Piston and seal for a storage tank
AssigneePiston Technology, LLC
InventorGene Brisson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tank for storing fluid materials includes a piston having a channel, and an annular seal secured to the channel. The annular seal projects outwardly from the circumference of the piston. The piston further includes a plurality of radially arranged, spaced-apart tensioners that stretch the seal into sliding engagement with the interior surface of the tank. As the piston slides through the tank, the tensioners independently move radially inward and outward to compensate for shape-wise imperfections of the tank, such that the fluid materials extrude through the opening of the tank without bypassing the annular seal.
Claims33
A storage tank for storing fluid materials comprising:
- a tank having an inner surface and an outlet;
- a piston slidably mounted in said tank for expelling material through said outlet;
- an annular seal extending around said piston;
- and
- a plurality radially movable tensioners for applying a radial force to said seal to maintain said seal in sliding engagement with said inner surface of said tank.
A piston comprising:
- a head having a proximal surface and a distal neck;
- a body mounted to said head;
- an annular seal secured to said head, and projecting outward from the circumference of said piston;
- and
- a plurality of radially movable tensioners for applying an outward force to the inner surface of said seal.
A seal for a piston comprising:
- an arcuate crown;
- a plurality of ridges disposed along the surface of said crown for contacting an exterior surface;
- and
- a pair of opposing legs extending from the outer periphery of selected sides of said crown.
A method of expelling a fluid material from within a tank having a piston disposed therein, the method comprising:
- stretching an annular seal into sliding engagement with an interior surface of said tank;
- sliding said piston member toward an opening in said tank to expel said fluid material through and out the opening;
- and
- independently biasing a plurality of tensioners radially outward as said piston member slides towards the opening to maintain said sliding engagement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.