SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEALING WIRES, CABLES, PIPES AND DRAIN HOLES THROUGH BUFFER

Abstract

An apparatus may be used for isolation of a wall or a surface between internal and external environments. The apparatus may comprise an enclosure housing a metal plate and configured for sealing and attaching to the wall, and any metal plate herein may be having at least first, second, and third openings for passing pipe, cable, or gas through the wall. The apparatus may further comprise sealing nuts installed in the first, and second openings for passing a cable or wires while sealing the first and second openings; and a sealing nipple installed in the third opening and operative to pass gas via a pipe between the internal and the external environments while sealing the third opening. The metal plate may comprise holes and may be attached to the enclosure using multiple threaded screws and nuts via the holes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for isolation of a wall or a surface between internal and external environments, the apparatus comprising: an enclosure housing a metal plate and configured for sealing and attaching to the wall; the metal plate having at least first, second, and third openings for passing pipe, cable, or gas through the wall; sealing nuts installed in the first, and second openings for passing a cable or wires while sealing the first and second openings; and a sealing nipple installed in the third opening and operative to pass gas via a pipe between the internal and the external environments while sealing the third opening.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further configured so when installed in an opening in the wall, protects the internal environment against direct or indirect explosion, shock, blast, or pressure from the external environment.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further configured so when installed in an opening in the wall, protects the internal environment against emission, or biological hazard from the external environment.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further configured so when installed in an opening in the wall, prevents leakage of gas, liquid, or fire from the external environment to the internal environment.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal environment comprises, or is part of, a ship, lab, operating room, clear room, or safety room.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a box-shaped enclosure, and wherein the openings are threaded openings or holes.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein enclosure further comprises an addition opening for installing a check valve operative to drain a liquid from the internal to the external environment while sealing the addition opening.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the check valve is an auto-seal zero pressure check valve.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the check valve is operative to be operated by a user to be in first and second states, wherein in the first state a liquid passes from the internal to the external environment, and in the second state a sealing is provided and a liquid is blocked from passing from the internal to the external environment.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with an air conditioning unit in the internal environment, wherein the cable is connected via the first opening to supply electric power from the external environment to the air conditioning unit, water from the unit are drained via the second opening, and gas is provided to the unit via the pipe in the third opening.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal plate comprises holes and is attached to the enclosure using multiple threaded screws and nuts via the holes.

12. A sealing set for sealing and draining a liquid comprising a check valve and a mating press unit, the check valve comprising: a first hollow elongated cylinder comprising a first end having a first round opening and a second end having a second round opening, wherein the second opening diameter is less than the elongated cylinder diameter; a sealing gasket attached to the second end; and a mass and a pressing means configured to press the mass against the sealing gasket for sealing the second end; the press unit comprising a second hollow elongated cylinder comprising a third round end and a fourth round end having a fourth round opening, the third round end defining a diameter that is lower than the second opening diameter and having one or more holes on the third end perimeter; wherein when the check valve and the mating press unit are separated, the check valve is sealed and prevents flow of liquid or gas from the first end to the second opening, and wherein when the mating press is pressed against the check valve so that the third end is inserted into the second end, a flow of liquid or gas is opened between the first end and the fourth end.

13. The set according to claim 12, wherein the check valve is an auto-seal zero-pressure check-valve, and wherein the sealing gasket comprises an O-ring.

14. The set according to claim 12, wherein the pressing means comprises a spring, and wherein the third end is inserted into the second end while pressing the spring.

15. The set according to claim 14, wherein the check valve includes a cylindrical cavity, and wherein the spring is housed in the cavity.

16. The set according to claim 12, wherein the mass is ball-shaped.

17. The set according to claim 12, wherein the first end comprises, or is shaped as, a nipple.

18. The set according to claim 12, wherein the check valve comprises an open nut at the second end.

19. A sealing arrangement for sealing around a straight pipe defining a center line, the arrangement comprising: a first round flat surface around the pipe that is perpendicular to the center line; a second round flat surface around the pipe that is diagonal to the center line; and an O ring around the pipe; wherein the O ring is pressed between the pipe, the first surface, and the second surface for sealing.

