Fike Corporation

Michael D Krebill

Bon F Shaw

Bradford T Stilwell

Joe Walker

Brent W Leonard

Joseph Walker

E Dean Miller

John K Schaefer

Daniel G O'Halloran

Jeromie T Farnsworth

Mark McLelland

DeVang Patel

Donald Ray Hibler, Iii

Travis Johnson

Joseph A Walker

Devang Patel

Mark Mclelland

Iii Donald Ray Hibler

A bulged, forward-acting rupture disc () and a pressure relief device () incorporating a rupture disc (), having a line of opening () formed in the transition region () of the disc between the bulged section () and flange section () are provided. The line of opening () is a stress-concentrating feature that, in conjunction with a stress-intensifying edge () located on an associated outlet ring (), facilitates opening of the disc () when exposed to a predetermined pressure acting upon the concave face () of the bulged section ().

Rupture disc having stress concentrating feature

A reverse-acting pressure relief device () is provided comprising buckling-control structures, namely pocket regions () and belt regions () having differing material thicknesses. The pocket regions () generally comprise areas of reduced material thicknesses and serve to weaken the structural integrity of the bulged section () of device () so that reversal can be initiated at lower pressures. Belt regions () generally comprise areas of enhanced mechanical properties that assist with reversal control and opening of bulged section () thereby ensuring complete opening of the device ().

Reverse-acting rupture disc with buckling-control feature

A pressure relief device and method of making the same are provided. The pressure relief device includes an over-pressure relief area with a plurality of co-linear spaced apart recesses located thereon. Gap segments are interspersed between the recesses to define a line of opening having desired performance characteristics during opening of the over-pressure relief area.

Pressure relief device having laser-defined line of opening

Methods of creating various laser-defined control structures on pressure relief devices are provided that utilize a laser having a field of view that is smaller than the overall dimensions of the laser-defined structure to be milled into the pressure relief device. The methods generally involve partitioning the working surface of the device into a plurality of tiles within which a particular segment of the control structure will be milled. Upon milling of a control structure segment in one tile, the pressure relief device and/or laser is repositioned so that a control structure segment in another tile may be created.

Creation of laser-defined structures on pressure relief devices via tiling method

A reverse acting rupture disc is provided having a laser defined electropolished line-of-weakness recess, and an improved method of forming an electropolished line-of-weakness recess in a reverse acting rupture disc that assures full opening of the disc upon reversal. A rupture disc blank is pre-bulged, final bulged, and then provided with a layer of resist material. A laser is used to remove at least a portion of the layer of resist material corresponding to a desired line-of-weakness recess in the concave face of the bulged rupture disc. The disc is then subjected to an electropolishing operation to remove metal from the lased area of the rupture disc, thereby forming a lustrous polished line-of-weakness recess in the disc of desired configuration and of a predetermined depth that is related to material thickness. The electropolished line of weakness is defined by spaced opposed channel portions separated by a central raised crown portion wherein the channel portions are of greater depth than the crown portion. The burst/reversal pressure of the disc having an electropolished line-of-weakness recess may be selectively controlled by varying the pre-bulging pressure on the disc.

Reverse acting rupture disc with laser-defined electropolished line of weakness and method of forming the line of weakness

A reverse acting rupture disc and methods of forming the same are provided. Generally, the rupture disc comprises a bulged portion and a circumscribing flange area surrounding the bulged portion. The bulged portion includes a mechanically formed line-of-opening recess comprising a singular channel. In certain embodiments, the mechanical process by which the recess is formed utilizes a high-speed mill which removes a portion of metal from the bulged portion of the disc without disrupting the substantially uniform metallic grain structure of the metal adjacent the channel.

Rupture disc with machined line of opening

This invention relates to a cylindrical holder member for a bi-directional bulged rupture disc. The support body of the holder has a rim that supports the rupture disc with the concave surface of the disc facing the holder. The support body is provided with a unitary one-piece, centrally creased cutting element that is of generally V-shaped configuration in plan view. The cutting element has a pair of elongated converging leg components with each leg component being connected to and supported by the interior wall surface of the holder body, with each leg component having an arcuate cutting edge. The cutting edges of the leg components merge at the crease in the cutting element to define a central cutting edge peak section. The cutting element is positioned in the holder with the cutting edge peak section extending beyond the rim of the support body into the concave area of the disc. The V-shaped cutting element functions to provide for a fuller and more rapid opening of the disc upon reversal and engagement with the cutting element as compared with prior reverse buckling disc three-knife blade cutter units. The invention has especial utility in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical applications requiring sanitary pressure relief rupture disc structure.

Holder with V-knife blade for bi-directional rupture disc assembly

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid from a confined area that is operable to relieve an overpressure condition as well as to allow flow of fluid in response to a pressure relief command. The valve including a valve body with a fluid passage therethrough, a reverse buckling rupture disc in the valve body in normally blocking relationship to the flow of fluid through the passage, and a selectively actuatable device carried by the valve body adjacent the convex surface. The actuatable device is operable to disrupt, without puncturing, the disc so as to initiate reversal and rupture of the disc and to permit flow of the pressurized fluid through the passage.

Impulse actuated valve

A metal reverse buckling sanitary rupture disc is provided having a central bulged section in which the convex surface of the bulged section is relatively smooth and of substantially uninterrupted configuration. A small segment region of the central bulged section is strain hardened by plastic deformation causing the segment region to have greater residual stress than the remainder of the central bulged section. When the disc is subjected to an overpressure condition against the convex surface of the bulged section sufficient to effect reversal of the bulged section, such reversal commences at the higher residual stress segment region of the bulged section.

Growing community of inventors

Kansas City, MO, United States of America

Michael D Krebill