WO2022168065A1

WO2022168065A1 - A gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product

Info

Publication number: WO2022168065A1
Application number: PCT/IB2022/051119
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zhi Xiong Huang; Wei Li; Hong Wen Li; Jin Qie YOU; Yu Kai ZHENG
Original assignee: Intex Industries Xiamen Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 2021-02-08
Filing date: 2022-02-08
Publication date: 2022-08-11
Also published as: CN112763152A

Abstract

A gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product is provided. The method may comprise: filling a gas mixture into an inflatable product to be detected, placing the inflatable product to be detected in a sealed test cover, wherein more than two test areas are arranged on the test cover and a plurality of detection holes are arranged in each test area, connecting each detection hole to a gas tester with a detection pipeline, taking a gas sample from each test area in turn, wherein gas samples go into the gas tester for a detection in turn, and completing a gas leakage detection of the inflatable product until all test areas are detected. The test cover may be divided into a plurality of test areas and a plurality of test holes may be arranged in each test area. Each detection hole may be connected to a gas tester, and therefore the gas tester may quickly detect a gas leakage, no matter where the gas leakage occurs in an inflatable product.

Description

A GAS LEAKAGE DETECTION METHOD FOR AN INFLATABLE PRODUCT

Related Application

[0001] This application is related to Chinese Application No.: 202110171163.6, filed February 8, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] Additionally, the present application is related to Chinese Application No.: 202110180594.9, filed February 8, 2021; Chinese Utility Model Application No.

202120363754.9 filed February 8, 2021; Chinese Utility Model Application No.:

202120371838.7 filed February 8, 2021; Chinese Utility Model Application Number No. 202120367781.3, filed February 8, 2021; Chinese Utility Model Application No.

202120371730.8 filed February 8, 2021; and Chinese Patent Application No.

202123270682.2, filed Dec. 23, 2021, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of detections of inflatable products, in particular to a gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product.

Background

[0004] Common inflatable products, such as inflatable beds, inflatable tables, inflatable ships and inflatable toys, on the market are very popular with consumers because they are light, foldable, easy to carry and comfortable. They are widely applied and are necessary products in the home and for travel. They have a broad market prospect. The airtightness of inflatable products is a key index deciding the quality of inflatable products and the airtightness directly influences consumers' experience in the use of inflatable products. For this reason, an airtightness detection will be performed for most inflatable products before they are launched onto the market.

[0005] Currently, the methods for detecting the airtightness of inflatable products include a pressure drop method and a gas detection method, and the helium detection method is the most common gas detection method. Helium detection method: fill helium into an inflatable product, place the inflatable product in a sealed test cover, arrange a detection hole on the test cover and connect the detection hole to a helium mass spectrometer. If the inflatable product leaks after a period of time, the helium mass spectrometer will detect helium. At least the following problems exist in the conventional helium detection method: [0006] 1. Since only one detection hole is arranged on the test cover, it will take helium a certain period of time to spread to the detection hole if the leakage point is not around the detection hole. Therefore, for the current leakage detection method, an inflatable product needs to be placed in a test cover for a long period of time and the time cost is high. [0007] 2. Currently, a leakage detection of an inflatable product is quickly completed by increasing the concentration of helium filled into the inflatable product. In this way, even if a certain distance exists between the leakage point and the detection point, the helium mass spectrometer can also quickly detect helium. However, since helium is expensive, an increase in the concentration of helium will undoubtedly increase the leakage detection cost.

Summary

[0008] In exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, an object, among others, is to provide a gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product to complete a gas leakage detection quickly.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned object, an exemplary technical solution of the present disclosure is a gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product. The method comprising filling a gas mixture into an inflatable product to be detected, wherein the gas mixture contains a gas to be detected, placing the inflatable product to be detected in a sealed test cover, wherein more than two test areas are arranged on the test cover and a plurality of detection holes are arranged in each test area, connecting each detection hole to a gas tester with a detection pipeline, wherein detection holes in different test areas are connected to the gas tester with different detection pipelines and the gas tester is used to detect the gas to be detected, taking a gas sample from each test area in turn after a period of T time, wherein gas samples go into the gas tester for a detection in turn, and completing a gas leakage detection of the inflatable product until all test areas are detected, wherein as long as the gas to be detected is detected in one test area, it indicates that the inflatable product to be detected leaks.

