Abstract:
Vessels, or housings, and covers therefor are detailed herein. Loads and load-bearing surfaces exist principally at the periphery of the covers, by contrast with centralized loading utilized in other designs. In some versions of the vessels, a cover is sandwiched, at its periphery, between a cap assembly formed of both a jack ring and an upper component or cap and thus carried on and off the associated vessel when the cap is placed onto or removed from the vessel, respectively.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to containers, housings, and vessels and their components and more specifically to caps and covers for vessels through which pressurized fluid flows.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,802 to Archer, et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference, discloses multiple embodiments of water purification equipment. Included as parts of the equipment are housings, or vessels, having both fluid inlets and outlets. Pressurized fluid (water) flows through an inlet into a body housing, typically, a purification unit, with at least some of the fluid contacting material within the purification unit for treatment.  
           [0003]    As noted in the Archer patent:  
           [0004]    The water inlet and water outlet are incorporated into a body to which is connected a cover that houses the purification unit. This cover is removable for replacement of the purification unit . . .  
           [0005]    See Archer, col. 2, 11. 17-20. In at least some embodiments of the vessels disclosed in the Archer patent, the cover “is typically threaded and . . . includes several ridges that provide gripping surfaces that ease [its] attachment . . . to the body.” See id., col. 3, 11. 63-65 (numeral omitted).  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,753 to Davidson discusses a two-chambered chemical feeder assembly having an inlet, an outlet, and a housing. Included as part of the housing is a cap having  
           [0007]    an outer annular shoulder, a threaded outer cover and an open, flanged, internally threaded tube in the center of the cap. The outer cover threadedly engages the internally threaded tube, thereby compressing an o-ring effecting a fluid-tight seal between the outer cover and the cap.  
           [0008]    See Davidson, col. 3, 11. 46-51 (numerals omitted).  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,117 to Messinger, et al. details another assembly for pressurized fluids incorporating an inlet, an outlet, and a housing. According to the Messinger patent, the assembly includes “a cover removably attached to the housing in a manner that allows jacking of the cover into and away from sealing engagement with the housing.” See Messinger, Abstract, 11. 2-4. A central boss extends outwardly from the cover and has an external cylindrical wall functioning as a bearing surface. The assembly additionally includes a jack ring whose center embraces the external wall of the boss. As noted in the Messinger patent:  
           [0010]    when [a] top cover is threaded onto the housing, it engages the removable cover both at its central position adjacent the central aperture of the ring, in the region of the boss on the removable cover, and also at the external periphery thereof, at the ledge of the top cover bearing against [a] flange [of the removable cover]. The jack ring thus carries the removable cover into tight sealing engagement with the housing, closing off the fluid chamber when it has been fully threaded onto the housing.  
           [0011]    See id., col. 5, 11. 36-45.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention provides alternative vessels, or housings, and covers therefor. By contrast with the centralized loading of the assembly of the Messinger patent, for example, that of the present invention has its loads and load-bearing surfaces principally at the periphery of the cover. Assemblies described herein additionally need not incorporate any “cover-retaining screw,” again contrary to the device of the Messinger patent, nor any cap press-fitted into a recess of the screw.  
           [0013]    Instead, at least some embodiments of the present invention utilize a two-piece cap assembly designed to sandwich the peripheral region of a cover between an upper component and a jack ring. The upper component or cap and jack ring are connected in a suitable manner (as, for example, by bolts or screws), but do not utilize or require any “cover-retaining screw.” If desired, the interior surface of the jack ring may be threaded in order to engage complementary threads existing on the exterior of a vessel or housing. Alternatively, other engagement mechanisms may be used.  
           [0014]    In embodiments of the invention in which the jack ring is threaded, unscrewing the jack ring operates effectively to “lift,” or carry, both the cover and upper component of the cap assembly off of the vessel. Conversely, screwing the jack ring onto the vessel carries both the cover and upper component of the cap assembly back into position. During either process, loading occurs principally at the periphery of the cover, the portion of the cover at which contact with the jack ring and cap occurs. A downwardly-protruding section of the cover additionally may be subject to loads if friction-fit into the vessel to assist in sealing the cover to the interior of the vessel, and further sealing may be enhanced through use of an o-ring (or similar device) placed in a groove in that downwardly-protruding section.  
