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US 6,793,095 B1Granted
Blow-molded pressure tank with spin-welded connector
AssigneeEssef Corporation
InventorsMichael Dulisse, Charles D. Poellet, Rick Fogle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressurized vessel, such as a tank liner, is formed of a thermoplastic injection-molded connector or insert and a thermoplastic blow-molded vessel body. A noncylindrical skirt of the connector having a substantial surface area is spin-welded to a mating interface formed on the outer surface of the vessel body adjacent an orifice into which the insert is received. In a preferred embodiment, a sacrificed portion of an upstanding orifice sidewall forms a molten weld bead, which flows in a channel to fuse the skirt to the mating interface.
Claims9
A kit for forming a vessel, comprising:
- an insert component having a body with a top end and a bottom end, the body of the insert component formed around a spin-welding axis, the insert component including
- a downwardly extending inner sidewall adapted to be downwardly inserted into an orifice of a vessel body component and
- a skirt disposed radially outwardly of the inner sidewall and extending downwardly from the body, the skirt and the inner sidewall defining therebetween an annular channel, the channel being closed at a top end thereof and open toward the bottom;
- a radially inwardly facing surface of the skirt including a first segment extending downwardly from the top end of the channel to a lower end of the first segment, the first segment having a first length in an axial direction, a first shoulder having an inner end joined to the lower end of the first segment and extending radially outwardy from the lower end of the first segment to an outer end of the first shoulder, and a second segment having an upper end joined to the outer end of the first shoulder and a lower end, the second segment extending downwardly from the shoulder and having a second length in an axial direction;
- and
- a vessel body component having an orifice formed around a spin-welding axis, the orifice surrounded by an upstanding sidewall adapted to be inserted into the channel of the insert component, the upstanding sidewall having a top end and a radially outwardly facing surface extending downwardly from the top end, the radially outwardly facing surface having a third segment extending downwardly from the top end of the upstanding sidewall to a lower end of the third segment and having a third length in the axial direction, a second shoulder having an inner end joined to the lower end of the third segment and extending radially outwardly from the third segment to an outer end of the second shoulder, and a fourth segment extending downwardly from the outer end of the second shoulder to a lower end of the fourth segment and having a fourth length in an axial direction;
- wherein
- the third length is longer than the first length, the fourth length being longer than the second length, an intentional mismatch of the first and third lengths defining a first sacrificial portion adjacent the top end of the upstanding sidewall of the vessel body component, an intentional mismatch of the second and fourth lengths defining a second sacrificial portion adjacent the shoulder of the upstanding sidewall of the vessel body component, the sacrificial portions used to join the insert component to the body component upon spin-welding the insert component to the vessel body component.
5 more elements
A vessel, comprising:
- an insert component having a top end and a bottom end and formed around a spin-welding axis, the insert component including
- a downwardly extending inner sidewall, and
- a skirt disposed radially outwardly of the inner sidewall and extending downwardly, the skirt and the inner sidewall defining therebetween an annular channel, the channel being closed at a top end therefor and open toward the bottom end of the insert component;
- a radially inwardly facing surface of the skirt including a first segment extending downwardly from the top end of the channel to a lower end of the first segment, a first shoulder having an inner end joined to the lower end of the first segment and extending radially outwardly from the lower end of the first segment to an outer end of the first shoulder, and a second segment having an upper end joined to the outer end of the first shoulder and a lower end, the second segment extending downwardly from the outer end of the first shoulder;
- and
- a vessel body component having an orifice formed around the spin-welding axis, the orifice surrounded by an upstanding sidewall which is spin-welded into the channel of the insert component, the upstanding sidewall having a top end and a radially outwardly facing surface extending downwardly from the top end of the upstanding sidewall, the radially outwardly facing surface of the upstanding sidewall having a third segment extending downwardly from the top end of the upstanding sidewall to a lower end of the third segment, a second shoulder having an inner end joined to the lower end of the third segment and extending radially outwardly to an outer end of the second shoulder, a fourth segment of said radially outwardly facing surface having an upper end joined to the outer end of the second shoulder and extending downwardly to a lower end of the fourth segment:
- wherein
- the top end of the upstanding sidewall of the vessel body component adjoins the top end of the channel of the insert, the first segment of the radially inwardly facing surface of the skirt adjoins the third segment of the radially outwardly facing surface of the upstanding sidewall of the vessel body component, the first shoulder of the skirt adjoins the second shoulder of the vessel body component, and the second segment of the radially inwardly facing surface of the skirt adjoins the fourth segment of the radially outwardly facing surface of the upstanding sidewall.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.