The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 23, 1998
Gerald R Hobson, Shell Rock, IA (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus for pressurizing a vessel of a type including a one piece blow molded hollow member, a first end and a second end of the member being constructed of a first plastic material, the one end being adapted to be attached to and in fluid communication with a pressure vessel. An intermediate bellows portion of the member is constructed of a plastic, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, that is more flexible and less rigid than the first plastic material, such as polypropylene, whereby the intermediate bellows portions can flex to change in size to vary the volume of fluid therein. A first one-way valve is operatively disposed in the first end of the molded hollow member for permitting flow from the interior of the intermediate bellows portion to the pressure vessel when the intermediate bellows portion is reduced in volume, but not allowing flow from the pressure vessel to the intermediate bellows portion as the intermediate bellows portion of returns to a larger volume. A second one-way valve is operatively disposed in a second end of the molded hollow member for permitting flow of fluid from outside of the hollow member to the interior of the intermediate bellows portion as the intermediate bellows portion moves from a reduced volume to a larger volume and prevents the flow of fluid therethrough as the intermediate bellows portion moves from a larger volume to a reduced volume.