Hydride forming of sheet materials
AssigneeHRL Laboratories, LLC
InventorsJason A. Graetz, John J. Vajo, Christopher P. Henry, Adam E. Sorensen, Geoffrey P. Mcknight
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deployable structure includes a hydride material to be converted into hydrogen gas; and a sheet material encapsulating the hydride material; wherein the sheet material is to be plastically deformed by the hydrogen gas to have an expanded structure. A method of manufacturing a deployable structure includes: forming a sheet material comprising an outer shell structure and a hollow interior; placing a hydride material capable of being converted into hydrogen gas into the hollow interior; sealing the outer shell structure; and converting and releasing the hydrogen gas to expand and plastically deform the sheet material.
Claims12
A deployable structure comprising:
- a hydride material to be converted into hydrogen gas;
- a sheet material encapsulating the hydride material;
- and
- a trigger in contact with the hydride material,
- wherein the sheet material has a thickness of 25 μm to 1000 μm and a yield stress,
- the hydride material is to release hydrogen gas in response to the trigger, and
- the hydrogen gas is to generate a pressure greater than the yield stress of the sheet material such that the sheet material is plastically deformed by the hydrogen gas to have an expanded structure, and
- wherein the trigger comprises at least one selected from a thermal trigger comprising a heat source to generate heat, a chemical trigger, and an electrical trigger.
A deployable structure comprising:
- a hydride material to be converted into hydrogen gas;
- a sheet material encapsulating the hydride material;
- and
- a trigger in contact with the hydride material,
- wherein the sheet material has a yield stress,
- the hydride material is to release hydrogen gas in response to the trigger, and
- the hydrogen gas is to generate a pressure greater than the yield stress of the sheet material such that the sheet material is plastically deformed by the hydrogen gas to have an expanded structure, and
- wherein the trigger comprises at least one selected from a thermal trigger comprising a heat source to generate heat, a chemical trigger, and an electrical trigger, and
- wherein the sheet material consists of a single aluminum foil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.