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US 11,926,109 B2Granted
Method of manufacturing a composite vessel assembly
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsAndrzej Ernest Kuczek, Ellen Y. Sun, Wenping Zhao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a composite vessel assembly (20) includes the steps of filling a first chamber defined by a first liner (28,30,32) with a first granulated material (96) through a first orifice (98) in the first liner. A vacuum is then applied to the first chamber, and the first orifice is plugged. The first liner may then be enveloped with a first layer (84) for structural rigidity followed by relief of the vacuum.
Claims17
A method of manufacturing a composite vessel assembly comprising:
- placing a first liner in a first pre-form fixture prior to filling with a first granulated material;
- filling a first chamber defined by the first liner with the first granulated material through a first orifice in the first liner;
- applying a vacuum to the first chamber;
- plugging the first orifice;
- enveloping the first liner with a first layer for structural rigidity, wherein the first liner lines and is in contact with the first layer, and wherein the first liner is flexible and collapsible without the first layer;
- curing the first layer before relieving the vacuum from the first chamber;
- and relieving the vacuum, wherein the first layer adheres to an outer layer of the first liner and maintains a shape of the first liner after the vacuum is relieved, wherein the first layer becomes structurally rigid before relieving the vacuum from the first chamber within the first liner, and wherein the composite vessel is configured to store a pressurized fluid in a cavity formed by an interior surface of the first liner after curing.
4 more elements
A method of manufacturing a composite vessel assembly comprising:
- placing a liner in a first pre-form fixture prior to filling with a first granulated material;
- filling a first chamber defined by liner with granulated material through an orifice in the liner;
- applying a vacuum to the first chamber;
- plugging the orifice;
- enveloping the liner with a layer for structural rigidity, wherein the liner lines and is in contact with the layer, wherein the liner is flexible and collapsible without the layer;
- curing the layers before relieving the vacuum from the first chamber;
- and relieving the vacuum, wherein the layer adheres to an outer layer of the liner, and the layer becomes structurally rigid and maintains a shape of the liner, and wherein the composite vessel is configured to store a pressurized fluid in a cavity formed by an interior surface of the liner after curing.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.