Transportation device and associated methods for lifting and lowering gas-containing receptacles

Abstract

A transportation device 100 to transport a gas containing receptacle 100a having a base portion 110, an elongated member 120 attached to the base portion and a carrier portion 130 movable along the el

Description

The present invention relates to a transportation device transporting a gas-containing receptacle. In particular, the present invention relates to a transportation device that extracts an amount of gas from a gas-containing receptacle to facilitate safe lifting or lowering of the receptacle. The receptacle can be a gas-storage receptacle such as a high-pressure gas cylinder, or another receptacle such as a liquid-storage receptacle containing an amount of gas. Background of the Invention Traditional, large capacity gas cylinders require the use of multiple devices and machinery to manoeuvre and store them. For example, a typically “large” capacity gas cylinder may have a capacity of 20 litres or more and weigh 20kg or more, necessitating the use of machinery for safe transportation either between vertical heights or horizontally from one location to another. Falling gas cylinders clearly present a safety hazard if they fall on personnel in their vicinity, causing serious injuries or even death. The need for machinery introduces additional costs associated with the rental, purchase and / or maintenance and running of the machinery, as well as the need for appropriately trained personnel capable of operating the relevant machinery. It is therefore desirable to provide systems and methods which address at least some of these issues. Summary According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a transportation device for transporting a receptacle, comprising: a base portion; an elongated member attached to the base portion; a carrier portion movably arranged on the elongated member for movement along the elongated member, and configured for receiving the receptacle for transport; a gas extraction line suitably configured for connecting to an outlet of the receptacle and for directing gas from the receptacle to an interior volume of the elongated member, wherein the gas from the receptacle is at least temporarily held inside the elongated member; and a gas release actuator on the transportation device configured to actuate release of at least part of the gas from the interior volume of the elongated member in response to a user altering the state of the actuator. By utilising the gas from the receptacle, the cost of an external gas source is removed. In addition, by removing the need for an external gas source and therefore an additional cylinder, the overall arrangement of the apparatus is simplified. Furthermore, by slowly introducing or releasing gas from the elongated member, the receptacle can be safely raised or lowered between vertical positions without the need for complex or costly machinery such as forklifts and the like. The transportation device can be largely made of standard materials using known manufacture that are not cost intensive. Optionally, the carrier portion is connected to a movable mechanism located within the interior volume of the elongated member for moving the carrier portion in response to egress of gas out of, or ingress of gas into, the elongated member from the receptacle. Optionally, the movable mechanism comprises a piston. Optionally, the elongated member is rotatably attached to the base portion. Optionally, the base portion is rotatable through 270° with respect to the elongated member. This would allow the base portion to be arranged substantially perpendicular to the elongated member on one side in use, or substantially parallel to the elongated member on one side in use. Optionally, the elongated member comprises a plurality of telescopic members. Optionally, the carrier portion is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the elongated member to facilitate rotation of the receptacle. Optionally, the carrier portion comprises arms that each include an attachment element for removable attachment to the base and the top of the receptacle. Optionally, the gas extraction line is integrally in the carrier portion. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a receptacle for use with the transportation device, at least comprising a first attachment mechanism located at or near its base and configured for removable attachment to a first complementary attachment member located on the carrier portion. Optionally, the receptacle further comprises an attachment mechanism located at or near its top and configured for removable attachment to a second complementary attachment member located on the carrier portion. According to a further aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method of moving a receptacle from a first vertical position to a second vertical position different than the first vertical position, comprising the steps of: positioning a receptacle on a carrier portion of a transportation device at a first vertical position; connecting a gas extraction line between the transportation device and an outlet of the receptacle; changing the state of a gas release actuator on the transportation device in order to facilitate the ingress of gas into, or egress of gas out from, a movable mechanism inside the transportation device such that the carrier portion and the receptacle move from the first vertical position to a second vertical position different than the first vertical position. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 provides a conceptual diagram illustrating steps of using a transportation device according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 provides a block diagram illustrating a method for using the transportation device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Description of the Drawings The present disclosure will now be made with reference to the accompanying Figures. Like features are labelled with like reference numerals. It will be understood that the Figures are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to be limiting in nature. Referring to Figure 1, steps (A)-(D) of using an exemplary transportation device 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated. The transportation device 100 is configured for moving a gas-containing receptacle 100a, and preferably includes a base portion 110 located at floor level, an elongated member 120 attached to the base portion 110 and extending generally vertically upwards, and a carrier portion 130 arranged on the elongated member 120 for movement along the elongated member 120. The carrier portion 130 can be configured for movement along the elongated member 120 in various ways, by way of example it may be mounted on a rail on the elongated member, or alternatively the elongated member 120 may comprise a slidable member to which the carrier portion 130 is attached and moves with. The carrier portion 130 is configured for receiving the receptacle 100a for transport. In preferred embodiments, the carrier portion 130 comprises two arms connected therebetween by a connecting member. Preferably the distance separating the arms can be adjusted. For example, in some embodiments the carrier portion 130 may be telescopic such that the distance between the arms can be decreased or increased, and secured in place, dependent on the size of the receptacle to be moved. In some embodiments the elongated member 120 may comprise two or more telescopic members in order to adjust its total length. In preferred embodiments, each of the arms of the carrier portion 130 includes one or more attachment elements 160 for removable attachment to the base and the top of the receptacle 100a. The attachment elements 160 may be located on one or both arms of the carrier portion 130. The attachment elements 160 may comprise magnetic elements, or another mechanism such as screws, pins, or hooks designed to cooperate with attachment features on the receptacle 100a. In