Folding packing and method of manufacture
AssigneeLantec Products, Inc.
InventorKo C. Lang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved packing body is formed from a strip divided into segments along fold lines. Segments along one side of a medial segment are alternately folded along the fold lines into a stack on the top surface of the medial segment. Segments on the other side of the medial segment are then folded along the fold lines into a stack on the bottom surface of the medial segments. Side segments hingedly connected to the medial or end segments can be folded along the side edges of the stack. Baffle elements can project from the surface of the strip at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the packing body. Tapered strips with a large medial segment disposed to the interior can be folded into a shape approaching spherical.
Claims37
A packing body for use in fluid contact comprising:
- an elongated, continuous strip having a pattern of apertures formed through the strip and said strip being divided into at least three segments along the longitudinal axis with a medial segment having a front edge and a rear edge transverse to said longitudinal axis;
- a first front segment adjacent the front edge;
- a first rear segment adjacent said rear edge;
- a fold present in said first front segment along said front edge to fold said first front segment toward the top surface of the medial segment until the angle between said segment and said top surface is no less then about 90 degrees;
- and
- a fold present in said first rear segment along said rear edge to fold the said first rear segment toward the bottom surface of the medial segment until the angle between said segment and said top surface is no less then about 90 degrees.
A method of forming a packing body for use in fluid contact comprising the steps of:
- forming an elongated, continuous strip of flexible, foldable material having a pattern of apertures;
- providing fold lines spaced along the longitudinal axis of the strip to form segments having fold lines on each front and rear edge thereof;
- folding the strip along a front fold line of a medial segment of the strip until the top surface of a front segment adjacent the medial segment is substantially parallel to the top surface of the medial segment;
- and
- folding the strip along a rear fold line of the medial segment until the bottom surface of a rear segment adjacent the medial segment is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the medial segment.
A method of manufacturing a packing body for use in fluid contact comprising the steps of:
- forming slits in an elongated strip of material;
- stretching the strip along the longitudinal axis such that the slits expand into elongated slots and the panels of the strip material between adjacent slots are raised from the surface at an angle from 10 degrees to 80 degrees;
- and
- folding the strip along fold lines transverse to the longitudinal axis of the strip until adjacent segments are substantially parallel to each other.
A packing body for use in fluid contact comprising in combination:
- a plurality of individual panels containing a pattern of apertures;
- means spacing a plurality of the panels into a stacked arrangement;
- a side panel joined to a side edge of the top and/or bottom panel of the stacked arrangement and said side panel being folded adjacent the side edges of the panels in said stacked arrangement;
- and
- means joining the panels together into said stacked arrangement.
A packing element for use in fluid contact comprising in combination:
- a plurality of individual panels containing a pattern of apertures;
- fluid baffle means raised from the top and/or bottom surfaces of the panels comprising a plurality of rod-like elements projecting from said surface;
- means spacing a plurality of the panels into a stack comprising a portion of the rod-like elements which are longer than other of said elements;
- and
- means latching the panels together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.