Evacuated structures for removing accumulated air
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorJohn M. Altendorf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An evacuated structure removes air accumulated within a container that contains material held at a first pressure. The evacuated structure has a shell that includes a slowly defusing air-permeable material. The air permeable material interfaces to a volume of space evacuated to a second pressure less than the first pressure within the container. Unwanted air that accumulates within the container is drawn into the volume of space of the evacuated structure due to the difference in pressure between the interior of the container and the interior of the shell.
Claims30
An evacuated structure for removing accumulated air within a container containing material held at a first pressure, comprising:
- a shell including a slowly defusing air-permeable material surrounding a volume of space evacuated to a second pressure less than the first pressure wherein air accumulated within the container is drawn into the volume of space due to the difference in pressure between the container and the shell.
A method of evacuating air from a fluid container, comprising the steps of:
- inserting an evacuated structure having an internal first pressure within the fluid container;
- and
- setting the pressure within the fluid container to a second pressure greater than the first pressure.
A method of creating an evacuated structure, comprising the steps of:
- molding two semispherical shells of an air-permeable material;
- and
- assembling the two semispherical shells in a vacuum environment.
A method of creating an evacuated structure, comprising the steps of:
- creating a frame support structure;
- inserting the frame support structure within a tube of air-permeable material;
- and
- sealing the ends of the tube of air-permeable material.
A method of creating an evacuated structure, comprising the steps of:
- creating a urging force mechanism;
- inserting the urging force mechanism within a structure of air-permeable material;
- and
- evacuating the structure of air-permeable material of air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.