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US 12,054,418 B2Granted
Fluid-cooled needle for molten material flow control
AssigneeOwens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
InventorsShane T. Rashley, Russel K. Fleetwood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molten material furnace system having a liquid cooled flow control mechanism and method are disclosed. In particular, the flow control mechanism can include a needle including: a longitudinal axis; an outer conduit including an outer base end, an outer body, and an outer free end; an inner conduit including an inner base end, an inner body radially spaced from the outer body, an inner free end, and a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end. Also disclosed is a needle control assembly to position the flow control needle relative to a stilling tank outlet orifice to control flow of molten material through the outlet orifice.
Claims21
A molten material flow control needle, comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- an outer conduit including
- an outer base end having an outlet,
- an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and
- an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end;
- an inner conduit and including
- an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet,
- an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit and having an inner body wall thickness greater than an outer body wall thickness of the outer conduit,
- an inner free end, and
- a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end;
- an outer passage between the inner and outer bodies of the inner and outer conduits and concentric with the central inlet passage;
- and
- an end cap fitting coupled to the base ends of the inner and outer conduits and having a central fluid passage directly in fluid communication with the central inlet passage of the inner conduit and having a needle inlet.
10 more elements
A molten material flow control needle, comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- an outer conduit including
- an outer base end having an outlet or inlet,
- an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end and having an outer body wall thickness, and
- an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end;
- and
- an inner conduit including
- an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet or outlet,
- an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit and having an inner body wall thickness greater than an outer body wall thickness of the outer conduit,
- an inner free end, and
- a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end.
8 more elements
A molten material flow control needle, comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- an outer conduit including
- an outer base end having an outlet,
- an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and
- a tapered outer free end extending away from the outer body;
- and
- an inner conduit including
- an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet,
- an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit,
- an inner free end extending into the tapered outer free end of the outer conduit, and
- a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end, wherein the inner body has an inner body wall thickness greater than an outer body wall thickness of the outer conduit.
8 more elements
A molten material flow control needle, comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- an outer conduit including
- an outer base end having an outlet,
- an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and
- an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end;
- an inner conduit and including
- an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet,
- an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit,
- an inner free end, and
- a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end;
- an outer passage between the inner and outer bodies of the inner and outer conduits and concentric with the central inlet passage;
- and
- an end cap fitting coupled to the base ends of the inner and outer conduits and having a central fluid passage directly in fluid communication with the central inlet passage of the inner conduit and having a needle inlet, wherein the inner conduit includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced standoffs at a location distal to the inner base end and at a location proximate to the inner free end.
10 more elements
A molten material flow control needle, comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- an outer conduit including
- an outer base end having an outlet,
- an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and
- a tapered outer free end extending away from the outer body;
- and
- an inner conduit including
- an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet,
- an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit,
- an inner free end extending into the tapered outer free end of the outer conduit, and
- a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end;
- and
- wherein the inner conduit includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced standoffs at a location distal to the inner base end and at a location proximate to the inner free end.
10 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a feeding spout having an outlet orifice;
- and
- a molten material flow control needle, including
- a longitudinal axis;
- an outer conduit including
- an outer base end having an outlet,
- an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and
- an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end;
- an inner conduit and including
- an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet,
- an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit,
- an inner free end, and
- a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end;
- an outer passage between the inner and outer bodies of the inner and outer conduits and concentric with the central inlet passage;
- an end cap fitting coupled to the base ends of the inner and outer conduits and having a central fluid passage directly in fluid communication with the central inlet passage of the inner conduit and having a needle inlet, wherein the inner conduit includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced standoffs at a location distal to the inner base end and at a location proximate to the inner free end, wherein the control needle is configured to control a flow of molten material from the outlet orifice based on position of the control needle within the outlet orifice.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.