WO2009019730A1

WO2009019730A1 - Closing flange of a reservoir and reservoir

Info

Publication number: WO2009019730A1
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000084
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Zinoni; Lorenzo Bertoli
Original assignee: Hydro System Treatment SRL
Current assignee: Hydro System Treatment SRL
Priority date: 2007-08-03
Filing date: 2008-02-12
Publication date: 2009-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2010-02-03
Also published as: ITBS20070118A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a closing flange (4) of a reservoir (1). The flange comprises a flange body (14) made of a composite material (polypropylene reinforced with glass fibres) and at least one bush (30) or an insert (50) of metal material (brass), buried in the matrix of the flange body thanks to the co-moulding production process. The flange can be made in at least two versions: closed at the centre or drilled at the centre and provided with a central bush (90) for inserting an electrical resistance. The flange in the two versions is thus usable both for making reservoirs and water heaters.

Description

DESCRIPTION "Closing flange of a reservoir and reservoir"

[0001] The present invention relates to a closing flange of a reservoir and a reservoir comprising the flange and a container.

[0002] The reservoirs with containers of plastic material have undergone considerable spreading, thanks to the development of production technologies with such materials and to the development of the materials themselves, so that such reservoirs have partly replaced those with steel container.

[0003] As is known, in the make of reservoirs, the closing flange is a very important component whereby the container is sealingly closed and connected to the system it is a part of.

[0004] For the structural and functional requirements it must have, flanges are often made of steel, although embodiments of plastic material are known. [0005] However, the embodiments of plastic material known to date still exhibit several disadvantages, first of all the poor resistance upon the realisation of the flange connections to the system components.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a closing flange of plastic material which should overcome the disadvantages mentioned with reference to the prior art while meeting the above requirements.

[0007] Such object is achieved by a flange obtained according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe embodiment variations. [0008] The features and advantages of the flange according to the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description, made by way of an indicative and non-limiting example with reference to the annexed figures, wherein: [0009] - figure 1 shows a perspective view of a portion of a reservoir comprising a container and a closing flange according to the present invention;

[0010] - figure 2 shows a plan view of the flange of figure 1, seen from outside the container; [0011] - figure 3 shows a cutaway view of the flange of figure 2, obtained according to the section line III -

III in figure 2;

[0012] - figure 4 shows a cutaway view of the flange of figure 2, obtained according to the section line IV - IV in figure 2;

[0013] - figure 5 shows a partly cutaway perspective view of the reservoir, corresponding to the cutaway view of figure 3;

[0014] - figure 6 shows the flange of figure 1, seen from inside the container; and [0015] - figures 7 to 9 show partly cutaway- perspective views of further embodiment versions. [0016] With reference to the annexed figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes a reservoir suitable for containing a fluid, in particular water.

[0017] Reservoir 1 comprises a container 2 and a closing flange 4.

[0018] Container 2 is generally completely closed except for an opening, for example on the bottom, wherein flange 4 is sealingly inserted.

[0019] Generally, container 2 comprises a side annular wall, for example cylindrical, that extends along a wall axis X, a cap that closes the side wall at a first end, and a bottom 6 that closes the side wall at the other end and is provided with an opening for inserting the flange. [0020] Preferably, bottom 6 comprises a neck 8, which surrounds the opening for the insertion of flange 4. [0021] Preferably, neck 8 comprises an axial portion 10, which extends axially so as to surround flange 4, remaining adhering to the outer surface thereof, and an engagement portion 12, with development at least partly radial, which hooks flange 4 to axially constrain it. [0022] Container 2 is made of polymeric material, for example polypropylene . [0023] Preferably, moreover, reservoir 1 comprises a coating 13a, which overlaps at least partly to container 2, preferably made as winding of a fibre, for example glass. Coating 13a preferably surrounds also neck 8 of the container, up to the engagement portion 12. [0024] According to an embodiment, reservoir 1 further comprises an annular seal 13b having such dimensions as to overlap the engagement portion 12 of neck 8 of the container and a section shaped so as to overlap flange 4. [0025] Moreover, according to said embodiment, reservoir 1 comprises a compression disc 13c, to be overlapped to seal 13b for compressing it, provided with axially through holes for allowing access to the flange connection elements, better described hereinafter, from the outside. [0026] Flange 4 comprises a flange body 14 comprising an annular engagement wall 16 and a base 18. [0027] Wall 16 extends annularly around axis X and engages with neck 8 of the container for constraining the flange to the container; wall 16 is externally shaped to form undercut portions with the axial portion 10 and with the engagement portion 12, thus constraining the flange to the container.