[0010] In exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a control valve is provided on the detection pipeline in each test area, and when the gas tester detects a test area, the control valve on the detection pipeline in the test area is opened, while the control valves on the pipelines in the other test areas are closed.

[0011] In further exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a gas pumping device is further connected to the detection pipeline in each test area, and after the detection pipeline is connected, the gas pumping device is started in order to pump the gas in the inner cavity of the test cover during the period of T time and the subsequent detection. In embodiments, the gas pumping device sucks air into the detection pipeline. The gas tester may be a gas mass spectrometer. The gas to be detected may be one of helium or sulfur hexafluoride and the gas tester may be a helium tester or sulfur hexafluoride tester.

[0012] In exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, with the above- mentioned solution adopted, a gas leakage detection method of the present disclosure has the following advantageous effects, among others:

[0013] 1. A test cover is divided into a plurality of test areas and the test areas are detected one by one by use of a gas tester in the present invention. Such a setting reduces the area where a leaking gas to be detected spreads. Therefore, the gas tester can detect a leakage at each leakage point as long as the gas to be detected spreads in the test area. In addition, since a plurality of detection holes are arranged in each test area, the gas tester can detect whether a leakage occurs at each leakage point, without any necessity of filling up the test area with the leaking gas to be detected. Thus, the time spent on a leakage detection is reduced.

[0014] 2. Since the area where the leaking gas spreads is reduced, the concentration of the gas to be detected in the gas mixture filled into an inflatable product to be detected can be reduced in order to lower the cost in a leakage detection.

[0015] 3. In exemplary embodiments, the test areas may tested one by one by use of the gas tester, and therefore an area where a leakage occurs can be accurately located and then the area to be searched for a leaking hole is reduced, thus providing convenience for the subsequent repair of the inflatable product.

[0016] Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] The foregoing aspects and many of the intended advantages of this disclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Fig. 1 is a detection flowchart of an exemplary method of the present disclosure;

[0019] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary gas leakage detection system of the present disclosure; and

[0020] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of another exemplary gas leakage detection system of the present disclosure.

[0021] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of various features and components according to the present disclosure, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present disclosure. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the disclosure, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.

Detailed Description

[0022] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principals of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. It will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The disclosure includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrative devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the disclosure which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.

[0023] In the description, it should be noted that the terms upper, lower, inner, outer, top/bottom, etc. indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation shown in the drawings are only for the convenience of simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the pointed device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present disclosure. In addition, the terms first and second are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. [0024] The terms “couples”, “coupled”, “coupler”, and variations thereof are used to include both arrangements wherein two or more components are in direct physical contact and arrangements wherein the two or more components are not in direct contact with each other (e.g., the components are “coupled” via at least a third component, but yet still cooperates or interact with each other).

[0025] The present disclosure is related to the following applications which are incorporated by reference herein.

[0026] Exemplary gas leakage testing devices having a plurality of test covers in a test frame, a loading workstation, and unloading workstation and methods of operation are provided in PCT Patent Application No. (unknown), filed same day as the present application, titled GAS LEAKAGE TESTING DEVICE FOR INFLATABLE PRODUCT, docket IRC-0145-01-WO and in Chinese Application No.: 202110180594.9 and Chinese Utility Model Application No.: 202120363754.9 both filed February 8, 2021, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. Additional exemplary gas leakage testing devices are provided in PCT Patent Application No. (unknown), filed same day as the present application, titled FEEDING MECHANISM, FEEDING AND DISCHARGE STRUCTURE FOR PERFORMANCE DETECTION DEVICE FOR INFLATABLE PRODUCT, docket IRC-0149-01 -WO and in Chinese Application No.: 202123270682.2, filed Dec. 23, 2021, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

[0027] Exemplary test cover replacement structures for swapping out test covers in a gas leakage detection device having at least a test frame and a loading workstation are provided in PCT Patent Application No. (unknown), filed same day as the present application, titled A TEST COVER REPLACEMENT STRUCTURE FOR AN AIR LEAKAGE DETECTION DEVICE OF INFLATABLE PRODUCTS, docket IRC-0146-01- WO and in Chinese Utility Model Application No.: 202120371838.7 filed February 8, 2021, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

