Patent Application
20190193093
The present invention concerns a fluid injection device for injecting a fluid, such as a sealant liquid, into a system, such as an air conditioning or refrigeration system, and methods of making and using the injection device.
Devices for the injection of a dispensible fluid, such as a liquid sealant, into air conditioning and refrigeration systems are known in the art. Such devices comprise a tube containing a fluid to be dispensed from the tube via a fluid outlet valve in the tube. For example, Cacciabeve et al. Published Patent Application US 2016/0178107 A1 (“Cacciabeve”), entitled “Sealant Hose and Method of Use”, was published on Jun. 23, 2016. A hose 12 contains fluid sealant and is shown in FIG. 2 of Cacciabeve in an exploded view. As shown in
A significant problem encountered by prior art fluid injection devices such as that of Cacciabeve is leakage of the sealant past the fluid outlet valve prior to use, for example, during manufacture, storage and/or shipment. Such leakage may occur because of failure of the valve components to fully seat against each other, or by vibration during shipment, etc. Experience has shown that contact with moisture, e.g., atmospheric humidity, by even very slight leakage past the outlet valve of, for example, a ternary silane liquid sealant, will effectively glue the outlet valve components together, rendering the injection device useless. An unacceptably high degree of failure of injection devices utilizing such prior art valves at the outlet end of the device has been reported. Considerable expense is incurred by the too-frequent return and reworking of injection devices which are rendered inoperative because of leaked sealant, to say nothing of significant customer dissatisfaction.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing leakage problem by providing at the outlet end of the tube an airlock chamber containing an inert gas, which may be a dried inert gas. Any leaked sealant is exposed only to the inert gas during manufacture, storage, shipping and handling, and polymerization or other contamination of leaked sealant is thereby avoided.
Generally, the present invention provides a fluid injection device for injecting via a fluid outlet valve a dispensible fluid material, such as a sealant liquid or other liquid, into a closed pressurized system such as an operating air conditioning or operating refrigeration system, or the like system, while the system is operating. (For economy of expression, in the following discussion reference is sometimes made to a sealant or a sealant liquid, although the present invention encompasses devices for injecting other types of dispensible fluid material.) The fluid injection devices of the present invention overcome the above-described problem of pre-use leakage of dispensible fluid material past the fluid outlet valve of the device. This is attained by providing downstream of the fluid outlet valve an “airlock” chamber containing an “inert gas” (as defined below), e.g., a dry inert gas, so that any dispensible fluid material which leaks past the fluid outlet valve is exposed only to the inert gas in the airlock chamber and is thereby protected from contact with the ambient atmosphere. If protection of the dispensible fluid material from moisture is required, the inert gas is dried prior to being introduced into the airlock chamber. The valved plug may be readily removable from the device by the user just prior to use and the dispensible fluid material is discharged through the fluid outlet valve in the conventional manner. Alternatively, the valved plug may be affixed to the device so that it is not readily or at all removable by the user. In such case, the valved plug is configured to be connected in flow communication to the system in which the dispensible fluid material is to be injected. In such case, the dispensible fluid material is discharged through the airlock chamber, and the small amount of inert gas in the airlock chamber is introduced into the system together with the dispensible fluid material.
Specifically, in accordance with the present invention there is provided a fluid injection device for injecting a dispensible fluid material into a pressurized system having therein relatively high and low pressure zones of a pressurized fluid, the fluid injection device comprising the following components. A tube has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end having thereon an inlet closure member which is connectible in fluid flow communication to such high pressure zone, and the outlet end having thereon an outlet fixture which is connectible in fluid flow communication with such low pressure zone. This connectability enables connection of the injection device to such pressurized system. The tube defines therewithin a closed storage chamber disposed between the inlet closure member and the outlet fixture, and a dispensible fluid material is disposed within the closed storage chamber. The outlet fixture comprises an airlock disposed downstream of the outlet valve and containing a gas which is inert to the dispensible fluid material. In this way, any dispensible fluid material which, prior to use, leaks from the closed storage chamber towards the outlet fixture is exposed only to the gas contained in the airlock.
