Abstract: A re-useable partitioning seal used storage containers creates a virtually airtight chambers, to preserve products therein. A disc or differently shaped layer, with flat top and bottom surfaces, is configured to fit against the interior surface of a storage container. A thin, flexible perimeter forming a gasket around the layer, and a handle attached to the layer without fissure or cavity, thereby providing and a single piece, inexpensive re-useable partitioning seal.

Abstract: A food and beverage fermentation device including a hollow tapered body, a lip, a base, and at least one aperture. The hollow tapered body may have a wide end and an opposing narrow end adapted to be received by a container. The lip may be located along the wide end and adapted to rest upon a rim of the container. The base may extend across an inner region defined by a wall of the hollow tapered body. At least one aperture extending through the wall.

Abstract: A rotary airtight container having a body, a lid that covers the opening of the body, a cover plate connected to the underside of the lid, a lifting mechanism for driving the cover plate to move with respect to the lid, a circumferential cone-shaped seal ring positioned all around the lid, and a tapered annular interface that on the bottom of the lid and engages the seal ring. As the lifting mechanism drives the cover plate to lift relative to the lid, the cone-shaped seal ring lifts relative to the lid and moves upwards along the tapered annular interface to seal the space between the tapered annular interface and the opening of the container, thus isolating the inside of the container from outside. This container changes the ordinary way of sealing that uses a locking nut for tightly pressing on the opening of the container, and is easier to operate.

Abstract: A lid, having an opening area encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases is provided for completely purging of atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion is provided for seating the lid to the container. The dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped side walls forming a circular base of the lid.

Abstract: A compressible container (200) has a cap (100) configured to engage therewith. The cap (100) includes a first valve (150), preferably in the form of first and second disks (112,120), one above another, each disk having at least one hole (113,122) therethrough. The disks are rotatable with respect to one another The holes (113,122) of the first and second disks (112,120) align in a first position to create channel therethrough and misalign in the second position to close the channel. The cap (100) may also include a second valve (130) connected to the channel. The second valve (130) may comprise a ball (134) inside a conic section tube (132). The ball (134) is designed to float on the liquid (300) so that any liquid (300) attempting to exit the container cap (100) will be prevented from doing so as the second valve (130) will be closed when the liquid forces the ball (134) into engagement with the conic section tube (132).

Abstract: An in-bottle aerator for mixing the oxygen in the air with wine as the wine is poured from its bottle. The aerator has at least one air ingress channel extending from one end of the aerator to the other allowing air into the bottle to displace wine exiting the bottle. Air mixing channels draw air from outside the bottle and direct that air to lateral channels that intersect a central flow channel extending from one end of the bottle to another. The air mixing and air ingress channels are preferably arranged to allow the user to pour and aerate wine at the same time and with the bottle in any orientation about its axis. The aerator may be a separately formed component that can be inserted into the bottle by the bottle manufacturer, by a wine bottler or by an enduser. Alternatively, the aerator may be wholly or partly formed as part of the neck of the bottle. A completely and integrally formed aerator may be formed a part of a plastic wine bottle.

Abstract: A composite pressure vessel assembly method includes fitting an end portion of a tubular member into an annular slot formed in an end cap. Sealant may be in the annular slot. The end cap includes an annular groove in an exterior surface of the end cap body portion. A first material layer is formed on an exterior surface of the tubular member. The first material layer includes a first composite material including fibers oriented circumferentially to the tubular member. A second material layer is formed on the first material layer with a portion of the second material layer being disposed into the annular groove, and includes a second composite material including fibers oriented axially to the tubular member. A third material layer is formed adjacent the second material layer and in the annular groove, and includes a third composite material including fibers having an orientation circumferential to the tubular member.

Abstract: A pressure vessel is provided having an outer support layer having an inner surface; a composite wrap disposed adjacent to the inner surface; and a liner disposed adjacent to the fiber composite wrap. Further provided is an adapter disposed at a first end of the pressure vessel and configured for charging a cavity formed by the pressure vessel with a compressed fuel, wherein the adapter includes a first pressure relief device; and a second pressure relief device disposed at a second end of the pressure vessel. The second pressure relief device defines a passage through the outer support layer and the composite wrap and has a chamber and a diaphragm disposed between the chamber and the cavity. Also described are a fuel cell propulsion system and a vehicle including the provided pressure vessel.

Abstract: A device for recovering, harnessing and reutilizing heat from along a side wall of a cooking vessel, a cooking vessel comprising such device, and a method of using such device. The device can be constructed as part of the cooking vessel or can be an accessory that attaches to different sized cooking vessels via adjusting means. Specifically, the device is made of a highly conductive and durable metal or metal alloy and comprises a skirt-like body, extending from the side of the cooking vessel and attached to a perforated slip-like portion that may be attached to or integrated into the side wall of the cooking vessel. The device harnesses and reutilizes heat from the underside of the body and safely and efficiently transfers the heat to the cooking vessel through conduction. The device can further comprise diffusers, a bottom portion with a plurality of ventilation openings, and a heat shield.

Abstract: The device of the present invention is located in a closed containment enclosure surrounding a storage bin and comprises a closed tank (28) positioned on the storage bin containing a liquid (26) and having a fireproof shield enclosing the tank and a liquid level control system for controlling the level of liquid in the tank with the tank (28) comprising at least one opening in communication with the closed container enclosure, and at least one internal chamber in direct communication with the storage bin via a flue pipe and at least one external chamber in direct communication with the containment enclosure via said at least one opening.

