Injection-Molded Spill Container With Integral Ribs for Load Lines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load line connection spillage containers require reinforcing steel collars, plates, and saddles for ruggedness, which is undesirable, especially in oil field applications where a more robust, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant solution is needed to contain spills effectively without additional weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An injection-molded load line connection spillage container with integrally molded reinforcing ribs and gussets for strength, along with optional assemblies for secure mounting, cleanout, sampling, and flow measurement, eliminating the need for steel reinforcements and providing enhanced durability and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel collars, plates, and saddles are used to strengthen the load line container, then the container achieves sufficient ruggedness for oil field applications, but the device complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the reinforcing function directly into the container body by molding ribs and gussets as integral parts of the polyethylene structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate steel reinforcement components (collars, plates, saddles), thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the required ruggedness for oil field applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses polyethylene as the base material and incorporates molded-in ribs and gussets to create a composite structural system. This approach replaces traditional steel reinforcement with a polymer-based composite structure that achieves comparable strength without the added complexity of multi-material assembly.
2Strength
If steel collars, plates, and saddles are used to strengthen the load line container, then the container achieves sufficient ruggedness for oil field applications, but the weight increases due to additional steel components
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the strengthening function into the integral molded structure of the polyethylene container, the patent eliminates the need for separate steel components. This integration removes the additional weight that would result from attaching steel collars, plates, and saddles, while still providing the necessary ruggedness through the molded-in ribs and gussets.
3Strength
If traditional load line containers are used with steel reinforcements, then structural strength is achieved, but corrosion and wear resistance are reduced due to steel components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all structural strengthening elements (ribs and gussets) into the polyethylene material itself, creating a homogeneous structure made entirely of corrosion and wear-resistant polymer. This eliminates the steel components that would otherwise be susceptible to corrosion and wear, thereby improving reliability while maintaining structural strength.
Data Source
AI summary
An injection-molded load line connection spillage container for catching and retaining liquid spilled when liquids are pumped between storage tanks and tankers provides an injection-molded reservoir and an injection-molded cover attached to the reservoir by hinges. Reinforcing ribs molded into the reservoir provide strength and ruggedness without the need for reinforcing steel collars and saddles. Gussets molded into the reservoir hinge brackets ensure repeated stresses produced by energetic opening of the cover does not result in failure of the hinge brackets. An optional load line mounting assembly permits secure mounting of the load line container directly onto the load line. An optional cleanout assembly provides a valved suction line for removing retained spillage, and an optional sampling assembly provides a valved sample line for sampling the liquid being transferred.