[0028] Preferably, wall 16 exhibits an outer rim 20, laying on a plane perpendicular to axis X, whereon the engagement portion 12 is bent, for obtaining such constraint .

[0029] On the face exposed outside container 2 when the flange is mounted to the container, base 18 exhibits a substantially flat bottom surface 24; moreover, base 18 comprises a plurality of annular projecting walls 26, axially protruding outwards, relative to the bottom surface 24; said annular projecting walls 26 surround a respective through hole 28.

[0030] For example, the projecting walls 26 are in a number of four, arranged in the proximity of the periphery of the bottom surface 24, and the respective through holes 28 exhibit axes arranged on a same circumference, angularly equally spaced.

[0031] The flange body 14 is made of a composite material, in particular resulting from a mixture of a polymeric material and reinforcing fibres, for example a mixture of polypropylene and glass fibres.

[0032] Moreover, flange 4 comprises at least one bush

30, made of metal material, for example brass, inserted in base 18, so as to fully cross the base, inserted in holes 28 thereof and thus at least partly surrounded by the respective projecting wall 26 of the hole.

[0033] Bush 30 is preferably internally threaded, for example with a Gas type threading. [0034] Bush 30 comprises an annular bush wall 32 and ast least one outer annular projection 34, completely buried in the base material. In other words, the base material remains adhering to the outer surface of the bush wall 32 and positions both below (outer side) and above (inner side) of projection 34.

[0035] Such coupling between bush 30 and the base is made possible by a co-moulding manufacture of the flange. [0036] The outer surface of bush 30 is preferably polygonal, for example hexagonal, or in any case such as to prevent relative rotations between the bush and the base of the flange.

[0037] Preferably, moreover, base 14 exhibits blind holes 40, that is, holes ending on the bottom with a portion of the material making up the base. [0038] Moreover, flange 4 comprises at least one insert 50, made of a metal material, for example brass, inserted in the respective blind hole 40. [0039] For example, inserts 50 are in a number of four, with the axes arranged on a same circumference, arranged between two projecting walls 26 circumferentially in a sequence, angularly equally spaced .

[0040] Inserts 50 are preferably internally threaded. [0041] Preferably, moreover, insert 50 comprises an annular insert wall 52 and an insert projection 54 protruding externally from the insert wall . [0042] The insert is buried in the material of base 14, so the insert projection 54 is surmounted by material of the base, for forming a constraint to the axial movement of the insert relative to base 14.

[0043] It should be noted that preferably, the projecting walls 26 and the inserts 50 are all arranged externally to a minimum dimension circumference C, for example, as in the illustrated case, tangent externally to the projecting walls 26.

[0044] In an embodiment version, inside circumference C, a further opening is made through the base, for example useful for inserting heating devices, such as an electrical resistance, for making a water heater. [0045] On the inner face, that is, on the face facing inwards of the container, base 14 exhibits a bottom surface 60 substantially flat, wherefrom wall extensions 62 protrude axially, corresponding to the projecting walls 26 on the outer face of the flange, and capsules 64, wherein the respective insert 50 is arranged.

[0046] Moreover, flange 4 comprises an annular central bottom wall 70, axially protruding from the bottom surface 60 of the inner face, arranged centrally. [0047] Preferably, moreover, flange 4 comprises at least one rib 80, projecting on the bottom surface 60 of the inner face.

[0048] Ribs 80 connect the wall extensions 62 and/or capsules 64 to the central bottom wall 70 and preferably have a radial pattern. [0049] Innovatively, the flange according to the present invention, at least partly in plastic material, allows very liable connections with the system to be made.

[0050] Advantageously, moreover, the hold of the bushes and inserts to the base is very strong, thanks to the burying thereof into the material .

[0051] According to an even further advantageous aspect, the same flange is retained to the container in a resistant manner. [0052] It is clear that a man skilled in the art can make several changes and variations to the reservoir described above in order to meet specific and incidental needs .

[0053] According to a preferred version, flange 4, on the upper face, intended to face outwards of the container, comprises a central annular top wall 80, arranged centrally, for example jointed to the projecting walls 26 (figures 7 and 8) .

[0054] For example, the bottom central wall 70 appears like an axial extension of the top central wall 80. [0055] Preferably, moreover, the top surfaces of the projecting walls 26 and of the top central wall 80 are coplanar .

