Elastomeric base for pressure vessels
An elastomeric base for a pressure vessel is configured to be adhesively secured to the bottom of the vessel in order to eliminate the problems caused by welding of steel legs. The base includes a surface configured to correspond with a curved surface of the compressor vessel. Advantageously, the base may be formed of an elastomeric material, a plastic, or of an elastomeric material co-molded with a ridged plastic.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to the U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/540,847, filed on Jan. 30, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to the field of pressure vessels used to store a fluid under pressure, including pressure vessels used in portable air compressors, and more particularly to an elastomeric base that is adhered to the pressure vessel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany portable air compressors include a compressor mounted to an air storage tank supported by a steel pedestal having a plurality of legs welded to the bottom surface of the tank. The compressor compresses air which is stored in the air storage tank for use in powering air-powered tools, inflating tires, or the like. Typically, the air storage tank comprises a pancake-style pressure vessel having a generally flattened spherical shape. Alternately, the pressure vessel could comprise a vertical or horizontal pressure vessel, which comprises cylindrical vessels having hemispherical ends.
Welding of the legs to the air storage tank is inefficient for several reasons. Welding may cause leak points in the tank if the weld burns through the tank wall. In such cases, the pressure tank would fail pressure testing and may have to be discarded. Further, the welded steel legs may be damaged or bent during manufacturing or shipping or while being used. Damaged legs must be repaired or replaced by new legs re-welded to the air storage tank. Further, steel legs can scratch or mar floor surface requiring that each of the legs be provided with a protective foot or pad of non-abrasive material such as rubber or plastic, resulting in added cost in manufacturing the air compressor.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide an air compressor including an air storage tank having a base which is not welded to the tank and which does not require protective pads or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the present invention is directed to a base for a pressure vessel such as the air storage tank of an air compressor, which is adhesively secured to the pressure vessel thereby eliminating many of the problems caused by welding steel lets to such vessels. The base may be formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, a plastic, an elastomeric material co-molded over a hard plastic, or the like.
In exemplary embodiments, the base comprises a single piece pedestal including a plurality of elongated legs. The single piece pedestal may have a surface contoured to fit the curved (e.g., hemispherical or cylindrical) surface of the pressure vessel so that the pedestal can be securely attached to the vessel via adhesive. In one specific embodiment, the single piece pedestal may comprise three or more prongs which are attached to feet for supporting the pressure vessel. In another specific embodiment, the single piece pedestal may comprise a ring shaped pedestal.
In other embodiments, the base comprises a pedestal having a plurality of individual base members or feet which are adhered to the pressure vessel. Each individual base member may include a surface configured to correspond with a curved form surface of the compressor tank.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The present invention provides a base for a pressure vessel such as the air storage tank of an air compressor. The base is adhesively secured to the pressure vessel thereby eliminating many of the problems caused by welding steel legs to such vessels. In exemplary embodiments, the base may be formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, a plastic, an elastomeric material co-molded over a hard plastic, or the like. In the following description, numerous specific descriptions are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In some instances, well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the present invention.
Referring now to
In an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the base 106, because it does not need to be welded to the air storage tank 104 during manufacture of the tank 104, may be attached to the tank with adhesive at any stage of the manufacturing process.
Referring now to
As shown, a condensate valve 208 may be located on the bottom of the air storage tank 204 for draining water from the tank 204. The base 206, which is secured to the air storage tank 204 with adhesive, may be configured to protect the condensate valve 208 from damage. For example, the base may include a foot member which extends at least partially around the condensate valve 208. In this embodiment, the base 206 may be molded with ridged plastic and at least partially elastomeric material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber or the like, which is suitable for outer coating of a molded ridged plastic base. As a result, the base may be made more robust and less likely to be damaged or separated from the air storage tank 204.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the base may alternatively include a plurality of individual base members. Referring now to
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In
It is believed that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the forgoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Claims
1. A portable air compressor, comprising:
- a air storage tank forming a generally hemispherical shape, the air storage tank for containing air at an elevated pressure;
- a base coupled to the compressor vessel, the base comprising a plurality of feet configured to be adhesively secured to the air storage tank,
- wherein the pedestal includes a surface configured to correspond with the shape of the surface of the air storage tank.
2. The portable air compressor as described in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of feet is secured to the air storage tank generally equidistant from an adjacent foot in the pedestal.
3. The portable air compressor as described in claim 1, wherein the pedestal includes vibration dampening material.
4. The portable air compressor as described in claim 1, further comprising a valve for draining condensate.
5. The portable air compressor as described in claim 4, wherein the pedestal is constructed to at least partially extend around the valve for protection.
6. The portable air compressor as described in claim 3, wherein the pedestal includes outer-coating material which has high coefficient of friction for preventing the portable air compressor from skidding.
7. The portable air compressor as described in claim 1, wherein the pedestal is molded with ridged plastic.
8. The portable air compressor as described in claim 7, wherein the pedestal is co-molded with at least partially elastomeric material.
9. The portable air compressor as described in claim 1, wherein the air storage tank defines a footprint and the pedestal is configured to be within the footprint.
10. The portable air compressor as described in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of feet is an elongated foot connected to form the pedestal.
11. A pressure vessel, comprising:
- a pedestal coupled to the pressure vessel, the pedestal including a plurality of base members configured to be adhesively secured to the pressure vessel,
- each of the plurality of base members including a first surface configured to correspond with a curved form surface of the pressure vessel.
12. The pressure vessel as described in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of base members includes vibration dampening material.
13. The pressure vessel as described in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of base members is molded with ridged plastic.
14. The pressure vessel as described in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of base members includes a second surface with a recess.
15. A base for a pressure vessel, comprising:
- a pedestal for supporting the pressure vessel, the pedestal including a plurality of feet configured to be adhesively secured to the pressure vessel,
- wherein the pedestal includes a surface configured to correspond with a generally curved surface of the pressure vessel.
16. The base for a pressure vessel as described in claim 16, wherein the pedestal is constructed to support the pressure vessel to rest on a flat surface.
17. The base for a pressure vessel as described in claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of feet is secured to the pressure vessel substantially equidistant from an adjacent foot included in the plurality of feet.
18. An air compressor, comprising:
- means for containing air at an elevated pressure; and
- means for supporting the air containing means,
- wherein the supporting means is secured to the air containing means via a adhesive.
19. The air compressor as described in claim 18, wherein the supporting means includes a first surface configured to correspond with a generally curved surface of the containing air means and a second surface with a recess.
20. The air compressor as described in claim 18, wherein the supporting means is configured to have a circular shape.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 31, 2005
Publication Date: May 18, 2006
Inventor: Stephen Fields (Bradford, TN)
Application Number: 11/048,637
International Classification: F04B 35/00 (20060101); F04B 17/00 (20060101);