Other aspects of the present invention provide one or more of the following additional features, alone or in any suitable combination. The outlet fixture may comprise an outlet valve disposed at the outlet end of the tube and a valved plug disposed downstream of the outlet valve, the outlet valve and the valved plug cooperating to form the airlock between them; the valved plug may be configured to be readily removable from the device by a user, so that the outlet valve may be directly connected to the pressurized system; the valved plug may be configured to be directly connected in fluid flow communication to the pressurized system; the outlet fixture may be configured to automatically, upon being connected to such low pressure zone, switch from a closed position to an open position, and the inlet closure member may be configured to automatically, upon being connected to such high pressure zone, switch from a closed position to an open position to permit passage therethrough of such pressurized fluid from such high pressure zone into the device, to dispense the dispensible fluid material through the outlet fixture into such low pressure zone; the inlet closure member, the outlet fixture and the valved plug may each comprises a Schrader valve; the inert gas may be at a pressure of from about 35 to about 65 PSIA, e.g., from about 45 to about 55, PSIA; and the dispensible fluid material may be a sealant liquid suitable for sealing leaks in a closed system; the inert gas may be nitrogen or any suitable gas which is chemically inert to the dispensible fluid material; the inert gas may be a dried gas whose moisture content is eliminated or so low as to be incapable of initiating a polymerization or other reaction with the dispensible fluid material; the tube may be a moisture-impermeable tube; and the valved plug may be made of a moisture-impermeable material.
Still other aspects of the present invention provide one or more of the following additional features, alone or in any suitable combination. The outlet valve may comprise a valve seal which is movable from a closed position which closes the outlet valve to an open position which opens the outlet valve, and a spring which has a spring force and is disposed to urge the valve seal into its closed position by imposing the spring force on the valve seal, and the airlock chamber may be disposed so that the pressure of the inert gas contained therein urges the valve seal into its closed position, and the pressure of the inert gas may be greater than the spring force; the spring force may be from about 25 to about 35 PSIA and the pressure of the inert gas may be from about 45 to 55 PSIA; the dispensible fluid material may be a sealant fluid suitable for sealing leaks in a closed system; and the tube and at least those portions of the inlet closure member and the outlet fixture which are susceptible to contact with the dispensible fluid material may be comprised of a moisture-impermeable material.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides for a fluid injection device for injecting a dispensible fluid material into a pressurized system having relatively high and low pressure zones of a pressurized fluid, the fluid injection device comprising the following components. A tube made of a moisture-impermeable material has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end having thereon an inlet closure member which is connectible in fluid flow communication to such high pressure zone, and the outlet end having thereon an outlet fixture which is connectible in fluid flow communication with such low pressure zone, to thereby enable connection of the injection device to such pressurized system. The outlet fixture further has an outlet valve disposed at the outlet end of the tube and a valved plug disposed downstream of the outlet valve, the outlet valve and the valved plug cooperating to form an airlock between them. The airlock contains an inert gas and the valved plug is configured to be readily removable from the device by a user, so that the outlet valve may be directly connected to such pressurized system. The tube defines therewithin a closed storage chamber disposed between the inlet closure member and the outlet fixture and a dispensible fluid material is disposed within the closed storage chamber. Removal of the valved plug from the device exposes the outlet valve to enable connection of the outlet valve directly to such low pressure zone. The outlet valve is configured to be connected to such low pressure zone, and to open only when high pressure imposed from the inlet end of the tube pushes the outlet valve open. The inlet closure member is configured to automatically, upon being connected to such high pressure zone, switch from a closed position to an open position to permit passage through the outlet valve of such pressurized fluid from such high pressure zone into the device so as to dispense the dispensible fluid material through the outlet valve into such low pressure zones.
Other aspects of the invention provide for one or more of the following additional features alone or in any suitable combination. The inlet closure member and the valved plug may each comprise a Schrader valve and the outlet valve may comprise a one-way check valve that permits flow only outwardly of the device; and the dispensible fluid material may comprise a liquid sealant suitable for sealing leaks in such pressurized system.
A method aspect of the present invention comprises a method for making a fluid injection device, the device comprising a tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, the method comprising the following steps. Securing to the outlet end an outlet fixture comprising an outlet valve and a valved plug secured to the outlet valve. The valved plug may optionally be removably secured to the outlet valve so as to be readily removable from the outlet valve by a user. The outlet fixture further comprises an airlock disposed between the outlet valve and the valved plug. Opening the outlet fixture to passage of a gas therethrough and injecting an inert gas into the inlet end and through the tube and the outlet fixture to displace ambient air from the device. Closing the outlet fixture to passage of a gas therethrough and inserting into the tube from the inlet end thereof a dispensible fluid material to displace the inert gas from the tube but not from the outlet fixture. After completing introduction of the dispensible fluid material into the tube, sealing the inlet end of the tube containing the inserted dispensible fluid material by closing the inlet end with an inlet closure member.