one embodiment, the upper arm of the carrier portion 130 comprises a pin which is dimensioned in a complementary fashion to an aperture on the top side of the receptacle 100a for receiving said pin therein. The transportation device 100 furthermore includes a gas extraction line 140 suitably configured for connecting to an outlet (not pictured) of the receptacle 100a and for directing gas from the receptacle 100a to an interior volume of the elongated member 120. In some embodiments, the outlet of the receptacle 100a comprises a gas outlet valve, whilst in other embodiments the outlet is any number of other types of outlet valves. By way of example, in embodiments where the receptacle is a gas cylinder, then the outlet may comprise any of the known types of valves used in that setting such as a pressure seal valve, a packed valve, an O ring valve, or a diaphragm valve. In another example, when the receptacle is liquid-storage receptacle such as but not limited to a beer keg, there will still be some amount of gas contained in the receptacle that can be used and the outlet may comprise any of the known types of connectors or couplers used in that setting. The gas extraction 140 may integrally include, or may be configured to have removably fitted thereon, the appropriate connection elements to attach to the outlet on the receptacle 100a dependent on the type of receptacle and outlet. The gas extraction line 140 can be either integrally or removably attached to an inlet portion of the transportation device 100. In various embodiments, the gas extraction line 140 can be formed of one or more known materials such as but not limited to a natural or synthetic rubber. Gas from the receptacle 100a can be introduced from the gas-containing receptacle, and at least temporarily held inside the elongated member, by connecting the gas extraction line 140 to the gas outlet valve of the receptacle 100a and opening the valve on the receptacle 100a. A gas release actuator 150 on the transportation device 100 is configured to actuate release of at least part of the gas from the interior volume of the elongated member 120 in response to a user 170 altering the state of the actuator 150. In various embodiments, the actuator 150 comprises a button, a lever, a dial, a switch, a touch-sensitive sensor, and so on. The actuator 150 is operably connected to a movable mechanism (not pictured) inside the elongated member 120 which mechanism causes the carrier portion 130 to move in response to an amount of gas being introduced or removed from the interior volume of the elongated member 120. In preferred embodiments, the movable mechanism comprises a piston mechanism known to the skilled person. The elongated member 120 may comprise one or more outlets purposed for the release of gas from the interior volume in response to the state of the actuator 150 being altered. In the example embodiment of Figure 1, views (A)-(D) illustrate use of the exemplary transportation device 100 in moving a receptacle 100a. It will be appreciated that the specific steps in views (A)-(D), particularly (B)-(D), are optional. In view (A), the transportation device 100 is positioned in the vicinity of a receptacle 100a that is located at a vertical height above the ground. Optionally, the user 170 can place their foot on the base portion 110 to provide additional anchoring of the device 100 in place. The carrier portion 130 is appropriately positioned to be level with the receptacle 100a, either manually or by first connecting the gas extraction line 140 to an outlet of the receptacle 100a to charge the movable mechanism and consequently raise the height of the carrier portion 130. The receptacle 100a is placed in to the arms of the carrier portion 130 and the attachment element(s) 160 are attached to receptacle 100a. The gas extraction 140 is then preferably disconnected, and an upper portion 180 of the elongated member 120 is rotated in order to reposition the receptacle 100a by an angle about an axis through the length of the elongated member 120, displacing it from the shelf it was located on. This optional step is presented in view (B). For example, the receptacle 100a may be rotated through an angle of 180° about an axis through the length of the elongated member 120. In addition to making lowering of the receptacle 100a possible, the provision of means to rotate the receptacle 100a by an angle about an axis through the length of the elongated member 120 also repositions the centre of mass of the transportation device 100 making it more stable and less likely to topple. Once the receptacle 100a has been displaced from the surface it was resting on by rotation, the user 170 may alter the state of the actuator 150, controllably releasing gas from the interior volume of the elongated member 120 and causing the movable member to lower to a desired vertical height and, with it, the carrier portion 130 and the receptacle 100a. In the example of Figure 1, the carrier portion 130 is configured to be rotatable about an axis parallel with the ground such that the receptacle 100a can be rotated by 90° on to its side, which is presented in view (C). Lastly, in view (D), the receptacle 100a having been lowered to or near the base portion 110, the handler 170 may then tilt the device 100 towards themselves such that the base portion 110 is lifted from the ground, and then the base portion 110 is rotated 270° to the other side of the elongated member. The handler 170 may then pull the device 100 whilst holding base portion 110. Preferably, the attachment points 160 on the device 100 and on the receptacle 100a should be configured such that the receptacle 100a is able to rotate about an axis through its centre when pulled by the handler 170 via the device 100, like a wheel. In some embodiments the base portion 110 is configured as a frame comprised of three, four, or more adjoined members defining an aperture in its centre. Referring to Figure 2, there is provided a method of using the transportation device 100 described in the foregoing. In a first step 210, the receptacle is positioned on the carrier portion 130 of the device 100 at a first vertical position. The positioning of the receptacle on the carrier portion 130 may comprise manually moving the receptacle 100a in to position on the carrier portion 310, or it may involve sliding the carrier portion 130 into place around the receptacle 100a. In a second step 220, the gas extraction line 140 is connected to an outlet on the receptacle 100a. The outlet can be a gas outlet valve, or another connector element for at least facilitating the egress of a fluid from the receptacle 100a, depending on the type of receptacle 100a being transported. The gas extraction line 140 should be provided with an appropriate connection / coupling element to attach to the outlet and extract gas. In a third step 230, the user 170 changes the state of the gas release actuator 150 on the transportation device 100 in order to facilitate the ingress of gas into, or egress of gas out from, a movable mechanism inside the transportation device 100. In the instance where the objective is to lower the receptacle 100a from a first vertical height to a second vertical height below the first vertical height, the actuator 150 is used to release gas that has been loaded into the movable mechanism from the receptacle 100a via the gas extraction line 140, thus controllably lowering the carrier portion 130 and the receptacle 100a. In the instance where the objective is to raise the receptacle 100a from a first vertical height to a second vertical height above the first vertical height, the actuator 150 is used to charge the movable mechanism with gas from the receptacle 100a causing the carrier portion 130 and the receptacle 100a to be elevated. From this it will be understood that the functionality of the actuator 150 is to open the inlet / outlet associated with the interior volume of the elongated portion to facilitate ingress or egress of gas dependent on the use case.

