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US 2012/0234423 A1Published application
High-Pressure Fluid Conduit
AssigneeZena Associates, LLC
InventorRobert Cardona
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high-pressure fluid conduit that conducts high-pressure fluid from a high-pressure fluid source to a high-pressure fluid container. This high-pressure fluid conduit has a safety feature that is activated when the high-pressure fluid conduit fails due to exposure to a predetermined force. The safety feature is activated by the fracture of an annular ring that is positioned at either end of the high-pressure fluid conduit and is calibrated to fracture when exposed to the predetermined force. Fracture of the annular ring closes valves at each end of the high-pressure fluid conduit, thereby stopping the flow of high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source as well as the escape of high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container.
Claims30
A high-pressure fluid conduit adapted for connection between a high-pressure fluid source and a high-pressure fluid container, said high-pressure fluid conduit comprising:
- a hose unit having a first end and a second end;
- a first housing adapted for connection to a high-pressure fluid source and having:
- (a) a first fluid opening through which high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source enters said first housing,
- (b) a second fluid opening through which high-pressure fluid from the high pressure fluid source leaves said first housing and enters said hose unit, and
- (c) a cavity between said first fluid opening in said first housing and said second fluid opening in said first housing;
- a second housing adapted for connection to a high-pressure fluid container and having:
- (a) a first fluid opening through which
- (1) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source leaves said hose unit and enters said second housing, and
- (2) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container tends to leave said second housing and enter said hose unit during a failure of said hose unit,
- (b) a second fluid opening through which:
- (1) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source leaves said second housing and enters the high-pressure fluid container, and
- (2) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container tends to enter said hose unit during a failure of said hose unit, and
- (c) a cavity between said first fluid opening in said second housing and said second fluid opening in said second housing;
- an annular ring:
- (a) coupling at least one of:
- (1) said first housing to said first end of said hose unit, and
- (2) said second housing to said second end of said hose unit, and
- (b) having a weakened section extending around said annular ring that fractures when a predetermined force is applied to said annular ring that causes first and second parts of said annular ring on opposite sides of said weakened section to separate;
- a first valve seat at said second fluid opening in said first housing;
- a second valve seat at said first fluid opening in said second housing;
- a first valve body pivotally mounted in said cavity of said first housing and movable between:
- (a) a first position to permit the flow of the high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source through said first housing, and
- (b) a second position against said first valve seat in said first housing to prevent high-pressure fluid leaving said first housing;
- a second valve body pivotally mounted in said cavity of said second housing and movable between:
- (a) a first position to permit the flow of the high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source through said second housing, and
- (b) a second position against said second valve seat in said second housing to prevent the flow of high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container leaving said second housing;
- and
- valve control means for:
- (a) retaining said first valve body in its first position and said second valve body in its first position, and
- (b) selectively moving said first valve body to its second position and said second valve body to its second position in response to fracture of said annular ring and separation of said first and second parts of said annular ring on opposite sides of said weakened section of said annular ring.
27 more elements
A high-pressure fluid conduit adapted for connection between a high-pressure fluid source and a high-pressure fluid container, said high-pressure fluid conduit comprising:
- a hose unit having a first end and a second end;
- a first housing adapted for connection to a high-pressure fluid source and having:
- (a) a first fluid opening through which high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source enters said first housing,
- (b) a second fluid opening through which high-pressure fluid from the high pressure fluid source leaves said first housing and enters said hose unit, and
- (c) a cavity between said first fluid opening in said first housing and said second fluid opening in said first housing;
- a second housing adapted for connection to a high-pressure fluid container and having:
- (a) a first fluid opening through which
- (1) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source leaves said hose unit and enters said second housing, and
- (2) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container tends to leave said second housing and enter said hose unit during a failure of said hose unit,
- (b) a second fluid opening through which:
- (1) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source leaves said second housing and enters the high-pressure fluid container, and
- (2) high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container tends to enter said hose unit during a failure of said hose unit, and
- (c) a cavity between said first fluid opening in said second housing and said second fluid opening in said second housing;
- an annular ring:
- (a) coupling at least one of:
- (1) said first housing to said first end of said hose unit, and
- (2) said second housing to said second end of said hose unit, and
- (b) having a weakened section extending around said annular ring that fractures when a predetermined force is applied to said annular ring that causes first and second parts of said annular ring on opposite sides of said weakened section to separate;
- a first valve seat at said second fluid opening in said first housing;
- a second valve seat at said first fluid opening in said second housing;
- a first valve body mounted in said cavity of said first housing and movable between:
- (a) a first position to permit the flow of the high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source through said first housing, and
- (b) a second position against said first valve seat in said first housing to prevent high-pressure fluid leaving said first housing;
- a second valve body mounted in said cavity of said second housing and movable between:
- (a) a first position to permit the flow of the high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid source through said second housing, and
- (b) a second position against said second valve seat in said second housing to prevent the flow of high-pressure fluid from the high-pressure fluid container leaving said second housing;
- and
- valve control means for:
- (a) retaining said first valve body in its first position and said second valve body in its first position, and
- (b) selectively moving said first valve body to its second position and said second valve body to its second position in response to fracture of said annular ring and separation of said first and second parts of said annular ring on opposite sides of said weakened section of said annular ring.
27 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.