Patent Application
20050087632
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage and transport container for a fuel metering head and, in particular, for a fuel metering head for gaseous or liquid fuel-driven setting tools, and having an envelope with a receiving space for the metering head.
2. Description of the Prior Act
Storage and transport containers of the type described above are used for protecting metering heads, which are stored and transported therein, from outside influences, damage, etc. Thus, the firm HILTI Aktiengesellschaft, the assignee herein, uses special packaging for storing and transporting metering heads for the setting tool GX100. On the metering head, there are arranged sealing elements formed, e.g., of rubber. In the packaging, these sealing elements can shrink or become brittle. When the metering head is removed from its packaging and is mounted on a setting tool and secured to the fuel vessel, the sealing elements begin slowly to swell. The swelling affects the metered-out amount of the fuel that the metering head supplies for a setting process. The change in the amount of the metered fuel negatively influences combustion in the setting tool and adversely affects the quality of the setting process.
British Publication GB2350347A discloses a bag for storing objects in a controlled atmosphere. To this end, the bag is provided with inlet valve and an outlet valve. Through the inlet valve, the moisture displacer can be brought in the bag, and through the outlet valve, it can be aspirated from the bag. The drawback of the storage bag disclosed in the British reference consists in that it cannot be used for storing metering heads and, in particular, for storing fuel metering heads with sealing elements.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage and transport container suitable for storing and transporting fuel metering heads with sealing elements, in particular.
This and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a storage and transport device having an envelope the receiving space of which is filled with a swelling medium for swelling the sealing elements of the fuel metering head. The filling of the envelope receiving space with a swelling medium permits to create in the storage and transport container an atmosphere that swells the sealing elements of a metering head located in the container. When so stored and transported metering head is used, e.g., in a setting tool, the amount of the metered-out fuel does not change.
Advantageously, the swelling medium consists of one or several hydrocarbons having a boiling point of more than 50° C. Ideally, these hydrocarbons are similar to the material that is metered out by the metering head, e.g., similar to a fuel gas but have a lower vapor pressure. This permits to achieve storage conditions optimally adapted to the subsequent use of the metering head with its sealing elements.
Advantageously, the swelling medium consists of one or several hydrocarbons selected from the group containing heptane, octane, dipropylether, nitromethane, methanol and ethanol. These materials insure good swelling values of sealing elements and are user-friendly. According to an advantageous embodiment of the storage and transport container according to the present invention, a storage element for the swelling medium is arranged in the receiving space of the container. The storage element prevents leaking out of the swelling medium when the metering head is removed from the container. Preferably, the storage element is formed as a sponge.
Advantageously, the envelope is formed as a foil bag or a foil packaging. Forming the bag of a foil permits to easily produce it and make it light and flexible.
It is further advantageous when the envelope is formed as a pin-on cap. A cap can also be easily produced, it has a high stability and, therefore, provides a good protection against the mechanical loads. Further, with formation of the envelope as a cap, only the openings (inlet, outlet) of the metering head are covered.
Advantageously, the pin-on cover cap or caps is (are) provided with at least one sealing element for sealing the receiving space against the surrounding atmosphere when the cap (caps) is (are) pinned on the metering head.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings show:
A storage and transport container, according to the present invention, which is shown in
Though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiments, such are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not to be construed as a limitation thereof, and various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, not intended that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiments or details thereof, and the present invention includes all variations and/or alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103 50 030.8 | Oct 2003 | DE | national |
