Title of Invention

"DISCHARGE FITTING WITH A PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE FITTING FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR LIQUIDS"

Abstract The subject matter of the invention is a discharge fitting (13) with a plastic housing of the fitting for transport and storage containers for liquids, that are fitted with an inner container (2) with a filler socket and a discharge socket (12) to connect the discharge fitting (13), an outer jacket from metal grate or sheet metal as well as a pallet-like base from metal. The discharge fitting (13) with the inlet socket (20) of the housing (18) of the fitting is screwed onto a connecting flange (21) constructed as a threaded flange from an electrically conductive plastic material, that is welded to the discharge socket (12) of the inner container (2). The connecting flange (21) of the housing (18) of the fitting is connected with the base or the outer jacket of the transport and storage container via an electric grounding conductor. (Fig,2)
Full Text

The invention concerns a discharge fitting with a plastic housing of the fitting, in ' particular a butterfly or ball valve, for transport and storage containers for liquids, that are fitted with a plastic inner container Vi^ith a closable filler socket and a discharge socket to connect the discharge fitting, an outer jacket from a metal grate or sheet metal as well as a pallet-like base from metal or from an at least partly electrically conducting plastic to support the inner container.
In the case of a transport and storage container for liquids, described in DE 198 15 082 A1, a grounding part is provided in the discharge fitting of the generic part provided on the discharge socket of the inner container, said grounding part constructed as a curved sheet metal or metal plate that extends over a portion of the inner bore of the discharge fitting and is connected with the base of the container via a fastening screw and a grounding conductor.
This discharge fitting has the following disadvantages: Due to the fastening screw, that is required to attach the sheet metal or the metal plate in the plastic housing of the fitting, that is screwed through the wall of the housing, the impermeability of the fitting is not assured. In the case of transport and storage containers for certain liquid foodstuff the use of metal parts is not permissible and consequently the container fitted with this fitting cannot be used for such liquid foodstuff. Finally, there is the danger in the case of the known container for liquid that during the transport and storage of aggressive liquids the grounding part will be damaged by the liquid to the extent that the electric grounding will be no longer operational.
Furthermore, discharge fittings with antistatic housing, intended for containers for liquids, are known, which are too expensive for mass production.
The object of the invention is to further develop the generic type discharge fitting for transport and storage containers for liquids with regard to a reliable and comprehensive grounding for the purpose of shunting the electric charges built up

during filling with liquids and during discharging the liquids caused by the friction of the liquid and with regard to a cost-effective manufacture.
According to the invention this objective is achieved by a discharge fitting for transport and storage containers for liquids^having the features of patent claim 1.
The sub-claims contain advantageous and appropriate configurations of the invention.
The discharge fitting according to the invention, the housing of which is fitted with a connecting flange from an electrically conductive plastic material for the purpose to weld the housing to the draining socket of the plastic inner container of a transport and storage container for liquids fitted with an outer jacket from metal grate or sheet metal and a pallet-like base from electrically conductive material, makes a reliable electrical grounding of the liquid flowing out during the discharge from the inner container via an electric ground conductor, that joins the connecting flange with the pallet-like base or the outer jacket. The discharge fitting with the connecting flange from electrically conductive plastic is considerably more cost-effective than the discharge fitting according to the state-of-the-ari:, wherein the entire plastic housing has antistatic properi:ies.
In the following the invention is explained based on the figures of the drawing, illustrating the following:
Fig.1 - a perspective illustration of a transport and storage container for liquids,
Fig.2 - a perspective partially sectioned enlarged illustration of the discharge
fitting welded with its connecting flange to the draining socket of the inner container of the transport and storage container,
Fig.3 - an enlarged perspective Illustration of the draining region of the transport: and storage container with the discharge fitting,

