US3765981A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing a distillation apparatus
Assignee: Pactide Corp
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Filing: 1972-02-02
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Granted: 1973-10-16
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Expires: 1992-02-02
Abstract
Abstract A still comprising a distillation unit formed by arranging microporous membranes and corrugated, impermeable films in alternating stacked relation together with adhesive sealing elements located between adjacent membranes and films and a spacer located between two stacks of membranes and films, to form channels for liquids. The assembly of membranes, films, sealing elements and spacer is subjected to heat and pressure to bond the sealing elements to the membranes, films and spacer, and holes are drilled through the unit to form conduits for feeding liquids to and from selected channels between adjacent membranes and films. The unit is then located together with sealing elements between the walls of two complimentary housing sections which are sealed to one another to form a housing enclosing the unit and subjected to heat and pressure to bond the unit to the walls of the housing to form additional liquid channels. The corners of the distillation unit are sealed to the corners of the housing to form chambers for receiving and distributing feed, heating, and coolant liquids. All of the components are designed to be fabricated or formed of polymeric sheet materials and connections for the flow of liquids are made to the conduits within the still (housing) by way of nipples secured to the housing and/or liquid conduits pressed into liquid-tight engagement with the housing. One surface of each membrane is corrugated to prevent blockage of the channels for feed liquid and the walls of the housing as well as the spacer are corrugated to provide channels for heating and coolant liquids.
Inventors
- 👤 F Rodgers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 08:31
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/36; B01D61/364; B01D61/3641; B01D1/00; B01D1/22; B01D3/00; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/124; Y10; Y10S; Y10S159/00; Y10S159/27; Y10S159/31; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1002; Y10T156/1025; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/1056; Y10T156/1057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of making distillation apparatus comprising a multiplicity of sheet-like elements including membranes and corrugated films arranged in face-to-face, stacked relation to form liquid conducting channels between surfaces of adjacent sheet-like elements and means providing inlets and outlets for said channels, said method comprising the combination of steps including: forming sealing elements of an organic polymeric material in a thermoplastic state; stacking sheet-like elements including membranes and corrugated films in a predetermined order to form channels between adjacent surfaces of said sheet-like elements; as said sheet-like elements are being stacked, positioning said sealing elements between adjacent sheet-like elements at locations where the channels formed thereby are to be blocked; and subjecting the assembly of stacked sheet-like elements and sealing elements to heat and pressure to bond each of said sealing elements to the surfaces of adjacent sheet-like elements to form a channel-blocking dam.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of making distillation apparatus comprising a multiplicity of sheet-like elements including membranes and corrugated films arranged in face-to-face, stacked relation to form liquid conducting channels between surfaces of adjacent sheet-like elements and means providing inlets and outlets for said channels, said method comprising the combination of steps including: forming sealing elements of an organic polymeric material in a thermoplastic state; stacking sheet-like elements including membranes and corrugated films in a predetermined order to form channels between adjacent surfaces of said sheet-like elements; as said sheet-like elements are being stacked, positioning said sealing elements between adjacent sheet-like elements at locations where the channels formed thereby are to be blocked; and subjecting the assembly of stacked sheet-like elements and sealing elements to heat and pressure to bond each of said sealing elements to the surfaces of adjacent sheet-like elements to form a channel-blocking dam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said sealing elements consist of a thermosetting polymer in a partially cured state and curing of said polymer is advanced by said application of heat and pressure to said stack of sheet-like elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method defined in claim 2 wherein said polymer is an elastomer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein each of said sealing elements is formed by casting a thermosetting polymer to form a body of the desired shape and curing of said polymer is advanced by said application of heat and pressure to said stack of sheet-like elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
The method defined in claim 1 including the steps of forming sheet material into a pair of complementary shaped housing structures each having a main wall and side walls dependent therefrom; locating said assembly of stacked sheet-like elements and sealing elements between said housing structures with the outer sheet-like elements disposed in face-to-face relation with said main walls to form outer channels therebetween; positioning said sealing elements within said outer channels; subjecting said assembly of stacked sheet-like elements said sealing elements and said main walls to heat and compressive pressure to at least bond said sealing elements within said outer channels to adjacent sheet-like elements and said main walls to form dams in said outer channels; and securing said dependent walls to one another to form a housing containing said assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 5 wherein said main walls are formed with corrugations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method defined in claim 5 wherein each of said housing sections is formed of a sheet of organic polymeric material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said sealing elements are arranged in aligned relation with selectEd channels between adjacent pairs of sheet-like elements and following said application of heat and pressure to the stack of sheet-like elements to form dams within said selected channels, aligned holes are made through said stack of sheet-like elements and dams to form a conduit communicating with said channels in which no dam was formed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
181 words
The method defined in claim 8 including the steps of forming sheet material into a pair of complementary shaped housing structures each having a main wall; locating said assembly of said stacked sheet-like elements and sealing elements between said housing structures with said outer sheet-like elements disposed in face-to-face relation with said main walls to form outer channels therebetween; positioning said sealing elements within said outer channels; locating at least one of said sealing elements within one of said outer channels between one of said main walls and one of said outer sheet-like elements in alignment with the aforementioned aligned sealing elements; subjecting said assembly of stacked sheet-like elements, sealing elements and main walls to heat and compressive pressure to at least bond said sealing elements within said outer channels to adjacent sheet-like elements and said main walls to form dams in said outer channels; and simultaneously making aligned holes through said sheet-like elements, said dams and said one main wall to form a conduit communicating with the exterior of said housing and said channels in which no dam was formed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |