Abstract:
A panel assembly for transferring fluids from one location to another comprises a panel structure with openings, a nozzle projecting through each opening and a sleeve affixed between the nozzle and its respective opening. Each nozzle includes a tubular portion with a connection end adapted for connection to a transfer conduit. The connection ends of the nozzles are preferably aligned with a common reference plane. Each sleeve has an outer surface with a length that is greater than a combination of a thickness of the panel and any deformity on the panel. With this arrangement, alignment of the connection ends with the common reference plane is independent of any deformity on the panel. A method of constructing a panel assembly includes determining if any defects are present on the inner surface of the tubular portion before installing the nozzle on the panel, and precluding potential inner surface defects during installation of the nozzle on the panel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates generally to fluid transfer devices and, more particularly, to panel assemblies for diverting fluids from one location to another. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Flow transfer panels are an important part of most processes and clean-in-place (CIP) systems in the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, and biopharmaceutical industries. The flow transfer panel provides the “physical break” required by most processing regulations and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP&#39;s). In addition, flow transfer panels may be utilized for fluid diversion and delivery in industries where sanitary conditions and the inherent “physical break” are not process requirements. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a typical transfer panel  10  generally includes a vertically oriented panel  12  and nozzles  14  that extend through the panel and are welded or otherwise attached thereto. Each nozzle includes a ferrule  16  formed at the end of a tube  18  and a mounting ring  19  formed on the tube and spaced from the ferrule  18 . A jumper conduit  20  has a ferrule  22  connected at the ends of a U-shaped tube  24 . The ferrules  22  of the jumper conduit  20  include faces  25  that mate with faces  26  of the ferrules  16 . The ferrules  22  are connected to the ferrules  16  through clamps or the like to thereby direct the flow of fluid from one pipe to another. 
     The flow transfer panel  10  may be mounted on a floor, wall, or ceiling through appropriate supports and/or brackets, and provides a basic support structure for several nozzles and jumper conduits that may extend between one or more pairs of nozzles. Generally, flow transfer panels provide a physical break required by some processing regulations and assure that products will not be cross contaminated with other products or with CIP solutions that are used for cleaning the interior of conduits or pipes associated with fluid processing. 
     Assembly of the nozzles to the transfer panel typically involves forming openings in the panel  12  then inserting the tube  18  of each nozzle in one of the openings such that the ferrule  16  is located on one side  24  of the panel with the tube  18  extending through the panel. The nozzle  14  is then affixed to the panel by welding the outer perimeter of the ring  19  to the panel  12 . With this arrangement, the distance between the panel and an outer face  26  of the ferrule  16  of each nozzle must be referenced from the side  24  of the panel, since the ring  19  is spaced at a fixed distance from the ferrule  16 . Ideally, the outer faces  26  of the ferrules  16  should lie in a common plane  28 . Although care is taken to provide a flat panel  12 , dips  30  and bows  32  in the panel may occur during formation of the panel itself, and may be further augmented by subsequent manufacturing processes, such as stamping, forming openings in the panel, welding of the nozzles to the panel, and the like. It has been observed that for a 0.25 inch thick plate, the dips and bows may vary by as much as 0.25 inch or more over the area of the plate, which in some applications may be quite large. Consequently, the outer faces  26  of the ferrules do not lie along a common plane  28 . When a jumper conduit  20  is connected to the ferrules under these circumstances, a gap “A” between a first pair of opposing faces  25  and  26  may be greater than a gap “B” between a second pair of opposing faces of ferrules  16  and  22 . When the jumper conduit is installed on the nozzles  14 , the gap “B” is closed, while the gap “A” may still be present. Consequently, leakage may occur at the junction of the ferrules  16  and  22  and contaminants may enter the processing line. In some cases, undue internal stresses may be created in the jumper conduit during an attempt to close gap “A” when assembling the jumper conduit to the nozzles. In many instances custom jumper conduits must be constructed, typically at the assembly sight away from the manufacturer, to accommodate the dips, bows and other deformities of the transfer panel, resulting in increased manufacturing and installation time, labor, and expense. 