Claims

1. A transportation device for transporting a receptacle, comprising:a base portion;an elongated member attached to the base portion and having a movable mechanism;a carrier portion movably arranged on the elongated member for vertical movement along the elongated member, and configured for receiving the receptacle for transport, wherein the carrier portion is connected to the movable mechanism for moving the carrier portion in response to egress of gas out of, or ingress of gas into, an interior volume of the elongated member from the receptacle;a gas extraction line suitably configured for connecting to an outlet of the receptacle and for directing gas from the receptacle to the interior volume of the elongated member, wherein the gas from the receptacle is at least temporarily held inside the elongated member; anda gas release actuator on the transportation device operably connected to the movable mechanism and configured to actuate release of at least part of the gas from the interior volume of the elongated member in response to a user altering the state of the actuator such that the movable mechanism and the carrier portion move vertically along the elongated member.

2. The transportation device of claim 1, wherein the movable mechanism comprises a piston.

3. The transportation device of claim 1, wherein the base portion is rotatably attached to the elongated member.

4. The transportation device of claim 3, wherein the base portion is rotatable through 270° with respect to the elongated member.

5. The transportation device of any previous claim, wherein the elongated member comprises a plurality of telescopic members.

6. The transportation device of any previous claim, wherein the carrier portion is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the elongated member to facilitate rotation of the receptacle.

7. The transportation device of any previous claim, wherein the carrier portion comprises arms that each include an attachment element for removable attachment to the base and the top of the receptacle.

8. The transportation device of any previous claim, wherein the gas extraction line is integrally in the carrier portion.LDCM

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