[0028] Exemplary test covers are provided in PCT Patent Application No. (unknown), filed same day as the present application, titled AIR LEAKAGE DETECTION STRUCTURE AND TEST COVER STRUCTURE FOR INFLATABLE PRODUCT, docket IRC-0147-01-WO and Chinese Utility Model Application Number: 202120367781.3, filed February 8, 2021, the entire disclosures of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

[0029] Exemplary sealing joint structures for sealing a connection between a gas source and an inflatable product for inflation or deflation of the inflatable product are provided in PCT Patent Application No. (unknown), filed same day as the present application, titled A SEALING JOINT STRUCTURE FOR INFLATION AND DEFLATION, docket IRC-0148-01-WO and Chinese Utility Model Application Number: 202120371730.8, filed February 8, 2021, the entire disclosures of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

[0030] Referring to Fig. 1, an exemplary gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product is shown. The method may comprise the following steps, among others. [0031] Step 1. Fill a gas mixture into an inflatable product 2 to be detected, wherein the gas mixture contains a gas to be detected.

[0032] Step 2. Place the inflatable product 2 to be detected in a sealed test cover 1, wherein more than two test areas are arranged on the test cover 1 and a plurality of detection holes are arranged in each test area. [0033] Step 3. Connect each detection hole to a gas tester with a detection pipeline 4, wherein detection holes in different test areas are connected to the gas tester with different detection pipelines 4 and the gas tester is used to detect the gas to be detected.

[0034] Step 4. Take a gas sample from each test area in turn after a period of T time, wherein gas samples go into the gas tester for a detection in turn, and complete a gas leakage detection of the inflatable product 2 until all test areas are detected, wherein as long as the gas to be detected is detected in one test area, it indicates that the inflatable product 2 to be detected leaks. If the gas to be detected is not detected in any of the test areas, it indicates the inflatable product 2 does not have a leak.

[0035] In embodiments, the test cover 1 is divided into a plurality of test areas and a plurality of test holes are arranged in each test area. In embodiments, the test cover 1 is divided into a plurality of test areas and at least one test hole is arranged in each test area. Each detection hole is connected to a gas tester, and therefore the gas tester can quickly detect a gas leakage, no matter where the gas leakage occurs in an inflatable product. In this way, it takes a short time to complete a gas leakage detection.

[0036] In embodiments, the gas to be detected is helium, sulfur hexafluoride or other gases which are convenient to detect, and the gas tester is a helium tester, sulfur hexafluoride tester or a tester for other gases accordingly. In embodiments, the gas to be detected is helium, the gas mixture consists of helium and air, and the gas tester is a helium mass spectrometer 3.

[0037] In embodiments, a control valve 5 is provided on the detection pipeline 4 in each test area, and when the helium mass spectrometer 3 detects a test area, the control valve 5 on the detection pipeline 4 in the test area is opened, while the control valves 5 on the pipelines 4 in the other test areas are closed.

[0038] Referring to Fig. 2, the sealed test cover 1 in the present embodiment is divided into five test areas, and a control valve 5 is provided on the pipelines 4 in the five test areas. When the detection begins, the helium mass spectrometer 3 detects test area I, test area II, test area III, test area IV and test area V in turn. When test area I is detected, the control valve 5 in test area I is opened, and the corresponding control valves 5 in test area II to test area V are closed. When test area II is detected, the control valve 5 in test area II is opened, and the corresponding control valves 5 in test area I and test area III to test area V are closed. When test area III is detected, the control valve 5 in test area III is opened, and the corresponding control valves 5 in test area I to test II and test area IV to test area V are closed. When test area IV is detected, the control valve 5 in test area IV is opened, and the corresponding control valves 5 in test area I to test area III and test area V are closed. When test area V is detected, the control valve 5 in test area V is opened, and the corresponding control valves 5 in test area I to test area IV are closed. The completion of the detection of test area V means the completion of the detection of the inflatable product 2. As long as a leakage occurs in any of test area I to test area V, it indicates that the inflatable product leaks and the inflatable product is unqualified. In this case, since the test area where a leakage occurs is known, a worker can quickly determine the position where the leakage occurs. This greatly facilitates the subsequent repair.

