Non-circular pressure vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410888-B2
Application number	US-202418439374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2024
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A reservoir assembly includes one or more pressure vessels each having a non-circular cross-sectional shape including a rounded rectangle having four generally flat sides with rounded corners. The pressure vessels may be formed of extruded metal, such as aluminum, and have a generally constant cross-section. The pressure vessels include stiffening ribs and varying wall thicknesses to improve strength and to minimize stresses when pressurized, such as during operation when filled with compressed gas. The stiffening ribs meet in the center of each of the pressure vessels and divide the interior volumes into four equal sections. A cap of stamped aluminum is fitted and fully welded to enclose each end of the pressure vessels. One or both of the caps on each of the pressure vessels has a pressure fitting. Two or more pressure vessels extend parallel to one another and are attached together to form the reservoir assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reservoir assembly comprising:
a first pressure vessel surrounding a first volume and having a constant cross-section along a first length between two ends, wherein the constant cross-section defines a closed shape; and
a second pressure vessel adjacent to the first pressure vessel and enclosing a second volume outside of the first volume, the second pressure vessel having a constant cross-section defining a closed shape and extending along a second length that extends parallel to the first length,
wherein the first pressure vessel is larger than the second pressure vessel,
wherein the first volume and the second volume are independent with neither of the first pressure vessel or the second pressure vessel surrounding any part of the other one of the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel,
wherein the second pressure vessel is attached to the first pressure vessel by a bracket disposed therebetween and to define a constant cross-section of the reservoir assembly having an irregular shape configured to fit within a corresponding irregularly-shaped space having a first region with a first width and holding the first pressure vessel, and a second region with a second width that is smaller than the first width of the first region and which holds the second pressure vessel,
wherein the bracket is integrally formed with both of the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel, as a single extrusion, and
wherein the first pressure vessel is wider than the second width of the second region.

2. A reservoir assembly comprising:
a first pressure vessel surrounding a first volume and having a constant cross-section along a first length between two first ends, wherein the constant cross-section defines a closed shape; and
a second pressure vessel adjacent to the first pressure vessel and enclosing a second volume outside of the first volume, the second pressure vessel having a constant cross-section defining a closed shape and extending along a second length that extends parallel to the first length,
wherein the first pressure vessel is larger than the second pressure vessel,
wherein the first volume and the second volume are independent with neither of the first pressure vessel or the second pressure vessel surrounding any part of the other one of the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel,
wherein the second pressure vessel is attached to the first pressure vessel by a bracket disposed therebetween, wherein the first pressure vessel, the second pressure vessel, and the bracket together define a constant cross-section of the reservoir assembly extending entirely the first length between the two first ends and having an irregular shape configured to fit within a corresponding irregularly-shaped space having a first region with a first width and holding the first pressure vessel, and a second region with a second width that is smaller than the first width of the first region and which holds the second pressure vessel, and
wherein the first pressure vessel is wider than the second width of the second region.

3. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first pressure vessel or the second pressure vessel is formed of extruded metal.

4. The reservoir assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel are each formed of extruded metal.

5. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , wherein the constant cross-section of the first pressure vessel includes a stiffening rib within the first volume.

6. The reservoir assembly of claim 5 , wherein the stiffening rib is one of a plurality of stiffening ribs within the first volume, with at least one of the plurality of stiffening ribs extending perpendicularly to another one of the plurality of stiffening ribs.

7. The reservoir assembly of claim 5 , wherein the stiffening rib is one of a plurality of stiffening ribs within the first volume, with each of the stiffening ribs extending outwardly from a center of the constant cross-section of the first pressure vessel to divide the first volume of the first pressure vessel into equal sections.

8. The reservoir assembly of claim 5 , wherein the constant cross-section of the first pressure vessel defines rounded rectangle having four generally flat sides with rounded corners along a first length between two first ends, and
wherein the stiffening rib is one of a plurality of stiffening ribs within the first volume, with each of the stiffening ribs extending to a midpoint of an associated one of the generally flat sides.

9. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first pressure vessel has a varying wall thickness.

10. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a cap enclosing each of the two ends of the first pressure vessel for sealingly enclosing the first volume.

11. The reservoir assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a pressure fitting disposed on one of the caps enclosing one of the two ends of the pressure vessel to provide fluid communication between the first volume of the first pressure vessel and the second volume of the second pressure vessel.

12. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , wherein the closed shape defined by at least one of the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel defines one of: a rounded rectangle having four generally flat sides with rounded corners, a circle, or an oval.

13. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bracket is integrally formed with at least one of the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel.

14. The reservoir assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first volume of the first pressure vessel is in fluid communication with the second volume of the second pressure vessel.

Assignees

• Magna Int Inc

Inventors

• Mcbride James
• Perry William

Classifications

• F17C2223/0123

  gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC · CPC title

• F17C2209/234

  of closing end pieces, e.g. caps · CPC title

• F17C2209/232

  of walls · CPC title

• F17C2209/224

  Press-fitting; Shrink-fitting · CPC title

• F17C2209/221

  Welding · CPC title