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Elastomeric base for pressure vesselsRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, Motor Driven, Including Means For Facilitating Assembly Or Disassembly Of Pump To Or From Motor Or Fixed SupportElastomeric base for pressure vessels description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060104830, Elastomeric base for pressure vessels. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to the U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/540,847, filed on Jan. 30, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of pressure vessels used to store a fluid under pressure, including pressure vessels used in portable air compressors, and more particularly to an elastomeric base that is adhered to the pressure vessel. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Many portable air compressors include a compressor mounted to an air storage tank supported by a steel pedestal having a plurality of legs welded to the bottom surface of the tank. The compressor compresses air which is stored in the air storage tank for use in powering air-powered tools, inflating tires, or the like. Typically, the air storage tank comprises a pancake-style pressure vessel having a generally flattened spherical shape. Alternately, the pressure vessel could comprise a vertical or horizontal pressure vessel, which comprises cylindrical vessels having hemispherical ends. [0004] Welding of the legs to the air storage tank is inefficient for several reasons. Welding may cause leak points in the tank if the weld burns through the tank wall. In such cases, the pressure tank would fail pressure testing and may have to be discarded. Further, the welded steel legs may be damaged or bent during manufacturing or shipping or while being used. Damaged legs must be repaired or replaced by new legs re-welded to the air storage tank. Further, steel legs can scratch or mar floor surface requiring that each of the legs be provided with a protective foot or pad of non-abrasive material such as rubber or plastic, resulting in added cost in manufacturing the air compressor. [0005] Consequently, it would be desirable to provide an air compressor including an air storage tank having a base which is not welded to the tank and which does not require protective pads or the like. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a base for a pressure vessel such as the air storage tank of an air compressor, which is adhesively secured to the pressure vessel thereby eliminating many of the problems caused by welding steel lets to such vessels. The base may be formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, a plastic, an elastomeric material co-molded over a hard plastic, or the like. [0007] In exemplary embodiments, the base comprises a single piece pedestal including a plurality of elongated legs. The single piece pedestal may have a surface contoured to fit the curved (e.g., hemispherical or cylindrical) surface of the pressure vessel so that the pedestal can be securely attached to the vessel via adhesive. In one specific embodiment, the single piece pedestal may comprise three or more prongs which are attached to feet for supporting the pressure vessel. In another specific embodiment, the single piece pedestal may comprise a ring shaped pedestal. [0008] In other embodiments, the base comprises a pedestal having a plurality of individual base members or feet which are adhered to the pressure vessel. Each individual base member may include a surface configured to correspond with a curved form surface of the compressor tank. [0009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: [0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an air compressor having a base in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of an air compressor having a base wherein a compressor tank of the air compressor has a footprint; [0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the air compressor shown in FIG. 2; [0014] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are illustrations of the base shown in FIG. 2; [0015] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are illustrations of a second base in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and [0016] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of an air compressor having the base in FIG. 5A in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. [0018] The present invention provides a base for a pressure vessel such as the air storage tank of an air compressor. The base is adhesively secured to the pressure vessel thereby eliminating many of the problems caused by welding steel legs to such vessels. In exemplary embodiments, the base may be formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, a plastic, an elastomeric material co-molded over a hard plastic, or the like. In the following description, numerous specific descriptions are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In some instances, well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the present invention. Continue reading about Elastomeric base for pressure vessels... Full patent description for Elastomeric base for pressure vessels Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Elastomeric base for pressure vessels patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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