[0039] In embodiments, the division of the test areas on the test cover 1 is a virtual division and no isolation object exists between test areas. Of course, corresponding isolation structures may also be arranged on the test cover 1, in other embodiments, to separate the test areas in practical applications. However, the isolation structures must not damage the inflatable product 2 to be detected.

[0040] Referring to Fig. 3, in order to further reduce the detection time, the detection pipeline 4 in each test area is further connected to a gas pumping device 6 in the present embodiment. After the detection pipeline 4 is connected, the gas pumping device 6 is started in order to pump the gas in the inner cavity of the test cover 1 into the respective detection pipeline 4 during the period of T time. The gas pumping device 6 increases the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the inflatable product 2 to be detected in the test cover 1. In embodiments, the pressure difference is increased by decreasing the pressure in the interior of the test cover 1 into which the inflatable product is placed. When the pressure difference between the inside and the outside is great, if the inflatable product 2 to be detected leaks, helium can quickly leak from a leakage position of the inflatable product 2 to be detected and the helium mass spectrometer can quickly detect whether a leakage occurs. Thus, the time spent on a leakage detection is reduced. [0041] In embodiments, the gas leakage detection method in the present embodiment at least has the following advantageous effects, among others.

[0042] 1. A test cover 1 is divided into a plurality of test areas and the test areas are detected one by one by use of a helium mass spectrometer 3. Such a setting reduces the area where helium spreads. Therefore, the helium mass spectrometer 3 can detect a leakage at each leakage point, as long as, helium spreads in the test area. In addition, since a plurality of detection holes are arranged in each test area, the helium mass spectrometer 3 can detect whether a leakage occurs at each leakage point, without any necessity of fdling up the test area with helium. Thus, the time spent on a leakage detection is reduced.

[0043] 2. Since the area where helium spreads is reduced, the concentration of helium detected in the gas mixture fdled into an inflatable product 2 to be detected can be reduced in order to lower the cost in a leakage detection. In embodiments, the minimum concentration of helium is 3% or so. If more test areas are divided on the test cover 1 and more detection holes are arranged in each test area, then the concentration of helium in the gas mixture can be lower.

[0044] 3. The test areas are tested one by one by use of the helium mass spectrometer

3, and therefore an area where a leakage occurs can be accurately located and then the area to be searched for a leaking hole is reduced, thus providing convenience for the subsequent repair of the inflatable product.

[0045] Description of reference numbers in the drawings:

[0046] 1. test cover

[0047] 2. inflatable product to be detected

[0048] 3. helium mass spectrometer

[0049] 4. detection pipeline

[0050] 5. control valve

[0051] 6. gas pumping device.

[0052] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product, characterized in that the method comprises: fdling a gas mixture into an inflatable product to be detected, wherein the gas mixture contains a gas to be detected, placing the inflatable product to be detected in a sealed test cover, wherein more than two test areas are arranged on the test cover and a plurality of detection holes are arranged in each test area, connecting each detection hole to a gas tester with a detection pipeline, wherein detection holes in different test areas are connected to the gas tester with different detection pipelines and the gas tester is used to detect the gas to be detected, taking a gas sample from each test area in turn after a period of T time, wherein gas samples go into the gas tester for a detection in turn, and completing a gas leakage detection of the inflatable product until all test areas are detected, wherein as long as the gas to be detected is detected in one test area, it indicates that the inflatable product to be detected leaks.

2. The gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product as claimed in claim 1, wherein a control valve is provided on the detection pipeline in each test area, and when the gas tester detects a test area, the control valve on the detection pipeline in the test area is opened, while the control valves on the pipelines in the other test areas are closed.

3. The gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gas pumping device is further connected to the detection pipeline in each test area, and after the detection pipeline is connected, the gas pumping device is started in order to pump the gas in the inner cavity of the test cover during the period of T time and the subsequent detection.

4. The gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas tester is a gas mass spectrometer.

5. The gas leakage detection method for an inflatable product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas to be detected is helium or sulfur hexafluoride and the gas tester is a helium tester or sulfur hexafluoride tester.