Abstrict A preformed desiccant bag for use with a retaining clip including
a preformed porous casing including a first preformed bulbous end
portion of a first girth and width, a second preformed bulbous end
portion of a second girth and width, a central preformed waist portion
of a third girth and width located between the first and second
preformed bulbous end portions, with the third girth and width being
smaller than either the first and second girths and the first and
second widths to thereby provide a pronounced position for reception
of a retaining clip, and desiccant in the casing.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A preformed desiccant bag comprising a preformed porous casing,
a first preformed bulbous end portion of a first girth and first
width on said casing, a second preformed bulbous end portion of
a second girth and second width on said casing, a preformed central
waist portion of a third girth and third width located between said
first and second preformed bulbous end portions, said third girth
and width being smaller than either said first and second girths
and said first and second widths, and desiccant in said first and
second preformed bulbous end portions and in said preformed central
waist portion.
2. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
casing comprises a first wall having a first outer edge portion,
a trough-shaped second wall having a second outer edge portion,
and a seam joining said first and second edge portions.
3. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 2 wherein said
first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material, and
wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second edge
portions.
4. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 2 wherein said
first wall is substantially planar.
5. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 2 wherein said
first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material, and
wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second edge
portions.
6. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
casing has a longitudinal axis, and wherein said first preformed
bulbous end portion has a longer dimension lengthwise of said longitudinal
axis than said second preformed bulbous end portion.
7. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 6 wherein said
casing comprises a first wall having a first outer edge portion,
a trough-shaped second wall having a second outer edge portion,
and a seam joining said first and second edge portions.
8. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 7 wherein said
first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material, and
wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second edge
portions.
9. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 7 wherein said
first wall is substantially planar.
10. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 9 wherein said
first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material, and
wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second edge
portions.
11. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
first and second preformed bulbous end portions are of substantially
solid rectangular configuration.
12. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 11 wherein
said casing comprises a first wall having a first outer edge portion,
a trough-shaped second wall having a second outer edge portion,
and a seam joining said first and second edge portions.
13. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 12 wherein
said first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material,
and wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second
edge portions.
14. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 12 wherein
said first wall is substantially planar.
15. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 14 wherein
said first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material,
and wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second
edge portions.
16. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 15 wherein
said casing has a longitudinal axis, and wherein said first preformed
bulbous end portion has a longer dimension lengthwise of said longitudinal
axis than said second preformed bulbous end portion.
17. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 11 wherein
said casing has a longitudinal axis, and wherein said first preformed
bulbous end portion has a longer dimension lengthwise of said longitudinal
axis than said second preformed bulbous end portion.
18. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 17 wherein
said casing comprises a first wall having a first outer edge portion,
a trough-shaped second wall having a second outer edge portion,
and a seam joining said first and second edge portions.
19. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 19 wherein
said first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material,
and wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second
edge portions.
20. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 18 wherein
said first wall is substantially planar.
21. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
first preformed bulbous end portion includes a first shoulder proximate
one end of said central preformed waist portion, and wherein said
second preformed bulbous end portion includes a second shoulder
proximate the opposite end of said central preformed waist portion.
22. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 21 wherein
said first and second shoulders are in facing relationship to each
other.
23. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
preformed central waist portion has first and second ends, and wherein
said first preformed bulbous end portion includes a first pair of
shoulders proximate said first end of said central preformed waist
portion, and wherein said second preformed bulbous end portion includes
a second pair of shoulders proximate said second end of said central
preformed waist portion in facing relationship to said first pair
of first shoulders.
24. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 23 wherein
said casing includes a longitudinal axis and wherein said casing
is substantially symmetrical about said longitudinal axis.
25. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 24 wherein
said casing comprises a first wall having a first outer edge portion,
a trough-shaped second wall having a second outer edge portion,
and a seam joining said first and second edge portions.
26. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 25 wherein
said first and second walls are formed of heat-fusible material,
and wherein said seam comprises a fusion of said first and second
edge portions.
27. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 25 wherein
said first wall is substantially planar.
28. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 27 wherein
said first and second preformed bulbous end portions are of substantially
solid rectangular configuration.
29. In combination: a preformed desiccant bag comprising a preformed
porous casing, a first preformed bulbous end portion of a first
girth and first width on said casing, a second preformed bulbous
end portion of a second girth and second width on said casing, a
preformed central waist portion of a third girth and third width
located between said first and second preformed bulbous end portions,
said third girth and third width being smaller than either said
first and second girths and said first and second widths, and desiccant
in said casing first and second preformed bulbous end portions and
in said preformed central waist portion; and a clip mounted on said
central waist portion, an upper edge on said clip located proximate
said first preformed bulbous end portion, and a lower edge on said
clip located proximate said second preformed bulbous end portion.
