AN END CAP FOR AN ASSEMBLY USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COMPRESSED GAS

• US 20160288042A1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: nano-porous solutions limited (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Norgren Ltd. (New Zealand) (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: BILLIET, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/291 End caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/293 Making of end caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2265/05 Special adapters for the connection of filters or parts of filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0004 Details of removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0415 Beds in cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 23/085 Making tubes B21C23/10 take precedence

Abstract

An End Cap for an Assembly Used in the Preparation of Compressed Gas An end cap for attaching to one or more filter elements and respective filter bowls is disclosed. The end cap has a tubular body formed by extrusion and this body has a series of apertures formed therein. The apertures include an end aperture for attachment to a filter bowl and another end aperture for attachment to another filter bowl or to a sealing disc. The body also has a pair of sidewall apertures to act as inlet and outlet the filter assembly. The end cap also has a plastic insert for insertion into the body, the insert having a conduit portion for directing a stream of gas from the inlet to a filter element through one of the end apertures.

Claims

1. An end cap for an assembly used in the preparation of compressed gas, the end cap comprising:

a substantially tubular body portion formed by extrusion, said body portion having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the apertures including a first end aperture for attachment to a first gas preparation component, a second end aperture for attachment to a second gas preparation component or to at least one sealing device and first and second sidewall apertures for acting as an inlet and an outlet for said filter assembly; and

at least one insert for location in said body portion between said first and second end apertures and having a first conduit portion for directing a stream of gas from said inlet to said first component through said first end aperture.

2. An end cap according to claim 1, wherein said insert further comprises a second conduit portion for directing, a stream of gas from a second gas preparation component through said second end aperture to said outlet when said end cap is attached to said second gas preparation component.

3. An end cap according to claim 1, wherein said insert further comprises at least a portion for directing said stream of gas, having passed through said first gas preparation component, from adjacent said first gas preparation component in a direction away from said first gas preparation component, said second conduit portion comprising a conduit wall extending at least partially beyond said outlet in said direction.

4. An end cap according to claim 3, wherein an edge of said conduit wall, distal of said first gas preparation component, engages said second gas preparation component.

5. An end cap according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of said conduit wall is annular.

7. An end cap according to claim 1, wherein said insert comprises fixing members for fixing said insert into said body portion.

8. An end cap according to claim 1, wherein said body portion comprises first and second internally threaded portions adjacent said first and second and apertures and adapted to engage externally threaded portions of said gas preparation component or sealing device.

9. An end cap according to claim 1 wherein a portion of said first conduit extends around said inlet.

10. An end cap according to claim 1 wherein a portion of said second conduit extends around said outlet.

11. An end cap according to claim 1 wherein said first and/or second components comprise at least one filter bowl and at least one filter element.

6. (canceled)

12. An end cap for a filter assembly, the end cap for attaching to at least one filter element and at least one filter bowl, the end cap comprising:

a body portion having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the apertures including a first end aperture for attachment to a first filter bowl, a second end aperture for attachment to a second filter bowl or at least one sealing device and first and second sidewall apertures for acting as an inlet and an outlet for said filter assembly;

at least one first conduit portion for directing a stream of gas from said inlet to a first filter element through said first end aperture; and

at least one second conduit portion for directing said stream of gas, having passed through said first filter element, from adjacent said first filter element in a direction away from said first filter element, said second conduit portion comprising a conduit wall extending at least partially beyond a portion of said filter in said direction.

13. An end cap according to claim 12, wherein said conduit wall extends at least partially beyond said outlet.

14. An end cap according to claim 12, wherein an edge of said conduit wall, distal of said first filter element, engages said second filter element.

15. An end cap according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of said conduit wall is annular.

16. An end cap according to claim 12, wherein said body portion is substantially tubular and is formed by extrusion.

17. An end cap according to claim 12, wherein said first and second conduit portions are formed as an insert comprising one or more components separate from said body portion.

19. An end cap according to claim 17, wherein said insert comprises fixing members for fixing said insert into said body.

20. An end cap according to claim 17, wherein said second conduit portion directs a stream of gas from said second filter element through said second end aperture to said outlet when said end cap is attached to said second filter bowl.

21. An end cap according to any of claims 12 to 19, wherein said body portion comprises first and second internally threaded portions adjacent said first and second and apertures and adapted to engage externally threaded portions of said filter bowl or sealing device.

18. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. A filter assembly used in the preparation of compressed gas, the assembly comprising:

an end cap comprising;

a substantially tubular body portion formed by extrusion, said body portion having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the apertures including a first end aperture for attachment to a first gas preparation component, a second end aperture for attachment to a second gas preparation component or to at least one sealing device and first and second sidewall apertures for acting as an inlet and an outlet for said filter assembly;

at least one insert for location in said body portion between said first and second end apertures and having a first conduit portion for directing a stream of gas from said inlet to said first component through first end a aperture; and

at least one compressed as preparation component.

39. An apparatus for treating a compressed gas, the apparatus comprising:

a filter assembly according to claim 37; and

a pressure swing adsorption device for treating said gas.

38. (canceled)

40. A gas treatment assembly, for treatment of a compressed gas, the assembly comprising:

a substantially tubular media containing portion for containing at least one gas treatment media;

a plurality of end caps for enclosing ends of said tubular media containing portion, said end caps providing an inlet and an outlet to said assembly and wherein at least one end cap comprises a substantially tubular body portion formed by extrusion and adapted at a first end of said body to engage and form a seal with said media containing portion and further comprises a closure adapted to engage and seal with a second end of said body.

41. An assembly according to claim 40, wherein at least one of said inlet and said outlet is provided in said tubular body portion.

42. An assembly according to claim 40, wherein at least one of said inlet and said outlet is provided in said closure,

43. An assembly according to claim 40, wherein said tubular body portion comprises at least one first thread for engaging a respective thread formed in said filter media containing portion.

44. An assembly according to claim 40, wherein said tubular body portion comprises at least one second thread and said closure comprises a third thread, said second and third threads adapted to engage each other.

45. An assembly according to claim 40, further comprising at least one conduit insert for directing a stream of fluid entering said inlet to said filter media containing portion

46. An assembly according to claim 40, further comprising at least one filter media contained within said media containing portion.

47. (canceled)

48. A method of forming an end cap for an assembly used in the preparation of compressed gas, comprising the steps:

forming by extrusion a substantially tubular body portion;

machining into said body portion a plurality of apertures including a first end aperture for attachment to a first gas preparation component, a second end aperture for attachment to a second gas preparation component or to at least one sealing device and first and second sidewall apertures for acting as an inlet and an outlet for said filter assembly; and

inserting through said first end aperture and locating in said body portion between said first and second end apertures at least one insert having a first conduit portion for directing a stream of gas from said inlet to said first component through said first end aperture.

49. A method according to claim 48, further comprising locating a sealing device in one of said end apertures.

50. (canceled)