Humidity control device for gun cases

• US 6,244,432 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albert L. Saari, Robert L. Esse
• Original Assignee: Albert L. Saari, Robert L. Esse
• Inventors: Saari, Albert L., Esse, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSTER, JIMMY G
• Application Number:
  US09/370,810
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 95/90, 961/08, 961/34, 961/47, 555/22, 206/14, 206/204, 206/213.1, 206/314, 206/317, 210/282, 210/DIG.6
• US Class Current: 206/213.1
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 25/02 Moistening devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/24 Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with thermal insulation B65D81/38
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/00 Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars

Abstract

A gun case humidity control device for use in maintaining a desired humidity in the gun case, the device including a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated solution, the solution having a suitable humidity control point.

Claims

1. A combination of a gun case, gun and a humidity control device for use in the gun case for maintaining a desired humidity, said gun case including a moisture confining zone in which at least one gun may be stored, said humidity control device including a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said protective case comprising wall means defining an enclosure for receipt of said pouch, said wall means including a plurality of openings through which water vapor may freely move, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt and a thickening agent, said salt being present in an amount between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and salt, said thickening agent being present in an amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said thickened saturated salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch, said pouch containing the thickened saturated salt solution being contained within the protective case to protect the pouch from rupture, said protective case and said pouch being disposed in said gun case, whereby the moisture confining zone in the gun case is maintained at desired humidity range.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said polymer film has a thickness of between 0.25 mils and 1.25 mil.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said polymer film is a member selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, oriented polystyrene, microporous polyethylene, and microfiberous polyethylene.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said salt solution comprises a 50/50 mixture of NH₃NO₃ and KCl by weight.

5. The humidity control device of claim 4 wherein the thickening agent comprises propylene glycol alginate.

6. The humidity control device of claim 4 wherein the thickening agent comprises xanthan.

7. The humidity control device of claim 5 wherein the protective case comprises a tubular structure having openings of between about {fraction (1/16)}th inch by ⅛

th inch.

8. The humidity control device of claim 7 wherein the protective case includes a pair of removable end caps.

9. The humidity control device of claim 8 wherein the protective case is constructed of a polymer.

10. The humidity control device of claim 9 wherein the protective case is about 2 to 5 inches in length and ⅝

th to ¾

inches in internal diameter.

11. The humidity control device of claim 10 wherein the device includes a securement mechanism for attaching the device to the inside of said gun case.

12. A gun case humidity control device for maintaining a desired humidity in a gun case including a gun, said device including a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said protective case comprising wall means defining an enclosure and securement means for securing the humidity control device to the inside of a gun case, said wall means including a plurality of openings through which water vapor may freely move, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt and a thickening agent, said thickening agent being present in an amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch, said pouch containing the thickened salt solution, said pouch being contained within the protective case to protect the pouch from rupture.

13. The gun case humidity control device of claim 12 wherein said securement means comprises hook and look fabric.

14. The gun case humidity control device of claim 13 wherein the saturated salt solution has salt present at a level of 5% to 90% salt by weight and wherein the salt solution has a viscosity of 2500 cps.

15. The gun case humidity control device of claim 13 wherein the polymer film is a member selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, oriented polystyrene, microporous polyethylene, microfiberous polyethylene and polyvinylchloride.

16. The gun case humidity control device of claim 15 wherein the film has a moisture transfer rate of at least 0.1 grams per 100 square inches per 24 hours.

17. The gun case humidity control device of claim 15 wherein the film has a moisture transfer rate in the range of about 10 to 25 grams per 24 hours per 100 square inches of film.

18. A method of controlling the humidity in a gun case including a gun comprising applying a humidity control mechanism to environment in the gun case, said mechanism including an encased saturated salt solution, said encasement being permeable to water vapor to permit water vapor to leave the salt solution if the adjacent relative humidity is below a desired level and to pick up water vapor if the relative humidity is above a desired level.

19. A combination of a gun case, gun and a humidity control device for use in maintaining a desired humidity in said gun case, said device including a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt and a thickening agent, said salt being present in an amount of between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and salt, said thickening agent being present in amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the polymer film has a thickness of between 0.25 mils and 1.25 mil.

21. The combination of claim 19 wherein the polymer film is a member selected for the group consisting of high density polyethylene, oriented polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, microporous polyethylene, and microfiberous polyethylene.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein the salt solution comprises approximately a 50/50 mixture of NH₃NO₃ and KCl by weight.

23. The combination of claim 22 wherein the thickening agent comprises propylene glycol alginate.

24. The combination of claim 19 wherein said thickening agent is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrocolloids.

25. The combination of claim 19 wherein said thickening agent is a member selected from the group consisting of soluble gums, protein gels and inorganic polymers.

26. The combination of claim 19 wherein said thickening agent is a member selected from the group consisting of alginate, xanthan, and pectin.

27. The combination of claim 22 wherein said thickening agent is a member selected from the group consisting of egg albumen and gelatin.

28. The combination of claim 22 wherein said inorganic polymer thickening agent comprise silicates.

29. The combination of claim 22 wherein said salt is a member selected from the group consisting of potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium nitrate, sodium dichromate, magnesium chloride, potassium nitrate, sodium chloride, sodium bromide, potassium carbonate and lithium chloride.

30. The combination of claim 22 wherein said salt is a member selected from the group consisting of sucrose, sorbitol, mannitol, glucose, 1-methylglucose, xylitol, sodium or potassium acetate, citric acid, and sodium citrate.

31. A combination including:

a gun, a gun case and a humidity control device, said gun being disposed in said gun case, said gun case providing a closed environment for storage of said gun, said humidity control device being disposed in said gun case, said humidity control device serving to maintain a desired humidity in a gun case, said device including a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated solution, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said polymer film being a member selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, oriented polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, microporous polyethylene and microfiberous polyethylene, said thickened saturated solution comprising water, a member selected from the group consisting of salt and sugar, and a thickening agent, said thickening agent being present in an amount sufficient to thicken the solution, said solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed against escape from the pouch, said pouch containing the thickened solution.

32. The humidity control device of claim 31 wherein said salt is a member selected from the group consisting of potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium nitrate, sodium dichromate, magnesium chloride, potassium nitrate, sodium chloride, sodium bromide, potassium carbonate and lithium chloride.

33. The combination of claim 32 wherein said thickening agent is a member selected from the group consisting of soluble gums, protein gels and inorganic polymers.

34. A combination including a gun, a gun case and a humidity control device disposed in said gun case, said humidity control device being for use in maintaining a desired humidity in the gun case, said device including a water vapor permeable pouch and a saturated solution, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said saturated solution comprising water and solute, said solute being present in an amount of between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and solute, said solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch.