Removable valve guard for ampoules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871238-B2
Application number	US-201816031432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2018
Priority date	Jul 18, 2017
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A fully removable chime or valve guard that can support the container on its top, side and bottom is provided. The removable chime or valve guard provides protection if the container is dropped on its side or top. The protection provided allows the containers to pass a drop test per 49 CFR section 178.603, so the containers can be certified per 49 CFR 178.504.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fully removable valve guard for supporting a cylindrical container on its top, side and bottom; comprising:
(1) a top part comprises: a top ring having a center ring line; and at least two posts; wherein
each post is bent twice to form top, middle, and bottom sections wherein an axis of the top section of each post and an axis of the bottom section of each post are parallel or cross at an angle of ≤5 degree;
each post comprises a flat contact extending radially inward from a top of the bottom section; and
the axes of the bottom sections of the posts are on a virtual bottom ring that is smaller than the top ring, wherein the virtual bottom ring and the top ring are concentric;
wherein a top end of each post is attached to a bottom of the top ring along the center ring line at right angles; and
the posts are evenly spaced along the center ring line; and
(2) a base comprises:
a hollow cylinder having an outer surface with an outer diameter and an inner surface with an inner diameter;
at least two tubes being smaller than the hollow cylinder;
and a bottom covering all or part of a bottom hollow surface of the hollow cylinder;
wherein
the tubes are vertically connected to a top outer surface of the hollow cylinder and are spaced horizontally;
and axes of the tubes are parallel to an axis of the hollow cylinder; and
the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical container and the outer diameter of the hollow cylinder is smaller than a diameter of the virtual bottom ring;
wherein the cylindrical container is optionally placed in the hollow cylinder and guarded with the flat contacts, the bottom of the base, the top ring, and the posts while the top part is connected to the base by plugging the posts into the respective tubes in the base.

2. The removable valve guard of claim 1 , wherein the flat contacts extend perpendicularly to an axis of the top ring; the tubes are evenly spaced horizontally; and the axis of the top section of each post is perpendicular to the center ring line of the top ring.

3. The removable valve guard of claim 1 , wherein each post further comprises a thread section near end of the bottom section; and the removable valve guard further comprises nuts and washers screwing up along each thread section at the bottom of the respective tube to secure the top part to the base.

4. The removable valve guard of claim 1 , wherein each post further comprises at least one hole in the bottom section through its side in a direction tangent to the virtual bottom ring; each tube further comprises at least one hole through its side in a direction tangent to the outer surface of the hollow cylinder and at a right angle with the axis of the tube; and one of the at least one hole in the post is aligned with one of the at least one hole in the tube; and the removable valve guard further comprises pins or bolts inserted through the aligned holes to secure the top part to the base.

5. The removable valve guard of claim 1 , wherein the top part comprises four posts and the base comprises four tubes.

6. The removable valve guard of claim 5 , wherein the flat contacts extend perpendicularly to an axis of the top ring; the tubes are evenly spaced horizontally; and the axis of the top section of each post is perpendicular to the center ring line of the top ring.

7. The removable valve guard of claim 5 , wherein each post further comprises
(1) a thread section near end of the bottom section; and the removable valve guard further comprises nuts and washers screwing up along each thread section at the bottom of the respective tube to secure the top part to the base; or
(2) at least one hole in the bottom section through its side in a direction tangent to the virtual bottom ring; each tube further comprises at least one hole through its side in a direction tangent to the outer surface of the hollow cylinder and at a right angle with the axis of the tube; and one of the at least one hole in the post is aligned with one of the at least one hole in the tube; and the removable valve guard further comprises pins or bolts inserted through the aligned holes to secure the top part to the base.

8. The removable valve guard of claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises
(1) an outer hollow cylinder having inner surface with an inner diameter that equals a sum of the outer diameter of the hollow cylinder plus twice the diameter of the tubes; and
(2) the bottom covers an entire bottom of the outer hollow cylinder;
wherein
the outer hollow cylinder and the hollow cylinder are concentric and connected to the bottom; and
a hollow cylindrical volume is formed between the outer surface of the hollow cylinder and the inner surface of the outer hollow cylinder.

9. The removable valve guard of claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical container has a fill volume and the hollow cylindrical annular volume is 100% to 110% of the fill volume.

10. A delivery and packaging system for a material, comprising: a cylindrical container containing the material; and
a fully removable valve guard for supporting the cylindrical container on its top, side and bottom, comprising:
1) a top part comprises:
a top ring having a center ring line; and
at least two posts; wherein
each post is bent twice to form top, middle, and bottom sections wherein an axis of the top section of each post and an axis of the bottom section of each post are parallel or cross at an angle of ≤5 degree;
each post comprises a flat contact extending radially inward from top of the bottom section; and
the axes of the bottom sections of the posts are on a virtual bottom ring that is smaller than the top ring, wherein the virtual bottom ring and the top ring are concentric;
wherein
a top end of each post is attached to a bottom of the top ring along the center ring line at right angles; and
the posts are evenly spaced along the center ring line; and
2) a base comprises:
a hollow cylinder having an outer surface with an outer diameter and an inner surface with an inner diameter;
at least two tubes being smaller than the hollow cylinder;
and a bottom covering all or part of a bottom hollow surface of the hollow cylinder;
wherein
the tubes are vertically connected to a top outer surface of the hollow cylinder and are spaced horizontally; and axes of the tubes are parallel to an axis of the hollow cylinder; and
the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is larger than outer diameter of the cylindrical container and the outer diameter of the hollow cylinder is smaller than a diameter of the virtual bottom ring;
wherein the cylindrical container is optionally placed in the hollow cylinder and guarded with the flat contacts, the bottom of the base, the top ring, and the posts while the top part is connected to the base by plugging the posts into the respective tubes in the base.

11. The delivery and packaging system for a material of claim 10 , wherein the flat contacts extend perpendicularly to an axis of the top ring; the tubes are vertically connected to top outer surface of the hollow cylinder and the tubes are evenly spaced horizontally; and the axis of the top section of each post is perpendicular to the center ring line of the top ring.

12. The delivery and packaging system for a material of claim 10 , wherein each post further comprises a thread section near end of the bottom section; and the removable valve guard further comprises nuts and washers screwing up along each thread section at the bottom of the respective tube to secure the top part to the base.

13. The delivery and packaging system for a material of claim 1

Assignees

• Versum Mat Us Llc

Inventors

• Baker John Eric
• Birtcher Charles Michael

Classifications

• F17C2205/0308

  Protective caps · CPC title

• F17C13/00 Primary

  Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels · CPC title

• F16K51/00

  Other details not peculiar to particular types of valves or cut-off apparatus · CPC title

• F16K31/46

  for remote operation · CPC title

• F16K27/12 Primary

  Covers for housings · CPC title