Fig.4 - an enlarged perspective illustration of the connecting flange of the discharge fitting,
Figs.5, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b and 9 - various kinds of fastenings of an electric
grounding cable on a tab of the connecting flange,
Fig. 10 - a fastening option of the grounding cable on the bottom of the trough of the pallet-like base of the transport and storage container, and
Figs. 11a and lib -two options of fastening an electrical grounding strip element on the connecting flange of the discharge fitting.
The transport and storage container 1 for liquids according to Fig.1, that can be used as a single- and multiple-use container, has as main components a replaceable parallelepiped shaped plastic inner container 2 with a front wall 3, a rear wall 4 and two lateral walls 5, 6, a bottom end 7 constructed as draining bottom and a top end 8, a filler socket 9 that is moulded on the top end and is closable by a lid 10 and a discharge socket 12 integrally moulded with the inner container 2 by blow moulding on a depression 111n the bottom section of the front wall 3 of the inner container 2 to connect it to a discharge fitting 13, in particular a butterfly or ball valve, furthermore an outer jacket 14 constructed as a grate jacket with intersecting horizontal and vertical metal grate rods 15, 16 to accommodate the inner container 2 as well as a pallet-like base 17 having longitudinal and lateral dimension in accordance with European standards to support the inner container 2.
The injection moulded housing 18 of the fitting made from high density polyethylene (PE-HD) of the discharge fitting 13 with the inlet socket 20 having an inner thread 19 is screwed onto and sealed relative a connecting flange 21 with a con-esponding outer thread 22 and the connecting flange 21, together with the screwed-on discharge fitting 13 is attached to the discharge socket 12 of the inner container 2, preferably by butt welding. The connecting flange 21 is

pnxluced as an injection moulded part from an electrically conductive plastic material, for example polyethylene with carbon or nano particles (Fig.2,).
The discharge fitting 13 is fitted with an electric grounding by a grounding conductor 23, that connects the connecting flange 21 of the housing 18 of the fitting with the trough-Iil For the purpose of fastening the grounding conductor 23 on the flange ring 30 of the connecting flange 21, a tab 25, injection moulded on the flange ring, that in the assembled state of the discharge fitting 13 is freely accessible, is used (Fig.4).
Figs.5 to 9 show various kinds of fastening of the grounding conductor 23, constructed as an electric cable 26, to the tab 26 on the flange ring 30 of the connecting fitting 21.
According to Fig.5 one end 26a of the electric grounding cable 26 with a ring lug
27 attached to it is screwed on the fastening tab 25 of the connecting flange 21
illustrated in Fig.4. -
Figs.ea and 6b clarify the clipping on of the ring lug 27 of the grounding cable 26 on a mushroom-shaped spigot 28 of the fastening tab 25 on the flange ring 30 of the connecting flange 21.
In the case of the kind of fastening illustrated in Figs.7a and 7b the fastening tab 25 of the connecting flange 21 is divided by a predetemiined bending position 29 in two sections 25a, 25b, whereby the section 25a. adjacent to the flange ring 30 of the connecting flange 21, has a mushroom-shaped spigot 28 and the free section 25b a fastening hole 31. To fasten one end 26a of the grounding cable 26 Its ring lug 27 is slipped on the spigot 28 on the section 25a of the tab and the free section 25b of the tab 25 is bent over and clipped onto the spigot 28, so that the ring lug 27 of the cable 26 will be firmly clamped between the two sections 25a, 25b of the tab 25 of the connecting flange 21.

Figs.Sa and 8b illustrate a further kind of the fastening, whereby the ring lug 27 at one end 26a of the grounding cable 26 is placed on a smooth spigot 32 of the tab
25 on the flange ring 30 of the connecting flange 21 and the spigot end 32a
protruding through the ring lug 27 is melted and deformed to form a rivet head
32b.
In the case of the fastening shown in Fig.9 the spigot 33 on the fastening tab 25 of the connecting flange 21 has a bore 34 for a plug 36 fitted at one end 26a of the grounding cable 26.
According to Fig. 10 the other end 26b of the grounding cable 26 with a ring lug 27 attached to it can be firmly screwed to the sheet metal bottom 24 of the base 17. There is the further possibility to attach the grounding cable 26 to the metal bottom 24 of the base 17 in accordance with the kind of fastenings illustrated in Figs.ea, 6b; 7a, 7b; 8a, 8b and 9.
There is also the further possibility to attach the end 26b of the grounding cable
26 to the outer jacket 14, constructed as a grate jacket, of the transport and
storage container.
Figs.11a and 11b illustrate the constmction of the grounding conductor 23 as an electrically conductive strap element 36, made from plastic or metal. In accordance with Fig. 11 a one end 36a of the strap element 36 can be welded or adhered to the tab 25 on the flange ring 30 of the connecting flange 21 of the discharge fitting 13. It is further possible to rivet, screw or damp the strap element 36 together with the tab 26 of the connecting flange 21.
In the case of the kind of fastening shown in Fig.1 lb the strap element 36 with a clip 37 provided at one of its end 36a can be slipped on the tab 25 on the flange ring 30 of the connecting flange 21.
In the case of a further configuration of the discharge fitting 13 that part of the connecting flange 21, which during the discharge of the transport and storage container 1 is in contact with the liquid being discharged, is made from a plastic

material with electrically conductive additives, whereas the remaining part of the connecting flange is made from pure plastic material. By virtue of such a connecting flange the manufacturing costs of the discharge fitting of the transport and storage container will be reduced.

