing the instant invention, it is useful to provide a still more detailed description of the prior art valve gas passage means (5) and the regulator gas passage means (10).
In the example described thus far, the regulator includes a regulator gas passage means (10). As per
As gas must pass through the gas passage nipple, it clearly is also hollow. The gas passage nipple outside diameter (17) is therefore greater than the diameter of the gas passage opening (11).
The instant invention, a compressed gas cylinder valve seal having elastomeric overmolded surface (60), as per
As per
The seal non-metallic substrate (18) is generally discoidal, having a top surface (19), an opposite bottom surface (20) and a circumferential skirt (21). The top surface and the bottom surface each merge into the skirt around the entire circumference of the seal non-metallic substrate. The seal non-metallic substrate further has at least one elastomeric overmold retention channel (22). In the preferred embodiment, there are a total of four such elastomeric overmold retention channels.
As per
As per
In the preferred embodiment, the seal non-metallic substrate first gas passage opening (27) has a diameter (30), and the seal non-metallic substrate second gas passage opening has a diameter (31). However, the precise diameter of the first gas passage opening and the second gas passage opening may be varied according to the needs of the particular valve and the particular regulator being used without departing from the scope of the claims. The diameter of the seal non-metallic substrate first gas passage opening and the seal non-metallic substrate second gas passage opening may be the same, or may differ. So long as the seal non-metallic substrate first gas passage opening diameter (30), and the seal non-metallic substrate second gas passage diameter (31) are greater than the gas passage nipple outside diameter (17), the instant invention will function as intended by the inventor. In the preferred embodiment, the seal non-metallic substrate first gas passage opening diameter (30), and the seal non-metallic substrate second gas passage diameter (31) are each equal to approximately 0.245 inch.
As noted earlier, the seal non-metallic substrate further has at least one elastomeric overmold retention channel (22). The seal non-metallic substrate elastomeric overmold retention channel may be identical in form to the seal non-metallic substrate gas passageway (29). That is, the seal non-metallic substrate elastomeric overmold retention channel may include a first retention channel passage opening (40) passing through seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19), and a second retention channel passage opening (41) passing through the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20). The first retention channel passage opening and the second retention channel passage opening are coextensive with one another and coaxial with one another and thus together forming the elastomeric overmold retention channel (22), such that fluid may enter the first retention channel passage opening, pass completely through the seal non-metallic substrate (via the elastomeric overmold retention channel), and exit through the second retention channel opening. The elastomeric overmold retention channel (22) in the preferred embodiment is essentially tubular in form, and has channel diameter (47). While the precise diameter is variable, the inventor prefers the channel diameter to be 0.070 inch.
Have set forth the general arrangement of the seal non-metallic substrate, it is useful to provide a more detailed description of the elastomeric overmold, and how they cooperate to provide a more reliable and safer seal than was available in the past.
As is well known in the field of plastic molding, it is possible to apply an elastomeric material coating (48) to a substrate. Most often this is accomplished through what is generally referred to as the “two shot” process or the “overmolding” process. In this process, the substrate (a nylon disc in the preferred embodiment) is placed within a mold, and a liquefied form of an elastomeric material (for example, a polyolefinic block elastomer). One such example of an elastomeric material of this sort is known by the trade name “Duragrip”. In the preferred embodiment) is injected into the mold. The precise material used for the overmolded portion of the instant invention may be varied according to the user's desires, so long as it sets to a rubber-like consistency (man-made or artificial or synthetic rubber) and is somewhat flexible and somewhat compressible.
The overmolding process will not normally be used to coat the entire substrate. Rather, it is to be expected that only some portion of the substrate will actually be coated with the elastomeric material (48). In the case of the prefererred embodiment of the instant invention, the seal non-metallic substrate (18) is overmolded with the elastomeric material (48) such that the elastomeric material flows over the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20), and the elastomeric overmold retention channel (22) is completely filled by the elastomeric material.
The mold used in this process will be fabricated such that the entire seal non-metallic substrate gas passageway (29) is not filled. Were the entire seal non-metallic substrate gas passageway (29) filled, it would be impossible for the instant invention to allow the passage of gas through it, and it would be useless for its intended purpose.