20. The arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the angle or slope of the second round surface is below 45 from the center line.

21. The arrangement according to claim 19, further comprising an hollow elongated cylinder enclosing part of the pipe, and wherein the first round flat surface is an end of the elongated cylinder.

22. The arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the elongated cylinder comprises a sealing mechanism for sealingly attaching to a plate or wall.

23. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises, or is based on, a Dowty seal, and wherein the elongated cylinder is a threaded nipple.

24. The arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the elongated cylinder comprises an external thread.

25. The arrangement according to claim 24, further comprising a flare nut having an internal thread, and wherein the O ring is pressed by screwing the internal thread on the external thread.

26. The arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the O ring is pressed by the pipe in a first force level, the O ring is pressed by the first surface in a second force level, and the O ring is pressed by the second surface in a third force level, and wherein the first, second, and third forces levels are substantially equal.

27. The arrangement according to claim 26, wherein each one of the first, second, and third forces levels is equal of each one of the other force levels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention is herein described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. Understanding that these drawings only provide information concerning typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting in scope:

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a sealing system;

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an inner part of a sealing system;

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an auto-seal zero pressure check valve;

[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section view of an auto-seal zero pressure check valve;

[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an external part of a sealing system;

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross section view of a sealing nipple system in an open position; and

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section view of a sealing nipple system in a close sealing position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The principles and operation of a sealing system according to the present invention may be understood with reference to the figures and the accompanying description wherein similar components appearing in different figures are denoted by identical reference numerals. The drawings and descriptions are conceptual only. In actual practice, a single component can implement one or more functions; alternatively or in addition, each function can be implemented by a plurality of components and devices. In the figures and descriptions, identical reference numerals indicate those components that are common to different embodiments or configurations. Identical numerical references (even in the case of using different suffix, such as 5, 5a, 5b and 5c) refer to functions or actual devices that are either identical, substantially similar, or having similar functionality. It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, as represented in the figures herein, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the singular forms a, an, and the herein include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. By the term substantially it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide.

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a sealing system assembly 50 that comprises an inner part assembly 30 and an external part assembly 40, for use with an example of a safety room that is built of a concrete and may include unique shielded doors and windows that are explosion-proof and protects from any exterior hazard, such as gas, fire or explosion, allowing for non-endangerment of people staying in such a safety room. The inner part assembly 30 is installable so that it faces the interior environment (room inside), while the external part assembly 40 is installable facing the external room environment, so that the system assembly 50 provides a sealed path for passing pipes or cables therein, while sustaining the safety room protection and isolation functionalities.

[0035] The inner part assembly 30, which is shown in detailed in FIG. 2, comprises a box-shaped enclosure 1 having a cylinder 13, through which the pipes or cables may be carried. A metal plate 11 is used for sealing of the enclosure 1 using four threaded screws (exampled by the screw 10 in FIG. 2) 10a, 10b, and 10c (the fourth one not shown in the figures) and their respective nuts (exampled by the nut 8 in FIG. 2) 8a and 8d (nuts 8c and 8b not shown in the figures). Upon securing the metal plate 11 to the enclosure 1 using the nuts, the metal plate 11 may, for example, be used for preventing a blast to the safety room interior environment in case of an external explosion.

[0036] A metal plate can be pressed to a box-shaped enclosure using less than four threaded screws but this should be tested in a real explosion.

[0037] The metal plate 11 comprises threaded holes for passing cables, wires, or pipes there through. Any number of holes may be used, according to required number of cables, wires, or pipes that are to be used. One example, as shown in FIG. 2, is of four threaded holes. A sealing nut assembly 9, having a diameter fitting the corresponding opening diameter, may be used for each opening in the metal plate 11 that may be used for passing cables, wires, or pipes. The outer diameter of the sealing assembly 9 matches the threaded hole, and the inner diameter of the sealing assembly 9 matches the cable, wire, or pipe that needs to pass through the sealing assembly 9.