List of reference numerals

1 Transport and storage container
2 Inner container
3 Front wail of 2
4 Rear wall of 2
5 Lateral wad of 2
6 Lateral wall of 2
7 Bottom end of 2
8 Top end of 2
9 Filler socket on 8
10 Lid of 9
11 Depression in 3
12 Disciiarge socl 13 Discharge fitting
14 Outer jacl^et
15 Horizontal grate rod
16 Vertical grate rod
17 Base
18 Housing of the fitting of 13
19 Inner thread of 20
20 Inlet socket of 18
21 Connecting flange
22 Outer thread of 21
23 Grounding conductor
24 Bottom of 17
25 Tab of 21 on 30
25a Section of 25
25b Section of 25
26 Electric cable
26a End of 26
26b End of 26
27 Ring lug of 26
28 Spigot on 25

29 Predetermined bending position of 25
30 Flange ring of 21
31 Fastening hole in 25b
32 Spigot on 25 (Fig.Sa)
32a Spigot end of 32
32b Rivet t^ead (Fig.8b)
33 Spigot on 25 (Fig.9)
34 Bore in 33
35 Plug on 26
36 Strap element
36a End of 36
37 Clip on 36a



1. A discharge fitting with a plastic housing of the fitting, in particular a butterfly or ball valve, for transport and storage containers for liquids, that are fitted with a plastic inner container with a closable filler socket and a discharge socket to connect the discharge fitting, an outer jacket from a metal grate or sheet metal as well as a pallet-like base from metal or from an at least partly electrically conducting plastic to support the inner container, characterised by a connecting flange (21) constructed as a threaded flange and completely or partly made from electrically conductive plastic material, onto which connecting flange the housing (18) of the fitting with the inlet socket (20) is screwed and with the housing (18) of the fitting is welded onto the discharge socket (12) of the inner container (2). as well as by an electrical grounding of the discharge fitting (13) by a grounding conductor (23) that connects the connecting flange (21) of the housing (18) of the fitting with the base (17) or the outer jacket (14) of the transport and storage container (1).
2. A discharge fitting according to claim 1, characterised in that the connecting flange (21) is manufactured as a plastic injection moulded part and a tab (25) for fastening the grounding conductor (23) Is moulded on the connecting flange 21, while the tab (25) is freely accessible in the assembled state of the discharge fitting (13).
3. A discharge fitting according to claim 1 and 2, characterised in that the grounding conductor (23) is constructed as an electric cable (26).
4. A discharge fitting according to claim 1 and 2, characterised by constructing the grounding conductor (23) as an electrically conductive strap element (36) made from plastic or metal.

5. A discharge fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that
that part of the connecting fiange (21) which during the discharge of the
transport and storage container (1) is in contact with the liquid being
discharged is made from a plastic material with electrically conductive
additives, whereas the remaining part of the connecting flange is made from
pure plastic material.
6. A discharge fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that
the connecting flange (21) is made from polyethylene with carbon.
7. A discharge fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that
the connecting flange (21) is made from polyethylene with nanoparticles.


Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=xqFMNhYSk4+GwgU2XxEOWg==&loc=egcICQiyoj82NGgGrC5ChA==


Patent Number 271180
Indian Patent Application Number 1952/CHE/2009
PG Journal Number 07/2016
Publication Date 12-Feb-2016
Grant Date 05-Feb-2016
Date of Filing 17-Aug-2009
Name of Patentee PROTECHNA S.A.
Applicant Address AVENUE DE LA GARE 14, CH-1701 FRIBOURG
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 SCHUTZ, UDO SCHUTZSTRASSE 12, D-56242 SELTERS/WESTERWALD
PCT International Classification Number F16C 11/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 10 2008 038 546.8 2008-08-20 Germany