Container for pressurized fluid

• US 4,839,048 A
• Filed: 07/08/1986
• Issued: 06/13/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pall Corporation (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pall Corporation (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, John D., Reed, Clayton L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fisher, Richard V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Millard, Wanda L.
• Application Number:
  US06/883,504
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 55/493, 55/502, 55/504, 210/232, 210/440, 210/443, 210/446, 210/450, 210/453, 210/484, 210/485, 210/488, 210/497.01, 210/323.1, 210/323.2, 137/255, 137/386
• US Class Current: 210/450
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/302 having inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/30 Filter housing constructions

Abstract

The disclosure described a pressurized fluid container comprising a fluid vessel, a sheath arrangement which may be fitted around the fluid vessel, and a mechanism for tightening the sheath around the fluid vessel. The disclosure also describes a filter assembly comprising a filter cartridge and sheath arrangement for supporting the filter cartridge against the pressure of a fluid flowing through the filter cartridge. The filter cartridge comprises an impervious shell, two end caps, and a porous filter unit. The shell has first and second ends, and the first and second end caps are respectively mounted at or near the first and second ends of the shell. At least one of the end caps may be slid along the shell and engages the shell to form a seal. The porous filter unit is positioned within the shell and has a first surface and a second surface. The filter cartridge further comprises an inlet structure containing an aperture which communicates with the first surface of the filter unit and an outlet structure containing an aperture which communicates with the second surface of the filter unit. The sheath arrangement includes a casing positioned within the shell and having first and second ends, first and second end restraints respectively mounted at or near the first and second ends of the casing, and a mechanism for fixing the first and second end restraints to the casing.

Claims

1. A container for pressurized fluid, comprising a plastic fluid vessel including a shell and first and second end means for sealingly engaging the shell and sliding along the shell in response to pressurization of the vessel, the first and second end means including first and second end caps mounted within the shell, each end cap having a peripheral groove and an O-ring disposed within the groove for forming a slideable seal against the shell;

a sheath arrangement which may be fitted around the fluid vessel; and

means for releasably tightening the sheath arrangement around the plastic fluid vessel whereby the vessel may be safely removed from the sheath and discarded while the sheath and tightening means are maintained for reuse.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the first end means is blind and the second end means has at least one flow passage to the interior of the shell.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the plastic fluid vessel includes means for filtering the fluid.

4. A filter cartridge comprising an impervious shell having first and second ends, first and second end caps operatively associated with the first and second ends, respectively, of the shell, at least one end cap including means for sealingly engaging the shell and allowing the end cap to slide along the shell in response to pressurization of the filter cartridge, the sealingly engaging means including a peripheral groove formed in the end cap and an O-ring disposed in the groove, a porous filter unit disposed within the shell and having first and second surfaces, inlet means for defining an aperture which communicates with the first surface of the filter unit, and outlet means for defining an aperture which communicates with the second surface of the filter unit.

5. The filter cartridge of claim 4 wherein both the first and second end caps include sealingly engaging means.

6. The filter cartridge of claim 4 wherein the first end cap includes the sealingly engaging means, wherein the porous filter unit includes a hollow, cylindrical filter element having first and second ends and a blind end cover, the first end of the filter element being mounted to the first end cap and the second end of the filter element being mounted to the blind end cover, and wherein the outlet means comprises a protrusion which is formed in the first end cap and extends away from the filter unit, the protrusion containing an aperture which communicates with the interior surface of the filter element through the first end of the filter element.

7. The filter cartridge of claim 6 wherein the blind end cover includes centering lugs extending radially into engagement with the shell.

8. The filter cartridge of claim 4 wherein the second end cap includes the sealingly engaging means, wherein the porous filter unit includes a hollow cylindrical filter element having first and second ends and a blind end cover, the first end of the filter element being mounted to the first end cap and the second end of the filter element being mounted to the blind end cover, and wherein the inlet means comprises a protrusion which is formed in the second end cap and extends away from the filter unit, the protrusion containing an aperture which communicates with the exterior surface of the filter element.

9. The filter cartridge of claim 8 wherein the blind end cover of the filter element includes stand-off lugs extending axially toward the second end cap.

10. A filter assembly comprising a filter cartridge including an impervious shell having first and second ends, first and second end caps operatively associated with the first and second ends, respectively, of the shell, the first end cap including means for sealingly engaging the shell and allowing the end cap to slide along the shell in response to pressurization of the filter assembly, the sealingly engaging means including a peripheral groove formed in the end cap and an O-ring disposed in the groove, a porous filter unit disposed within the shell and having first and second surfaces, inlet means for defining an aperture communicating with the first surface of the porous filter unit, and outlet means for defining an aperture communicating with the second surface of the porous filter element and a sheath arrangement including a casing disposed about the shell having first and second ends, first and second end restraints cooperatively arranged with the first and second ends, respectively, of the casing, and means for fixing the first and second end restraints to the casing.

11. The filter assembly of claim 10 wherein the first end restraint is disposed near the first end cap and includes stop means for limiting the sliding of the first end cap.

12. The filter assembly of claim 10 wherein the fixing means comprises first and second clamps releasably mounted to the first and second ends, respectively, of the casing.

13. A filter assembly comprising a filter cartridge including an impervious shell having first and second ends, first and second end caps operatively associated with the first and second ends, respectively, of the shell, the first end cap being slidably mounted to the shell and including means for sealingly engaging the shell, a porous filter unit disposed within the shell having first and second surfaces, inlet means for defining an aperture communicating with the first surface of the porous filter unit, and outlet means for defining an aperture communicating with the second surface of the porous filter element and a sheath arrangement including a casing disposed about the shell and having first and second ends, first and second end restraints cooperatively arranged with the first and second ends, respectively, with the casing, the first end restraint being disposed near the first end cap and including a protrusion being disposed near the first end cap and including a protrusion extending into the shell for limiting the sliding of the first end cap, and means for fixing the first and second end restraints to the casing.