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US 9,868,652 B1Granted
Oil-skimming tube with stiffening insert member
AssigneeOil Skimmers, Inc.
InventorRobert B Washburn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible thermoplastic tube having a stiffening member installed inside is described herein. Mechanisms to couple both the stiffening member and outer tube are also described. The stiffened tube is particularly useful in oil skimming equipment for remediation of hydrocarbons in containment pools.
Claims16
An oil skimmer system comprising:
- a tube;
- a mechanical drive system configured to drive the tube in a continuous loop;
- and
- a scraper configured to skim an outer surface of the tube;
- the tube comprising an elongated, hollow structure, having an inner surface bounding a hollow portion of the tube, and an outer surface defining an exterior surface of the tube;
- an elongated stiffening member disposed within the hollow portion of the tube that extends the length of the tube, the stiffening member having a stiffness at least 0.5 times that of the tube;
- wherein the tube is joined in a looped configuration.
4 more elements
A hollow, spiral wound spring body comprising:
- a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side each coupled to a mid-section;
- the first side having an inner diameter defining a first inner diameter cross-sectional area;
- the second side having an inner diameter defining a second inner diameter cross-sectional area;
- the mid-section comprising an inner diameter cross-sectional area that at least equals a sum of the first and second inner diameter cross-sectional areas;
- wherein the first side is configured to receive an elongated member, and the second side is configured to receive an elongated member;
- wherein the first side is on an opposite axial end of the mid-section than the second side, and a center of the first side inner diameter is not axially aligned with a center of the second side inner diameter.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.