[0038] The inner part assembly 30 further supports water draining capabilities by using an auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7 that is installed in the bottom of the enclosure 1 in order to maintain a drain water flow towards the room exterior.

[0039] The external part assembly 40, which is shown in detailed in FIG. 5, comprises a structure having an elongated cylinder 3 and a plate base 6. A flat metal plate 5 is attached to the plate base 6 using four spacers 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d.

[0040] The diameter of the elongated cylinder 3 of the external part assembly 40 is larger than the diameter of the elongated cylinder 13 of the inner part assembly 30. The system 50 is formed by attaching the cylinder 13 of the inner part assembly 30 to the external part assembly 40 by inserting the elongated cylinder 13 into the elongated cylinder 3. In one example, the system 50 may be assembled by adding an extender cylinder 20 between the elongated cylinder 13 and the elongated cylinder 3, where one end of the extender cylinder 20 is inserted into the elongated cylinder 13, and the second end of the extender cylinder 20 is inserted (using low force) to the elongated cylinder 3. One or more extenders, such as cylinder 20, may be used to support transfer in thick walls or buffers in different widths.

[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an inner part assembly 30 of a sealing system. The inner part assembly 30 comprises a box-shaped enclosure 1 having a slot 25, a cavity 22 through which pipes or cables may be carried, holes 24a and 24b (two other not shown in the figures) through which screws may be inserted, an opening 23, and an elongated cylinder 13. A metal plate 11 having holes 21b, 21c and 21d (hole 21a is not shown). The metal plate 11 is used for sealing of the enclosure 1 by using an O-ring 120 that is placed in the slot 25, and is pressed between the metal plate 11 and the enclosure 1 using four threaded screws (exampled by a screw 10). Each threaded screws passes through the corresponding hole in the enclosure 1 and the corresponding hole in the metal plate 11 and is secured with a respective nut (exampled by a nut 8). Upon securing the metal plate 11 to the enclosure 1 using the nuts, the plate 11 may, for example, be used for preventing a blast to the safety room interior environment in case of an external explosion.

[0042] The box-shaped enclosure 1, the plate base 6 and the extension cylinders, such cylinders 3, 13 and 20, can be made of plastic.

[0043] The inner part 30 further supports water draining capabilities by using an auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7 that is installed via the opening 23 in the bottom of the enclosure 1 in order to maintain drain water flow towards the room exterior.

[0044] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7.

[0045] While the known check valve operates with a high pressure fluid, the auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, can be operated with a low pressure fluid such as water draining from an air condition. FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7 and FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section view of the auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7.

[0046] The auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7 comprises a hose threaded nipple 76, a spring 75, a valve ball 74, an O-ring 73, and an open nut 72. Further the auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7 comprises a hollow pressing unit 71 having an end unit 77 with holes for allowing a fluid to drain from the hollow pressing unit 71 through the end unit 77 to the hose threaded nipple 76 and to the external area.

[0047] In a screwed position of the auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7, the spring 75 is placed in a cavity 78 of the hose threaded nipple 76, the valve ball 74 and the O-Ring 73 are placed on the spring 75. The open nut 72 screws on the hose threaded nipple 76 and constantly pushing the O-ring 73 towards the valve ball 74, the valve ball 74 is pushed towards the spring 75. This position provides constantly sealing of an internal environment, such of a safety room, from an external environment.

[0048] The sealing operates in a closed loop manner, as a pressure from the external environment pushes the valve ball 74 that increases its sealing forces toward the O-ring 73 making the sealing tighter. The closed loop operation makes it possible to support extremely low and extremely high pressure sealing with a single valve system.

[0049] In non-emergency situations, the pressing unit 71 is easily inserted through the open nut 72 into the auto-seal zero pressure check valve assembly 7. In this position, the pressing unit 71 pushes the valve ball 74 back from the O-ring 73 allowing the draining water from the internal area flows from the hollow pressing unit 71 through the end unit 77 and through the hose threaded nipple 76 to the external area.