30. The combination as set forth in claim 29 including diametrically
opposed grooves on said clip.
31. The combination as set forth in claim 30 including an opening
in said clip through which said central waist portion is inserted
into said clip.
32. The combination as set forth in claim 29 including a first
shoulder on said first preformed bulbous end portion located proximate
said upper edge of said clip, and a second shoulder on said second
preformed bulbous end portion located proximate said lower edge
of said clip.
33. The combination as set forth in claim 29 wherein said preformed
central waist portion has first and second ends, and said first
preformed bulbous end portion has a first pair of shoulders proximate
said first end of said central preformed waist portion, and wherein
said second preformed bulbous end portion has a second pair of shoulders
proximate said second end of said central preformed waist portion
in facing relationship to said first pair of first shoulders.
34. A preformed desiccant bag comprising a preformed porous casing,
a first preformed bulbous end portion of a first girth and first
width on said casing, a second preformed bulbous end portion of
a second girth and second width on said casing, a central waist
portion of a third girth and third width located between said first
and second preformed bulbous end portions, said third girth and
third width being smaller than either said first and second girths
and said first and second widths, and desiccant in said first and
second preformed bulbous end portions and in said central waist
portion.
35. A preformed desiccant bag as set forth in claim 34 wherein
said first preformed bulbous end portion includes a first shoulder
proximate one end of said central waist portion, and wherein said
second preformed bulbous end portion includes a second shoulder
proximate the opposite end of said central waist portion.
36. A preformed desiccant bag comprising a preformed porous casing,
a first preformed bulbous end portion of a first girth on said casing,
a second preformed bulbous end portion of a second girth on said
casing, a preformed central waist portion of a third girth located
between said first and second preformed bulbous end portions, said
third girth being smaller than either said first and second girths,
desiccant in said casing, and said first and second preformed bulbous
end portions being of substantially solid rectangular configuration.
37. A preformed desiccant bag comprising a preformed porous casing,
a first preformed bulbous end portion of a first girth on said casing,
a second preformed bulbous end portion of a second girth on said
casing, a preformed central waist portion of a third girth located
between said first and second preformed bulbous end portions, said
third girth being smaller than either said first and second girths,
desiccant in said casing, said first preformed bulbous end portion
including a first shoulder proximate one end of said central preformed
waist portion, said second preformed bulbous end portion including
a second shoulder proximate the opposite end of said central preformed
waist portion, and said first and second shoulders being substantially
perpendicular to said central preformed waist portion.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved desiccant bag for
use with a retaining clip which secures the bag within an U-bend
tube of the accumulator of a refrigeration system.
By way of background, in U.S. Pat. No. 5177982 a retaining clip
is disclosed for mounting a desiccant bag between the spaced tube
portions of a U-bend tube of a refrigerant accumulator. However,
the desiccant bag which it holds was originally of a generally uniform
cross section. This leads to certain shortcomings. First of all,
there is no defined location for mounting the retaining clip on
the desiccant bag. Therefore, the operator who is mounting the clip
onto the bag has to do so by eye. Since the retaining clip acts
as a shield when the accumulator housing is being welded, if the
clip is not placed in the proper location on the bag, it may not
function to properly shield the bag from the welding heat. Additionally,
since the bag is of uniform cross section, the upper portion of
the bag can slip downwardly relative to the clip if the desiccant
settles into the lower portion of the bag. Also, the possibility
exists that the outward force produced by the prior bag will cause
the mounted clip to pop open with the attendant possibility of the
bag slipping out of the clip. It is with overcoming the foregoing
deficiencies of the prior art that the present invention is concerned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved
preformed desiccant bag which has a preformed waist portion which
is smaller than two preformed bulbous end portions so that a retaining
clip can be positively located in the proper position on the bag.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
preformed desiccant bag which includes a planar wall which is to
be placed against a vertical pipe within an accumulator, thereby
insuring that when the foregoing relationship is effected, the desiccant
bag is in proper position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a preformed
desiccant bag having a preformed lower end portion which will always
contain a predetermined amount of desiccant which will be in the
liquid phase of an accumulator, thereby assuring the desired moisture
adsorption.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an
improved preformed desiccant bag which is of a shape which will
mount on a bag without causing the bag to exert a force tending
to pop the clip open. Other objects and attendant advantages of
the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter.
The present invention relates to a preformed desiccant bag comprising
a preformed porous casing, a first preformed bulbous end portion
of a first girth on said casing, a second preformed bulbous end
portion of a second girth on said casing, a preformed central waist
portion of a third girth located between said first and second preformed
bulbous end portions, said third girth being smaller than either
said first and second girths, and desiccant in said casing.