     The above-described problems are further augmented by surface defects that may be present on the inner surface of the tube  18  during manufacture or during assembly to the panel  12 . In many cases, the surface defects are not readily observable or cannot be measured until after an electro-polishing operation wherein the inner surface of the nozzle  14  is given a smooth, mirror-like finish. Even when the surface contains no visible or discernible defects before electro-polishing, the electro-polishing operation itself may uncover pits in the surface. This is especially prevalent where the surface is mechanically finished before electro-polishing. Mechanical finishing often fills pits and other defects in the surface due to welding or other manufacturing operations. Since a layer of material is removed from the surface during electro-polishing, some of the pits and other defects may be uncovered. In many manufacturing environments, the electro-polishing operation itself is inherently non-repetitive, since factors such as electrolyte concentration, temperature, and immersion time of the surface in the electrolyte may vary. Discontinuities in the finish can encourage contamination and bacteria growth and therefore are unacceptable in sterile processing environments. When surface defects are detected after the nozzle is installed in the panel, the nozzle must either be ground out, which is a labor-intensive and time-consuming procedure, or the panel must be discarded. 
     In an attempt to overcome surface defects in the nozzle that may be caused from welding the nozzle directly to the panel assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,457 issued to Sidmore et al. on Feb. 18, 1997, proposes forming a ring on the nozzle and an enlarged opening in the panel for receiving the ring. Me outer periphery of the ring is then welded to the panel and the welding bead is subsequently removed during a grinding operation. Although the ring effectively relocates the welding operation to a location spaced from the nozzle, the ring is the same thickness as the panel. The distance from the panel to a connection end of the nozzle must therefore be referenced from the panel itself Consequently, the connection ends of nozzles on the panel may not lie in the same plane due to dips, bows and other imperfections in the panel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a method of constructing a panel assembly for transferring fluids from one location to another includes providing a panel with at least one opening, forming at least one nozzle with a tubular portion and at least one connection end, forming a sleeve on the tubular portion, the sleeve having an outer surface with an axial length that is greater than a combination of a thickness of the panel and any deformity on the panel, polishing an inner surface of the tubular portion, inspecting the inner surface for defects; and installing the at least one nozzle on the panel by a) inserting the tubular portion into the at least one opening in the panel until the sleeve is positioned within the at least one opening, and b) affixing the outer surface of the sleeve to the panel in the vicinity of the at least one opening. With this method, defects that may be present on the inner surface of the tubular portion can be discovered before installing the nozzle on the panel, and potential inner surface defects are precluded during installation of the nozzle on the panel. It is to be understood that the phrase “any deformity” refers to one or more typical deformities that may be present after manufacture of the panel itself. The length of the sleeve is preferably predetermined to accommodate these typical deformities, whether or not they are present on the panel. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, a method of constructing a panel assembly for transferring fluids from one location to another comprises providing a panel with a plurality of openings, forming a plurality of nozzles, with each nozzle including a tubular portion and at least one connection end, forming a sleeve on each tubular portion, polishing an inner surface of each tubular portion, inspecting the inner surface of each tubular portion for defects; and installing each of a plurality of nozzles that pass the inspection step on the panel by a) inserting the tubular portion into one of the openings in the panel, b) aligning the connection end of the tubular portion in a common reference plane while positioning the sleeve within the one opening, and c) affixing an outer surface of the sleeve to the panel in the vicinity of the one opening. Alignment of the connection ends with the common reference plane is thus independent of any deformity that may exist on the panel. With this arrangement, defects that may be present on the inner surface of the tubular portion can be discovered before installing the nozzles on the panel, and potential inner surface defects are precluded during installation of the nozzles on the panel. 
     A panel assembly according to the present invention for transferring fluids from one location to another comprises a panel structure having at least two openings, a nozzle projection through each opening and a sleeve affixed between each nozzle and its respective opening. Each nozzle includes a tubular portion with a connection end adapted for connection to a transfer conduit. The connection ends of the nozzles are preferably aligned with a common reference plane. Each sleeve has an outer surface with a length that is greater than a combination of a thickness of the panel and any deformity on the panel. With this arrangement, alignment of the connection ends with the common reference plane is independent of any deformity that may exist on the panel. 
     There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter which will form the subject matter of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferred embodiments may readily be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions since they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view in partial cross section of a prior art transfer panel assembly; 
     FIG. 2 is a exploded front isometric view of a transfer panel assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a nozzle and sleeve assembly according to the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a sleeve according to one embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a sleeve according to a further embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view in partial cross section of the transfer panel assembly according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, and to FIG. 2 in particular, an exploded view of a transfer panel assembly  100  according to the present invention is illustrated. The transfer panel assembly  100  includes a generally vertically oriented panel  112 , nozzles  114  adapted for extending through openings  116  in the panel, and a collar or sleeve  118  that fits in the openings  116  between the panel  112  and the nozzles  114 . A jumper or transfer conduit  120  (FIG. 6) may be connected to the nozzles through well-known clamp assemblies (not shown). Where the transfer panel assembly is to be used in sterile processing environments, the panel  100 , nozzles  114 , sleeve  118 , and any jumper conduits  120  that may be used are preferably constructed of stainless steel material. 
