Fluid contact panel

Claim 2

Fluid contact panels comprising an array of hollow, generally tubular-shaped substantially uniformly tapered members of selected length; a plurality of tapered fins spacing said tubular-shaped members; top connecting means and bottom connecting means provided in spaced relationship in selected ones of said tapered fins and fastener means cooperating with said top connecting means and said bottom connecting means for joining selected ones of said panels to each other in stacked relationship; and end connecting means provided at each end of each of said panels for joining selected ones of said panels to each other in end-to-end relationship.

Claim 3

The fluid contact panels of claim 1 wherein: (a) said bottom connecting means further comprises at least one foot extending from the bottom of said selected ones of said tapered fins, a bottom access aperture in said selected ones of said tapered fins and positioned above said foot and a foot aperture in said foot and communicating with said bottom access aperture; and (b) said top connecting means further comprises at least one recess in the top of said selected ones of said tapered fins, a top access aperture in said selected ones of said tapered fins beneath said recess and a recess aperture in that portion of said selected ones of said tapered fins located between said recess and said top access aperture, said recess aperture communicating between said recess and said top acess aperture, whereby said foot in a first one of said panels can be inserted in said recess of a second one of said panels and said fastener means inserted in said bottom access aperture and through said foot aperture and said recess aperture into said top access aperture to join said first one of said panels to said second one of said panels.

Claim 4

The fluid contact panels of claim 2 wherein said fastener means further comprises a plurality of plastic rivets, each of said rivets having a head, a body attached to said head at one end of said body and barb means extending from the opposite end of said body.

Claim 5

The fluid contact panels of claim 1 wherein: (a) said bottom connecting means further comprises at least one foot extending from the bottom of said selected ones of said tapered fins, a bottom access aperture in said selected ones of said tapered fins and positioned above said foot and a foot aperture in said foot and communicating with said bottom access aperture; (b) said top connecting means further comprises at least one recess in the top of said selected ones of said tapered fins a top access aperture in said selected ones of said tapered fins beneath said recess and a recess aperture in that portion of said selected ones of said tapered fins located between said recess and said top access aperture, said recess aperture communicating between said recess and said top access aperture, whereby said foot in a first one of said panels can be inserted in said recess of a second one of said panels and said fastener means inserted in said bottom access aperture and through said foot aperture and said recess aperture into said top access aperture to join said first one of said panels to said second one of said panels; and (c) said fastener means is a plurality of plastic rivets, each of said rivets having a head located in said bottom access aperture, a body extending through said foot aperture and said recess aperture and barb means in said top access aperture to prevent said rivets from exiting said foot aperture and said access aperture when two of said panels are configured in staggered, stacked relationship with said at least one foot of a first selected one of said panels in registration with said at least one recess in a second selected one of said panels.

Claim 6

The fluid contact panels of claim 1 wherein said end connecting means further comprises a set of tabs extending in spaced relationship from one end of said panel and a set of sockets provided in said spaced relationship in the opposite end of said panel, whereby said tabs are inserted in said sockets to link a third selected one of said panels to a fourth selected one of said panels in end-to-end relationship.

Claim 7

The fluid contact panels of claim 1 wherein: (a) said bottom connecting means further comprises a plurality of feet extending from the bottom of said selected ones of said tapered fins in spaced relationship; a bottom access aperture in said selected ones of said tapered fins and positioned above each of said feet and a foot aperture in each of said feet and communicating with said bottom access aperture, respectively; (b) said top connecting means further comprises a plurality of recesses in the top of said selected ones of said tapered fins, a top access aperture in said selected ones of said tapered fins beneath said recess and a recess aperture in that portion of said selected ones of said tapered fins located between each of said recesses and said top access aperture, said recess aperture communicating between each of said recesses and said top access aperture, respectively, whereby said feet in a first one of said panels can be inserted in said recess of a second one of said panel, respectively, and said fastener means inserted in said bottom access aperture and through said foot aperture and said recess aperture into said top access aperture to join said first one of said panels to said second one of said panels; and (c) said end connecting means further comprises a set of tabs extending in spaced relationship from one end of each of said panels and a set of sockets provided in said spaced relationship in the opposite end of each of said panels, whereby said tabs of a third selected one of said panels are inserted in said sockets of a fourth selected one of said panels to link said third selected one of said panels to said fourth selected one of said panels in end-to-end relationship.

Claim 8

The fluid contact panel of claim 6 wherein said fastener means further comprises a plurality of plastic rivets, each of said rivets having a head, a body attached to said head at one end of said body and barb means extending from the opposite end of said body.

Claim 9

A fluid contact medium comprising a plurality of fluid contact panels arranged in stacked and end-to-end relationship, each of said contact panels comprising: (a) a plurality of hollow, substantially uniformly tapered tubes in spaced array; (b) a plurality of tapered fins connecting said tubes at substantially 90 degree spaced intervals and defining a matrix; (c) a plurality of feet extending from the bottom of said matrix in spaced relationship, a bottom access aperture in said matrix above each of said feet and a foot aperture in each of said feet and communicating with said bottom access aperture, respectively; (d) a plurality of recesses in the top of said matrix in spaced relationship, a top access aperture in said matrix beneath each of said recesses and a recess aperture communicating between each of said recesses and said top access aperture, respectively, said recesses and said feet provided in staggered relationship in each of said panels, whereby a first selected one of said panels and a second selected one of said panels can be stacked in staggered relationship with said feet in registration with said recesses, respectively; and (e) rivet means inserted in said top and bottom access aperture and in said foot aperture and said recess aperture, respectively, for joining said first and second selected one of said panels.

Claim 10

A fluid contact medium comprising a plurality of fluid contact panels arranged in stacked and end-to-end relationship, each of said contact panels comprising: (a) a plurality of hollow, substantially uniformly tapered tubes in spaced array; (b) a plurality of tapered fins connecting said tubes at substantially 90 degree spaced intervals and defining a matrix; (c) a plurality of feet extending from the bottom of said matrix in spaced relationship, a bottom access aperture in said matrix above each of said feet and a foot aperture in each of said feet and communicating with said bottom access aperture, respectively; (d) a plurality of recesses in the top of said matrix in spaced relationship, a top access aperture in said matrix beneath each of said recesses and a recess aperture communicating between each of said recesses and said top access aperture, respectively, said recesses and said feet provided in staggered relationship in each of said panels, whereby a first selected one of said panels and a second selected one of said panels can be stacked in staggered relationship with said feet in registration with said recesses, respectively; and (e) rivet means inserted in said top and bottom access aperture and in said foot aperture and said recess aperture, respectively, for joining said first and second selected one of said panels.

Claim 11

The fluid contact panel of claim 8 further comprising a first set of tabs extending in spaced relationship from one end of each of said panels and a second set of sockets provided in spacd relationship in the opposite end of each of said panels, whereby said tabs of a third selected one of said panels are inserted in said sockets of a fourth selected one of said panels to link said third and fourth selected one of said panels in end-to-end relationship.

Claim 12

The fluid contact panel of claim 8 wherein said rivet means each further comprise a body segment, a head attached to one end of said body segment and barb means extending from the opposite end of said body segment, said body fitted into said foot aperture and said recess aperture, said head extending into said bottom access aperture and said barb means extending into said top access aperture, respectively to join said first and second ones of said panels together in stacked relationship.

Claim 13

The fluid contact panel of claim 8 comprising a first set of tabs extending in spaced relationship from one end of each of said panels and a second set of sockets provided in spaced relationship in the opposite end of each of said panels, whereby said tabs in a third selected one of said panels are inserted in said sockets in a fourth selected one of said panels to link said third and fourth selected one of said panels in end-to-end relationship, and wherein said rivet means each further comprise a body segment, a head attached to one end of said body segment and barb means extending from the opposite end of said body segment, said body segment fitted into said foot aperture and said recess aperture, said head extending into said bottom access aperture and said barb means extending into said top access aperture, respectively, to join said first and second ones of said panels together in stacked relationship.