Another method aspect of the present invention further includes securing to the inlet end an inlet closure member configured to receive therein a Schrader valve in a valve passage extending through the inlet closure member, and injecting the inert gas and then inserting the dispensible fluid material through the valve passage, after which the Schrader valve is inserted into the valved passage.
Other method aspects of the present invention comprise one or more of the following additional steps in any suitable combination. Initially introducing the dispensible fluid material into the tube at or adjacent to the outlet fixture whereby the dispensible fluid material level increases towards the inlet end as more material is introduced into the tube; the inlet closure member and the valved plug each comprises respective Schrader valves and the outlet valve may comprise a one-way check valve that permits flow only outwardly of the device; and securing the inlet closure member to the inlet end of the tube, e.g., with a ferrule, and securing the outlet fixture to the outlet end of the tube, e.g., with a ferrule.
As used herein and in the claims, the following terms have the indicated meanings. The term “dispensible fluid material” means dispensible liquids, pastes, gels and the like including, without limitation, liquid polymers, liquid polymer precursors, liquids with fine particulate solids suspended therein, colloidal suspensions, gels, and in general, flowable non-gaseous materials, and mixtures of two or more thereof. The term “inert gas” does not necessarily mean the chemical definition of inert gases, although the term may include classical inert gases, but means a gas which is inert to the dispensible fluid material. By “inert” in this context is meant a gas which will not adversely affect the dispensible fluid material such as by causing it to polymerize or otherwise be adversely affected. A “downstream” or “upstream” location or structure indicates a location or structure as sensed relative to the direction of dispensible fluid material being discharged from the device. A “dry” inert gas is one from which moisture has been eliminated or sufficiently reduced so that dispensible fluid material which is adversely affected by moisture is not adversely affected by contact with the dry inert gas during manufacture, shipping and storage. Reference to an “operating” system means a system which is in operation and therefore has high and low pressure zones.
Referring now to
Tube 12 is preferably comprised of a moisture-impermeable material and may be transparent or translucent, or may at least have a transparent or translucent section, to enable a user to see the dispensible fluid material 28 contained within storage chamber 26, and to observe the transport of such dispensible fluid material through tube 12 for discharge from the outlet valve 18. Tube 12 may, for example, be a polyvinyldifluoride such as that sold under the trademark Kynar by Arkema, Inc., or it may be any other suitable material.
The moisture impermeability of tube 12 enables the tube to be used with dispensible fluid materials which are highly reactive with water. For example, one suitable and commercially available dispensible fluid material is a liquid sealant which comprises a ternary silane which is highly reactive with moisture. Such ternary silane sealant, when in contact with moisture, will within a few hours polymerize to form a solid. It is therefore important to maintain such dispensible liquid sealants isolated from contact with moisture until the sealant liquid is dispensed into the air conditioning or refrigeration closed system to fill any leaks such as pin-point openings in the system refrigerant lines. As noted above, pre-use polymerization of leaked sealant can render the fluid injection device useless. As the sealant liquid is dispersed throughout the closed system refrigerant lines, any such openings are contacted by the sealant, which plugs the leaks by reacting with moisture, such as atmospheric humidity or water condensate present at the exteriors of the pin-point openings, to polymerize and seal the site or sites of the leaks.
Referring to
The filling of the device 10, that is, the introduction into fluid injection device 10 of the inert (to material 28) gas and the filling of storage chamber 26 with dispensible fluid material 28, e.g., a suitable liquid sealant, is schematically illustrated in
Another method of filling fluid injection device 10 is to commence with a device 10 which, except that Schrader valve 30 is omitted from inlet closure member 14, is fully assembled. Purging device 10 with the inlet gas and then filling with the dispensible fluid material is carried out as described in the immediately preceding paragraph [0025]. The fill tube 48 is inserted via the opening provided in inlet closure member 14 by the valve passage extending therethrough. After the inert gas purge and insertion of the dispensible fluid material is complete, and fill tube 48 is fully withdrawn from device 10, Schrader valve 30 is inserted into the valve passage of inlet closure member 14, to complete the assembly of device 10.