     With additional reference to FIG. 3, each nozzle  114  includes a ferrule  122  formed at a forward end  124  of a tube or conduit  126 . The outer surface  125  of the ferrule  122  is larger in diameter than the tube  126  and includes an opening with an inner diameter that is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tube  124 . The ferrule  122  is preferably formed in a separate operation and welded to the tube. The welding operation preferably involves butt welding the components together, wherein a rear surface  128  (FIG. 6) of the ferrule  122  and a forward edge  129  of the tube  126  are abutted together and aligned such that a center axis of the tube is coincident with a center axis of the ferrule. The ferrule  122  and tube  124  are then simultaneously heated in the vicinity of the rear surface  128  and forward edge  129  with a TIG welder, for example, until the material from each component flows together. Preferably, the butt welding is performed without filler material that typically accompanies other welding techniques. In some applications, it may be desirable to purge the tube  126  with an inert gas, such as Argon, while welding in order to prevent oxidation on an inner surface  132  of the tube. The temperature to which the material is heated during welding and the welding velocity are dependent on the type of material used and the thickness of the tube. Preferably, the temperature and welding velocity are chosen so that the weld fully penetrates the wall of the tube. The welding can be automated with the welding temperature and velocity set to assure a strong bond between the flange and tube. After welding, any welding bead that may have been produced is mechanically polished from the inner surface  132  and outer surface  130  of the tube  126 . 
     In an alternative construction, the ferrule  122  may be machined directly on the tube or may be formed on the tube through other known forming processes. 
     With further reference to FIG. 4, each sleeve  118  includes an annular body  136  with an outer surface  138  and a bore  146  with an inner surface  140 . A forward chamfered surface  142  and a rearward chamfered surface  144  extend between the inner and outer surfaces. The diameter of the bore  136  is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube  126  so that the sleeve  118  can be slipped over the tube and affixed thereon. 
     Preferably, the sleeve  118  is positioned a predetermined distance from the ferrule  122  and then seal-welded on the tube  126  at a forward edge  148 , which is the intersection of the forward chamfered surface  142  and inner surface  140 , and a rearward edge  150 , which is the intersection of the rearward chamfered surface  144  and the inner surface  140 . Seal welding is preferably accomplished with a TIG welder, and is performed without filler material that typically accompanies other welding techniques. In some applications, it may be desirable to again purge the tube  126  with an inert gas while welding in order to prevent oxidation on the inner surface  132  of the tube. The temperature to which the material is heated during welding and the welding velocity are again dependent on the type of material used and the thickness of the tube. Preferably, the temperature and welding velocity are chosen so that the weld does not fully penetrate the wall of the tube. The welding can be automated with the welding temperature and velocity set to assure a strong bond between the sleeve and tube. After welding, any welding bead that may have been produced is mechanically polished from the outer surface  130  of the tube  126 . However, since no filler material is used, the welding bead will be relatively small since the weld does not penetrate through the wall of the tube. In many instances, the welding bead will not require grinding. Since the weld does not fully penetrate the wall of the tube, the inner surface  132  of the tube will normally not be affected. 
     Although the sleeve  118  can be formed without chamfered surfaces, they serve to facilitate clean-up both during manufacture and in use since sharp comers between the tube and sleeve are eliminated, where dirt and other particles could otherwise become entrapped. In addition, the chamfered surfaces provide an aesthetically pleasing transition between the tube  126  and the sleeve  118 . The thickness “C” between the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve is chosen so that when the sleeve is welded to the panel  112 , heat dissipation generated from the welding operation will not affect the inner surface  132  of the tube  126 . The length “D” of the outer surface  138  may vary greatly depending on the thickness of the panel  112 , but is preferably at least long enough to compensate for panel thickness and common panel deformities. For example, a panel thickness of 0.25 inch and a total deformation of 0.25 inch for dips and 0.25 inch for bows, the length “D” should be approximately 0.75 inches. This dimension, of course, is given only by way of example and can vary greatly. 
     Although the outer surface  138  of the sleeve  118  is shown as circular in cross section, the outer surface may have other cross sectional shapes including, but not limited to square, rectangular, hexagonal, oval, star, and so on, as long as the cross dimension of the outer surface, i.e. a distance between opposing sides of the sleeve  118 , is substantially constant throughout an axial length of the sleeve.. 
