Injection-Molded Load Line Spill Container Without Steel Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load line containers for containing oil and chemical spills at transfer connections require reinforcement with steel collars, plates, and saddles to withstand rugged oil field applications, which adds weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An injection-molded load line connection spillage container with integrally molded reinforcing ribs and gussets provides inherent strength and ruggedness, eliminating the need for steel reinforcement, and includes optional assemblies for secure mounting, cleanout, sampling, and flow measurement.
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 can withstand rugged oil field applications, but the weight and complexity of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction by integrating steel reinforcement elements (collars, plates, saddles) with the polyethylene container body. This composite approach allows the container to achieve the structural strength needed for rugged oil field applications while maintaining the corrosion-resistant and lightweight advantages of the polyethylene material, rather than using solid steel construction throughout.
2Strength
If steel collars, plates, and saddles are used to strengthen the load line container, then the container can withstand rugged oil field applications, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reinforcement elements (collars, plates, saddles) with the container structure in a integrated design. The steel collars are positioned to reinforce the container at critical stress points, while the saddles combine support and mounting functions. This merging of functions and structures reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining structural strength.
3Weight of moving object
If the container is made lightweight without steel reinforcement, then the weight is reduced, but the container cannot withstand rugged oil field applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcement only at specific critical locations where stress and wear are most severe, rather than uniformly throughout the entire container. The collars, plates, and saddles are strategically positioned to strengthen areas subject to handling, mounting, and operational stresses, while the rest of the container remains lightweight polyethylene, thus achieving both weight reduction and durability.
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.