           [0015]    It thus is an object of the present invention to provide vessels and covering apparatus therefor.  
           [0016]    It is also an object of the present invention to provide covering apparatus for vessels in which a cover is loaded principally at its periphery when attached to or detached from its corresponding vessel.  
           [0017]    It is another object of the present invention to provide covering apparatus in which a multi-piece cap assembly sandwiches a cover in use.  
           [0018]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide covering apparatus omitting any “cover-retaining screw” or “central boss.” 
           [0019]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide covering apparatus in which the multi-piece cap assembly includes a jack ring and an upper cap attached thereto.  
           [0020]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an exemplary vessel of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the vessel of FIG. 1.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a top view of the vessel of FIG. 1.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is an exploded sectional view of the vessel of FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary covering apparatus forming part of the vessel of FIG. 1.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of an alternative vessel of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]    FIGS.  1 - 3  illustrate various features of an exemplary vessel  10 . Although the term “vessel” is used herein frequently in connection with element  10 , other words, including but not limited to “housing” or “container,” may be utilized instead. Indeed, even though some embodiments of vessel  10  are intended for use as water-purification equipment, the invention is not limited to this intended use but rather may be employed in any suitable circumstance, including instances in which element  10  is none of a vessel, housing, or container. Nevertheless, for purposes of this document the terms “vessel,” “housing,” and “container” are used synonymously, and reference to any of them contemplates reference to the others.  
         [0028]    Shown in FIGS.  1 - 3  as part of vessel  10  are base  14 , upstanding wall  18 , cover  22 , and cap assembly  26 . At least base  14  and wall  18  may be formed integrally if desired, although the instead may attach or connect in any appropriate way. Typically molded of plastic material (such as, but not limited to, polyvinyl chloride), base  14  and wall  18  partially define an interior volume V desirably sealed on occasion from the ambient environment.  
         [0029]    Also detailed in FIG. 2 are inlet and outlet  30  and  34 , through each of which fluid may flow. Depending on placement of vessel  10  within a system and the direction of fluid flow, either element  30  or element  34  may function as the nominal “inlet” of the vessel  10 . Generally, however, if element  10  is the “inlet,” then element  34  is the nominal “outlet” and vice-versa. Regardless, preferred embodiments of vessel  10  contemplate pressurized fluid flowing into one of elements  30  or  34 , being deflected or otherwise channelled or diverted into volume V, and flowing out the other of elements  30  or  34 .  
         [0030]    If vessel  10  is adapted for use as water-purification equipment, then purifying material PM, shown schematically in FIG. 1, beneficially may be placed within volume V. Various non-limiting examples of such purifying material containing silver or zinc (or both) are disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,352,369 to Heinig, Jr. and 5,772,896 and 5,779,913 to Denkewicz, Jr., et al., the contents of each of which patents being incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. Chlorine (in tablet, liquid, or other form), bromine, or other water-purification or filtration materials may also be placed within volume V, either instead of or in addition to the exemplary materials mentioned in the preceding sentence. If, alternatively, vessel  10  is employed for purposes other than purifying or filtering water, other solids, liquids, or gases might be included within volume V.  
         [0031]    Each of FIGS.  1 - 5  illustrates one or more aspects of cover  22  and cap assembly  26  of the present invention. Cap assembly  26  may comprise upper component or cap  38  and jack ring  42 , each of which may be generally circular if wall  18  is likewise configured. Cap  38  and jack ring  42  usually are attached as, for example, by bolts  46  inserted through aligned openings  50  and  54  in each of cap  38  and ring  42 , respectively. Although FIG. 3 shows five bolts  46  equally spaced about periphery P 1  of cap  38 , more or fewer bolts  46  may be utilized instead. Likewise, those skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable fastening mechanism may be employed in place of any or all of bolts  46  when necessary or desired or that in some situations cap  38  and ring  42  could be integrally formed.  
