Fluid load stabiliser
OwnerBradely John Carpenterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid tank including an internal network of cells. The cells are configured such that in use, movement of liquid between adjacent cells of the network of cells is prevented or retarded such that under conditions of liquid movement within the tank, kinetic energy transferred from the liquid to the tank wall is reduced as compared with the case where no cells are present. The tank is useful in the context of road tankers, for example, and can lessen the chance or completely prevent the vehicle from overturning on a corner due to shifting of the liquid load carried.
Claims21
A liquid transport apparatus comprising:
- a tank having a central axis and opposed lateral walls, and
- paired wheels on either side of the central axis,
- wherein the tanks comprise an internal network of cells, the cells configured such that in use, movement of liquid in a direction generally orthogonal to the central axis of the tank and between adjacent cells of the network of cells is retarded such that under conditions of liquid movement within the tank, kinetic energy transferred from the liquid to one of the opposed lateral walls of the tank is reduced as compared with the case where no cells are present,
- wherein the network of cells is formed from three or more layers of cells, the three or more layers of cells formed by two or more dividers, and
- wherein the each cell of the network of cells has vertical walls being formed from first and second elongate members being sheet-like and having apertures formed therein configured to retard movement of liquid, the first and second elongate members making mutual contact at intervals along their lengths, and floors and ceilings of the cells being formed by the two or more dividers, and each of the two or more dividers is a sheet-like structure having a plurality small apertures formed therein configured to inhibit the upward movement of liquid during liquid tank cornering, the plurality of apertures together forming a minority of the divider area.
A liquid transport apparatus comprising:
- a tank having a central axis and opposed lateral walls, and
- paired wheels on either side of the central axis,
- wherein the tank comprises an internal network of cells, the cells configured such that in use, movement of liquid in a direction generally orthogonal to the central axis of the tank and between adjacent cells of the network of cells is retarded such that under conditions of liquid movement within the tank, kinetic energy transferred from the liquid to one of the opposed lateral walls of the tank is reduced as compared with the case where no cells are present,
- wherein the network of cells is formed from three or more layers of cells, the three or more layers of cells formed by two or more dividers, and wherein the two or more dividers each comprise (i) a plurality of relatively small apertures configured to inhibit the upward movement of liquid during liquid tank cornering, and (ii) one or more relatively large apertures configured to allow relatively uninhibited movement of liquid therethough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.