FR2495581A1 - DEVICE COMPRISING THE AUTONOMOUS VACUUM CHAMBERS OF A VARIABLE VOLUME, JOINED BETWEEN THEM - Google Patents

Abstract

One of the applications of the device according to the invention is effected by a plurality or autonomous annular vacuum chambers (R, S and T) of variable volume and assembled together and surrounding a container having the form of a bellows (19) containing a pressurized fluid. A valve (17) fitted on the container (19) allows the diffusion of said fluid into an aerosol or a jet.

Description

 The applicant has described in French patents N 7240290, N 7405122 and N 7600539 containers using a vacuum chamber to ensure the diffusion under pressure of a product contained in a fluid chamber, the variable volume of the aforementioned vacuum chamber being produced either by a cylinder-piston assembly or by a bellows made of elastic material.

 As is apparent from the presentations of these patents, such containers provide, compared to known containers, several advantages described in said presentations.

 The Applicant notes that the characteristic means which provide such advantages can be further improved and can therefore allow, on the one hand, the production of simple, inexpensive and reduced volume containers and, on the other hand, the extension of the field of application of said devices in the manner of springs for storing and restoring mechanical energy.

 The present invention proposes for this purpose, a device in which the variable volume of the vacuum chamber is produced by one or more autonomous elements assembled together, each of said elements composed of two walls made of elastic material, the two aforementioned walls assembled together on their edges in a sealed manner in a position in which their internal faces are applied without play against each other, the members being provided, allowing, by a tensile force applied from the outside, to move the two abovementioned inner faces apart, creating a vacuum between them.

 It should be noted that the term wall or member is used in the broadest sense, encompassing the different shapes, sizes, thicknesses or materials of said walls or said members.

 Thus, for example, that the aforementioned walls can be made flat or in the form of suction cups flattened during their assembly by pairss, have the shape of a disc or a washer, have their faces applying against one another. other smooth or profiled, present or not particular means, ensuring their assembly, these means closed in one piece with said walls or not, etc.

 The members making it possible to separate the walls of the vacuum chambers from one another, can also have different shapes, sizes or materials, corresponding to the purpose which must achieve the device according to the invention.

 Several advantages can be obtained from a device thus constituted.

1 The pressure supplied by the armed device is practically constant for any relative position of the walls forming the vacuum chambers.

 Indeed, the creation in each vacuum chamber of a capacity from a practically zero volume, ensures the realization of an extremely high vacuum between the walls of said chambers, so that the differential pressure between the pressure atmospheric acting on the outer faces of the aforementioned walls and the vacuum prevailing inside said walls remains constant.

2. The device according to the invention, composed of several autonomous vacuum chambers, formed by thin walls, produces a rigid and light assembly, eliminating the irregular deformations of a sealed bellows, subjected to traction.

3. The device according to the invention can produce a simple deflection for any given load, by assembling several vacuum chambers producing the sum of the arrows of each of the crusted chambers.

4. The device according to the invention in which a characteristic, chosen in advance, links the increase in a deflection to the increase in a load (external force) is easily achieved by assembling the vacuum chambers having walls of different surfaces, said surfaces exposed to atmospheric pressure determining the loads necessary to separate them from each other 5. The weight of a device according to the invention, presenting the vacuum chambers with the surfaces of the large walls , is much lighter than the weight of a steel spring capable of providing the same important work, but with decreasing pressure.

6. The device according to the invention, in a free position, in which the inner faces of the walls forming the vacuum chambers are in contact with each other without play, has a very compact shape and occupies an extremely reduced volume.

7. The walls in the shape of the suction cups formed in pairs in one piece, can be assembled together to form the sealed vacuum chambers of the device according to the invention, by a simple pressure, flattening said suction cups so that their faces interior touch without play between them.

 Several other advantages will become apparent hereinafter, by making it possible in particular to produce a single assembly comprising a fluid chamber in the form of a bellows, surrounded by the annular vacuum chambers according to the invention.

The characteristic objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which will be given below, relating to several embodiments chosen by way of examples and represented in the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shows in perspective a device according to the invention, comprising a single vacuum chamber, said chamber shown in a free position, in which the inner faces of its walls, in the form of flat discs, touch.

Figure 2A is a vertical sectional view showing, separated from each other, the various components of a device comprising three vacuum chambers and constituting one of the embodiments of the invention.
Figure 2B is an elevational view showing the device of Figure 2A with the components assembled together by pressure.

 Figure 2C is a vertical axial section showing the device of Figure 2B with the walls of the three vacuum chambers spaced apart by a tensile force applied from the outside.

 Figure 3 is an axial, vertical section of a device according to the invention, comprising a single vacuum chamber, composed of two walls in the form of flat washers, shown in the free position in which their inner faces touch.

 Figure 4 is an axial, vertical section of a device similar to that of Figure 3, the walls in the form of flat washers making up the three vacuum chambers i are shown in the separated position.

 Figure 5 is an axial, vertical section of the device of Figure 4, wherein the central bellows, formed by the walls of the 3 vacuum chambers, is closed at its two ends, by watertight transverse partitions.

 Figure 6A shows in axial, vertical section the central bellows of Figure 5 formed in one piece with two radially oversized flat washers on each convex fold of the accordion wall of said spuf flow.

 In FIG. 6B, the bellows clam is shown flattened with the outer edges of the washers fixed to each other in pairs, so as to form the annular vacuum chambers surrounding the central bellows.

 FIG. 6C is a vertical axial section of a detail of the walls intended to be assembled together to form vacuum chambers, said walls having the shape of suction cups.

 In FIG. 6D the device of FIG. 6B, provided with a valve, is shown with the walls of the vacuum chambers separated from one another by an external force and maintained in this position by a fluid enclosed under pressure in the central bellows.

 Identical or equivalent elements bear the same indices in all the figures.

 Styla figure 1 two flat discs 1 and 2, applying without play against each other, are fixed to each other, in a sealed manner, on their outer edges 3 by welding, gluing or a another method, to form a vacuum chamber. The two elements 4 and 5 formed in single material with the disks 1 and 2, or fixed on their outer faces, allowing by a tensile force applied to these elements, to separate the inner faces of the disks 1 and 2, and create between them a extremely high vacuum.

 As explained above, in such a device, an axial restoring force acting between the position in which the two walls are spaced from one another and the free position in which they touch, remains substantially constant.

 It is clear that the total deflection of such a device comprising several vacuum chambers is equal to the deflection of a single vacuum chamber, determined by the maximum distance from its spaced apart walls, multiplied by the number of the vacuum chambers of the device cited above.

 In FIG. 2 A, the elements A, B, C and D represent the four constituent elements of a device according to the invention.

 The two elements B and G, each closed in one piece by two suction walls 2 - 1 'and 2' - I1 ", will form a vacuum chamber or device, while the elements A and D, each formed also in one piece, by a 1 or 2 "suction cup and a 4 or 5 member, placed at two ends of the device, will form with the 2 and 1" suction cups two other vacuum chambers and at the same time allow to exert a tensile force required to create the vacuum in the aforementioned vacuum chambers.

 In Figure 2B the four elements A, B, C and D are fixed to each other by an external pressure applied during assembly, this pressure flattening the suction cups 1 and 2, 11 and 2 ', 1u and 2 "of such that their inner faces come into contact without play with each other, by bringing them together in this flattened position, in a sealed manner, atmospheric pressure ensuring this fixation.

 It is obvious that, in such a device, the tensile force applied from the outside must never exceed the resistance offered by atmospheric pressure acting on the outside faces of the suction cups or that the deflection of the aforementioned device is limited by a stop. .

 In Figure 2 C the device of Figure 2 S is shown -with the inner faces of the suction cups spaced from each other by a tensile force applied from the outside on the members 4 and 5, said suction cups forming in pairs 1-2 , 1'-2 ', and 1 "-2" the three vacuum chambers according to the invention.

 It should be specified that the number of vacuum chambers, formed by elements such as B or C can be arbitrary and depends only on the maximum deflection required from the device subjected to a given load.

 In Figure 3, two walls in the form of flat washers 6 and 7 resting without play on one another, are fixed to each other in a sealed manner on their outer edges 3 and on their inner edges 8 by welding, gluing or any other method, to form an annular vacuum chamber, the two tubular elements 9 and 10 in single material with the washers 6 and 7 or fixed on the circular pads 11 and 12, making it possible to separate the faces inside of the washers 6 and 7 and create an extremely high vacuum between them.

 In FIG. 4, three annular vacuum chambers R, S and T, each formed by a pair of 4 polished washers, flat 6-7, 6'-7 'and 6 "-7" are assembled together by welding, bonding , snap-fastening or any other method, on the circular areas 13 and 14 arranged between their outer edges and their inner edges, the elements 9 and 10 being fixed on the areas II and 12 arranged at the two above-mentioned devices .

 It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the parts of the washers 6-7, 6'-7 'and 6 "-7", inside the circular areas 11, 13, 14 and 12 form an accordion wall U, arranged in the center and surrounded by the annular vacuum chambers R, S and T.

 In FIG. 5, a watertight transverse partition 15, comprising a ring 16 fitted with a valve 17, fixed on the circular area 11 at the end of the accordion wall U and the waterproof base 18, fixed on the area 12 at the other end of the wall U, form with said wall a sealed container, provided with a valve and surrounded by annular vacuum chambers, said container in the form of a bellows filled with a liquid or pasty product, allowing diffusion under pressure of said product.

 A container thus constituted, presents, compared to known containers, several very important advantages 1. The fluid chamber and the annular vacuum chambers having the partition wall in common accordion, the overall volume of the device, filled with a fluid and ready to be used, is sorted reduced, said volume being determined solely by the sum of the volumes of these chambers.

2. The empty container, before filling with the walls of the flat chambers pressed against each other, occupies an extremely small volume, which considerably reduces the costs of transporting the empty devices to the places of their packaging, thus than the costs of their storage and handling.

3. Two concentric bellows, the edges of the peripheral folds of the central bellows secured to the edges of the concave folds of the external bellows, produce a very rigid device, eliminating in the armed position, the irregular deformations of these walls.

4. There remains practically no product not dispensed in an empty container, used completely, the remaining capacity of the fluid chamber of such a container determined by the small circular holes arranged in the centers of the flattened washers, being very reduced.

The device according to the invention, represented in FIG. 5, can be produced in single material, by two operations from a container 19 in the form of a bellows represented in FIG. 6 A, the container 19 having on the peripheral folds 20 and 20 'from its accordion wall
U two circular, flat walls? radially oversized 22-21 'respectively 22'-21 ", these peripheral folds formed at the two ends of the container 19 each comprising only one wall 21 and 22".

 In FIG. 6 8 the container 19, flattened by an external pressure, is in a position in which the external faces, adjacent to the accordion wall U, enlarged by the faces of the flat walls, radially oversized 21, 22, 21 ' l 22 ', 21 ", 22" touch each other without play, allowing by any known method, the assembly in pairs of the peripheral flanges of the walls formed on the folds adjacent to the wall U, thus making between the interior faces walls 21-22, 21 $ "22 'and 21" -22 "the three annular vacuum chambers surrounding the container 19.

 In FIG. 6C, the detail on a larger scale, shows in section part of the walls of the container 19, having the shape of the suction cups, said shape allowing the realization of annular vacuum chambers simultaneously with the flattening of the container 19, only by an external press.

 In Figure 6 D the device of Figure 6 8 provided with a valve 23 and a diffuser 24 of a construction as shown in the phase of its use with the annular vacuum chambers expanded and the central bellows filled with a fluid under pressure.

 Of course, the arrangements described and shown may be subject to various modifications and variants without departing from the scope of the invention.

 It is understood, moreover, that the invention is not limited to the specific applications described above.

Claims (10)

 1. The object of the present invention is a device allowing the accumulation and the restitution of mechanical energy by the creation of the vacuum in a capacity of a variable volume, this device characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a vacuum chamber, composed of two walls of elastic material, assembled together in a position in which the interior faces of said walls are applied without play against each other, while their edges are fixed one to the other other in a sealed manner, by any known method, members being provided allowing a force applied from the outside, to separate one from the other the internal faces of the two aforementioned walls, creating between them a hole; the differential pressure between, at least, atmospheric pressure, acting on the outer faces of the aforementioned walls and the vacuum prevailing between their separated inner faces, determining the resistance force opposed to said force applied from the outside.  2. Device comprising several vacuum chambers according to claim I in which two neighboring flat discs or mn form two suction cups flattened one against the other, form each vacuum chamber of the aforementioned device, said vacuum chambers assembled together on the areas arranged at the centers of their walls, having on the other hand at each of the two ends of said chambers, a member making it possible to exert on them a tensile force, each of said members formed integrally or assembled with the wall placed at one of the two aforementioned ends.  3. Device comprising several vacuum chambers according to claim 1, in which two adjacent flat washers or in the form of flattened suction cups one against the other form each annular vacuum chamber of the aforementioned device, said annular vacuum chambers assembled in a sealed manner with one another on the circular pads disposed on their walls, between their peripheral edges and their inner edges, have on the other hand, at each of their two ends a member making it possible to exert on them a tensile force, each of said members formed in single material or assembled with the wall places at one of the two aforementioned ends on a circular area disposed between its peripheral rim and its internal rim.  4. Device comprising several annular vacuum chambers according to claims 1 and 3 in which the accordion wall, formed by the central parts of the washers inside the circular ranges joining the vacuum chambers, is sealed at its two ends, by a flat bottom on one side and by a transverse partition provided with a ring fitted with a valve on the other side, the container in the form of a sealed central bellows thus produced enabling a tensile force on the walls of the annular vacuum chambers 1ltentourantpar introduction under pressure of any fluid, inside said bellows.  5. Device comprising several annular vacuum chambers, ensuring a central container in the form of a bellows according to claims 1 and 4, said device made of single material, by a bellows having on each peripheral fold of its wall an accordion, two walls flat or in the form of two suction cups oriented in diametrically opposite directions, radially oversized, the peripheral edges of said walls assembled in pairs, by pressure or by any known method in a position in which the interior faces of the assembled walls are in contact without play between them, said walls assembled in pairs, belonging to the peripheral folds adjacent to the aforementioned bellows.  6. A method of manufacturing a device according to claims 1 and 4 in which elements each formed in single material by two flat washers or in the form of two suction cups, integral with each other on the circular pads, arranged between their outer and inner edges ( the suction cups oriented in directions diametrically opposite to each other), said flattened elements and assembled together in a sealed manner by welding, gluing or any other method, on the outer and inner edges of the walls making up the elements mentioned above (the suction cups being able to be assembled by pressure only), thus forming annular vacuum chambers surrounding a container in the form of a bellows, the two ends of said bellows, formed by two single-material elements, the first of these two elements composed by a flat washer or an integral suction cup with a flat bottom and the second of these two elements also made up of a washer o u an integral suction cup with a transverse partition provided with a ring.  7. A method of manufacturing a device according to claims 1 and A, wherein the flat elastic washers, assembled together in pairs, in a sealed manner, by welding, gluing or any other method on their outer and inner edges, are then joined together by welding, gluing, elastic detent clipping or another process, on the circular areas arranged on the walls of said washers between their outer and inner edges.  8. A method of manufacturing a device according to claims 1 and 2, wherein elements each formed in nonomatière by two flat discs or in the form of suction cups, integral with each other on the pads arranged in their centers, (the suction cups oriented in the directions diametrically opposite to each other) said flattened elements and assembled together in a sealed manner by welding, bonding or any other method, on the outer edges of the discs making up the aforementioned elements (the suction cups assembled together by pressure only) the two ends of the aforementioned device formed by two single-material elements each composed by a flat disc or in the form of a suction cup integral with a member making it possible to exert traction on said device.  9. A method of manufacturing a device according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the flat discs, assembled together in pairs, in a sealed manner, by welding, bonding or any other method, on their outer edges, are then joined together by welding, bonding, elastic detent clipping or any other method, on the tracks arranged in the centers of the aforementioned discs.  10. Device according to claim 1 and one of claims from 2 to 9, in which the two walls making up each vacuum chamber comprise circular, concentric hollow and projecting parts, said projecting parts of one of the two walls, adapted to penetrate into the hollow parts of the other of the two walls, making contact without play between the interior faces of said walls.