         [0032]    As detailed principally in FIGS.  1 - 2  and  4 - 5 , cover  22  may include top  58  and wall  62  extending downwardly therefrom. Incorporated into exterior surface  66  of wall  62  may be groove  70  in which o-ring  74  or another sealing device may be fitted. When wall  62  is friction-fitted into wall  18  (so that exterior surface  66  contacts interior surface  78  of wall  18 ), o-ring  74  helps seal volume V from the ambient environment.  
         [0033]    Locating downwardly-extending wall  62  inward of periphery P 2  of cover  22  effectively defines a central region  80  and a shoulder or flange  82  at periphery P 2 . Assuming top  58  and wall  62  are generally circular, flange  82  typically should be likewise, although other configurations of flange  82  may be employed. Regardless of configuration, however, flange  82  is intended to be positioned, or sandwiched, between cap  38  and ledge  84  of jack ring  42  when cap assembly  26  is operational.  
         [0034]    In use, therefore, cover  22  and cap assembly  26  may be attached to or detached from wall  18  as a unit. Interior surface  86  of jack ring  42  may be threaded to facilitate this attachment and detachment, with threads  90  engaging complementary threads  94  on exterior surface  98  of wall  18 . Thus, to connect both cover  22  and assembly  26  to wall  18 , one need merely screw ring  42  onto the wall  18 . Again, however, those skilled in the art will understand that neither threads  90  nor threads  94  need necessarily be present, as other connection mechanisms may be employed. Similarly, neither the “cover-retaining screw” nor any cap press-fitted therein need be present, in contrast with the Messinger patent.  
         [0035]    Because cap  38  is connected to jack ring  42  and flange  82  of cover  22  is sandwiched therebetween, unscrewing ring  42  from wall  18  effectively lifts, or carries, both cap  38  and cover  22  off of the remainder of vessel  10 . The converse additionally is true: screwing ring  42  onto wall  18  carries both cap  38  and cover  22  into position to seal vessel  10 . In either circumstance, loading of cover  22  occurs principally at flange  82 , the portion of the cover  22  that contacts and is sandwiched between cap  38  and ring  42 .  
         [0036]    In some embodiments of vessel  10 , cover  22  and cap assembly  26  are removable to provide access to volume V as, for example, when a purification or other cartridge contained therein requires handling or removal for replacement of refurbishment. Otherwise, however, cap assembly  26  is intended to attach securely to wall  18  with cover  22  snugly in position to resist possible escape of pressurized fluid from volume V. If for some reason such escape would ever be desired, threads  90  and  94  could be manufactured to fail when certain fluid pressure within vessel V is achieved.  
         [0037]    Illustrated in FIG. 6 is an alternative vessel  10 ′ comprising a cover  22 ′ differing from cover  22  in various ways. Unlike cover  22 , for example, cover  22 ′ may have ridges  102  (or other features) present on or in its upper surface  106 . Utilizing this structure reduces the area in which cover  22 ′ and cap  38  contact when cap assembly  26  is being attached to wall  18 . Decreasing the contact area reduces friction between the cover  22 ′ and cap  38 , facilitating their attachment to wall  18 . Alternatively or additionally, a film, disc, or other object or coating (not shown in FIG. 6) with a relatively low coefficient of friction may be interposed between cover  22 ′ and cap  38  in use.  
         [0038]    Moreover, wall  62 ′ of cover  22 ′ is longer than wall  62  of cover  22 . Visible in FIG. 6 is that, for this embodiment, groove  70 ′ and o-ring  74  extend below lower edge  110  of ring  42  (i.e. closer to base  14 ). Thus, when cap assembly  26  is detached from wall  18 , o-ring  74  is immediately easily accessible for inspection or removal.  
         [0039]    The foregoing has been provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.