Abstract: An electrical enclosure assembly comprises an enclosure having walls defining an interior space for housing electrical components and having a front flange surrounding a front opening. A cover is hingedly mounted to the enclosure for selectively closing the front opening. The cover comprises a front wall larger than the front opening and a rearwardly extending peripheral rim. Cooling structure is integrally formed on an interior surface of the cover proximate the peripheral rim. The cooling structure comprises a plurality of spaced apart cooling ribs each having a shoulder engaging the enclosure front flange when the cover is in a closed position to provide an air flow path between the interior space and outside of the enclosure through spaces between the cooling ribs.

Abstract: An internal cover (10) is used for enclosing the contents of a straight walled container (38) which consists of a disc shaped rigid body (20) having a recess (22) in the top surface creating a depression with an outside rim (24) extending around the edge and at least one valve air vent opening (30) within the recess. The body also has a circumferential groove (26) with a lip seal (36) disposed within the groove for sealing the cover to a container's side walls. A bail handle (40) is rotatably affixed within the body recess and has least one valve bore (44) therethrough covering at least one air vent opening forming a valve. When the handle is rotated to a vertical position an air flow path is created permitting the cover to be inserted into a container. When the cover is resting on top of the contents the valve is sealed by rotating the handle to a horizontal position.

Abstract: A vial for dispensing a liquid into a syringe is described which comprises a body section for holding the liquid, the body section having a top and a bottom; a port having a removable seal, where the port is adapted for a syringe connection and where the port is interconnected with the body section at a point near the top of the body section by a passageway which for at least a portion of its length extends above the level of the liquid in the body section when the vial is inverted, thereby preventing leakage of the liquid from the body section when the seal of the port is removed. A method of making the vial is also described.

Abstract: A hatch cover for deployment over a hatchway formed in a floating roof liquid storage tank permits rapid loading and unloading of inspection or maintenance equipment and minimizes vapor emissions from the tank. The portable hatch cover has two base plates movably connected at a hinge and each defining complementary recesses. A circular flange extends from the bottom surfaces of the base plates to seat the hatch cover in the hatchway. Two door panels are movably connected at hinges to the top surfaces of the base plates. When one or both of the door panels are opened, equipment may be loaded into the tank through the complementary recesses. When closed, the door panels cover the recesses in the base plates. Complementary notches in the door panels provide an opening through which equipment tubing or wiring may extend when the door panels are closed. A collar gasket optionally may be wrapped around the tubing or wiring as a further means to limit vapor emissions from the tank.

Abstract: Reclosable bags, plastic film for making the bags, and a method and apparatus for making the bags are disclosed. The bag has a reclosable fastener (26) connected to a single wall of the bag, and the film (55) has a reclosable fastener (26) connected to one side thereof which does not require attachment to any other portion of the film (55) when making a bag. The fastener (26) has a tamper-proof member attached thereto to indicate if the bag has been previously opened. The film (55) can be wound into a roll (54) suitable for use on conventional bag making machines including form, fill, and seal machines or a chain of coilable reclosable bags can be produced therefrom since the fasteners (26) are connected to the web preferably transversely to the bags longitudinal formation axis.

Abstract: This invention provides a pressurizable zero-headspace extractor vessel useful in preparing mixtures of solid- and liquid-phase material for constituent analysis, for example for preparing environmental samples for analysis of toxic contaminants. The inventive extractor vessel has a sample chamber pressurizable either by gas or mechanically. The sample chamber is constructed with a removable liner of polytetrafluorethylene to be resistant to both organic an metallic contaminants and has a more robust pressure-resistant support housing, in which the liner is a snug fit, formed of a structural material such as high-density polyethylene. The invention also provides a rotary agitation apparatus for rotating such extractors or bottles end-over-end, in which apparatus the bottles are mounted in a manner which automatically centers them on the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A dispensing food container having a bottom wall and a side wall connected to the bottom wall, thereby forming an inner chamber. A cover is displaceably mounted with respect to the side wall for varying the volume of the inner chamber. At least a portion of an outer peripheral portion of the cover forms a seal against an inner surface of the side wall. The cover has a cover through hole which is in communication with the inner chamber. A flanged nozzle can be used to facilitate transfer of the fluidized food from within the inner chamber to a cracker, a chip, a vegetable or the like.

Abstract: A sealing device for sealing the surface of contents of a container comprises a disc-like member having a central portion and a flexible perimeter and having a centrally located upstanding hollow handle having a purge valve at the upper end thereof. The purge valve has a closed position for preventing egress of air upwardly through said hollow handle and an open position to permit free passage of air therethrough. The disc-like member is contoured to correspond with the shape of the interior plan of the container.

Abstract: A dispensing food container having a bottom wall and a side wall connected to the bottom wall, thereby forming an inner chamber. A cover is displaceably mounted with respect to the side wall for varying the volume of the inner chamber. At least a portion of an outer peripheral portion of the cover forms a seal against an inner surface of the side wall. The cover has a cover through hole which is in communication with the inner chamber. A flanged nozzle can be used to facilitate transfer of the fluidized food from within the inner chamber to a cracker, a chip, a vegetable or the like.

Abstract: A sealing device for sealing the surface of contents of a container comprises a disc-like member having a central portion and a flexible perimeter and having a centrally located upstanding hollow handle having a purge valve at the upper end thereof. The purge valve has a closed position for preventing egress of air upwardly through said hollow handle and an open position to permit free passage of air therethrough. The disc-like member is contoured to correspond with the shape of the interior plan of the container.