[0050] The diameter of the end unit 77 is slightly bigger than the inner diameter of the O-Ring 73, for maintaining the pressing unit 71 in place, and for preventing draining water, in a case of a block in a drain pipe and accumulation of water in the drain pipe, to leak into the inner side of a room.

[0051] In emergency situations, the pressing unit 71 can be manually removed easily by a user for sealing the interior room and for preventing gas or water to enter the inner side of the room.

[0052] FIG. 5 illustrates an external part assembly 40 of a sealing system. The external part assembly 40 is optionally and installed in cases where there is a higher requirement to secure from shrapnel and blast. The external part assembly 40 is normally installed when there is a risk for a direct hit or direct blast on a wall.

[0053] The external part assembly 40 comprises a structure having an elongated cylinder 3 and a plate base 6. A flat metal plate 5 is attached to the plate base 6 using four spacers 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d, using four screws 12a, 12b, and 12d (the fourth screw not shown in the figures) and respective nuts 2a (Other 3 nuts are not shown in the figure). The spacers (such as 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d) allow access to an opening 8 of the cylinder 3 while maintaining blast shrapnel protection. The flat metal plate 5 acts as a passive shield from shrapnel and preventing from the explosion blast to go directly to the cylinder 3 into the wall, thus reducing the blast impact on the metal plate 11 of the inner part assembly 30.

[0054] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a cross section view of a sealing nipple system 90 in an open (unscrew) and close (screwed) position.

[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates the sealing nipple system 90 wherein a pipe, cable or wire 95 inserted to a threaded hole in a metal plate 11 in one piece without a need of interfering with the pipe, cable or wire as it passes through a threaded hole.

[0056] The sealing nipple system 90 comprises a threaded nipple 94 screwed on the metal plate 11 using a Dowty seal 93 for maintaining the sealing between a first surface of the metal plate 11 and a second surface of the threaded nipple 94. The threaded nipple 94 having a flat edge 96 is configured to seal the pipe, cable or wire.

[0057] The sealing nipple system 90 further comprises an O-ring 92 and a flare nut 91 having an internal chamfer 98 with an angle 97. The flare nut 91 presses the O-ring 92 towards the threaded nipple 94 and screwing the threaded nipple 94 generating forces on the O-ring 92 in several directions, thus making the connection sealed.

[0058] FIG. 7 illustrates the sealing nipple system 90 in screwed position. The flare nut 91 is fasten over the O-ring 92, and tightened the O-ring 92 to the flat edge 96 of the threaded nipple 94. The tightening generates a force F1 on the O-ring 92. As a result of force F1 and of the angle 97 of the internal chamfer 98, the O-ring 92 is pushed towards the pipe 95 and to the flat edge 96 of the threaded nipple 94. Forces F2 and F3 are equal, and the O-ring is surrounded with forces holding the pipe 95 together maintaining a high sealing capabilities.

[0059] For higher sealing results, the angle 97 of the chamfer 98 is preferred to be 45 degrees as the forces F1, F2, F3 and F4 will split equally maintaining the sealing power equal in all directions. There are cases that the material of the pipe has better sealing capabilities like a rubber electric cable and the angle of the chamfer can be adopted in order to divide the forces.

[0060] It will be further understood that the root terms include and/or have, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms plurality and a plurality as used herein includes, for example, multiple or two or more. For example, a plurality of items includes two or more items.

[0061] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, this should not be construed to limit the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that modifications may be made to the described embodiments. Moreover, to those skilled in the various arts, the invention itself herein will suggest solutions to other tasks and adaptations for other applications. It is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

[0062] In addition, in this disclosure, certain process steps are set forth in a particular order, and alphabetic and alphanumeric labels are used to identify certain steps. Unless specifically stated in the disclosure, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any particular order of carrying out such steps. In particular, the labels are used merely for convenient identification of steps, and are not intended to imply, specify or require a particular order of carrying out such steps. Furthermore, other embodiments may use more or less steps than those discussed herein.