In the preferred embodiment, as per
While the preferred embodiment includes the seal non-metallic substrate gas passageway having a coating of the elastomeric overmolded material, it is not necessary for the operation of the instant invention. In fact, it may be desireable in some applications to have no coating on the seal non-metallic substrate gas passageway, or even having only a portion of the seal non-metallic substrate gas passageway coated with the elastomeric overmolded material.
It will also be recognized that once the elastomeric material has been overmolded onto the seal non-metallic substrate (18), the total thickness of the instant invention will be increased where the elastomeric material is present. While the seal non-metallic substrate thickness (42) was originally 0.061 inch, once the elastomeric material has been overmolded onto the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20), the substrate plus elastomeric material thickness (43) will be greater than the seal non-metallic substrate thickness (42) alone. In the preferred embodiment, the substrate plus elastomeric material thickness (43) is approximately 0.091 inch.
To use the instant invention, the compressed gas cylinder valve seal having elastomeric overmolded surface is placed between the regulator and the valve and the regulator is tightened onto the valve (in the example at hand, by turning the screw (9)). The regulator is seated against the instant invention such that the regulator gas passage means shoulder area (14) is in direct contact with the elastomeric overmolded surface which coats the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19). The elastomeric overmolded surface which coats the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20) will be in direct contact with the valve (1), and will prevent the escape of gas or liquid from between the valve and the regulator. Use of the instant invention will both seal the regulator to the valve, as does the standard metal bound elastomeric washer today, but will also dramatically reduce the possibility that any contaminants broken lose from the substrate during use of the seal will enter the gas stream and pose a serious danger of explosion.
Given that the objective of the instant invention is to provide a safe, sound and stable seal between the regulator and the valve, it should be obvious that the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20) must have sufficient overmolding with the elastomeric material. As has been pointed out, it is not necessary that the entire seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the entire seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20) be overmolded with the elastomeric material. So long as the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface are overmolded with a coating of elastomeric material sufficient to withstand the compression between the valve and the regulator, and the force of the compressed gas or fluid trying to escape between the valve and the regulator without failing or breaking apart, the device will function as intended. In the preferred embodiment, the overmold radial width (50) is approximately 0.550 inch.
Furthermore, as will be readily apparent to those in the art, the use of an elastomeric overcoating which is applied as a liquid, and which flows through at least one elastomeric overmold retention channel (22) such that the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20) are not only coated by the elastomeric overcoating, but are further continuous with one another through that one elastomeric overmold retention channel (22), will greatly reduce the possibility of delamination of the overcoating from the substrate. In effect, the elastomeric overcoating on the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19) and the elastomeric overcoating on the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20) are both anchored to the non-metallic substrate, and bonded to one another, through the elastomeric overmold retention channel (22). Because the elastomeric retention channel (22) passes through the non-metallic substrate, it is surrounded by the non-metallic substrate completely, except at the first retention channel passage opening (40) passing through the seal non-metallic substrate top surface (19), and the second retention channel passage opening (41) passing through the seal non-metallic substrate bottom surface (20), where it is mereged into the elasomeric overmold material coating the top surface and the bottom surface. This provides a significant improvement over the prior art in that the elastomeric overmold material is not only bonded to the top and bottom surfaces of the seal non-metallic substrate, but also passes completely through the non-metallic substrate to provide additional attachment to the non-metallic substrate. For the first time, the elastomeric overcoating is bonded not only to a non-metallic substrate, but is bonded to said substrate through channels which are non-frangible and do not increase the likelihood that contaminants will break free of the seal during use. The use of elastomeric overmold retention channel (22) passing through the non-metallic substrate both increases the adhesion of the substrate to the elastomeric overcoating and decreases the possibility that frangible portions, or other weakened areas of the substrate will break off during use of the seal and endanger the user of the compressed gas cylinder.
It will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art that the various dimensions provided throughout the specification are merely examples, intended to remove the need for undue experimentation in order to accomplish the instant invention. They may easily be varied, so long as the instant invention will accomplish its stated objectives. Furthermore, the materials may be varied easily without departing from the claims so long as the non-metallic substrate is fabricated from a non-metallic material which is somewhat flexible and not brittle, and so long as the elastomeric overmolded surface is of a rubber-like consistency, being somewhat flexible and somewhat compressible.