The present invention also relates to a combination of a preformed
desiccant bag and a clip: said preformed desiccant bag comprising
a preformed porous casing, a first preformed bulbous end portion
of a first girth on said casing, a second preformed bulbous end
portion of a second girth on said casing, a preformed central waist
portion of a third girth located between said first and second preformed
bulbous end portions, said third girth being smaller than either
said first and second girths, and desiccant in said casing; and
a clip mounted on said central waist portion, an upper edge on said
clip located proximate said first preformed bulbous end portion,
and a lower edge on said clip located proximate said second preformed
bulbous end portion.
The present invention will be more fully understood when the following
portions of the specification are read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of the
improved desiccant bag of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, taken
substantially in the direction of arrows 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line
3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line
4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line
5--5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line
6--6 of FIG. 7 and showing the improved desiccant bag mounted in
an accumulator of a refrigeration system;
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line
7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the prior art clip which is
used in conjunction with the improved desiccant bag;
FIG. 9 is a plan view taken substantially in the direction of arrows
9--9 of FIG. 8; and
FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the improved desiccant bag
of the present invention with the prior art clip of FIGS. 8 and
9 mounted thereon .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Summarizing in advance, the improved desiccant bag 10 of the present
invention is utilized with prior art clip 11 in such a manner so
that both are positively retained in position within the pipe portions
12 and 13 of U-shaped outlet tube 14 which is located within accumulator
15 of a conventional refrigeration system.
The improved desiccant bag 10 includes a preformed porous casing
17 which is fabricated of heat-fusible porous polyester material.
Casing 17 includes a substantially planar porous polyester fabric
wall 19 having an edge portion 16 which is bonded to the edge portion
18 of an irregularly-shaped trough-like preformed porous polyester
wall 20 by means of a fused seam 21. Suitable desiccant 22 namely,
molecular sieve in bead form is contained within casing 17. It will
be appreciated, however, that the desiccant may be of any suitable
type including but not limited to metal alumina silicate, alumina,
calcium sulfate, activated charcoal or any other desired compound
in bead, pellet or granular form depending on the circumstances
of its use, as stated in prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 5177982 and
4619673.
The desiccant bag 10 is fabricated by filling the irregularly-shaped
trough-like preformed polyester wall 20 with desiccant and then
bonding planar wall 19 to wall 20 at fused seam 21 by a technique
known in the art. Thereafter, the casing 17 is heat-shrunk to cause
it to fit snugly against the desiccant contained therein. The specific
fabric of walls 19 and 20 is a commercially available polyester
felt consisting of a blend of 3 denier and 6 denier fibers, not
to exceed 25% 6 denier material, having a basis weight of 8.5-10.5
osy, a thickness of between about 0.060 and 0.070 inches, a minimum
of 50 pounds tensile strength in the machine direction, a scrim
air permeability of between about 45 and 85 and a minimum 270 pound
Mullen burst. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable
porous fabric can be used. Also, if desired, the seam need not be
fused, but can be sewn or formed in any suitable manner, especially
if the fabric which is used is not heat-fusible. The heat-shrinking
is a conventional procedure effected at a temperature which will
provide the desired result, as is well known in the art.
The preformed casing 17 includes a lower bulbous end portion 23
which is connected to an upper bulbous end portion 24 by a central
waist portion 25 which is of smaller girth and width than the girths
and widths of either upper portion 24 and lower portion 23. Bulbous
end portions 23 and 24 are of substantially solid rectangular configuration.
The casing 17 is symmetrical about centerline 27 and lower bulbous
end portion 23 has a longer dimension along centerline 27 than upper
bulbous end portion 24 and the former contains more desiccant.
However, it will be appreciated that the casing can depart from
symmetry as possibly required for other environments. The lower
bulbous end portion 23 is larger than the upper bulbous end portion
25 and consistently contains a proper amount of desiccant in the
liquid phase portion of the accumulator 15. The upper bulbous end
portion includes a pair of shoulders 29 and the lower bulbous end
portion 23 includes a pair of shoulders 30 with shoulders 29 and
30 being adjacent to central waist portion 25.
The improved desiccant bag 10 of the present invention is intended
to be mounted in a prior art accumulator 15 by means of a prior
art clip 11 which is mounted on the central waist portion 25. The
prior art accumulator 15 and the prior art clip 11 are fully disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 5177982 which is incorporated herein by reference,
particular attention being directed to the subject matter between
column 3 line 55 and column 4 line 59. However, certain details
of the prior art clip 11 and the prior art accumulator 15 will be
described hereafter, insofar as it is necessary for a more complete
understanding of the improved desiccant bag 10.
The prior art accumulator 15 in which the improved desiccant bag
10 is mounted includes a cylindrical housing having a cylindrical
upper portion 31 which is joined to cylindrical lower portion 32
at a weld 33 which is abreast of the clip 11 so that the clip shields
the installed bag 10 from the heat of welding. The accumulator 15
also includes a top wall 34 at its upper portion 31 and a bottom
wall 35 at its lower portion 32. A refrigerant inlet tube 37 extends
through top wall 34 and incoming refrigerant impinges on a baffle
39. The outlet tube 14 is of a U-bend construction which includes
a vertical tube portion 13 and an inclined tube portion 12 which
are connected to each other by a curved portion 40. As can be seen
from FIG. 6 tube portions 12 and 13 diverge downwardly. A filter
41 is located in portion 40 and it is in communication with an aperture,
not shown, in tube portion 40. All of the structure of an accumulator
such as 15 is well known in the art, and the foregoing broad description
is merely made for the sake of providing background information
as well as completeness.
The improved desiccant bag 10 is retained in position by prior
art clip 11 which is fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 5177982
which as noted above, is incorporated herein by reference. As stated
in U.S. Pat. No. 5177982 and insofar as pertinent to the present
desiccant bag 10 the retaining clip 11 surrounds the central waist
portion 25 of desiccant bag 10 and it secures it between the downwardly
diverging tube portions 12 and 13. The retaining clip 11 is essentially
a jaw-like tubular plastic body member (FIGS. 8 and 9) including
a first side wall 46 and a second side wall 48. The side walls 46
and 48 are generally arcuate members having planar base portions
50 and walls 52 extending transversely or generally perpendicularly
from first ends of base portions 50 and walls 54 and 54' extending
from opposite ends of walls 50. The side walls 46 and 48 are hingedly
connected by a living hinge 56.
On the opposite side of the clip 11 from hinge 56 there is an opening
57 and a locking construction which closes the opening 57. The locking
construction includes a tab 58 on wall 54 and tab 58 includes a
plurality of teeth 59 which matingly engage teeth 62 on the other
wall 54'. The end 55 of said other wall 54' enters the slot 65 when
teeth 59 and 62 are in engagement when the clip 11 is located onto
the waist portion 25 of desiccant bag 10. It will be appreciated
that opening 57 is enlarged by pulling sides 54 apart about hinge
56 to mount clip 11 onto waist portion 25. A protuberance 64 on
portion 54' can act as a stop for the end 65 of portion 58.
The retaining clip 11 includes diametrically opposed arcuate grooves
66 formed integrally with planar base portions 50. The grooves 66
matingly engage the insides of tube portions 12 and 13 (FIG. 7).
As can be seen from FIG. 9 the grooves 66 are formed in protuberances
67 which includes portions 69 which are of a relatively slight slope
and portions 70 which are of greater slope. When the clip 11 mounted
on bag 10 is being slipped into position between tube portions 12
and 13 clip portions 67 of slight slope are moved between the tube
portions 12 and 13 first to provide a camming action. After the
clip 11 reaches the position where grooves 66 are abreast of tube
portions 12 and 13 the normal resilience of the clip causes it
to bear against tube portions 12 and 13. The clip and its retained
desiccant bag 10 will thus be held securely between tube portions
12 and 13.
As can be seen from FIG. 8 the clip 11 has an upper edge 71 and
a lower edge 72. Clip 11 and bag 10 are dimensioned relative to
each other so that when the clip 11 is mounted on the central waist
portion 25 of the bag, the upper edge 71 of the clip will be adjacent
to and underlie shoulders 29 of bulbous end portion 24 of bag 10
and edge 72 of clip 11 will be adjacent to and overlie shoulders
30 of preformed bulbous end portion 23. Thus, the bag 10 is held
against shifting longitudinally in both directions within clip 11.
It is to be further noted that desiccant bag 10 is dimensioned so
that its bottom edge 73 rests against the bend 40 of tube 14 and
thus it is further held against sliding movement within clip 11.
Since the bottom edge 73 rests against tube portion 40 and since
the bottom edge 72 rests against shoulders 30 clip 10 is thus held
against sliding downwardly between divergent tube portions 12 and
13. Also, as noted above, the smaller waist portion 25 of bag 10
positively positions the clip 11 on bag 10 and considering that
the bottom edge 73 of the bag rests on tube portion 40 the clip
is thus positioned abreast of weld 33. Additionally, it is to be
noted that the planar wall 19 lies against the vertical pipe portion
13 thereby assuring a good fit of the bag 10 between pipe portions
12 and 13.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
disclosed, it will be appreciated that it is not limited thereto
but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following
claims. |