Liquid transport safety system "LTSS"

Abstract

A setup comprising a gas/air compressor and inflatable Device(s)/object (s) for liquid transporting mobile containers or objects. When liquid is poured in for transportation the compressor is used to inflate the inflatable object(s) to fill/consume the remaining space in the container/object. The liquid is then trapped in the confined volume with no room to move. Thus increase safety by improving liquid handling during transportation.

Description

CROSS-REFERANCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims, the benefit of PPA Ser. No. 60/583,735 filed on 29 Jun. 2004

FEDRELLY SPONSERED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTINGS

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to transporting liquids.

2. Background of the Invention

I noticed that an 18-wheeler transporting a liquid load takes multiple phases to stop.

• • Phase 1, the vehicle is going forward the liquid weight is shifted towards the rear (FIG. 1)
  • Phase 2, the operator hits the brakes forcing the liquid's weight to shift forward in the direction of motion resisting braking because of it's inertia (FIG. 2)
  • Phase 3, the vehicle rolls/skids until it reaches its primary stop where the liquid is at momentary equilibrium (FIG. 3)
  • Phase 4, the liquid shifts weight towards the rear again as a reaction to the braking (FIG. 4)
  • Phase 5, the liquid makes a complete swing pushing the tractor forward again (FIG. 5)
  • This pendulum like weight shifts continues until the liquid reaches final equilibrium (FIG. 6)

At low speeds it is manageable however, at high speeds, emergency braking or unexpected maneuvers such weight shift would cause the following problems

• • Increase the stopping distance as weight shifts pushing in the direction of motion resisting braking
  • After the vehicle stops the first time weight shift pushing against the tractor could cause the vehicle's wheels to move, roll or skid again
  • An emergency maneuver could cause the transport to act unpredictably causing the operator to lose control

Coming across such finding, I thought of the following invention:

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Intrigued by my findings I thought of the advantages of the presented Patent Application of Ahmed Khattab for “Liquid Transport Safety System” invention

• • To promote safety by controlling liquids while in transportation.
  • To protect vehicles and moving object operators from the consequences
  • Provide a safer handling under emergency maneuvers for the transporting vehicle or object.
  • It would help decrease insurance premiums.

SUMMARY

The present invention would provide a better control on liquids. When applied it would limit the mobility of the liquid in the transporting container providing safer handling.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIG. 1 Liquid in an 18-wheeler at accelerating or at constant speed going forward

FIG. 2 Liquid in an 18-wheeler under braking

FIG. 3 Liquid in an 18 wheeler under momentary equilibrium

FIG. 4 Liquid in an 18 wheeler after momentary equilibrium

FIG. 5 Liquid in an 18 wheeler swings to push tractor forward

FIG. 6 Liquid in an 18 wheeler reaches final equilibrium

FIG. 7 Liquid in an 18 wheeler with inflatable device/object deflated

FIG. 8 Liquid in an 18 wheeler with inflatable device/object inflated

DESCRIPTION & OPERATION

General Parts

The Liquid Transport safety system consists of two main parts,

Inflatable Device FIG. 7

• • Placed inside the container that is housing the liquid
  • An air/gas pump installed on the transporting carrier
    General Description

The container is of defined volume regardless of the shape (i.e., this is fixed). The volume used by the liquid is variable depending on the size of the load. Once the liquid volume is less than the container, the liquid is allowed to move and shift weight. Thus we need to control the volume available for the liquid.

Having different containers with different internal volumes is not practical. A different approach is to adjust the container internal volume to where it would be an exact fit for the contained liquid.

A gas/air compressor and inflatable device(s)/object (s) inside the container could achieve this. An 18-wheeler with a liquid load container trailer ¾ full of liquid (FIG. 7), inflating the inflatable Devices(s)/object(s) inside the container to use ¼ of the volume would leave exact volume to contain the liquid (FIG. 8)

The shape, material, position and the gas used for the inflated object depends on but not limited to:

• • Type of load, viscosity, flammability and interaction with the inflated object material
  • The shape of the container will define/affect the shape of the object
  • Transport center of gravity will affect the position of the object
  • Access to cargo will affect the position of the object
  • Load position on axles needed for traction will affect the position of the object
    Basic Operation
  • The Object/container is empty and the LTSS inflatable objects are deflated.
  • The Liquid is poured in the Object/container. FIG. 7
  • The Inflatable objects are then inflated so that the total volume of the inflated objects and the Liquid plus or minus any expected expansion or contraction is equal to the container volume. FIG. 8
  • At destination the Liquid is emptied out and the inflated objects are deflated.

CONCLUSION

The reader will see that the LTSS “Liquid Transport Safety System” is of a great value to a lot of industries.

• • It increases the safety for and around transported liquids.
  • It improves safety for drivers and others.
  • It would help decrease insurance premiums.
    Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention.
    For example the invention could be used in a similar way such as vehicles, vessels, trains or other mobile objects transporting viscous and non viscous Liquids.

Claims

1-2. (canceled)

3. A liquid transport system comprising:

a mobile vehicle;

a container coupled to the mobile vehicle, wherein the container has a defined volume and is configured to hold a liquid within the defined volume;

at least one inflatable object disposed within the container; and

a pump coupled to the at least one inflatable object and configured to inflate the at least one inflatable object, wherein the inflated at least one inflatable object limits the volume available to the liquid within the defined volume.

4. The liquid transport system of claim 3 wherein the inflation of the at least one inflatable object removes air from the defined volume external to the at least one inflatable object.

5. The liquid transport system of claim 3 wherein the at least one inflatable object is disposed within the container based on the center of gravity of the liquid transport system.

6. The liquid transport system of claim 3 wherein the at least one inflatable object is disposed within the container based on access to liquids within the container.

7. The liquid transport system of claim 3 wherein the mobile vehicle comprises an 18-wheeler.

8. The liquid transport system of claim 3 wherein the at least one inflatable object is configured to hold a gaseous media within the at least one inflatable object.

9. The liquid transport system of claim 3 wherein the pump is further configured to deflate the at least one inflatable object.

10. A method for transporting liquids comprising:

providing a vehicle having a container, the container having a defined volume and at least one inflatable object disposed within the container;

disposing a liquid into the container and adjacent to the at least one inflatable object; and

inflating the at least one inflatable object within the container to limit the volume available to the liquid within the defined volume.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising transporting the liquid within the container between a first location and a second location and removing the liquid from the container.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the liquid is disposed into the container at the first location and the liquid is removed from the container at the second location.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the inflated at least one inflatable object and the liquid utilize substantially all of the defined volume of the container.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising deflating the inflated at least one inflatable object prior to removing the liquid within the container.