     In an alternative construction, the sleeve  118  may be machined directly on the tube or may be formed on the tube through other known forming processes. 
     After the sleeve and ferrule are affixed to the tube, the inner surface  132  of the tube  126  is preferably electro-polished to provide a very smooth and uniform mirror-like surface that resists oxidation. If desired, the entire nozzle can be electro-polished to resist oxidation and provide a more aesthetic appearance. After electro-polishing, the nozzle is inspected for determining the quality of the inner surface  132 . If the inner surface is nonuniform, or if there are pits or other surface imperfections, the nozzle can be rejected before it is installed on the panel  112 . This offers a great advantage over the prior art, wherein electro-polishing occurs after the prior art nozzles are welded to the flow panel. Since surface imperfections are normally not noticed or cannot practically be measured until after electro-polishing, the nozzle must be ground out or the entire panel must be discarded if surface imperfections are found. In a large panel with several nozzles, this can be very disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing time and costs. 
     The present invention is particularly advantageous in that several nozzles with the same or various sizes of ferrules, tubes, and sleeves can be manufactured in advance and inspected before affixing the nozzles to transfer panels. In this manner, the prior art labor-intensive and time consuming task of grinding out one or more reject nozzles, and/or the cost of discarding the old transfer panel assembly and manufacturing a new transfer panel assembly with the same attendant risks are eliminated. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross section of a sleeve  160  according to a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated, wherein like parts in the previous embodiment are represented by like numerals. The sleeve  160  is similar in construction to the sleeve  118  with the exception of an annular groove  162  formed on the inner surface  140  of the sleeve. The sleeve  160  is installed on the tube  126  (shown in phantom line) in the same manner as sleeve  118  previously described. When installed, the groove  162  together with the outer surface  130  of the tube  126  form an annular pocket  164  that insulates the tube from dissipated heat during welding of the sleeve  160  to the panel  112  (also shown in phantom line). With this arrangement, it is contemplated that the thickness “C” of the nozzle may be reduced, as well as the size of the opening  116  in panel  112 . 
     As shown in FIG.&#39;s  2  and  6 , the transfer panel assembly  100  is constructed by forming openings  116  in the panel  112  then inserting a nozzle  114  into each opening such that the sleeve  118  (or  160 ) is positioned in each opening and an outer face  170  of each ferrule  122  is positioned in a common plane  172  (shown in phantom line). The plane  172  is preferably a reference surface with an acceptable flatness and the outer faces  170  of the ferrules are positioned in abutting relationship with the reference surface. Subsequently, the sleeves  118  (or  160 ) are affixed to the panel  112 , preferably by seal welding the outer surface  138  of each sleeve to an outer circumferential edge  174  and an inner circumferential edge  176  of the opening  116 . In this manner, the nozzles are affixed to the panel  112  with the outer faces of each ferrule  122  lying in a common plane, even when the panel includes dips and bows and/or other deformities. 
     Although the reference surface  172  and panel are shown oriented vertically in FIG. 2, it is to be understood that the reference surface and panel can be oriented horizontally during assembly of the nozzles to the panel, or in any other orientation, as long as the outer faces of the ferrules are aligned in a common plane. 
     With particular reference now to FIG. 6, a jumper or transfer conduit  120  includes a ferrule  182  connected at the ends of a U-shaped tube  184 . The U-shaped tube  184  includes a pair of leg portions  180  and a curved portion  185  extending therebetween. Depending on the distance between nozzles to be connected, the curved portion  185  may include a straight section (not shown). The ferrules  182  include a face  186  that lie in a common plane. When the jumper conduit  120  is installed on the transfer panel assembly  100 , the faces  186  and  170  will be in abutting relationship, independent of any panel deformations or other imperfections. A clamp (not shown) can then be installed over the ferrules  182  and  122  in a well-known manner to thereby affix the jumper conduit to a pair of nozzles. Although a particular type of ferrule is shown for both the nozzles  114  and jumper conduit  120 , it is to be understood that ferrules with mutually engaging threads, or other means for connecting the jumper conduit to the nozzles are well within the scope of the present invention. 
     With the above-describe arrangement, a plurality of jumper conduits  120  can now be constructed at the manufacturer as a standard part. Thus, it is no longer necessary to custom form jumper conduits in the field during assembly as in the prior art due to changes in surface contour or other deformities in the transfer panel. 
     It is to be understood that the terms forward, rearward, inner, outer, and their respective derivatives as used herein denote relative, rather than absolute positions or locations. 
     While the invention has been taught with specific reference to the above-described embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.