Fluid transfer apparatus

• US 7,422,039 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scepter Us Holding Company (Myers Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Scepter Corporation (Myers Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chisholm, Ronald R., Alex, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; Devon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bertheaud; Peter J
• Application Number:
  US10/851,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20050106048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 417/571, 417/472, 417/510, 141/323, 141/21, 141/25, 141/26, 141/23, 239/525
• US Class Current: 141/323
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/04 for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/42 Filling nozzles

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring a fluid from a supply container to a desired receptacle. The apparatus includes a conduit having a fluid passage with a valve seat and a flexible containment member. A moveable sealing member is coupled to the flexible containment member and is configured for sealingly engaging the valve seat. An activator is coupled to the sealing member for displacing the sealing member from the valve seat to effect the creation of a reduced fluid pressure in the fluid in the supply container.

Claims

1. A combination of a supply container and a fluid transfer apparatus, the fluid transfer apparatus disposed in fluid communication disposition with the liquid in the supply container to thereby effect creation and communication of a reduced fluid pressure relative to a fluid pressure of the liquid in the supply container and thereby initiating flow of the liquid from the supply container, the fluid transfer apparatus comprising:

a) a frame;

b) a conduit coupled to the frame and defining a fluid passage, the fluid passage including an inlet, and outlet, and an orifice defined by a valve seat, and the conduit including a conduit section having a flexible containment member and defining a first fluid passage section comprising a space capable of changing its volume, and wherein said first fluid passage section is defined between a first valve means and a second valve means, each of the first and second valve means being disposed in the first fluid passage section;

wherein said first valve means is biased to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space to prevent fluid flow from the space to the inlet, and is configured to open in response to a fluid pressure differential between the inlet and the space, wherein fluid pressure in the space is less than fluid pressure at the inlet, sufficient to overcome the bias of the first valve means to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space;

and wherein the second valve means is biased to seal fluid communication between the space and outlet to prevent fluid flow from the outlet to the space;

c) a moveable sealing member, coupled to the flexible containment member, and configured and biased to sealingly engage the valve seat; and

d) an actuator, pivotally coupled to the frame, and coupled to the sealing member to effect an initial displacement of the sealing member relative to the valve seat and return thereto in response to pivotal movement of the actuator relative to the frame;

wherein said initial displacement of the sealing member from the valve seat by the actuator effects continuous expansion of the space until the displacement of the sealing member from the valve seat is at its greatest, thereby producing a reduced fluid pressure in the space sufficient to create the sufficient fluid pressure differential between the inlet and the space to overcome the bias of the first valve means to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space, thereby effecting the creation and communication of the reduced fluid pressure to the liquid in the supply container.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second valve means is configured to open in response to a fluid pressure differential between the space and the outlet, wherein fluid pressure in the space is greater than the fluid pressure at the outlet, sufficient to overcome the bias of the second valve means to seal fluid communication between the space and the outlet.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible containment member is a flexible diaphragm.

4. A fluid transfer apparatus configured for fluid communication disposition with liquid in a supply container to thereby effect creation and communication of a reduced fluid pressure relative to a fluid pressure of the liquid in the supply container and thereby initiating flow of the liquid from the supply container, the fluid transfer apparatus comprising:

a) a frame;

b) a conduit coupled to the frame and defining a fluid passage, the fluid passage including an inlet, and outlet, an orifice defined by a valve seat, and the conduit including a conduit section having a flexible containment member and defining a first fluid passage section comprising a space capable of changing its volume, and wherein said first fluid passage section is defined between a first valve means and a second valve means, each of the first and second valve means being disposed in the first fluid passage;

wherein said first valve means is biased to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space to prevent fluid flow from the space to the inlet, and is configured to open in response to a fluid pressure differential between the inlet and the space, wherein fluid pressure in the space is less than fluid pressure at the inlet, sufficient to overcome the bias of the first valve means to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space;

and wherein the second valve means is biased to seal fluid communication between the space and outlet to prevent fluid flow from the outlet to the space;

c) a moveable sealing member, coupled to the flexible containment member, and configured and biased to sealingly engage the valve seat; and

d) an actuator, pivotally coupled to the frame, and, coupled to the sealing member to effect an initial displacement of the sealing member relative to the valve seat and return thereto in response to pivotal movement of the actuator relative to the frame;

wherein said initial displacement of the sealing member from the valve seat by the actuator effects expansion of the space to thereby effect a reduced fluid pressure in the space sufficient to create the sufficient fluid pressure differential between the inlet and the space to overcome the bias of the first valve means to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space, thereby effecting the creation and communication of the reduced fluid pressure to the liquid in the supply container.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second valve means is configured to open in response to a fluid pressure differential between the space and the outlet, wherein fluid pressure in the space is greater than the fluid pressure at the outlet, sufficient to overcome the bias of the second valve means to seal fluid communication between the space and the outlet.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flexible containment member is a flexible diaphragm.

7. A fluid transfer apparatus configured for fluid communication disposition with liquid in a supply container to thereby effect creation and communication of a reduced fluid pressure relative to a fluid pressure of the liquid in the supply container and thereby initiate flow of the liquid from the supply container, comprising:

a) a frame;

b) a conduit coupled to the frame and defining a fluid passage, the fluid passage including an inlet, and outlet, and an orifice defined by a valve seat, the conduit including a conduit section having a flexible containment member and defining a first fluid passage section comprising a space capable of changing its volume; and

wherein said first fluid passage section is defined between a first valve means and a second valve means, each of the first and second valve means being disposed in the first fluid passage section;

wherein said first valve means is biased to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space to prevent fluid flow from the space to the inlet, and is configured to open in response to a fluid pressure differential between the inlet and the space, wherein fluid pressure in the space is less than fluid pressure at the inlet, sufficient to overcome the bias of the first valve means to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space;

and wherein the second valve means is biased to seal fluid communication between the space and outlet to prevent fluid flow from the outlet to the space;

c) a moveable sealing member, coupled to the flexible containment member, and configured and biased for sealingly engaging the valve seat;

d) an actuator, pivotally coupled to the frame, and configured to effect an initial displacement of the sealing member relative to the valve seat and return thereto in response to pivotal movement of the actuator relative to the frame; and

e) locking means pivotally coupled to the frame and configured to engage the actuator to prevent the actuator from effecting displacement of the sealing member when the sealing member is sealingly engaged to the valve seat;

wherein said initial displacement of the sealing member from the valve seat by the actuator effects continuous expansion of the space until the displacement of the sealing member from the valve seat is at its greatest, thereby producing a reduced fluid pressure in the space sufficient to create the sufficient fluid pressure differential between the inlet and the space to overcome the bias of the first valve means to seal fluid communication between the inlet and the space, thereby effecting the creation and communication of the reduced fluid pressure to the liquid in the supply container.

8. The fluid transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking means is moveable between a locking condition and a disabled condition such that, in the locking condition, the locking means prevents the actuator from effecting displacement of the sealing member when the sealing member is sealingly engaged to the valve seat, and in the disabled condition, the actuator is moveable to effect displacement of the sealing member.

9. The fluid transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the frame includes a first receiving means for releasably engaging the locking means in the locking condition, and a second receiving means for releasably engaging the locking means in the disabled condition.

10. The fluid transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking means is configured to effect snap fit engagement with each of the first and second receiving means.

11. The fluid transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the first and second receiving means is a groove provided in the frame.