[0056] According to an even further embodiment version, flange 4 comprises a central bush 90, tubular, inserted, for example buried, in the top central wall 80 and in the bottom central wall 70 (figure 9) . [0057] For example, the central bush 90 exhibits the same structural and functional features as bushes 30 mentioned above.

[0058] In such embodiment version, the reservoir is particularly useful for making a water heater, along with heating means, introduced through flange 4 into container 2, and in particular through the central bush 90 for heating the water contained in the reservoir.

[0059] According to further embodiment versions, the inserts and/or the bushes, according to an embodiment version, are made of metal or polymeric material with a high resistance, capable of absorbing the strains generated by string threaded connections.

[0060] Also such alternative embodiments are to be deemed as comprised in the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A closing flange (4) of a reservoir (1), comprising: a flange body (14) , made of a first material, comprising: a) an annular engagement wall (16) , which develops about an axis (X) , externally shaped to be retained to the reservoir; a) a base (18) which develops perpendicularly to said axis (X) , jointed to the engagement wall and making a single piece therewith; wherein the flange body (14) has at least one through or blind hole (28,40) made in the base (18); and wherein the flange comprises at least one bush (30) or an insert (50) inserted in the respective holes (28, 40) , said inserts and/or said bushes being made of a second material having higher resistance features than those of the first material .

2. Flange according to claim 1, wherein the second material is a metal material.

3. Flange according to claim 2 , wherein the second material is brass.

4. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the first material is an at least partly plastic material .

5. Flange according to the previous claim, wherein the first material is a composite material having a matrix of polymeric material reinforced with reinforcing fibres.

6. Flange according to claim 5, wherein the reinforcing fibres are glass fibres.

7. Flange according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the polymeric material is polypropylene.

8. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the through holes (28) have axes arranged on a same circumference.

9. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the blind holes (40) have axes arranged on a same circumference .

10. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said bush (30) comprises a bush wall (32) and at least one bush projection (34) protruding externally, completely buried in the base (18) of the flange body (14) .

11. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said insert (50) comprises an insert wall (52) and an insert projection (54) protruding externally, completely buried in the base (18) of the flange body (14) .

12. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the outer face has a bottom surface (24) and the base (18) comprises a plurality of projecting walls (26) axially protruding from the bottom surface (24) and surrounding said through holes (28) .

13. Flange according to claim 12, wherein the bush (30) is completely buried in said projecting walls (26) .

14. Flange according to any one of the previous claims , wherein the inner face has a bottom surface (60) and the base (18) comprises at least one wall extension (62) axially protruding from the bottom surface (60) , wherein the respective bush (30) is buried.

15. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the inner face has a bottom surface (60) and the base (18) comprises at least one capsule (64) axially protruding from the bottom surface (60) , wherein the respective insert (50) is buried.

16. Flange according to claims 14 and 15, wherein the base comprises at least one rib (80) and a bottom central wall (70) arranged centrally, protruding from the bottom surface (60) , wherein the rib (80) connects the wall extension (62) to the bottom central wall (70) .

17. Flange according to any one of the previous claims, comprising a top central wall (80) , axially protruding from the outer surface of the flange, arranged in central position.

18. Flange according to claim 17, comprising a central bush (90) buried in the top central wall (80) , forming a central through hole .

19. Reservoir (1) comprising:

- a container (2) comprising an annular side wall and a bottom (6) provided with an opening; and - a flange (4) made according to any one of the previous claims, inserted in said opening.

20. Reservoir according to claim 19, wherein the bottom (6) comprises a neck (8) that surrounds the flange (4) remaining adhering to the outer surface thereof.

21. Reservoir according to claim 20, wherein the neck (8) has an axial portion (10) and an engagement portion (12) that hooks the flange to retain it to the container.

22. Reservoir according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the container is made of polymeric material.

23. Reservoir according to claim 22, wherein the polymeric material is polypropylene.

24. Tank according to any one of claims 19 to 23, comprising a coating (13a) wound to the container (2) , made of a reinforcing fibre, for example glass fibre.

25. Reservoir according to any one of claims 19 to 24, comprising a seal (13b) partly overlapped to the flange and a compression disc (13c) .

26. Water heater comprising:

- a reservoir made according to any one of claims 19 to 25; and - heating means, introduced through said flange (4) inside the container (2) , for heating the water contained in the reservoir.