Expansion joints for a tubular transportation system
AssigneeHyperloop Technologies, Inc.
InventorsLuke PEARSE, Blake COLE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tubular structure includes at least one exterior tube and at least one interior tube, at least a portion of the interior tube is disposed within the exterior tube. The tubular structure further includes at least one expansion joint provided between the exterior tube and the interior tube and the expansion joint allows lateral expansion or contraction of the exterior tube and the interior tube and maintains a pressure within the exterior and the interior tubes.
Claims20
A tubular structure, comprising:
- at least one exterior tube having an opening and an interior;
- at least one interior tube, at least a portion of the at least one interior tube is configured to be disposed through the opening and within the interior of the at least one exterior tube;
- and
- at least one expansion joint provided between the at least one exterior tube and the portion of the at least one interior tube, wherein
- the at least one expansion joint is configured to allow lateral expansion and contraction of the exterior tube and the interior tube while maintaining a predetermined pressure within the exterior and the interior tubes.
A method of maintaining a predetermined pressure within a tubular structure having an interior tube, an exterior tube, a pressure-tight service seal, and an O-ring sled disposed between the interior tube and the exterior tube, the method comprising:
- establishing an interior of the tubular structure at the predetermined pressure;
- engaging the pressure-tight service seal between the interior tube and the exterior tube;
- and
- removing the O-ring sled from the tubular structure while the pressure-tight service seal maintains the predetermined pressure of the interior of the tubular structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.