Trackable, identifiable foreign material exclusion device
First Claim
1. An identifiable foreign material exclusion device for preventing foreign material from accessing a predetermined location in a cavity, comprising:
- a resilient body and an extraction member operatively connected to the body, wherein the device further includes an identification element that provides the device with an identifying characteristic adapted to be unique compared to at least a second foreign material exclusion device, wherein the identification element is an RFID tag that is adapted to be detected by a reader of an RFID system, wherein the body comprises a polymer, a rubber, or a polymer foam or rubber foam, wherein the extraction member includes a loop or the extraction member and body form a loop for aiding in removal of the device from the cavity, and wherein the body is compressible and adapted to be capable of fitting into the cavity and thereafter re-expandable to hold the device in place via a compression fit of the body in an internal location in the cavity thereby sealing a first side of the cavity from a second side of the cavity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A foreign material exclusion device which is adapted to be utilized in tubes, pipes, or the like to prevent entry of debris into a potentially sensitive area of an assembly, such as a turbine assembly utilized in a power plant. In one embodiment, the device is adapted to be connected to a non-moving portion of a rotary milling tool, such as the collet, before a milling operation to prevent milling debris from entering a sensitive portion of a tube or pipe. In a further embodiment each device of the present invention includes a unique identifier or identification element, such as a machine readable bar code or RFID (radio frequency identification) tag to insure all devices utilized for a particular job are accounted for.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An identifiable foreign material exclusion device for preventing foreign material from accessing a predetermined location in a cavity, comprising:
a resilient body and an extraction member operatively connected to the body, wherein the device further includes an identification element that provides the device with an identifying characteristic adapted to be unique compared to at least a second foreign material exclusion device, wherein the identification element is an RFID tag that is adapted to be detected by a reader of an RFID system, wherein the body comprises a polymer, a rubber, or a polymer foam or rubber foam, wherein the extraction member includes a loop or the extraction member and body form a loop for aiding in removal of the device from the cavity, and wherein the body is compressible and adapted to be capable of fitting into the cavity and thereafter re-expandable to hold the device in place via a compression fit of the body in an internal location in the cavity thereby sealing a first side of the cavity from a second side of the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 16, 17)
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5. A foreign material exclusion system, comprising:
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a first foreign material exclusion device adapted to seal a first side of a first cavity from a second side of the first cavity, wherein the first foreign material exclusion device includes an identification element that provides the first device with an identifying characteristic; and a second foreign material exclusion device adapted to seal a first side of a second cavity from a second side of a second cavity, wherein the second foreign material exclusion device includes a second identification element which has a different identifying characteristic than the first foreign material exclusion device identification element, wherein the first and second identification elements comprise, independently, an RFID tag, each tag being detectable by a reader of an RFID system, wherein the first and second foreign material exclusion devices each have a body comprising a polymer, a rubber, a polymer foam, or a rubber foam, wherein the bodies of the first and second foreign material exclusion devices are compressible and adapted to be capable of fitting into the respective cavities and thereafter re-expandable to hold the first and second devices in place via a compression fit of the bodies in a location in the first and second cavities. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A foreign material exclusion device assembly adapted to temporarily seal a cavity of an apparatus being assembled or repaired, said foreign material exclusion device assembly, comprising:
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a resilient body, said body comprising a polymer, a rubber, or a foam thereof, said body being compressible and adapted to be placed in said cavity and thereafter re-expandable to hold the device in place via a compression fit of the body in a predetermined location between a first side and a second side of the cavity in order to seal said first side from said second side and prevent a foreign material from entering said first side to said second side, said body having a bore extending between a top surface and a bottom surface, and a connection element in said body bore, said connection element having a bore extending between the body top surface and bottom surface and connected to a non-rotating guide rod or collet rod portion of a milling tool, the milling tool also comprising a milling head connected to the milling tool, and wherein the milling head is rotatably located between the milling tool and the foreign material exclusion device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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18. A method for temporarily sealing a cavity of a tube, pipe or orifice with a foreign material exclusion device to prevent foreign material from accessing a predetermined location in the cavity and tracking the device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a foreign material exclusion device comprising a resilient body and an extraction member operatively connected to the body, wherein the device further includes an identification element that provides the device with an identifying characteristic adapted to be unique compared to at least a second foreign material exclusion device, wherein the identification element is an RFID tag that is adapted to be detected by a reader of an RFID system, wherein the body comprises a polymer, a rubber, or a polymer foam or rubber foam, wherein the extraction member includes a loop or the extraction member and body form a loop for aiding in removal of the device from the cavity, removably securing the foreign material exclusion device in the cavity via a compression fit of the body in an internal location in the cavity thereby sealing a first side of the cavity from a second side of the cavity to prevent the passage of debris from the first side of the cavity to the second side, and tracking the location of the device in the tube, pipe or orifice using the RFID system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification