Edge sealed folded membrane

Claim 2

Fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a membrane having first and second surfaces, first and second end edges, first and second side edges, said membrane being folded to form a stack of folds having a first end fold terminating at said first end edge intermediate the sides of a first end of the stack and having a second end fold terminating at said second end edge intermediate the sides of the other end of the stack, said stack including a plurality of fold edges collectively forming opposite sides of the stack, a case encompassing said stack and including first and second case sides extending along respective sides of said stack adjacent said end folds, first and second case ends extending along the respective side edges of te folded membrane, said case including a plurality of flow ports in said case sides in communication with said first and second membrane surfaces at said fold edges, a plurality of spacer members positioned between selected folds of said stack in contact with one of said membrane surfaces, means for positioning a portion of at least one of said end folds including the end edge thereof at a distance from the adjoining case top and at a distance from an adjacent membrane fold to provide first and second end edge sealing spaces on oppostie surfaces of said end fold, a solidified fluid material within said first and second sealing spaces encapsulating said one end edge, and means for blocking flow of said fluid material from said first and second sealing spaces to said flow ports of said case sides.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for positioning said one end fold comprises an end fold plate positioned on one end of the stack between said end fold and an adjacent inner fold of said membrane, a first sealer spacer positioned between one surface of said end fold and said plate, a second sealer spacer positioned at the other surface of said end fold, and wherein said means for blocking flow from said first and second sealing spaces comprises first and second mutually spaced shoulders positioned adjacent first and second sides of said stack and said case top.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said shoulders comprise first and second blocking strips mounted along mutually opposed sides of said plate to define a channel running along said plate between the sides of the stack, said one end edge and said first and second sealer spacers being positioned within said channel, said solidified fluid material substantially filling said channel between said plate, said blocking strips and said case top.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plate and shoulders are formed integrally of a substantially rigid bar, said channel being formed as a dove-tailed groove cut in one surface of the bar and extending longitudinally thereof intermediate its sides, said one end edge terminating intermediate the walls of said dove-tailed groove, and said first and second sealer spacers extending on opposite sides of said end fold for Substantially the full length and width of said dove-tailed groove.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the side edges of said folded membrane extend beyond the ends of said end fold plate and further including solidified material encapsulating the side edges of said membrane and extending between said side edges and said case top and bottom, and extending over both surfaces of said membrane at said side edges including the outermost surface of the end folds of said stack, the end folds of said stack extending over said shoulders between the shoulders and the case top and bottom.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said case top is formed with an outwardly projecting portion intermediate the case sides, at least one of said first and second sealer spacers being positioned within said outwardly projecting case top, and wherein said means for blocking flow from said sealing spaces to said flow ports comprises an inwardly rebated portion of said case top at the outer side edges of said case top in contiguous juxtaposition to outer side portions of said plate, the space between said sealer strip and said outwardly projecting case top portion being substantially filled with said solidified material.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said end fold terminates in a portion that is angulated with respect to the plane of the membrane folds.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the outermost portion of said end fold extends in a direction substantially parallel to the folds of said stack and is spaced from said plate and said casing top by sealer spacers positioned upon respectively opposite surfaces of said end fold.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said case top is formed with an outwardly projecting portion intermediate the casing sides, and wherein said means for positioning a portion of at least one of said end folds comprises an end fold plate between said end fold and an adjacent inner fold, a plurality of protuberances on mutually facing surfaces of said plate and said case top projecting portion, and wherein said means for blocking flow comprises an inwardly rebated portion of said case top at outer edges thereof in contiguous juxtaposition to outer side portions of said plate.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interior of the case is enlarged at the ends of said top and bottom walls to provide a space to receive encapsulating material between outermost surfaces of said end folds and said enlarged case ends.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interior of the case is enlarged at end portions of said case sides and wherein encapsulating material is positioned between said enlarged case sides and the stack fold edges at ends of said case thereby to effect edge encapsulation around said side edges.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said ports is formed as a port enlargement of a portion of the case side at a point spaced from the case end, said case side having a portion in close juxtaposition to the fold edges of said stack between said one port and said enlarged case side wall.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said port enlargement has a cross section that decreases along the height of said stack and includes a port connection in communication with the port at a portion thereof having a relatively large cross section.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said case includes a plurality of encapsulating liquid injection channels extending through the walls thereof and communicating with the interior of the case.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said case is formed of first and second mating integral case sections having conjoining securing flanges, said encapsulating liquid injection channels being jointly defined by mating grooves formed in adjoining portions of the flanges of said first and second sections.

Claim 19

The method of claim 16 wherein said step of inserting the stack includes the step of positioning surfaces of said membrane at outer sides of said end fold plates in close contiguity with inner surfaces of said case, wherein said step of blocking flow of material toward the fold edges comprises the step of maintaining said end fold plate in closely contiguous relation to said case during solidification of the injected material, and wherein said step of positioning the end fold plate comprises positioning the plate between each end fold and in adjacent inner fold.

Claim 20

Fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a membrane having first and second surfaces, first and second end edges, first and second side edges, said membrane being folded to form a stack of folds having a first end fold terminating at said first end edge intermediate the sides of a first end of the stack and having a second end fold terminating at said second end edge intermediate the sides of the other end of the stack, said stack including a plurality of fold edges collectively forming opposite sides of the stack, a case encompassing said stack and including first and second case sides extending along respective sides of said stack adjacent said end folds, first and second case ends extending along the respective side edges of the folded membrane, said case including a plurality of flow ports in said case sides in communication with said first and second membrane surfaces at said fold edges, a plurality of spacer members positioned between selected folds of said stack in contact with one of said membrane surfaces, means for positioning a portion of at least one of said end folds including the end edge thereof at a distance from the adjoining case top to provide an end edge sealing space for said end fold, a solidified fluid material within said sealing space encapsulating said one end edge, said case being enlarged at the ends thereof to provide spaces for receiving said fluid material between the case and the stack whereby said fluid encapsulating material may readily flow to and be received about side edges of the stack.

Claim 21

Fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a membrane having first and second surfaces, first and second end edges, first and second side edges, said membrane being folded to form a stack of folds having a first end fold terminating at said first end edge intermediate the sides of a first end of the stack and having a second end fold terminating at said second end edge intermediate the sides of the other end of the stack, said stack including a plurality of fold edges collectively forming opposite sides of the stack, a case encompassing said stack and including first and second case sides extending along respective sides of said stack adjacent said end folds, first and second case ends extending along the respective side edges of the folded membrane, said case including a plurality of flow ports in said case sides in communication with said first and second membrane surfaces at said fold edges, a plurality of spacer members positioned between selected folds of said stack in contact with one of said membrane surfaces, means for positioning a portion of at least one of said end folds including the end edge thereof at a distance from the adjoining case top to provide an end edge sealing space for said end fold, a solidified fluid material within said sealing space encapsulating said one end edge, said case being enlarged at the ends thereof to provide spaces for receiving said fluid material between the case and the stack whereby said fluid encapsulating material may readily flow to and be received about side edges of the stack.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said enlargement of the case end includes an enlargement of the interior of the case at the ends of the top and bottom of the case to receive said fluid material between the top of the case and the outer surface of the side edge of the membrane end fold.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a substantially rigid end fold plate is positioned between each end fold and an adjacent inner fold of the membrane, said plate extending for a major portion of the width of said case and stack to thereby facilitate handling of the subassembly of folded membrane and spacer members.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said case enlargement includes enlargements of the case sides at the ends thereof, said case sides including rebated portions in abutting relation with the sides of the stack between the fLow ports and the enlarged portions of the ends of the case sides.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said case includes a plurality of encapsulation material injection channels, and wherein said end fold plate includes first and second plate sections having elongated face-to-face grooves formed therein, one of said elongated plate sections having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough in communication with the grooves of the plate sections and in communication with said injection channels, said end folds each being sandwiched between said first and second plate sections and having an end edge terminating within said grooves, and first and second spacer sealer members positioned between said end fold end edges and opposite sides of the mating grooves of said plate sections.