The resulting structure of device 10 is such that even if the fluid outlet valve 18 leaks sealant prior to use, that is, during manufacture, storage or shipping, the leaked sealant is not polymerized or contaminated because all internal areas of outlet fixture 21, including airlock chamber 42, are filled with dry inert gas which is held captive by the valved plug 24 and the check valve sealing gasket 44 and by the outlet valve 18, which may be a Schrader valve. Any sealant which has leaked past outlet valve 18 prior to use of device 10 therefore has no water with which to react, and so it does not polymerize, and does not glue the outlet valve 18 in the closed position.
Just prior to use, the valved plug 24 is removed by unscrewing it from the outlet collar 22, as shown in
It is useful, but not necessary to the practice of the present invention, to pressurize the nitrogen or other inert gas that is trapped in the internal area between the valved plug 24 and the outlet valve 18, that is, in airlock chamber 42, to a suitable pressure, e.g., a pressure of from about 35 to about 65 PSIA, e.g., a pressure of about 45 to 55 PSIA, e.g., about 50 PSIA. As this pressure is higher than the force imposed on seal 19 by coil spring 36, the inert gas puts added pressure on outlet valve seal 19 from the back side (the side of seal 19 facing coil spring 36). The pressurized inert gas thus forces outlet valve seal 19 against shoulder 18b causing seal 19 to make a tighter seal, and therefore making it more difficult for the sealant 28 to leak around the seal 19. The advantage of this is that if the outlet valve seal 19 is maintained in place solely by the pressure imposed by coil spring 36 there is a limit as to how much force the coil spring 36 should exert. It is advantageous that coil spring 36 allows the outlet valve seal 19 to open at a pressure of from about 25 to 35 PSIA, e.g., at about 30 PSIA, to allow sealant 28 to flow into the system being treated. This means that the spring force exerted by the coil spring 36 should exert only limited force on the outlet valve seal 19, which makes it easier for sealant 28 to leak around the outlet valve seal 19. The use of nitrogen at, for example, 50 PSIA pressure allows for a higher force to be imposed against the back side of the outlet valve seal 19 to improve the seal. The 50 PSIA pressure is relieved when the valved plug 24 is removed prior to use so that in use, the sealant or other dispensible fluid material 28 need overcome only the lower pressure imposed by the coil spring 36 in order to be discharged from device 10. The use of 50 PSIA dry nitrogen allows the continued use of a 30 PSIA spring force, with the nitrogen imposing a higher pressure on seal 19 to eliminate or reduce leakage.
In use, inlet closure member 14 is secured to a high pressure zone of a system being treated, for example, to a manifold outlet port, and by means of a suitable refrigeration service hose if, as is often the case, device 10 is not long enough to connect the manifold outlet port to a service port at a low pressure zone of the pressurized system being treated. Outlet valve 18 is secured to a service port at a relatively low pressure end of the air conditioning or refrigeration closed system being treated, by means of threaded outlet collar 22. A spring (not shown) of the Schrader valve 30 is depressed upon connection to the discharge port by a tang (not shown) in the discharge port, as is well known in the art A conventional valve on the manifold is opened so that the refrigerant in the high pressure zone acts on the Schrader valve 30 contained within inlet closure member 14, to open the valve 30. Pressure generated by the refrigerant in the high pressure zone forces the dispensible fluid material 28, e.g., a liquid sealant, out of storage chamber 26, through Schrader valve 30 and storage chamber 26, thence through outlet valve 18, into a low pressure zone of the closed system. When the liquid sealant has been discharged, the valve on the manifold may be closed and the device disconnected from the system. Alternatively, valved plug 24 may be configured to connect to a system service port with the dispensible sealant discharged through outlet valve 18 and valved plug 24.
Tube 12 is conveniently designed to withstand the highest pressure to which it will be subjected when attached to the refrigerant lines of any standard air conditioning, refrigeration or the like system. Alternatively, tube 12 may be provided in different strengths to withstand, without bursting, the highest pressure which will be encountered in a given type of system. Preferably, tube 12 is made with sufficient bursting strength to resist the highest pressure it will encounter in any standard air conditioning, refrigeration or the like system so that only a single part need be kept in inventory.
While the invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous variations may be made to the described embodiment, which variations nonetheless lie within the scope of the present invention.
This application claims priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/608,993 filed on Dec. 21, 2017 in the name of Floyd Kent Matlack et al., and entitled “Fluid Injection Device and Method of Making and Using the Same”.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62608993 | Dec 2017 | US |