Claim 26

Fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a membrane having first and second surfaces, first and second end edges, first and second side edges, said membrane being folded to form a stack of folds having a first end fold terminating at said first end edge intermediate the sides of a first end of the stack and having a second end fold terminating at said second end edge intermediate the sides of the other end of the stack, said stack including a plurality of fold edges collectively forming opposite sides of the stack, a case encompassing said stack and including first and second case sides extending along respective sides of said stack adjacent said end folds, first and second case ends extending along the respective side edges of the folded membrane, said case including a plurality of flow ports in said case sides in communication with said first and second membrane surfaces at said fold edges, a plurality of spacer members positioned between selected folds of said stack in contact with one of said membrane surfaces, means for positioning a portion of at least one of said end folds including the end edge thereof at a distance from the adjoining case top to provide an end edge sealing space for said end fold, a solidified fluid material within said sealing space encapsulating said one end edge, and first and second rigid end fold plates extending substantially the full width of said positioned respectively between each end fold and an adjacent inner fold of the membrane, each said plate terminating at a point short of the side edge of the folded membrane whereby the subassembly of folded membrane, spacer members and rigid plates may be readily handled and inserted into the case and whereby the side edges of the end folds which extend beyond the rigid plates are free to be encapsulated by said fluid material.

Claim 27

Fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a membrane having first and second surfaces, first and second end edges, first and second side edges, said membrane being folded to form a stack of folds having a first end fold terminating at said first end edge intermediate the sides of a first end of the stack and having a second end fold terminating at said second end edge intermediate the sides of the other end of the stack, said stack including a plurality of fold edges collectively forming opposite sides of the stack, a case encompassing said stack and including first and second case sides extending along respective sides of said stack adjacent said end folds, first and second case ends extending along the respective side edges of the folded membrane, said case including a plurality of flow ports in said case sides in communication with said first and second membrane surfaces at said fold edges, a plurality of spacer members positioned between selected folds of said stack in contact with one of said membrane surfaces, means for positioning a portion of at least one of said end folds including the end edge thereof at a distance from the adjoining case top to provide an end edge sealing space for said end fold, a solidified fluid material within said sealing space encapsulating said one end edge, and first and second rigid end fold plates extending substantially the full width of said positioned respectively between each end fold and an adjacent inner fold of the membrane, each said plate terminating at a point short of the side edge of the folded membrane whereby the subassembly of folded membrane, spacer members and rigid plates may be readily handled and inserted into the case and whereby the side edges of the end folds which extend beyond the rigid plates are free to be encapsulated by said fluid material.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said case includes top, bottom and first and second sides at least some of which are outwardly enlarged to provide a space between the stack and the case for receiving encapsulating fluid material to enhance encapsulation of the side edges thereof.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the interior of the case is enlarged at the ends of said top and bottom walls to provide a space to receive encapsulating material between outermost surfaces of said end folds and said enlarged case ends.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the interior of the case is enlarged at end portions of said case sides and wherein encapsulating material is positioned between said enlarged case sides and the stack fold edges at ends of said case thereby to effect edge encapsulation around said side edges.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein at least one of said ports is formed as a port enlargement of a portion of the case side at a point spaced from the case end, said case side having a portion in close juxtaposition to the fold edges of said stack between said one port and said enlarged case side wall.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said case includes a plurality of encapsulation material injection channels, and wherein said end fold plates each includes first and second pLate sections having elongated face-to-face grooves formed therein, one of said elongated plate sections having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough in communication with the grooves of the plate sections and in communication with said injection channels, said end folds each being sandwiched between said first and second plate sections and having an end edge terminating within said grooves, and first and second spacer sealer members positioned between said end fold end edges and opposite sides of the mating grooves of said plate sections.